How to Stockpile Coupons, Groceries, and Toiletries
In today's tough economic times, it pays to shop around. Store and manufacturer's coupons offer big savings to the people who use them. Once accumulated and paired up with sales at your favorite stores, coupons can be used to purchase items, like groceries and toiletries, in bulk and stockpiled in a pantry or storage closet. With newspapers, magazines and the Internet offering additional savings, it's easy to acquire household products for pennies on the dollar.
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Things You'll Need
- Multiple coupons taken from newspapers, magazines, or printed off the Internet Weekly sales ad for local grocery and drug stores Black or blue ink pen Small pocket-sized notebook Scissors Coupon organizer Post-It Notes
Instructions
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Gather up all your coupons and arrange them on a table for easy sorting. Clip each one out and lay it aside to be categorized. Group multiple copies of the same offer together with a paper clip for easy reference.
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Once clipped, take the coupons and sort them into piles according to what kind of product they are. Some sample categories include: dairy products, canned goods, health and beauty, snacks and meat. Pay close attention to expiration dates. Keep expired coupons off to the side.
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Take out your local sales advertisements. Glance at each page and circle the items that are on sale or that you have a coupon for. Thumb through the sorted stacks of coupons and match them up with the appropriate items circled.
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With pen in hand, open up the pocket-sized notebook and write the name of the store having the sale at the top. Jot down the name of the item that you wish to purchase, the number of coupons you have and the price you expect to pay for the lot. Do this with each item until you have everything you intend to purchase listed on the page. Total the price and subtract any store coupons that you might have.
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Repeat with every store where you intend to shop. Once itemized, gather the appropriate coupons and secure them with a rubber band. Fold a Post-It Note in half and cut it down the middle to form two usable pieces of paper. Write the name of the store on the piece of paper and stick it to the top of the rubber-banded pile before filing the coupons into their respective places in the coupon organizer.
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Look for two-for-one sales and use a coupon on each item. Take advantage of businesses that double and triple coupons. Before leaving, check out the clearance for further reductions. Save all your receipts and circle the amount saved and compare it to the amount you spent.
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Designate a spot in your home for stockpiled items. A pantry or closet with adequate shelving is beneficial. Group all items together so they can be easily inventoried at a later date. Pay attention to a product's shelf life and give away all products that will expire before you can use them.
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Tips & Warnings
Coupon trains are a great way to receive new coupons and get rid of the ones you have no use for. A simple web search will help you locate one in your area. Ask your friends, family members and neighbors to save their unwanted coupon inserts for you. Make it a habit to pick them up at least once a week. Get to know your local store's policies and procedures. See who will tolerate what. Some establishments make up their own rules for coupon usage. Don't hold up the line by arguing with a cashier. Expired coupons can be sent to military families who can use them on the base.
Pay special attention to expiration dates and terms and conditions. Some coupons are very specifically worded. Do not attempt to pass off a coupon that you know is fraudulent. This could mean serious trouble for you. To avoid fines and jail time, resist temptation. It is better to pay full price than to pay court costs.
