Couponing 101 - Part 1: Your Toolbox

So, you want to start using coupons? Congratulations on making the first step in saving a CRAZY amount of money! Now, let me tell you right off, it takes organization, time and you must like math! (Or at least tolerate it!) There are a few tools of the trade that you’ll want to have on hand and / or gather over time. These are the things I use on a regular basis.

• Zippered 3-ring binder

Mine is a 2-inch binder and I hold all my coupons in here. The zipper keeps everything from falling out and more durable from taking in and out of my car, etc. I found one on clearance at Walgreen’s for $3.00.

• 3-ring photo album pages, baseball card holders, sheet protectors

It’s good to have a bunch of all three, as you never know what size coupons your going to get! They can be pretty expensive (baseball card holder 10 packs are $4.99 at Kmart) so check ebay, Amazon.com, etc for some deals on these.

• Scissors

Clipping coupons!!

• Small hand calculator

To take with me into the store. This is great if you’re trying to use a $5/$25 coupon or similar

• Letter sized accordion binder

Once I organize my shopping trips I put each store’s coupons in their designated spot in my accordion binder. It’s not as bulky as the big folder and makes things easier to find.

• Laser Printer

Can be pricey, but will save you a LOT on ink if you do a lot of Internet coupon printing. A laser printer toner can print up to 2,500 – 2,800 pages while an inkjet cartridge can only print MAYBE 200 pages. I’ve got a small Brother Laser printer that I paid $100 for. The cartridges I pay $30 each and they give me about 2,800 prints. My inkjet printer that I used to use to print coupons used both a color and black ink cartridge and only printed about 200 pages on $30 worth of ink. Do your research for the best deal and buy online through upromise, ebates, bing cashback, inboxdollars, etc to get a percentage back on your purchase.

• Shoebox

I put all of my coupons to trade in a shoebox so they’re out of my regular stack but still around to trade for something I need on Hot Coupon World. I recently traded 2 coupons for a $10 gift card at Kmart when you put in for a new/transferred script for 5 $5.00 Enfamil checks! My daughter goes through formula like crazy, so great trade! You never know what you can get for the stuff you don’t want.

• Envelopes & Stamps

For trading coupons and for mail in rebates. Hot Coupon World has a great trading forum that is well worth checking out. Trade coupons you don’t want for ones you need! Mail in rebates are also a big part of my couponing success. I started couponing in March 2009. To date, I received back approximately $200 in rebates. Not too shabby!

• Storage Space!

This is HIGHLY recommended. I’ve learned that couponing, though saving you money, also fills up that pantry and freezer pretty quick. My husband breathes out that deep sigh of disapproval every time I come home with shopping bags. Not because I spent a lot of money, but because now he has to find a place to put it! (See I’m not a neat freak and have no problem leaving things where they lie… but my husband? He’d be a good double for Mr. Clean if he shaved his head and grew a foot and a half...lol)

Now everyone has his or her own organization style and this is just mine. Feel free to alter your needs to well… your needs! Stay tuned for Couponing 101 – Part 2: Where do you get all those coupons?