I’ve received many emails from people asking how to get started.  So I decided it might be nice to give a couple of tips to those who are new to couponing. 

Coupons–how do I get them?

First I want those of you who are just starting out to know that there is no need to feel overwhelmed!  If you start and only save $1 –that is better than you did the week before!  It takes time to learn and time to gain a good stash of coupons.  With that said—to save money you need to have access to coupons!  The first thing you might want to do is start getting as many coupons as you can. 
Determine the best way to get insert (newspaper) coupons for the least amount of money.  Can you get them from friends and relatives for free?  Is it cheaper to buy them at the store versus a home delivery option?  Is there a place in your area that offers them for free?  Are you in a small town with limited coupons in your inserts? 
Exhaust all of your options before you go out and drop a large chunk of money on newspapers every week.  Here in my area there are several options for FREE inserts.  The free Hispanic newspaper available at restaurants and stores have full inserts included.  My county paper is FREE and includes a large amount of the coupons found in the inserts. My area offers a double paper on Sunday for a reduced price.  Street vendors in my area offer the paper for $1 and often dollar stores will carry the Sunday paper for $1.  Check around and see what you can find in your area!
I personally don’t spend more than $2.50 per week on newspapers UNLESS there are hot coupons that make it worth the extra money.  I find that insert coupons make for a very small percentage of coupons that I use on a week to week basis.  For me it makes more sense to trade or use a clipping service and thus I can get the specific coupons I need.  That is why I like to see the insert previews.  I can determine what coupons I might need and make the decision to buy or trade!
There are tons of other coupons available other than those you find in the newspaper.  There are tearpads, coupons in flyers, blinkies, printables, magazine coupons…really you will find coupons everywhere. (coupon definitions HERE)  As you accumulate your coupons you want to make sure to organize them so that when you need them you will have easy access to them!  I use a combination system –I use a binder system (seen HERE) and file uncut inserts by date in a filing cabinet. Being organized saves time and money!  Next week I will go into detail on organization tips!

Now that you have your coupons—what’s next? 

Menu planning is a great way to save money and your sanity!  I always struggled with the “what to make for dinner “question week after week. Now-I find new recipes at home ahead of time rather than walking the grocery store aisles aimlessly in hopes a meal idea would come to me.  Meal planning will save you a ton of money!  If you stop and inventory what you have in your pantry/refrigerator you might be surprised at how much food you have on hand.  Use what you have and supplement with items from the weekly sales ad to create a meal. Just a few minutes of planning will save you tons of money. 
Creating a grocery list is another planning tool that is a must for saving big bucks!  If you only buy what you need you will save money—it is that simple.  I use a spreadsheet so that I know exactly how much I will be spending before I even leave my house.  This helps me stay on track and avoid any unnecessary spending.  I can also use my list to make sure that all of my purchases rang up correctly and that all of my coupons were redeemed.  Impulse buying can destroy a budget in no time flat!   

How to put it all together?

I think this is the most difficult task for a new couponer.  I know when I first started couponing I was buying all kids of things just because I had a coupon that made it cheap.  Determining when to buy an item can be tricky—there is no way for me to tell you what a “buy it now” price is as it will vary from person to person based on consumption!  My “buy it now” price for cereal is .25¢ –I will not spend more than that as .25¢ is my value for that item.  Cereal is not a necessity in my house so I only get it IF I can get it super cheap.  Another person may put a higher value on cereal and have their buy it now price as $1.  My point is that you have to determine what your NEED is and let that determine the price point you will pay. 
When you find an item that is in your price point that is when you buy!  I use the buy ahead principle as I like to have a stockpile of products available for when I need them.  I prefer to purchase multiples of an item when it is cheap or free rather than paying full price when I need the item.  Stockpiling can be a great way to ensure your pantry/freezer is always full. 

Using I Heart Publix to get started

I try to have the weekly ad up Monday so that you have plenty of time to plan and get your list organized for the sale that starts on Thursday (Wednesday for some).  The weekly ad will have as many coupon match ups that I can find listed for every item in the ad.  For me this is nice as it gives me time to track down the coupons that I may need before the sale ends.  I also list the Publix Super Deals every Tuesday.  These are items that I see as a great stock up price –either based on the cost or the cost when you use a specific coupon/coupons.  I also try to spotlight any other deals that I can find in hopes it will help you save money!
I encourage all new couponers to give it a try.  Don’t be disappointed if you aren’t saving 90% your first week. Know that many of us who get those high totals have been doing this for quite a while. We have big stockpiles and know how to spot a deal in the dark 🙂  I remember being lost and overwhelmed but I learned more and more every week and loved seeing my bank account grow bigger and bigger! 
Hopefully this has helped.  If any of you pros out there have any additional advice I’d love for you to share it in the comments.  If you are a new couponer and have a specific question—feel free to ask!!