Overwhelmed newbie - what if I don't get circulars?

[Sylvia]

Originally Posted by cboyer

what about redplum, isnt that available to mail now?

I searched... and yes you can!

Fill out the form here... select "consumer" in the first drop down then when the second drop down appears select "I would like to start/stop recieving your Red Plum mail package. Finish filling out the form and it says it take 5-6 weeks to get going.

HTH

[ddf]

Originally Posted by ameeker

I was also very overwhelmed at first, but after about 2 months I was completely hooked. I've now been doing this for a year and am still learning, so it's definitely a learning process and it takes time to get it down pat. You might try making a commitment to this for a specific time period, say 3 months or 6 months etc. You should also concentrate on making a price book, the directions for which are in Stephanie's ebook. A good price book takes at least 12 weeks, maybe longer for some items, and you don't need coupons to make it.

Now on not having coupon inserts, that's trickier to overcome. On this website under "grocery deals by state", if there is a printable internet coupon for the product there's usually a link in the listing, so yes you can use this site even if you don't get the newspaper, at least for some items. In terms of getting the paper I generally buy 4 copies of the Detroit Free Press which cost $2.00 each, and it saves me about $100-200/week on my groceries, so an $8 investment for a $100+ savings is well worth it to me. When we visited my brother I ended up having to buy the Chicago Tribune which cost $3.50, so that week I only bought 3, just because it was such an expensive paper. Can I tell you how often I wished that I'd bought that 4th Trib? I used so many of those coupons (and I could tell they were from the Trib because I only had 3 instead of the usual 4), that I know for a fact the Trib coupons saved me many times over the investment cost of the newspaper.

The other way you can save money without newspaper coupons is to get membership cards at your stores. Many grocery stores have these, as well as CVS and Kmart - to name a few. You can sometimes load on-line coupons on to your store card, and frequently once you've given them your contact info they will send you store coupons (either thru email or snail mail or if your lucky BOTH). The e-coupons loaded onto your store card can frequently be used with manufacturer and store coupons, so they can really save you a ton of money in the long run. The only downside to e-coupons is that typically you can only get the deduction on one item, not multiples for stockpiling.

Just take it one step at a time, and when you feel overwhelmed come on to the forum and vent a little or a lot as the case may be. Also I should confess that even after a year of doing this I still make mistakes and occasionally get the seriously inept, coupon resistant cashier and let's not forget the frequent register errors. Only now I know when I'm being robbed blind, so I get my fanny to customer service and demand my money back. Good luck honey.

I have been doing this for about a year as well, and I still make mistakes. I HATE it when I do. I then try to fix it, learn from it,and move on. Those mistakes are good learning experiences. It does take some time to get the hang of it, and to understand all the lingo, and deals. It is soooo worth it though. I had been keeping track of all the FREE items I was able to get up till about March, and from Jan-March, I was able to get $1500.00 worth of FREE items. Since then it has gone up and I would say it is probably about $4,000 since Jan. I know there are several more on here that way out do what I have done, Lucyrevenge, for one I know for me, it didn't really start adding up until I got into the groove of getting more than one paper. I typically get 4 each weekend, and yes that does cost, but when you see what I've been able to get for free, and that is not including what I get for cheaps, nor how much it has saved us on a weekly basis on our groceries/health/beauty. It also has helped to look ahead at the upcoming sales if you can, and then see how many coupons you have for it, and then order more if needed, either from e-bay, or a clipper service. There is also the All You magazine that is available at Wal-mart, ask for a gift of a subscription to it. Also, keep your eyes open for any and all coupons/blinkies at any store. You never know when those will come in handy. Hang in there, and keep asking questions. Everyone here is so helpful.

[AlInAz]

Check at the service counter of your grocery stores too. Sometimes there are pads of Qs sitting there.

Ask your friends, neighbors, co-workers, relatives if they use Qs. Many people are willing to share. If you live in an apt bldg, check the recycle bins on Monday mornings. If you live near a coffeehouse, visit Sunday evenings and scoop up the excess.

Use the links here to print Qs you need. Sign up with manufacturer's whose products you use (Kraft, Pillsbury, P&G, etc.)

Once you become more aware, you'll start seeing Qs everywhere. Okay, not EVERYwhere...but lots more out there than people realize.

Don't get discouraged. There's a lot to learn. Take baby steps or you will get overwhelmed. Focus on getting comfortable at the grocery store, then tackle CVS/WAGS.

Every little bit saved....Adds up!
Allison

[cboyer]

Originally Posted by Sylvia

I searched... and yes you can!

Fill out the form here... select "consumer" in the first drop down then when the second drop down appears select "I would like to start/stop recieving your Red Plum mail package. Finish filling out the form and it says it take 5-6 weeks to get going.

HTH

thanks for doing the leg work sylvia (or should I say finger work)

[EmK]

Thank you for the info and advice, everyone!