HOW do you get things so cheap???

[Ladymack]

Maybe I'm missing the forest, because the trees are in the way. I'm new to this - Don't get me wrong, I've been cutting coupons for a while. I've been using them at our commissary and considering it a "job well done" when I saved 10%.

I understand that we clip coupons from the paper, online, etc. and then use them when that item is on sale to get the maximum saving for our coupon & money. Now, I'm using more coupons and shopping sales and have up'd my commissary savings to 26%.

I also get that you can use (as an example) a walgreens coupons with a manufacteur's coupon at the same time to maximize saving. Thanks to that tidbit, I now have enough paper goods for three months, courtesy of Walgreens. We're moving in 3 weeks or I'd have stocked up on more.

BUT, how do you get things free or cheap???

[PMFan]

basically by using coupons that equal or are greater than the item price.

these threads will help you get started
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...ites-info.html
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...une-deals.html
COMMISSARY Trial Sizes and Overage Deals (includes Item UPC Database for Special Orders)
Commissary: Recurring Free/Cheap Items

[taram0728]

Are you asking where do people GET all of these coupons? I think that's where I'm confused.

[Ladymack]

Thanks PMFan, Those darn trees were just in the way again. :( Okay, now I just need to work on finding better coupons/ better sales. I guess I'll have to read more than just the comics in this Sunday's paper. :)

[CoveredinGrace]

LadyMac...
I see you've joined itrader-that's my FAVORITE resource for finding awesome coupons. I always check here first, then head off to other sites if no one has what I need here, but 99% of the time, I find the great coupons either in my Sunday paper or on here.
Watch the auctions on here, and you'll see what the "hot" coupons are, b/c they'll be the ones that people are seriously in a bidding war on. Read the forums for the stores near you and people will post their deals and you'll get some great hints there. Another major key to saving so much is to create a "stockpile". This means that when you find that bacon for .09/package after coupons, you buy TONS, enough to get you and your family through till the next free or almost free sale.

Then what happens is that when you are making out your grocery list the next few weeks/months, you won't be adding bacon to the list b/c you got it at a rock-bottom price already! So now you have lowered your out-of-pocket for that week, b/c you aren't paying $2.50 for a pkg of bacon anymore! You keep doing this with any product that your family regularly uses and pretty soon, your "gotta haves" for the week are pretty much nothing. Then your only shopping for that week are the frees/almost frees and maybe some milk or something. So once your grocery list looks like this:
24 Free X
10 Free Y
40 Free Z
Milk $2.89= $2.89 out of pocket and 75 items!

Then you are getting the deals most of these people are getting. The key really is 1. Getting LOTS of the same coupons so that you can trade and/or use them on a great sale to stock up and 2.Stocking up so you are never, ever, ever at the mercy of the store's prices that week to buy something you need.

Once you get those two under control, you too can be a super-shopper getting great deals! Just keep reading around here and you'll get it!

[Ladymack]

Covered in Grace,

THANK YOU for explaining it so clearly. There are THOUSANDS of posts on here and it gets pretty overwhelming for a newbie. I'm a spender not a saver - When you aren't used to looking at it that way - Sometimes, you need someone to clearly tell you what everyone else sees as obvious.

This paycheck, I've saved $45 using coupons. I used that $45 to start my small stockpile -- We're moving in 2 weeks, I didn't want to pack more than a couple months supply of TP & paper towels. Now, next paycheck, I won't have to worry about the items in my pantry and I can buy another $45 worth of whatever is a good deal, etc. -- Like you said, soon, I'll have a nice stockpile and just have to buy the little things.

[kacow79]

I will dito her thank you. I am a once a month shopper but this all really is starting to make sense. I just am not sure I will be able to commit right away but I will sure give it a try. Thanks for spelling it out for us newbies!

[CoveredinGrace]

Another great tip is to make yourself a list of what you and your family regularly use-both grocery and non-grocery items included. Mark the things you use a LOT of, and make a Wishlist of those items, and post it in the Wishlist forum on here. You can click on my wishlist in the signature of my posts to see what one looks like. You'll notice that Benadryl is on mine. We all have allergies and I use it to sleep when my husband is gone with the military, so I'm always in need of Benadryl. That's why it goes on my list. When I can find a great deal on it, I stock up as many boxes as I can, b/c I never want to pay 4.99 or more for a box of it!

Once you make your wishlist, then you can put it in your signature (there's how-to's over in the trading forums), and then sometimes people will contact you letting you know that they have coupons that you might want for those products on your wishlist. Once you get the wishlist down, and start collecting a lot of coupons, it may be time to make a have list. The have list is comprised of coupons that you have and are willing to trade or get rid of. Then people will contact you with stuff that they want from you and you can tell them what you need from them.

It's a little daunting at first, but you'll get the hang of it, and it's SO worth it when you do!

Oh, and as an aside, if you ever want to thank someone for their post that has helped you, just click on the little scales icon above the post that you like and choose "i agree" and then you can type in a thank you. That's called repping someone, as in you are giving them "reputation points". It's polite to do that for anyone who helps you or that posts an ad here at HCW so you can scope out the sales early!

[PMFan]

yes, that is my first piece of advice to newbies, read, read and when you're done reading, read some more ! i know it's a LOT of information, but for me it is the best way to learn and retain.

Originally Posted by Ladymack I guess I'll have to read more than just the comics in this Sunday's paper.