A Beginner's Guide

Making Cents with Coupons

The obvious thing you need to "make cents" with coupons is coupons, of course! But, the first thing you are going to need is information.

I have a few of my favorite coupon information links on the right navigation bar under the title "Some Fav Couponing Sites & Blogs." The first is "A Full Cup". This was my favorite in the beginning and still is. I keep the site "bookmarked" and check it out often. Hot Coupon World is another site similar to A Full Cup. I also have a couple of other couponing blogs listed. There's loads of information in each of these sites, so just take your time and read, read, read!

Now, if you want to be a "Super Couponer" and really cash in on the savings and fun... you will need lots of coupons and you will want to have multiples (6-10 is a good start) of each. Save all coupons, even the ones for products you think you will never buy. Why, you ask? There are many reasons. The least being - you may be able to purchase it free after the coupon. So, even if it's not something you would want, perhaps it's something you could donate to a local shelter or food pantry.

The major coupon inserts are found in the Sunday (Saturday in some areas) newspaper. The coupons in the inserts vary based on the region of the county and sometimes the size of the newspaper. I live in Canton, Ohio and find that our newspaper, The Repository, has smaller coupon inserts than the Cleveland, Ohio paper, The Plain Dealer. But even The Plain Dealer doesn't get the best inserts. Other regions of the country have larger or higher value amount coupons. There are companies and individuals that provide coupon inserts for a fee. A few that I have tried are listed on my blog under "Coupon Sources."

Coupons can also be printed off the internet. There are several online coupon sites with the main ones being Coupons.com, Redplum.com, and Smartsource.com. Coupons can also be found and printed through links on manufacturer's websites. I have many of these listed in "Printable Coupon Sites" on my right navigation bar.

Vocalpoint is one website that you'll want to register with right away. They mail out manufacturer coupons and samples and send weekly emails with information and sometimes, coupons. Check out some of the others I have listed in the right navigation bar under the title "Free Sites to Register With For Special Offers & Free Samples."

Coupons can be found in several magazines. The "All You" magazine available at Walmart or by subscription is known to have alot of coupons (compared to other magazines). I've heard subscribers of this magazine complain that the copies in the store usually have more or higher value coupons that the ones mailed out. Better Homes & Gardens is another magazine source for coupons.

Welcome to the world of "Extreme Couponing"! It's a hobby for some, a way of life for others, and even a living for a few. Couponing takes time....clipping, sorting, and organizing; reading through the sale ads and matching up coupons, researching the best deals, finding more coupons; and then, there's the shopping...sharing with others the great deals you made...and best of all, enjoying the savings and the products you bought for just pennies on the dollar and sometimes, for free!