So how do I know if it's a good deal or a GREAT deal?

[AKMCGRATH]

Hi everyone. I apologize in advance if this has been covered somewhere else and I missed it.

I started couponing last week and did great. At least I think so. I ended up spending about $35 for $170 retail in mainly ph (personal hygene, Advil, etc.) products.

Of course, I'm hooked and would love to continue to have great weeks like that, but I am not sure it is realistic at all.

My question is this: How do I know a good deal from a GREAT deal?

For instance, I see that Dollar General has Suave 18-22 oz lotion on sale for $3. Seems decent enough. However, I have a BOGO manuf coup. No other coup's would be attached, so in essence, I would be paying $1.50 ea. I think that's good, but is it GREAT?

Now if there were another coup, say for -.75 off one or two, I could use that also, correct? Alas though, I do not have any other coups so I am curious to know if I should pick up a few lotions. I have 5 coups. Maybe I should use some of them? OR...since the coup's expire 6/30, should I hold out to try to get a better deal somewhere else, or hope there is another Suave coup that comes along in the next few weeks?

Like toothpaste, for instance. No matter the brand, I don't want to pay more than $1. Of course, Free is best. But, if I can get any for $1 with coup's, RR or whatever, should I do so or should I hold out in hopes to get it free? If I'm not able to get it Free or close to it, then maybe I should hold my coupon until it almost expires and see what kind of deal I can still get? Still, if it's more than a buck, I wouldn't want to get it. Am I making any sense

I feel like it is a gamble with all the coupons I have, and do I place my bet now or later for the bigger payoff?

Ideally, I would like to only get what is on sale along with a store & manuf coup along with any kind of money back (RR, ECB, etc.) Dollar General doesn't offer this, yet their sale prices may be just as good or better. It is all just a crapshoot? lol

I realize it takes a lot of research and planning, and personally, I cannot THANK EVERYONE who contributes enough!! From the owner of this site, to the mods, to ones who find a great deal and need to share it with us to other newbies. To me, EVERYONE has something great to contribute and the excitement is contagious!

I haven't even really delved into the food coups. That seems like such a daunting task. Why, I don't know. There are fewer grocery stores (Walmart & Kroger only by me) than drug stores. Maybe it's because of the hundreds of coup's I have.

I actually have organized every coup into alphabetical compartments. Took a long time, but much easier for me to whip out a coupon.

So, what are some of your strategies with coupons? Do you sit on them hoping there is an even better deal or do you use them to still get a good deal.

And, I don't know if this would make a difference, but my intentions for couponing are to have a little stockpile for my household, donate to soldiers/shelters and to sell some at the flea market.

[TiggerToo]

IMHO it is what you are willing to pay for it. With the stores in our area I find it hard to get rock bottom prices sometimes, with the sales etc and the coupon policies. You will find couponers who in posts say "I will never pay... for a container of deodorant...or ...for a bottle of mustard..." but in reality, I would because I may not ever find it cheaper then what I can get for it in my normal shopping trip. When I watch that "show" when they are saying "I have never paid for a container of body wash or a thing of deodorant" well, the deodorant I buy rarely ever gets coupons and rarely ever goes on sale. So it is truely "in the eye of the beholder". What is good to you, may be Fan-flippin-tastic to me, because it rarely ever goes on sale, and the stars may be aligning and I may have a coupon for that product and it FINALLY goes on sale. It sounds like you are on the right track, you just have to determine what is great and what works for you to determine how best to approach your shopping strategy.

[AKMCGRATH]

Thanks for your input Tigger.

I have never watched "that show". I've only seen the commercials, and while I was on another coupon site, a certain person was discussed as potentially being fraudulent.

While at first I thought that show would be great to see how to get some deals, I am glad I never watched it, because I think it would anger me. I don't know..to me, a person can only use so much. When I think of so many people in need and then I see a mini-mart, I do not want to judge, but I am hoping there are things that also get donated somehow. Share the wealth, ya know?

I get sooo many tips from sites such as this anyway, I do not need to watch tv for them.

[$Saving!]

Since you're relatively new to couponing, determining what is good vs great on prices will come over time.

In the meantime, buy that which you need with your coupons, but you will know when a deal is great (free or pennies on the dollar!) And when that deal presents itself that is when you would use the coupons you have and within the store's limits,get what you can.

Remember that your stockpile doesn't build in a month or two - it takes time to ferret out the best deals and get to know that spending a $1 today on toothpaste might seem like a great deal, but next week you might get it for 25 cents elsewhere

As anxious as you are to score good deals (yes, we all get that way!), you have to understand that a coupon that doesn't match up to a great deal can be thrown away when it expires and it will be replaced down the line with more coupons. No, we don't like doing that, but if it doesn't match up before it expires, out it goes

[sheldensb]

I am also relatively new to the couponing world (within the last month or so), but I will say that I've started noticing trends with the coupons and the sales that seem to follow. Some stores will have super deals the week that certain coupons come out, almost to where the ads seem to mimic the coupon inserts, and then other times the stores have fab buys several weeks later than when particular coupons come out.

