Everything you need to know about stockpiling

Stockpiling is a great way to save money. Simply put, stockpiling allows you to purchase items you normally use when they are are very cheap or sometimes free, so that you don't have to purchase them later on and pay full price. Stores generally run the same or similar sales every 4 to 6 weeks. After you've been at it for a while, you will learn your local stores' sales patterns. During a good sale, if you buy enough of a certain product to get you through til the next sale, you won't have to worry about running out and paying regular price. For instance, if your local grocery store is running a sale on soup priced at 4 for $1 and you have a store coupon for .50 off 4 and a manufacturer coupon for .25 off 4, which doubles, you'll essentially be getting 4 soups for free and should stock up enough to get you through until the next sale or what you have room to store. Which brings up another great point to take into consideration - only stockpile what you have room for. Obviously you wouldn't buy 100 cans of soup if you have nowhere to put them, right? However, even if you don't have a huge house or basement to store things, you probably have more room than you think. Clean out a spare closet and dedicate it to "stockpile items" Storage totes are also a stockpilers best friend. These allow you to store your items without them always being in the way. 

The whole purpose of stockpiling is to get multiple items for a lot less than you would normally pay. That's why it's so important to not confuse stockpiling with shopping at discount retail stores and/or warehouses that sell products in bulk at "lower" prices. These types of stores are very misleading. People think they are getting a great deal because they are getting 8 rolls of paper towels for the price of 6 at the local grocery store. An important thing to remember, it's usually always best to buy the smallest size possible. For example, say your local grocery store is running a sale on single roll paper towels for $1 each and you have a coupon for .50 per roll that doubles. Now you're getting your paper towels for free. Much cheaper than paying the "discount" price at the warehouse, right? Always compare the different sizes while shopping. Even local grocery stores can confuse consumers in thinking "bigger is better." For example, if there is a 6 oz tub of butter for $1 and 12 oz size for $1.50, you would most likely assume the larger size is the better buy, right? Well not necessarily. Say you also have a coupon for .50 off any size of that particular brand of butter and your store doubles coupons up to .50? Now which is the better buy? The smaller size because it's FREE and the larger size will still cost you .50!!!

Organizing coupons

Finding a spot to keep your coupons can be quite a challenge in itself. A lot of times coupons can go to waste if they aren't made readily available... sort of an out of site, out of mind type of thing. There are many different methods for storing your coupons. Some of the more common methods include:

• Keeping the whole inserts intact and filing them by date. This method that will save a lot of time initially, but can be a pain when you're getting ready to go shopping. You'll need to clip the coupons you need before your trip and many times, you'll find an item on sale or clearance and won't have the coupon with you.

If you choose to clip all your coupons initially, storing them can be done in a number of ways:

• The binder method - this is where a three-ring binder and baseball card inserts are used to store your coupons. This method makes it very easy to see and find your coupons while you're shopping. 
• An accordion style envelope or recipe box that is divided into different categories. This method is great for beginners that don't have a lot of coupons yet, but as your "stash" begins to grow, you may find this method a pain, as it's hard to find what coupons you're looking for.

It's also a good idea to categorize your coupons. Below is a list of sample categories, but as always, use what works for you.

• Baby Products
• Baking
• Beauty 
• Beverages  
• Bread 
• Candy 
• Canned Goods 
• Cereal 
• Cleaning Aids 
• Cookies/Crackers 
• Dairy/Cheese 
• Feminine Hygiene  
• Frozen Foods  
• Household 
• Laundry/Detergent 
• Meat 
• Medicines  
• Mouth (Toothpaste/Brush/Mouthwash)  
• Paper Products 
• Pasta/Rice  
• Pet 
• Snacks 

I personally prefer the binder method. I started out with the accordion-style coupon holder, but after a few months, it got to the point where I could never find the coupons I needed while I was shopping. I usually clip about 5 whole inserts each week and store the rest intact. This way, I don't waste a lot of time clipping coupons I may never need, but I always have at least a few of them on hand while I'm shopping, just in case there's a sale.

Other great websites

Besides the sites already posted, there are a lot of other great sites that are full of valuable information. Some of my favorites include:

www.afullcup.com - this site has an awesome coupon database. You just type in the name or description of the product you need a coupon for and all the available coupons will be listed, with links to any IP ones.

www.cafemom.com - this site offers a lot of different "groups" which you can join and there a lot of groups dedicated to couponing and saving money.

www.couponmom.com - this site is great too. They have a great coupon database, forums and a lot of great information for beginners.

www.hotcouponworld.com - this site has great forums, where fellow couponers post their most recent deals.

www.weusecoupons.com - same layout as HCW... great forums with great deals posted daily.

*** You may find these last two sites a little hard to navigate at first because A LOT of coupon lingo is used, but they will probably eventually become your favorites!!!

Where do I find coupons?

There are a lot of different resources available when it comes to getting coupons. The most common source is probably the Sunday newspaper. As I said before, larger cities usually have the better coupons in them, so if possible, get these ones. You also want to obtain as many inserts as possible, for the least amount of money. You can do this by asking friends or family for their inserts, asking local stores if they offer discounts if you buy the paper late Sunday or early Monday - some stores only need the front page of the paper to get credit for their extras, so they may be willing to just give you the extra inserts, you can "dumpster dive" if you have a recycling facility near your home and they are willing to let you do so, and finally, there are coupon clipping services available that sell single coupons and whole inserts.

Some of the most popular of these sites include:

www.ebay.com

www.couponsthingsbydede.com

http://www.thecouponclippers.com/index.html

https://www.centsoff.com/

http://www.couponclippingcrew.com/

Another great resource for obtaining coupons is the internet. A lot of companies now offer internet printable coupons. Some great websites to get these types of coupons include:

www.smartsource.com
www.redplum.com

www.coupons.com

www.shortcuts.com

and even certain stores or manufacturer's website may have coupons available for print.

