What sort of Mistakes have you made since couponing?

[powellzk]

WOW everyone thanks for sharing. There are wonderful tips in this thread. I hope I remember some of them.


My bigest mistake so far is not starting this a long time ago. (today is my first wish me luck)..

[EshuBarakeno]

The last two times I went to Ralph's my total was $1 more than it should have been. I didn't realize this until I got home. Then, I found out that they only double one of each coupon used! This explained why my total was so much. It sucks because I could've saved $2 just by doing separate transactions. I'll never make that mistake again.

But now I've made an even bigger mistake. I lost my CVS card!

[janastanley]

My biggest mistake besides not starting sooner is forgetting my coupon binder before I go to the store. My Walgreens & Walmart always have GREAT clearance. SOmetimes before I can run home to get the coupons, the items have been bought by someone else.

[manystraits]

I had to add my biggest "DUH!!!" mistake from a few months ago. Until just recently I was just a casual couponer but I tried to watch the store's sale inserts and would order coupons for great deals (so I was SOMEWHAT on-the-ball). Well, life would get busy and I just wouldn't keep up: I wouldn't go through the coupon inserts like I should have and basically just through away money by not cutting the coupons on even the every-day things that we used (not to mention the deals) and I wouldn't file away the coupons I had ordered. So, here is my biggest DUH: on one coupon order I ordered several quaker instant oatmeal coupons as hubby likes to have it at work. Well, the envelope with the coupons got set aside and forgotten about. THEN, oatmeal went on sale here for $1.87/box. I purchased some since it was a good deal (with no thought of the coupons lost at home). Shortly after the sale ended (with oatmeal going back to something like $3.69/box) I found the envelope. If i had used the coupons during the sale, I could have purchased it for $.87/box!!! Oh, I have kicked my self repeatedly over that!! SO, my biggest suggestion is to find a way to stay organized; keep your system as simple as you can and keep up with it!

Happy couponing!

Blessings,
Amy

[manystraits]

Oh, and my other big mistake.... spending too much time searching out printable coupons online. When i think of how much time I spent looking for certain coupons, I realize than any savings I did get were totally lost on the time I spent looking for the coupons. I am more conservative with printables now!

Blessings!

[lanierew]

What great ideas! I am trying to store all of these away.... I have been burned by expiration dates as well. It seems like there is so much going through my head when I am grocery shopping that I forget to check this....

[eroom08]

I would say as a newbie, my biggest mistake is getting the item but having left the coupon at home! I don't have enough coupons to over buy on any one product.

[ErinKerbs]

I don't always take all of my coupons to the store. I think I grabbed all of the coupons I will need to go with the sales and other items on my list, then I get to the store to see something on clearance or on sale that wasn't in the flier. I hate that.

I also forget to hand the coupons to the checker and double check that all of the coupons rang up.

[Ilovemyboys]

so far my biggest mistake is leaving my coupon organizer at CVS!!! And no one turning it in! =(

[fitguru4life]

Sometimes being so stressed with each transaction and then forgetting to use the coupon and only using the ECB.