Super-Couponing: More Know Before You Go

It seems everywhere you turn these days, someone is gabbing about super- or extreme-couponing. The art of acquiring every day things at rock bottom prices by combining sales and coupons has caught fire with just about everyone in the hunt for the next great deal. If you've been following the series here at MomVesting, you know that some of us on the staff here have been trying our hand at becoming super-couponers. Here are a few more tips that I've found that could make a difference when you're at your local store with a stack of coupons trying to save some moolah.

Become Price Savvy

It's safe to say everyone is on the lookout for the best product at the best price. Those of us wanting to trim our budgets by couponing look for this best price in conjunction with a coupon to stretch our paychecks while filling the pantry. That being said, a big help to those starting to coupon is knowing exactly what constitutes a good price.

Make it a point to familiarize yourself with prices at your local stores. You might want to bring along a small notebook and jot down prices on items you buy frequently. This will not only allow you to compare item prices from store to store, but it will also let you see if there are any trends or cycles to the price and/or sale of items.

Make Your Own Deal Transactions

If you've frequented any savings or coupon sites, you might've come across posts about possible deal scenarios or transactions. These are ideas that other shoppers around the country have come up with that can net you products for smaller out-of-pocket amounts. Often these scenarious make use of store rewards (for example: buy $10 worth of a brand and get a coupon for $2 off your next purchase) and detail what you need to buy when and where to get the best deal.

My suggestion is this: make up your own transactions. The ideas of the websites out there are a great starting point but are just that: ideas. They don't have to be the final word on what you purchase and where you purchase it. If you don't want to buy fish oil tablets to get a reward, then don't. As you become more familiar with prices, you'll start seeing deals that fit right in with your family and budget.

Go Local

Awhile back I wrote a post on some great websites for couponing that help maximize savings. These sites are awesome ways to get alerts for deals, printable coupons and the like on a national level. Since none of the major blogs feature the grocery chains near me, I have sought out and now follow a few well-kept blogs that focus on local grocery stores. So, my next money-saving tip? Do a Google/ Bing/ whatever search to locate who might be doing coupon matchups for your local grocer. Here's another great site to try that seems to have a lot of the country and its chains covered.

Saving money is always a good thing, and super-couponing can help. We'll keep bringing you our best tips and tricks of the trade for the real world of couponing.

Feel free to chime in with your own tips or tricks at any time!

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