If you could only offer one piece of advice...

[panthermom]

thank you so much for all the great advice.

As a newbie, I really am thankful to those who have been around.

As a "jump in all the way and get burned out" kind of person, thanks for all the start slow advice.

[Luckymama]

I'd say to master one store's policies enough to figure out your own deals before moving onto learning another store. Don't try to learn CVS and Walgreens at the same time! Stick to one drug store chain and one grocery store chain until you are comfortable :)

[pyxiwulf]

Multiple papers! None of the rest works without the papers!

[chunkygal]

you will make mistakes and that's OK. you will get to the store and not have the coupon you need or CVS will be out of something and your "plan" will be messed up or you will use a coupon and the next week the item will go on the awesomist sale ever! Pick up the broken pieces of your life and move on...you are on a progressive road and sometimes there are detours.

[angeleyeza]

Everyone makes mistakes on there first deals they try. I know I had my share. Like always forgetting at the grocery store that they will only double 1 like Q per transaction But I learned to sperate and make multiple transactions at my favorate cashiers line. Take your time and be patient. Always ALWays be kind and let the person behind you KNOW you have coupons and you will be a few minutes. This is always appreciated by others, and some may not mind waiting just to see how much you save. today a man at Weis didnt have his card and I offered my card and the cashier accepted with no problems and I even got a gracious thank you from the nice man that waited on my 3 transaction trip. Sometimes giving is better than recieving. but I got both in one trip =) Be patient when reading your coupons! read them thourougly. If you go and buy for example Dawn Dishsoap and you have $1 off any 2 you must buy 2 dawn, and you are allowed any size/kind of dawn dish soap. you cant buy 1 and expect them to take the coupon when it says 2. make sure the coupon matches the product you are buying.HTH someone :)

[catnerd714]

Do not bring DH or SO with you shopping! They only add stuff to the cart and try to get you to spend more. My DH now knows to ask if we have a coupon for something before he even considers asking if he can have it!

[angeleyeza]

I agree with you there no Dh/So and if you can leave the kids at home with DH. Because then you wont have to say " if you be good you can have this" LOL this way you are in control of what goes in and out of your cart! great post Catnerd714~

[Beandippy]

Watch as the items ring up (also much easier to do if you shop alone) or at least take a few minutes to review the receipt before you leave the store. Nothing worse than getting home and realizing that something didn't ring up as it should have.

[mollybiscuit]

Do you recommend one of the rebate magazines I've heard about?

[mollybiscuit]

Originally Posted by chunkygal you will make mistakes and that's OK. you will get to the store and not have the coupon you need or CVS will be out of something and your "plan" will be messed up or you will use a coupon and the next week the item will go on the awesomist sale ever! Pick up the broken pieces of your life and move on...you are on a progressive road and sometimes there are detours.

So what do you do if CVS is out of something and you "plan" is messed up? Do you learn to think quick, with other customers waiting behind you, or ask the cashier to void and go out to your car and re-plan, or ??? Thanks