You can also email your favorite companies and simply ask them if they have any coupons available they can send to you. A lot of times they will gladly send you coupons when they hear you like their products or you're interested in trying them.

Coupon Policies

Figuring out where to begin may be the biggest challenge you'll face. I think the best place to start is compiling a list of all your local stores and getting their coupon policies (in writing preferably). Most stores have their coupon policy right on their websites, some you may have to contact via email or phone. Having the coupon policy on hand is extremely important for several reasons. Most importantly, sometimes you will run across a cashier, or in some cases, a manager that may be unfamiliar with their own policy. They may "disagree" with you about a coupon when they realize you'll be getting a product free or nearly free. It just makes things much easier on everyone when you have the policy right there in front of you... just in case.

Some common coupon policies:

Some stores will double coupons up to a certain amount. For example, if you have a .50 coupon and your local grocery store doubles up to .50, you will actually get $1.00 off that product. For example, my local Meijer doubles two like coupons up to .50. This varies by region, so that's why it's important to get your local stores policies.

Some stores will allow you to "stack" or combine their store-issued coupons with a manufacturer coupon. Some of these stores include: Target, Meijer, Rite Aid, CVS, and Walgreen's. So say you have a Target coupon for $1 off and a manufacturer coupon for $1 off, you'll actually be getting $2 off that product.

Questions you should ask about coupon policies:

1. Does your store double coupons? If so, what is the maximum value that will double?

2. How many "like" coupons will double per transaction?

3. Do you take Internet printed coupons? (Most stores do, but it's always best to check)

4. Can I combine store coupons with manufacturer coupons?

5. Do you accept expired coupons? (This one's quite rare, but you never know)

6. Do you accept competitor coupons?

Is it really worth it?

Clipping, sorting and storing all those coupons can seem like a pain. Most people give up on coupons even before they start. Some may feel like they don't want to waste all that time only to save a few bucks at the grocery store. Others simply don't know where to begin. I can tell you it does take time, but if you really want to save money, you will see results that make it worth your while.

With the economy the way it is, it only makes sense to use coupons. Who isn't looking for ways to save money? We stay home more, we're not taking vacations, driving less, cutting back on entertainment and eating out. But what if you could continue doing the things you enjoy by simply clipping a few coupons and shopping around for the best price? Makes sense to me. The average family of four can save approximately 25% on their monthly grocery bill when they utilize coupons. For example, if you normally spend $400 per month, you could save about $100 each month, that's $1200 per year. So before you throw the idea of couponing out the door, evaluate your monthly spending and think about what it could be with coupons. The next few posts will help you figure out where to begin and start saving... one penny at a time!

What did you say?

Okay, so you've decided you're serious about saving money... now what? Well, I would suggest getting familiar with the many, many terms you'll run across quite frequently while browsing the web. At first, all the abbreviations will seem like some sort of a foreign language, but you'll be speaking the language like a native in no time.

I've compiled a list of the most common abbreviations and/or terms that you'll come across on various websites, blogs and/or forums. If you run across one not listed, please feel free to let me know and I'll be sure to update the list.

Types of Coupons:

MFR (Manufacturer) - Most coupons are manufacturer coupons (will say "Manufacturer Coupon" somewhere on the coupon... usually by the expiration date).

Store-specific - Coupons that are only valid at specific stores (*some stores do accept competitor coupons).

IP (Internet printable) - A coupon printed from the internet.

Blinkie - An in-store coupon dispenser near the product (usually a red blinking box).

Peelie - A coupon you peel off the product.

WT (Wine Tag) - Coupons usually found around the neck of wine bottles.

CAT (Catalina) - A coupon that prints at the register from a Catalina machine (hence the name).

CRT (Cash Register Tape) - Similar to a Catalina, but prints from the cash register following your receipt.

RR (Register Reward) - A Catalina from Walgreen's.

IVC (Instant Value Coupon) -Walgreen's store coupons found in their ads and/or coupon books.

ECB (Extra Care Buck) - A Catalina from CVS.

SCR (Single Check Rebate) - Rite Aids monthly rebate program.

Rite Aid Video Values - Rite Aid has short videos on their website. After viewing, you can print coupons for that specific product.

Weekly Coupon Inserts:

RP - Red Plum

SS - Smart Source

PG - Procter and Gamble

V - Valasis

* You will usually see these abbreviations in a form similar to this - SS 11/15/09. This is referring to the Smart Source insert from the November 15, 2009 Sunday paper.

* Also note that not every coupon insert is the same everywhere. One paper may have certain coupons and another will not. It's usually best to buy the "big city" papers as they usually have better/more coupons.

Other common terms/abbreviations:

OOP (Out of Pocket) - The amount of cash paid after all coupons, promotions and discounts.

OYNO (On Your Next Order) - You will sometimes receive a Catalina or coupon good for a certain amount off your next purchase. This is often abbreviated OYNO.

MIR (Mail-in Rebate) - Sometimes certain products will have a mail-in rebate attached to them.
FAR (Free After Rebate) - Some products offer a full rebate for the purchase price, or the product will end up being free after coupons and a MIR are applied.

PSA (Prices Starting At) - Because every location may have different prices, this is a common phrase used. It basically gives you an idea of what the price may be, but your store may be higher or lower.

UPC (Universal Product Code) - The bar code found on products.

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) - Some sales, promotions, coupon acceptance vary by location.

BOGO - Buy one item get one item free

B2G1 - Buy two items get one item free

$1/1; $1/2; etc - this refers to the coupon value and the number of products required for purchase i.e $1/1 would mean the coupon is $1 off 1 item; $1/2 is $1 off the purchase of 2 products and so forth.