Coupons...

The best way to use coupons is to apply them to sale items. I have said already that hundreds of items are marked down each week up to 60% off the shelf price. When you apply your coupons to those items, you can pay almost nothing for some things. Here are a few pointers:

• Coupons are available in your local Sunday Papers. You can also find coupons on the inside of food labels, inside cereal boxes or online. You can also email companies and request them to send some to you.
• Clip coupons weekly to save time and get a coupon wallet to put them in that has dividers. Put all the coupons for items that you use in there, including brands that you think you can't afford. If that brand comes on sale at half price and you apply a coupon to it, it is more than likely going to be less than even the store bought brand. I have frequently brought home items that the store has ended up paying me to take home because of applying coupons to sale prices.
• Make sure you remove coupons that have expired weekly.
• Some grocery stores double coupons up to a certain amount. Check with your local grocery stores to find out their policies with coupons.
• Make sure you get the RIGHT ITEM in the RIGHT SIZE for the coupon. A good practice is to check the item with the coupon before you put it in the cart.
• Always check that you are paying less than you would for a store brand. If you aren't, put the coupon back in your organizer, put the item back and get the store brand.
• NEVER use coupons for things that your family (or you) won't use unless it is ABSOLUTELY FREE. Otherwise, you are not saving money! (I have to say here that there isn't too much that my family couldn't use. I have slowly but surely taught them not to be so picky. After all, we aren't always gonna LOVE what someone else in our family may like, but we can eat it for one night and not suffer incredibly!)
• Coupons that require multiple purchases are generally not a bargain.