Blogs We Love

There are two blogs that get checked multiple times a day at our house. They always have great deals!

The first is Hip2Save. Collin, who writes the blog, lives in the Eastern U.S. but she posts mostly national deals that will apply to basically any area of the country. From time to time the prices of products will be a little different at local stores but she has a lot of readers from Utah so if you ever have questions you can always post a comment and I've always been able to find someone to answer. She also posts a lot of great online deals that anyone in the U.S. can get. Her readers are super friendly and if you ever have questions, they are always willing to do what they can to help. She posts helpful videos and has tons of great tips!

The second blog we check daily is Utah Deal Diva. Jessica is the girl that writes this blog and she obviously lives here in Utah. She doesn't post quite as many deals as Collin does on Hip2Save but all of her deals will be local. She almost always has great Smith's posts and they are always helpful. Her readers aren't quite as active but usually if you do have a question either she will answer if you post in the comments or a few of her readers will.

Between these two blogs, we've been able to score tons of great deals! When couponing it's important to have some sort of a network. It could be just a group of friends or people on the internet but it's easier to find great deals when there is a larger number of people out looking for them!

Couponing Tip #9

Take baby steps, be positive, and remember: Every coupon you use is money you save!

This tip is from Hip2Save

Couponing Tip #8

Make couponing work for you! It can be time consuming and tiring but remember your limits and also don't forget the benefits. Consider clipping coupons at night in front of the TV, get the kids involved as a fun activity, team up with friends and family and socialize while organizing your coupons.

Couponing Tip #7

Understand how coupon overage works because overage can play a HUGE role in reducing your grocery bill.

Here is an example to help explain how overage works:

A product which is on sale for $1 is purchased with a $2/1 manufacturer coupon. The value of the coupon is $1 over the product price. The overage of $1 can then be applied to the cost of other products which are purchased on the same transaction. This is a great way to help discount items like produce or meat.

Note: Many stores won't allow overage with coupons and will just adjust the value of the coupon down to the price of the product.

Couponing Tip #6

Consider buying products, which you may not need, to get products you do need. This was one of the hardest concepts for me to wrap my head around when I first started couponing.

Here is an example that might make this weird tip make more sense:

Let's say Walgreens has a promotion in which you earn a $5 Register Reward on your next purchase if you buy 10 Gillette shaving products. The least expensive Gillette product is shaving gel, priced at $2 each. You can get this for free by stacking a Walgreens $1/1 coupon with a Gillette manufacturer $1/1 coupon. With 10 Walgreens coupons and 10 Gillette coupons, you get 10 shaving gels for free plus a $5 Register Reward to use like cash on your next purchase.

So you end up getting 10 shaving gels for free and make $5 to spend on your next transaction.

Couponing Tip #5

DON'T BE BRAND LOYAL!!!

You can save so much money by not being brand loyal. If you have a lot of coupons that will allow you to get something for a great deal but you aren't sure if you will like it, maybe just get one and try it out before you decide to stock up.

Couponing Tip #4

If you have the time, plan to look for unadvertised sales and clearance items. If you have a coupon for an already heavily discounted item, the cost can be free or very little.

Couponing Tip #3

Keep in mind that sometimes a smaller quantity item is a better deal. For example, with a coupon you might be able to get a travel-sized item for free. With several coupons, you can stock up on these items for free!

Couponing Tip #2

Bring a calculator with you to the store and don't just rely on your phone. You can use this to keep track of your purchases and make sure you are actually getting a great deal.

Couponing Tip #1

As you start couponing you need to understand that your shopping style needs to change. You are no longer going to go shopping on Saturday for everything you need for the next week. Instead, your goal is to stock up on items at the lowest possible price. You might as well buy four jars of pasta sauce for half the price while you can so you won't have to pay full price next week when you actually use it.