Easy Ways to Get Started

Here are some hints on how to get started collecting your coupons if you are brand new and have little or no Q's (coupons).

This Blog
First, go to the Coupons section of this blog. I find tons of printable coupons daily and post every one I find. Start printing out coupons and following the links there to find valuable savings. In that section you can also find other websites for ordering coupons (YES it is worth it!..more on that later), what is coming in this Sunday's Inserts, and more.

UPDATED: I now have ONE page with EVERYTHING on it. Choose the 'coupons' category on the right side of the 'front' page of my blog Bluedaisys Bargains for all of the coupon info I've come across.

The Sunday paper continues to be the largest source of continuous coupons. The Taylor Town Preview publishes what is coming in each insert each week. The info here is largely regional to her, but it does give a good idea of what to expect. Then, go somewhere that you can pick up the Sunday paper off the rack and flip through it before purchasing (Walgreens is good for this, as are many Grocery stores and coffee shops). If you like what you see, buy 3-4. The idea is to get lots of coupons for the same thing............more on that later as well.

All You Magazine
Go to Walmart and buy this months issue of All You Magazine.













This magazine is only available at Walmart and is generally less than $2 each month. It is FULL of Q's throughout and can help you get started on your collection. Now and then I'll come across a subscription deal that makes ea mag super cheap, and when I find this deal again, I'll post in the Free or Cheap Magazine Subscription section of this blog.

Dumpster Dive.

Yes...you heard that right
But what do I mean by this?

From HCW (Hotcouponworld.com):

The definition for Dumpster Diving is to pretty much riffle through the trash looking for goodies.:)

In the couponing world we are usually referring to looking though recycling bins looking for Sunday newspapers and their coupon inserts. As one of the main keys to stockpile couponing is to obtain multiple coupons!.

It really does sounds like a homeless thing to do, but it's really not! At my Albertsons, they have a huge blue recycling bin marked NEWSPAPERS and Magazines. The only thing that is thrown in, is clean newspapers. I figured out the days it would be emptied and come about 3 days later; enough time for it to fill somewhat so I can reach in. Once you do, there are inserts for the taking. I just take my unwanted stash of newspapers, toss in, then yank out the inserts I see on top. Sometimes I would recognize a Sunday paper there, flip to the middle and pull the inserts. I have NEVER seen a Sunday paper in a recycle bin with a missing insert! People just don't use coupons! So get get 'em!

In some towns, you can arrange to visit your local recycle center where they have 'rooms' full of papers and magazines that were removed from recycle bins and they will let you walk around in there, kick around some stuff and pull all the inserts you want.

I have found that the recycle bins and centers specifically for papers and magazines are always clean. It's just paper. So don't be scared! Recycle your paper and take some inserts home! When I did this regularly, I NEVER had to buy a Sunday paper and had more Q's than I could use!


Scoop Up Extras
If you're not quite ready to Dumpster Dive, visit nearby gas stations or convenient stores on a Monday and ask if they usually have left over Sunday papers. Ask if you can come by and scoop them up on Mondays. I used to do this with a local Albertsons and sometimes I'd pick up 10 copies every Monday. Yank the inserts, recycle the newspaper itself. In some places, the newspaper office itself has to come by and pick them up and give the store credit for them. But in some places, they just call and ask, and the actual papers get tossed. Find THOSE places and ask to take them off their hands!

ORDER coupons!
Huh? Spend $ to save $? I used to think this was a ridiculous notion. Then I realized, isn't that we're all doing when we BUY a Sunday paper, or two..or 7? LOL. The, I found TheCouponMaster.com and realized that I could order coupons for as little as .03 each, I did some quick math to figure out this is a .97 savings and a $1 off 1 coupon, and that is still awesome! And even better if you order coupons of higher values! Example: I frequently order the Cascadian Farms $1/1 coupons that are floating around right now. At one of the stores I shop at, the CF Jelly is $1.39. I spend .07 each for those Q's. If I want to stockpile a bit of jelly, that means, after my .07 for the coupon, I save .93 per jar of jelly, which makes this jelly .42 per jar. I can stockpile 6 jars for 2.52. A great deal!

Check out my last order from TCM (The Coupon Master) to get an idea of how much I spend to save:

5 x	Campbell's Select Harvest Healthy Request Soups $1.00/2	$0.50
20 x	8th Continent Half Gallon $1.00/1	$2.00
3 x	Johnsonville Italian Sausage $1.00/1	$0.36
12 x	Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil $1.00/1	$1.20
3 x	Land O Lakes Deli Cheese Product $1.00/1	$0.30
6 x	Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn $1.00/2	$0.48
30 x	Cascadian Farms Product $1.00/1	$3.00

Sub-Total:	$7.84
Table Rate (Standard Shipping + .50 Admin Fee):	$1.09
Total:	$8.93

So, I spent $8.93 (includes Shipping) and I'll save $76.50 with these coupons. Sounds good to me! Even better is the fact that I'll spend these coupons along w/ a sale on the item, make it free or extremely cheap for stockpiling purposes.

LOOK Everywhere!
Once you start collection coupons, trust me, you'll start noticing them everywhere too. And, they've been there all along!

Just a FEW Examples:
Peelies on boxes in the grocery store.
"Blinkies" ..the little machines in the grocery aisle that spit out coupons at intervals once you pull them.
Hangtags - On various bottles you'll see a hangy tag. A closer look reveals a coupon on the back!
Inside packages - I just opened up some Quaker oatmeal to find a coupon on the inside cardboard. I always wonder HOW MANY of these I've thrown away before couponing!
Magazine coupons
Tearpads - Usually on store shelves or displays

I am so aware of where the coupons might be now, that even my kids are finding them unprompted!

This post is just a few ways to get started building up your coupon stash. Please leave a comment if you know of other ways to find coupons so as to help other readers. As always, I'll be referring you to HCW so you can also read for yourself ways to get going.

Coming up in the next post:
Ways to Organize Your Coupons!
You'll start getting tons and now what do you do with them???? Those accordion style organizers won't do for you anymore, so come back tomorrow for a discussion on ways to organize your stash!