Take Couponing to the Next Level

As a newlywed, I was a coupon queen. I rarely left the store without getting a great deal. As the years went by, I began to feel like couponing was a waste of my time. My wants and the coupon deals rarely matched. So, I gave up.

Fast forward 15 years...

A few months back I received a coupon for bananas after a purchase at Target. I hadn't noticed receiving them before. Then, I saw my sister with a bunch of coupons she printed at home. I wondered if I could benefit from this couponing thing again. With a much larger family, a better handle on my cooking skills, and a wider variety of tastes in the house, I thought I would give it a try. My first trip with coupons in hand since trying it so long ago was a $5 savings. The next week it was $5.50. The week after that yielded some free toothpaste, free cereal, free cleaning products, and a respectable savings in my food budget (at least I was impressed!).

One way you can REALLY increase your counponing effectiveness (besides combining manufacturer coupons with store coupons and sales) is to register at MyPoints.com. [If you're feeling generous, use my email address (kecoupondeals at gmail dot com) in the referral box and I would be very appreciative :-).] By printing your coupons through the link at MyPoints, you earn yourself an additional savings since they credit your MyPoints account for every coupon you print and redeem. The more coupons you redeem, the more points you earn toward things like free gift cards to major stores such as Target, restaurants such as Red Lobster, and free gas!

I'm still in my coupon infancy, learning how to maximize my coupon savings. What is your favorite strategy?