Still Couponing, Back to the Binder and no more Coupon Mom

Yes, I am still couponing! But I am back to using the binder, did I already tell you that? For a while I was dating and filing my inserts, than checking the couponmom website for sales & lists of the coupons to clip. However, after a few frustrating months of searching through my inserts and not finding the coupons that were listed, I gave up that system.

Suddenly most of the coupons listed were not in my insert! I believe my local inserts or those where the couponmom site comes from have changed and are just different now. I tried to find another site I liked, but none were as easy to use or gave me what I needed. Plus, I was wasting valuable coupons that I would have used had I known I had them!! So something had to change. I went back to the binder.

I collect my inserts, usually have about three or four of each one. I take one stack of the same date and type at a time and separate each page into it's own pile. Then clip, so that I am clipping all the same coupons at once. I put the clipped coupons into piles per category and once all the pages are clipped, I file them into my binder. I only clip the coupons I know I will use and some I would use if the sale was good enough. Saves me from clipping all coupons and having to clean so much from my binder later.

I know some extreme couponers are cringing that I throw away so many unused because they might get a deal and make money off them, but here in California we don't have double coupon days, there is almost never a chance to make a profit. Even if there were, it's so slim, it's not worth my valuable time.

Before each shopping trip, I look through my sale flyers to find who has the best sales for the items I need. I pull my coupons & put them into a wallet size organizer. If I'm going to Safeway I also click on coupons and deals on their just4u website. They have some great deals! I also still love taking advantage of RiteAid and CVS's rewards programs!

I don't look over the sale flyers every week. Only when I need something. I know I may miss a great sale, but I spend less if I just don't go after sales when I don't need to. I could probably save more money, but I am saving much more than I used to, so I'm very happy with that!

Best Site Ever! and What's a Coupon Data Base?

I think I just found the best site ever!
I was checking out the P&G website, www.pgeverydaysolutions.com, looks like their coupon book is coming out in the June 5th Sunday paper. Woohoo! (oh, the things I'm excited about these days!) And I came across a tutorial video from www.couponmom.com. I went there and am so upset I did not know about this site from the beginning! How to coupon, info on stores, what deals are going on... Plus a coupon database! I didn't have any clue what that was, so I watched a tutorial video on it. It's a list of ALL the coupons that have come out and where to find them! You can search by item, brand, date it came out, expiration date, and even by locality. OMG! I can't wait to get started! This will make my searching and matching up SO much easier. I did like the site I mentioned before for matching up and store info, but I don't think they had a database. And this site has so much more info and seems easy to find everything. Love it!