Adding to Your Addictions: Couponing

I have a love hate relationship with the question "What do you do in your spare time?" I do a lot but whenever anyone asks me what I do I freeze. I can't like of anything and suddenly think I am the most boring person on this planet. Now I'm just going to say refer to my blog because I'm going to post everything I do in my spare time will eventually be on here.

Let's start with my biggest hobby! COUPONING! This is  a recent addition to my life. I started back in June and have saved so much money but on the downside I've spent a lot of money on things I don't really need. IT's addicting so use with caution!

1.)

Start with a binder, a pocket polio folder, calculator, scissors, pen, newspapers, phone, and a coupon bag. Yes your own couponing bag, it'll be easier on you if you can just leave everything in one spot.

2.)

Get your newspapers. There are various ways you can go about this! I  buy mine from the dollar tree every Sunday because they're a DOLLAR as opposed to the usual $3.  Sweet talk your mail person. I left mine a rice krispue treat in the mail box and asked her to leave extra inserts if possible. Then again she owed me one anyways so yours might take a little more work.

3.)

Once you have the coupons, take out each page separately from the same insert, pile them together then cut them all out at once that way you're not cutting every coupon from every page.  Make like an assembly line, pile them up and clip them together for organizations purposes. You can sort them here but I choose to sort them once they make it into the binder. 

4.)

The Binder. Say hello to your Coupon Bible. I've separated mine into 12 categories as follows: 

Breakfast

Dinner

Snacks/Candy/Drinks

Sauces/Seasons/Baking Needs

Kitchen

Cleaning

Laundry

Health

Hair Care

Body Care

Mouth 

Make-up

Some people sort them according to the aisles or departments of the stores they most likely visit, or they separate them by Ad/Insert date. Figure out which method is better for you

**I personally hate sorting them by insert because if you go to the store and need something that isn't as extreme couponing availability, you might still have a coupon to make it cheaper. You wont be able to find that if your coupons aren't cut up.**

5.)

Buy these sweet baseball card plastic covers to keep coupons organized in their categories. These are like $10 at hobby lobby, BUTTTTTT there's a coupon online for like half off. USE IT. 

6.)

Look how freaking fancy you look with this super "fetch" binder. People in target ALWAYS ask me questions about how organized i am and what not.  I feel like a mini celebrity, just for about a minute and then they walk away and I realize how lonely this experience really can be. Just you and your binder. 

7.)

Bring your handy-dandy pocket accordion folio thingy. Put coupons you know you're going to use (yes you have to PREPLAN your shopping trips try www.passionforsavings.com) in here for easy access at the register.

8.)

Make sure you have your calculator for last minute math, a pen to write own mental notes or your list, and scissors in case you need MORE coupons.

9.)

Make it rain with coupons bc you bought to be rich in $AVING$

APPS YOU NEED TO DOWNLOAD:

Target Mobil App

Target Cartwheel App

Walmart Savings Catcher

Checkout 51

Saving Star (not my favorite but a goodie)

^More on these guys later^