How it all begins

Good morning my fellow coupon-a-holics! :) I want to talk a little bit about how to get stated couponing. That is the biggest question people ask when they see me walking around a store with my big binder full of goodies. "How do you get started". I'm sure my sister Leigha can agree to that. And its really very simple. First thing you will need is organization. That really is the key. Without it, coupons will be EVERYWHERE. Trust me, I've learned my lesson. :) And nothing is more frustrating than fighting your teething 11 month old for the coupons you left on your desk.
      Many people, my sister and myself included, use the binder method. There are a couple different ways that you can organize your binder. And there are other ways to coupon that do not use a binder. I've seen people have something as simple as a mini expandable file that fits in a purse, to just using envelopes, to something as elaborate (and might I say large and bulky) several tubs of uncut inserts filed neatly. It really is just a matter of what you prefer. But since I use the binder, we will peek into that method a little more.
     The binder really seems like the easiest way in my opinion. It takes a little bit more organization on Sundays, but you can just grab and go, and if you find that one item on clearance you will have your coupons right there with you, so you never miss a sale. This method does have a little bit of a start up cost, but I think it is worth it. This is what I used to start up. Again, you can use whatever means you need, or whatever method you would like, just as long as you are saving money! :)
*a durable 2 in binder ( I recently upgraded during the school sale to a 3 in, zip binder with a handle and straps. I treated myself! :) It even has an expandable file in the front. AWESOME!)
*baseball card holders-you can buy these at Walmart in the section they have by the registers where all the trading cards are at, for roughly 5.00)
*scissors (or a cutter like I plan to get for Christmas. This is good if you get more than a couple inserts, you can cut more than one coupon at a time. Just make sure you keep them lined up!)
*pens
*notebook for writing all your lists down, and jotting notes
*dividers (I had a divider with a pocket up front so when I snag those coupons walking through the store I had somewhere to put them so I wouldn't loose them until I could get them in my binder)
       And that's pretty much it. You can go as fancy or as simple as your little heart desires. Add more or less to suit your needs. It's YOUR binder. Now, the next thing you will need is...COUPONS!!! "Where do you get all your coupons" is my second most asked question. And my answer usually is everywhere. I subscribe to my local newspaper, and get one paper delivered a week. No, that's not all I get. :) I get my paper early in the morning, and I take a look through and that will give me an idea of about how many more newspapers I want to get. Usually, my sister in law will drop off about 5 more papers, at the least. An even number of papers is a good idea. So you will have plenty for BOGO's (Buy One Get One). That and I don't like uneven numbers. Must run in the family. ;)
       You can also get coupons from the internet. There are so many sites that you can print coupons off of. I will post a few websites a little later to help you with that. You can also go to your favorite brands webpage or Facebook page, and I bet you will find coupons to print out, or that they will send you! That's a great way. However, most coupons you print out, only lets you do a maximum of 2 prints PER COMPUTER. I only have one computer right now, so I can only print out 2 until they reset, but if you have more than one computer (Leigha :), than print and print and print! Now, when I first started, I went a little print crazy. And let me tell you, that was a waste. I didn't match any sales or anything, I just saw coupons and started printing. DON'T DO THAT! You will just waste ink, paper, and your time. Wait until you can match it with a sale, or you really need it or what not.
       Another way you can get coupons is by ordering them, either by whole inserts, or just clipped coupons. I have learned recently to really like this idea. This is a way to get 25 or however many you think you need, of one coupon, rather than buying 25 newspapers. There are many different sites that you can order from, and I will post a few links for those as well.
        You can also get your coupons from swapping other couponers, or maybe there is a basket at your local library, or church that you can swop coupons, or you can even start one! You can get coupons from stores. Those little blinky machines that spit out coupons at you are a great way! Sometimes they are high dollar coupons for new products. USE THEM!!! Take a couple coupons. That is what they are there for. And look on a lot of products. You will see what is called peelies, because, you peel them right off the product. :) There are so many ways to get your coupons. Just look around and keep your eyes open!
      Alright, so after you have gathered all your materials, and have your coupons, what's next? Let me go through the motion (so to speak) and show you what I do on Sunday night. I gather my supplies and coupons, (and usually my sister in law and niece) and we sit at the kitchen table. We separate all the coupons, and pull them apart and lay all the same pages on top of each other. That way, when you grab a stack of coupons, they are all they exact same ones. I put a few together and staple them, then clip. It takes less time for me. However, my sister in law can't cut a straight line, so she does one at a time. What ever way is easier for you! Then, when you have all of the same coupon cut, put it straight into your binder. It saves time, and you wont have stack of coupons everywhere. It's that easy! :)
      Now, you can organize your book however you would like. I have 4 main categories, and within those categories, separated and labeled by dividers, I have subcategories. I mark those with little post it flags and numbers. My 4 main categories are Food, Household, Personal, and Pet. Now within those, such as pet, I have Cat, and Dog. My Food, I have subcategories such as Baking, Breads, Candy, Cereal, Frozen, Meats, Produce, Sides, Snacks, ect. I have others, but you can see how it's done. And yes, I do alphabetize. :) Teeny tiny OCD.
     And that's it!!!! :) Once more, do your binder, or whatever method that works best for you! If you can't stick with it, you will not stay organized. Organization is the key!!!! Now, go get clipping and organizing and SAVING!!!! Let's see how you do. Drop us a comment if you have any questions! HAPPY SHOPPING!!!! :)
-Alicia-