The first thing I learned...

Save any and all coupons! You never know when some store will have a special deal when you can get that item free or even make money by buying it with a coupon. So, even if you think you won't use it, save it! Now, there are certain ones that I wouldn't buy even if the item were free, like dog food (we don't have a dog), diapers (no babies either), and certain medications or glucose monitoring systems, etc. But I do usually save those and give them to someone that I know will use them.

Here's an example: I'm a smell-good kind of person. I like good smells, and I hate bad ones. I mean more than most people, I think. I go through Yankee Candle tarts and votives faster than my Adam goes through a sandwich. So when I started seeing a bunch of Glade coupons for plug-ins, candles, etc., I never thought I would use them. But lately, Kroger has been running a special where when you buy certain Glade products, the register will print out a coupon for you to use the next time you shop at Kroger. And I don't mean $.30 off a bag of frozen vegetables. It prints a coupon for $x.00 off my next Kroger purchase. Who knew? Right now, their Glade gel plug-ins are $1.74, and you get a $2 off your next purchase (OYNP) coupon. You can use that coupon on milk, bread, eggs or whatever. Or, you could even use it to buy something else that gives you a OYNP coupon. Cool! And if you have coupons for the plug-ins, which have been in the paper and online lately, you make even more money. Classic example. And my house has never smelled nicer.

So start saving those coupons! Most of mine come from the Sunday paper. And having multiples of the same coupon is good! Ask all your friends and relatives to save the coupons from their paper and give them to you. That is, if they don't read this blog and learn to use them themselves.

Another good source is the All You magazine that WalMart carries. I've never seen it anywhere else. It costs only about $2, and it has tons of coupons in it. There is even a list of what coupons are included in the back of the magazine. Buy it early, because they many times sell out, especially when there is some really good coupon in there.

There are many coupons available to print right off the Internet too. However, printing these is time consuming, and uses up precious paper and ink, so only print the ones you know you will use. You can always go back and print it later if you decide later that you need it. Some places will not take them--I know the Bartlett Kroger will only take them if they are for $1 or less, and I think Walgreens still takes them. But many other places will not.

I'll post more later on coupon organization and details on specials.