[mellowgirl09]

Hi,

I am new to this and basically in the build up some coupons stage. I am a family of 3 and on an extremely tight budget. How many Sunday papers would some of you recommend I start buying each week? I basically want to save save save and eventually learn how to stock pile at rock bottom prices.

Sorry if my question seems silly but all of this is confusing still.

Thanks !!!

[nattsgirl]

I think it depends... I mean I only have the two of us, and I go to work/school, so I don't have all the time in the world to do things, but I stockpile a lot when I can... I usually buy 2 papers a week, unless there are GOOD deals, but I know people who buy around 6...

I think because you are just starting off you should by only 1-2... You don't want to get burnt out before you really know how to do it all, kwim?

HOpe this helps!

[qrazy]

Start asking all your friends and family for their coupons they don't need. You could walk up and down your street early on a Sunday morning and see who gets the paper, then ask them for their extra coupons. Maybe you could put a bag out on the porch on Sunday nights for people to put their coupons in. The great savings come in when you have multiple coupons when that item goes on sale. You can also order specific coupons from coupon clipping services. Look under the "coupon" tab and you can find the list.

[CouponSanta]

I agree with everyone above! Try to get coupon inserts from friends, family members, etc. Also you could always ask local stores if they need their leftover coupon inserts.

But if you are going to buy the papers - I subsribe to 2 and buy 1 each week - so I get 3 papers a week. That said if there's a REALLY hot coupon - or LOTS of coupons I would use it may make sense to get more papers. If the paper costs me $2.00 - but is going to save me even $50.00 on my groceries - I think that's a good investment !

[Tara]

If you have more than 1 newspaper in your area, I would check to see which has the better coupons before getting a bunch.

Something else to keep in mind - coupon inserts are regional. Not all areas get the same coupons.

[cathyw]

I agree with all of the above posts. I ask family, neighbors, and friends for their inserts.
24 hr. gas stations are a good resource. Many people in apt. complexes check their
dumpsters for inserts. I subscribe to our local paper (Sunday only) and receive an extra
smartsource insert with my grocery ads. HTH.

[mellowgirl09]

Thanks for the suggestions guys

[clipping_savings]

Thank goodness I decided to coupon before the sunday paper comes out marrow

[pearl73]

Be carefull about buying from the news paper stand, sometimes they don't have coupons in them. Once you get going you may find its cheaper to buy q's. Depending on the coupon value you can buy 10-20 for a dollar or two.

[jcfrk]

You may also ask your local recycling center for coupons. Sometimes they will be nice and hold some for you. And they are FREE!

[Mary Kay Madonna]

Pearl73, What r "q's"

[mgreen23]

I always buy the early edition on Saturday and then decide depending on what I see.... sometimes I dont buy any and sometimes I but 5 more... it all depends on that weeks q's!!

q's=coupons

[victoriascreativecrafts]

A local girl here in my town gathers at our local mall and sells her left over sunday papers for $1.00. Our Sunday paper is $3.00 normally. I buy 2 and I also print from the internet for those items I use.
HTH
Good luck.
Just started couponing 2 weeks ago. I am hooked. And I am on Dave Ramsey's meal plan. It is $5 a month for all my meals planned each week according to the grocery store I choose. Cause the meals are created with the items onsale!!

[phoenixjean1]

I buy two papers each week.... seems to be enough for us.

[canfieldcouponer]

I live between two major metropolitan areas that happen to be in different states that have different coupons so I buy one each of those in addition to the Sunday paper I subscribe to. Keep it manageable and you will do well. Make it complicated and you will be overwhelmed!

[Kelvweb]

My husband is out jogging on recycle mornings in our neighborhood. I have him look for packs of coupons at or near the top of the little recycle bins we all put by our curbs. He's more than happy to help me save money

[mamagibson]

So glad to see all these suggestions! I will definately be asking friends to start saving their coupons for me!!!

