Guest Post: Why Couponing is Essential for Our Family

The following is a guest post from my good friend Amy @ Amy Loves It.

I started couponing just under a year ago, and the only regret I have, is that I wish I had started sooner!  I have saved so much money shopping sales and couponing, it is incredible!

I have had several people ask me, “What is the big deal about coupons?”  Well, for me, it is not just the couponing that is a big deal; it is shopping the sales AND using coupons.  It is comparing prices and products to see that I am getting the most for my money.  It is keeping track of when products I use are at their lowest price.  And, it means reading great, valuable blogs like this one!

One comment I hear a lot is, “Couponing is too much work.”  In life, most things that are worth doing take time, work, and effort.  You have to plant the seed to get a garden. Yes, couponing does take work, but it is work that will pay off in the end!  And, it is work that gets easier the more you do it.

Another comment is, “I do not buy a lot of the items are on the coupons.”  Well, in many ways, I don’t “buy” them either; I get them FREE from shopping CVS sales (sometimes without using coupons).  The secret to shopping with coupons is to compare your brands and prices.  You need to know what you are spending, and if that generic cereal really is cheaper than purchasing name brand, on-sale, and with a coupon.  If generic is cheaper, then great!  The key is, now you know.

Couponing is not as big in my small town as it is in other places, so it sparks many interesting conversations!  I love talking about couponing with others; I am hoping it will become a ministry for me.  My friends know I am an organizing freak nut, and keeping coupons organized like I do, freaks them out!  I have learned that there is no “right” way to organize your coupons.  You organize them how you see fit; just do whatever works for you.

It was not long ago, that I organized my coupons by category (as in, baking, baby, cold, etc).  This system became a hassle for me, as I was constantly adding categories, forgetting exactly where I put certain items, and actually forgetting (gasp!) about coupons!

Stephanie (yes, Mrs. Couponing 101, herself!) mentioned that she organizes her coupons alphabetically by brand.  Wow, what a difference that made for me!  This system works incredibly well for me, and the way I think.  Does that mean that this is the right method for you?  Not necessarily.  The point is, to think about how you already organize other things, and implement that into your couponing.

One final comment I have is that anyone can coupon.  Anyone.  You just have to find what works best for you.  At the very least, I feel you should figure out what you are paying at the grocery store.  Especially in these economic times, we should be aware of where our money is going; we should know exactly what we are spending.  A way I have found that lowers our spending is through couponing and sale shopping.  As I said before, anyone can do it.  You might even find you enjoy it!

Amy is a WAHM to 3 awesome girls and the wife of a (cute!) youth pastor. She lives on coffee, loves her Jesus, and thinks that red heels go with everything. You can find her and everything she loves on her site.