If you know you can always get item X at __ price, good deal or bad, then it gives you a rough estimate of what an awesome price would be with your coupons.

I've also found that by waiting to match up my coupons with the store coupons (I have Safeway), I get way more mileage out of my "good" coupons than if I had just used it on the item right when I got the coupon.

Not sure if that helps or not, but you'll find what products you're willing to negotiate on and which ones you know you'll only buy a certain brand of, and then you just stock up like crazy when it goes on sale along with your coupons! :)

Couponing is so much fun--don't get too overwhelmed! HCW is FULL of helpful information for us newbies to get on our feet with--HTH!

[jkeating]

I agree with that others have said.

My area does not double much less triple coupons. I know others have said they won't pay for mustard and get it free but the best I've done is $.50 on a non store brand spicy mustard. It was on sale and I had a high value coupon. I was delighted to pay only $.50 for each bottle. Since I do like mustard I bought 3.

I have noticed that most of my stores do put the items on sale the week the coupons come out but I have also noticed that they do that with items in previous weeks inserts. I trade inserts with friends at work and after missing out on items where I've given away all of my inserts I now only trade one set of inserts with my friends a week.

If I can get something I use for less than I would normally pay for it I consider it a good deal. If it's something I use and I can get it for next to nothing or sometimes free for me it's a great deal.

I don't judge my deals against the deals of others. If I'm saving money I'm happy!

[bhcaaron]

Thanks for your input Tigger.

I have never watched "that show". I've only seen the commercials, and while I was on another coupon site, a certain person was discussed as potentially being fraudulent.

While at first I thought that show would be great to see how to get some deals, I am glad I never watched it, because I think it would anger me. I don't know..to me, a person can only use so much. When I think of so many people in need and then I see a mini-mart, I do not want to judge, but I am hoping there are things that also get donated somehow. Share the wealth, ya know?

I get sooo many tips from sites such as this anyway, I do not need to watch tv for them.

I can only imagine "the show" everyone keeps reffering to is TLC's Extreme Couponing. I've tried to watch every episode and LOVE it. It is how I was introduced to this couponing world which I am still very new to.

I love the show becuase all of the people in it have always stated they share the wealth in one way or another. Some share with friends and family, some share with neighbors and many of them share with charities. One of them has become well known now for sending care packages to our troops. Many of them also share their knowledge on how to do this with others so they may do the same. This to me is the greatest.

Many of them started doing this because their circumstances in life lead them to it. Regardless of their circumstances, however, I love the fact they are willing to do something to help themselves. Whether they share in one way or another or choose not to share is up to them.

If I were to learn that one of them was a greedy, little horder that refused to share, it would not impact my life in any way. I would still keep breathing, my health would not change because of their decision nor would my economic status. What would change, however, is the knowledge I've gained from them which every person who has been or will be on the show is willing to share. After all, wouldn't it be better for them to teach others to fish instead of just giving us a fish? Which, like I said, all of them have stated or shown how they share.

I know that a lot of couponers in the community are upset with the show in one way or another. I can understand what it is like to be misunderstood by others simply because of false information being spread out by others who do not know me or communities I choose to belong to, like, now, the couponing community.

Overall the show depicts what some of the couponers go through in EXTREME cases. If a person chooses to believe that all couponers are greedy horders because of what they see on the show, it is more a portrayal of the person's own ignorance than an honest representation of what the show is trying to portray.

[kendra228]

I have noticed that most of my stores do put the items on sale the week the coupons come out

You are so right about this. Some stores might have a good sale, but if you wait, other stores will probably have a BETTER sale

I have certains items now that I know I won't spend more than XX amount of money for, but that's because I've built up my stockpile, and don't really NEED any of those items. It's all what you need, what you have, what great/good sales you have, etc. And never, never go by "that show!" It is truly unrealistic. I am forever telling people that I am a realistic couponer, not an extreme couponer. And my rule of thumb is I am happy if I am saving more than I am spending.

[amylynne01]

Your price point depends on a few things.

- How long you've been couponing (your prices go down the longer you've been couponing until they bottom out once you really figure out sales cycles and coupon cycles)
- How brand loyal you are (for example, my DH will only use Fusion razors, so my razor buy price is higher than another couponer who uses any brand)
- How much you really need an item (if you're totally out of toothpaste, buying it at Walmart with a $1 coupon may be your buy price for now)
- The area you live in (if you have no access to drug stores, your buy price on deodorant might be higher than someone who lives with a million CVS, Rite Aids, and Walgreens)

[MaMaHaHa]

Another thing to look for is the coupon/store sale match-ups...that will save some time in terms of finding the best deals offered that week...and look around your local area for a Coupon Class...many tips and tricks are dependent on the stores and policies in your town. I love to go to Krogers because they triple and double, and Target because you can stack coupons. But, sadly, not all Krogers triple and double anymore.