[chassidysmommy]

I have home delivery for one (family of four) but on Saturday I will thumb through the early edition and if there are lots of good coupons, I'll pick one or two up then. My local store that doubles coupons only doubles one of each coupon for an item (so if I have 2 $1 coupons for paper plates, and I buy 2 paper plates, my first coupon is doubled, my second isn't).

In my case it just wouldn't make sense to have 10 coupons for something, as I'm not going to go to the store ten times in one week, and I rarely do more than one transaction in a row.

So before buying a ton of papers, be sure to really get to know your store(s) coupon policies, as we'll as their product limits (some stores require you to use their card to get the deal, and may have a limit of say 10 of any item on sale during the entire sale- after that they ring up regular price).

[MSGHR2010]

I'm starting with just two newspapers. I bought them at the Dollar Tree so they were half price, our normal Sunday paper is $2, Dollar Tree sells them for $1.

[MSGHR2010]

I just got back from WalMart, they had a paper recycling box in their parking lot. I dove in and got 4 more P&G inserts.

[Darth Vapor]

I typically buy two papers each Sunday--if there are any inserts. I have my mother mail me the ones that I want--she gets two papers each Sunday. And I have a friend save me her inserts--she doesn't like to coupon.

I never thought of going through paper recycling boxes. That is a Great Idea, MSGHR2010!

[kristinglori]

Hi, Mellow. Another suggestion that I have is to use Ebay for coupons. I don't so much buy the lots of coupons that are random (so you never know what you're gonna get) but I buy coupons toward things that I know I will use. Like, I purchased 26 B1G1 coupons for Axe Shower Gel (all 26 coupons cost me $0.99/Free shipping) and I'm just about finished using them up...by the time I've finished, I will have saved $104.00 and I'm just storing them under the bathroom sink!

Another set of coupons that I purchased: 22 TGI Friday's Skillet Meals $2.00 off. I paid $0.99 again with Free shipping and found the meals marked down to $4.99! So, after the coupon, I'm getting the meals for $2.99. I stocked up on them!

Also, keep an eye out on Ebay for gift cards. I've purchased a $25.00 Olive Garden gift card for $3.00!! Nice treat for the family!

Hope this helps you as well. I have also started to clip from the Sunday paper!

[kristinglori]

Hi, Mellow. Another suggestion that I have is to use Ebay for coupons. I don't so much buy the lots of coupons that are random (so you never know what you're gonna get) but I buy coupons toward things that I know I will use. Like, I purchased 26 B1G1 coupons for Axe Shower Gel (all 26 coupons cost me $0.99/Free shipping) and I'm just about finished using them up...by the time I've finished, I will have saved $104.00 and I'm just storing them under the bathroom sink!

Another set of coupons that I purchased: 22 TGI Friday's Skillet Meals $2.00 off. I paid $0.99 again with Free shipping and found the meals marked down to $4.99! So, after the coupon, I'm getting the meals for $2.99. I stocked up on them!

Also, keep an eye out on Ebay for gift cards. I've purchased a $25.00 Olive Garden gift card for $3.00!! Nice treat for the family!

Hope this helps you as well. I have also started to clip from the Sunday paper!

[Sugahmama79]

LOL! Nice!

[veriria]

Keep in mind I only read the original post. Some would recommend one paper per person in your house. I personally get ten (11 total if you add the paper I get delivered; two Sundays out of every five I sometimes get anywhere from 15-25 extra inserts thanks to work). Do I use them all? No. Is it worth it to ME to buy ten newspapers? Heck yes. I've got a nice little stockpile going and I've only been at it for a few months, and I have $2k in my bank account, attributable to couponing in my opinion.

There are also services that will send you the inserts for a handling fee if you are worried you may not get all the coupons in your local newspaper, as well as the coupon clippers probably already mentioned by others, for when you find a spectacular sale and need more than X amount of coupons to satisfy your wants for your family/stockpile.

I'd stay take it slow, don't go overboard -- buy three a week, and go up from there if you feel like it.

Good luck with whatever you decide!