Originally posted by: fuzzybabybunny
OMG tell me your secrets! I always thought coupons were more hassle than they were worth. 30 cents there, 20 cents there, redeem 5 coupons and you've saved a whopping $1, which you could have easily saved by just buying the generic brand. I had no idea you could actually save so much.
it's really not that hard, you just have to look at your local circulars every week.
1. find out your local grocery stores in the area. kroger/ralphs, albertsons, safeway, etc.
2. find out which stores double coupons. some stores even triple that don't exist here in southern california
3. look at the circular ad every week. find the good sales, i.e. Buy One Get One Free, or 2/4.00, etc. if cereal is BOGO free, that's a good deal. If it's 1.88 a box, that's a good deal.
4. get the sunday paper and cut out the coupons. i personally don't cut them all out - i only cut out the ones i KNOW i will use, and the ones for items that i would only purchase if they went on sale and combined with a coupon, would make for a good deal.
5. start shopping.
if you don't have time, you can sign up for the grocery game, where you pay for someone to do all the research for you. but with a month of regular scoping out of the ads for your local stores, you will start to recognize what's a good deal and what isn't. also, sometimes the stores have "unadvertised" sales, so if you have time to just wander the aisle, it could be beneficial to you. some aisles i never go down - i.e. pet food, alcohol, makeup and shampoo at the grocery store, so it's really only 10 aisles you have to cruise up and down at most.