Extreme Couponing!?! Not so extreme with these strategies!

Coupons…are they your friend or do you despise using them?

I personally love to save money, so I shop with coupons all the time. Until now, I haven’t been strategic about my shopping though.
That is about to change!

When I shop for groceries, personal items and household items at any of my local stores, I always pay attention to the percentage and dollars saved by using brand coupons, in store coupons and store savings cards. I get really excited when the percentage of saving is more than 20%. I am super excited to see this percentage go up to 50%, 60% or even 75% off with the strategies I’m sharing below and will share in future blog posts.

The trick and key to using coupons to save the maximum amount of money when shopping for every day items and groceries…is actually pretty simple.

Most Sunday papers come with coupon inserts. There are 3 types of inserts;

  1. R…or the Red Plum insert
  2. SS…or the SmartSource insert
  3. P & G…or Proctor & Gamble.

All of the coupons in these inserts can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings each month. What would you do with an extra $300 a month? Think about that for a minute… Start saving the inserts I mentioned above (with a sticky note, write the date of the Sunday paper they were in, i.e… 8/24 and file them away for the time being) and waiting until the products you normally buy go on sale, you will save the most money.

Another key to maximize your savings is to have multiple coupons and then when you shop, purchase as many products as you have coupons for. For example…if you have 5 coupons for $2.50 off of Kellog’s brand cereal, use all 5 coupons and buy 5 boxes of Kellog’s brand cereal. Basically, you stock up and always have a supply of the products (non-perishable, of course) you use most or love on hand. When you run low, you take from your own supply, then when they go on sale again AND you have a coupon, you shop for them and re-stock your stash. This means, you may shop for random things at different times, depending on what is on sale and what you have on hand for coupons. But by doing this, you will save the most and always have pasta, sauce, cereal, toothpaste, deodorant, etc…on hand when you need it.

I will share more about this exciting money saving topic in coming blogs, so check back often. I have also signed up to be an Extreme Coupon Instructor in the Denver area. The class will be FREE to attend. I’m excited to teach you more about using coupons to maximize your savings and keep your hard earned cash for other things that will bring you joy and happiness!

Summer…where has it gone?!

Wow! Summer has flown by this year. At Little Miss Idea, we’ve been busy helping our clients get organized, plan their summer parties and get caught up on all kinds of administrative & daily tasks. Summer is my favorite time of the year, with so much to do…festivals, weddings, bridal showers, parties, BBQ’s and more! My next favorite time of the year is Fall. I love the change in seasons and welcome the cooler temp’s. If Summer got away from you and you could use some help this fall, please keep Little Miss Idea in mind for any of your needs. We’d love to help you get organized, shop for your upcoming dinner party, get your holiday card/gift list started or updated well before the rush…whatever you may need help with, just ask! On a personal note, I will be embarking on a cross country road trip with one of my best girlfriends in September. I’m really looking forward to our one on one girl time and seeing what we can discover along the way. I love road trips. They remind of youth and feeling free. If you haven’t taken a road trip in some time, I highly recommend it. It’s good for your soul to get out on the open road. Even if it’s only a few hours away…it will do wonders for your spirit. Enjoy the rest of your Summer, with or without a road trip. If you do take one, I hope it leads you on an unexpected adventure!