What's the easiest way for a newbie to get started?

[DMickey28]

Does anyone do this?

I am super new to couponing and trying to save some good money for our family. I joined the $1 trial for the **** **** to try and get my coupons vs. sales in order.
Any tips for those starting out? So far I feel like I have found that the sales and coupons on things don't really pertain to very much that I buy. I am afraid of buying stuff that I normally wouldn't. I actually think I buy very little in the way of food. It's just DH, myself and DS (1yr). Maybe I need to re-think what we eat. Protiens with every meal, I do frozen veggies or fresh .. no cans. Pasta, canned tomatoes (make my own sauce for everything). Little cereal and froze waffles/pancakes for DS. Sometimes chips. Soda/water ... I don't feel like I even buy that much but I feel like I spend a TON!!

[Dealio]

What I did when I started here at HCW was to find all the groups/threads for the stores in my area. Then I started to write down sales, (Walgreens forum has a wonderful person posting the up coming sales, and terrific grocery store mod posting sales with match-up), noted if I had a coupon, or if one was coming and if I could combine with the store coupon.

I use food coupons but my main savings has been on health and beauty aids (HBA) from Walgreens mostly. I combine coupons, with sales, and send in for rebates, and get register rewards.

Then I'm able to shift the money I would normally spent on HBA into the food budget.

Just start out with one drug store, and one grocery store in your area, see what people are posting about deals, and read, read, read.

I think you can get a lot more useful information from HCW than that grocery match up you have to pay for. And here, you can ask a question and someone will help you figure out what to do.

By the way, all those things you mentioned you buy, you can get coupons for.

Welcome to HCW. I hope you enjoy it here.

[Asasmommy]

Just like PP said, there are cpns out for the things you buy. Just hang around here and read, read, read!!!! It's amazing what you will find out. I've been doing this almost 3 years and I still learn something new...it's so much fun! Also, the stores you are loyal at may start sending you cpns for the items you buy. My Kroger printed out catalinas for me good on whole wheat flour that I buy and a FREE pint of grape tomatoes! Have fun!

[Sara457]

Okay I am in the process of collecting coupons...

Where would you suggest I start first?
I have a CVS, Walgreens, Dillons, Walmart...and a few others. I have been reading alot about CVS and am liking it so far but dont know if that is a good place to start or not?

Thanks
Sara

[terrortoys]

If you like CVS start there get everything down an then move on to another store.. don't try to take on too much at once..

[jamieclark31]

This is overwhelming! I am just beginning to read and I am wondering, will I mostly use this website to find coupons to print out? What do you think of text message coupons.

[loguernsey]

I have to ask what is cvs and what are winetags? I am soooo confused!! Help

[bargain_blogger]

Originally Posted by loguernsey I have to ask what is cvs and what are winetags? I am soooo confused!! Help

CVS is a pharmacy like Walgreen's. Winetags are coupons that aren't available in all areas. They usually come as a hanging tag on a product that is good for a different product. My made up example would be you buy a bbq sauce and it has a hanging tag for x amount off of such and such meat. Hope that helps some!

[Nitenites]

So, where do you gals get your inserts? I've gotten a few from my mom, but I am so thrifty (okay, cheap, LOL!) that actually buying a paper seems counterproductive to me. (I know I'll save $$ in the end, but I'd rather get my q's free, if I can.) Tips?

[nrpeace17]

This is from Couponing 101 section in the above sticky
entitled "Couponing Basics for the Newbie.":

Where do I get all of these coupons?

Your first source should be the Sunday newspaper. The coupons are usually with the magazine section inside the funnies! There are three kinds of coupon inserts to look for: the SmartSource (SS), the Redplum, which was formerly known as Valassis (V), and once a month, the Procter & Gamble Brand Saver (P&G). There are no inserts on major holidays, so you might want to save your money on those days. The 2008 Schedule is on the HCW calendar or in this thread.

The first key to saving money is to obtain multiple copies of the inserts-- lots of them. You want to do this as inexpensively as possible.

• You probably already get a paper, either home delivered or at the news stand, so you have one set of inserts there. If you buy it at the store, make sure the coupons are actually in there before you pay for the paper!
• Some stores discount the price of the Sunday paper, or offer a special deal on two.
• Then you can ask everyone you know. Most people don’t use coupons, or if they do, they cut one or two and toss the rest. Get those. Ask your mother, your neighbors, your church friends, coworkers-- anyone that you can think of!
• If you live in or close to an apartment or condo complex, check out the recycling bins. You’d be surprised how many people just toss the whole center section! These are usually pretty clean, since recycling companies require you to separate newspaper from other recyclables.
• Join the “Dumpster Divers”! This is what people call it when they go to the local recycling center to poke around for extra inserts. Make friends with the people who run them if you are confronted—they can become your best friends! They might be able to tell you when the carriers come to dump their extras. There is a Dumpster Diving thread here.
• Ask at the local store on Sunday night or Monday morning. Many papers require that only the front page of unsold papers be returned for credit, or if they need the whole paper, they don’t want the inserts. It never hurts to ask!
• Look at hotels, nursing homes, McDonald's on a Sunday morning... anywhere that people sit to read the paper and leave the inserts.
• There are reputable coupon clipping services that will send coupons for a handling fee. Free from the sources above is always best, but sometimes you have to spend money to make money!This post was taken from hotcouponworld.com
• Another source of coupons is online printable coupons. There are many links to these in our database! Most sites allow you to print two copies of each coupon. One caveat, however, is that many stores no longer accept them due to fraud. You will need to ask if your store accepts these.
• A preview of the coupons that will be appearing in the next weeks' inserts can be found at www.taylortownpreview.com.