Anything as rewarding and fun as couponing can be addicting. Once you
start couponing and saving big, it can be hard to stop or slow down.
Many newbies, after experiencing their first coupon “high,” want to cash
in on every sale at every store. This can lead to burnout and cause
important things (like family or education) to take a back seat. So
what’s a Couponer to do? Read on!
Stockpile: After gaining a reasonable stockpile,
visits to the store become less frequent. There is plenty of shampoo and
deodorant, and the cereal stash is enough to make neighbors jealous! A
stockpile also eliminates those last-minute afternoon trips to the store
to buy whatever is needed for dinner. Instead, it is possible to go
“shopping” in the stockpile and spend more time cooking, studying, or
having family time.
Set your pace: Couponing is not a sprint, so there’s
no need to dash about to every store as fast as possible to beat
everyone else. You will be your own worst enemy if you take on too much
and become burned out. Set a pace you can maintain. It is very
beneficial to sit down and schedule couponing time (clipping,
organizing, planning out trips, and shopping). Know when to slow down
and focus on other things, and you’ll find couponing to be a relaxing,
enjoyable, and profitable hobby!
Start small: Though it’s tempting to go to 10
different stores every week to get all the great deals, stick with one
or two when starting out. Learn the coupon policy,
and focus on those weekly rock bottom prices. Seasoned coupon shoppers
may frequent one or two grocery stores and a drugstore each week.
Sale cycles: Remember that this is not the one and
only time that toothpaste will be free or pasta will cost under a
quarter. The industry standard for coupon and sale cycles is three to
four months. Instead of buying a three-year supply of spaghetti sauce
all at once, just get enough to feed your family for three to four
months. For non-perishables, a one-year supply is a good target.
(Thanks KCL!)
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