I had a question from a reader regarding how to plan shopping trips. It is very common for new coupon users to get overwhelmed quickly. There are so many stores with deals, a ton of coupons to clip and not enough hours in the day. Another thing that happens is that you get hooked on the “coupon high”. It is such a wonderful feeling getting items for free or cheap that most newbies tend to overdue it. I know, I was one of them a few years ago!
Since I am a working mom, my time is very limited. I only shop one day a week most of the time. That means all of my errands and shopping trips need to be done within a few hours. The one exception is CVS- I work right down the street so sometimes I walk down there during the work week.
With my limited time, I pick just a couple of stores to shop at each week. My top stores are Rite Aid, CVS, Kroger and Harris Teeter. I do not shop all of them each week though. What I do is look at the ads ahead of time and decide what stores have the products that my family needs that week. I usually shop one drug store and then Kroger. I only shop at Harris Teeter when there are several great deals or Super Double Coupons.
Remember that sales are cyclical. That means that most likely the same products will be on sale again in 4-12 weeks. Track items that your family uses regularly with a price book. This will help you build your stockpile. I rely on my stockpile a lot which really helps since I don’t feel pressured to shop every week.
Don’t chase every single freebie. Prioritize free items to what you and your family will use. Yes, I still go after some free products in order to donate them. However, I make it fit into my schedule. I don’t head to a store just to purchase free items my family won’t use. If I am already there for something else, I go ahead and get those items too.
If items are out of stock, get a raincheck. Remember that stores like CVS will write rainchecks for extra care buck items and they do not expire. There is no need to rush back to the store that week to get the item (unless you really need it!).
Once your stockpile is developed, you will have less need to shop the drug stores each week. My health and beauty stockpile is large. I go in spurts and sometimes don’t shop at a drug store for weeks at a time. It is okay to take time off from couponing!
Lastly, it takes time to develop a system that works for you. Get organized before you leave the house and have a plan in place.
If you are just getting started with coupons, make sure you check out the whole Couponing 101 Series!
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Great advice!!