My guide to couponing

I have been asked many times, "where do you get all of your coupons, and how do you find the deals?". I have been trying for months to get a group together to go over, Getting started in Couponing. So here it goes. I first foremost want to begin with I have always couponed, but I have finally been guided in the right direction of , Couponing Honestly and affectively! A friend of mine introduced me to True Couponing (http://www.truecouponing.com/), who's motto is Savings for Yourself, Blessing for Others. I went to a True Couponing class ( coming to West Bradenton Baptist Church July 15th,2011) at a local church,  they show you how to coupon and save. They are an amazing Christian family.
I started couponing more and more as the economy was getting worse, my husband had lost 3 jobs over the last 3 years, and gas prices soaring. As we are a one income family, while I persue my B.A. in Elementary Education. And seeing that money may not grow on trees, Coupons ARE money!!
I have been posting pictures on my Facebook account here and there, of some of my shopping trips. Below is how I coupon!
First: I buy 4 papers every Sunday, different counties have different coupons
            * Check each paper for the coupons, you don't want to purchase a paper that has NO coupons in it!!
Second: I check my favorite sites everday ( sometimes multiple times a day) for any good deals, heads up on sales, and weekly grocery ads.
                http://www.iheartpublix.com/
                http://www.truecouponing.com/
                http://www.couponingtodisney.com/
Third: I check out all of the coupon sites on a weekly basis and sign up for alerts on some of these websites for mobile coupons. Also don't forget to 'Like" your favorite products on Facebook, you never know when they might have a coupon available. When you see a coupon, PRINT IT OUT ! Don't wait, because some companies only have so many coupons available for print and you don't want to miss out on a good coupon! Also don't forget, you can print up to 2 coupons per computer!!
                www.coupons.com
                www.allyou.com
                www.redplum.com
                www.smartsource.com
                http://coupons.target.com
http://www.sweetbaysupermarket.com/coupon_section/Coupons/22223.uts
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/coupons/

Fourth: I start making my list of items I need from the grocery store, and start matching my coupons up to my items. ( There is a coupon database on Truecouponing.com that will let you know if the is a coupon available for products.)

Fifth: Don't forget to check you local grocery store coupon policies, each is different! As well as the types of competitors coupons they will accept!

I clip my coupons each week and organize them in my folder according to the types of products, i.e. Health & Beauty, Dairy, Drinks, etc.

Here is my coupon folder -

I like to use http://www.couponingtodisney.com/, She posts weekly deals $1 and under at bothWalMart & Target. This gives you a chance to use coupons they may just be sitting in your folder, never being used. Who likes throwing away money? I sure don't!! Here is a recent trip I did at WalMart courtesy of Couponing to Disney's heads up on what products were on sale and how to use my coupons.

The products I bought were as follows, 4 women's Nivea Bodywash, 4 men's Nivea Bodywash, 4 trial size women's Degree Deoderant/Anitperspirant, 1 tiral size Secret Clinical Strength women's Deoderant/Antiperspirant - Total $32.33, After my coupons $3 off womens Nivea Body wash (x4), $3 off men's Nivea Bodywash (x4), $1 off ANY Degree Deoderant/Antiperspirant (x4), & $3 off ANY size Secret Clinical Strength = $ 1.33 <--- I just paid the taxes on my items!

Once you get going on stock piling your coupons, don't be afraid to take your folder with you every where! I do it all of the time, I hate walking into a store without my folder, realizing that I found an item on sale ( or possibly free) and that I have a coupon just sitting back at home.

Try to get into the habit of writing companies emails, let them know how much you like their product (or dislike), if it is a company you don't feel is as competitve product wise- let them know! Keep a Excel sheet of who you write and when ( so you don't double write to a company). Some companies will reward you as a loyal customer with products, and coupons. And it is always worth a try! And who doesn't like FREE products.

Hopefully, I will post more about my shopping experiences and tips to go along with them.

* Note: My grocery money allowance is $100/week, what I don't spend I put away! As I am Couponing to my Disney Cruise, I have $1300 paid into it & $1000 to go.