Why You Don Have To Be Extreme To Save Money With Coupons

There has been a lot of chatter lately about "Extreme Couponing" and whether it’s bad, good or indifferent.  While "extreme" may be in the eye of the beholder, for me a balance between couponing and life is very important.  There have been times where I felt like I may have spent a little too much time with my coupons and not enough with my kids, even though I coupon so I can provide for them.  Finding the right mix for you is an important first step in your savings adventure.

You definitely do not have to go to extremes to save a little money at the grocery store, drug store or online.  I use coupons almost every time I shop.  Yes-almost.  There are times where I just don’t want to spend the extra five minutes it will take me to find that coupon I need and if the savings isn’t more valuable than my time, so be it.  I make up for it on another trip.  Using coupon sites like HotCouponWorld.com saves me time and money by giving me a preview of what is on sale at the stores I shop and what coupons I will need.  I also use the site to trade with other couponers for coupons I wouldn’t have access to otherwise.  However, I do not spend hours and hours of my day perusing the grocery ads. 

I also have a group of friends I have made from HotCouponWorld and not only do we give each other the heads up on good deals but we go out shopping together a few times a year.  Putting more than one frugal brain together at a time yields results plus we can share our coupons!  The picture you see is of part of one of these shopping trips a few months back.  Our average savings was 60% off retail using coupons.  I came home with a car load full of groceries and had a great time out with friends.

Finding other ways to save is important too.  Using mail in rebates, promotional offers and embracing clearance has saved me money.  While I don’t boast a huge stockpile in my house, I do stock up on certain items when they are a great deal.  We have a large freezer now in my basement where I store things like bakery markdowns, yogurt, frozen fruit and vegetables, meats, ice cream.  Having that extra freezer space allows me to take advantage of a great sale without having to worry about where I can store the items.

I also keep my sense of humor and get the children in on the action.  My kids know a coupon is worth money.  If they see a blinkie machine they will tell me "Mom, look -COUPON!" and have no problem standing in line for me with a grocery cart.  When a cashier is not sure how a deal works or about the store’s coupon policy, I try to remember my retail days and kill them with kindness.

Find your style of shopping and don’t let coupons take over every aspect of your life.  You will be much happier and healthier and still save lots of money!