6 Couponing Mistakes You Don’t Know You Are Making

Welcome back to another Frugal Friday! We just finished up the spending freeze series.  

As a couponer I look back to those beginning times and laugh. I had no idea I was making such horrible couponing mistakes. I got a little stacking crazy and trying to use store coupons at other stores and it was a hot mess. I don’t want that for you. So let’s start from the beginning shall we? I don’t want you making my same couponing mistakes.

“HOLY COW! My eyes lit up so big I thought I just saw Leonardo Dicaprio! I only paid $5 for all of that?! And this is food. I don’t have to feel guilty about this because WE NEED FOOD. Oh I can’t wait to get home AND get some more coupons and come back in an hour. Then tomorrow I can get this deal.
Then I go to that store on Thursday…..”

Ever been in that situation?! Maybe you are just starting to coupon and you have experience the amazing “COUPON HIGH”. If you are wanting to dip your toes in but not quite sure- Go ahead do it. Just before you dive in check out these tips below. You don’t want to make these mistakes when you are a couponer.

Let’s take a little walk together and go over some couponing mistakes you may be making- The good news is you are on your way to a better tomorrow! 

Getting Every Deal

When you first start couponing you can get overwhelmed. Why?! Because there is always a deal.  We have the luxuries of seeing many of the same $0.60 toothpaste on sale at CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens etc. If you end up running to every store all of the time, mistakes will happen. You may end up using the wrong coupon, or it’s expired and a coupon burnout will shortly follow.

If you get overwhelmed and stop then you may go back to buying whatever looks good at the time and that is a sure way to overspend your hard earned cash. We don’t want that. Pick one store to start. You can get started couponing the right way in my four week step by step Learning How to Coupon Series Here. 

Buying things you don’t need

Two years ago I was guilty of this.  When I first started couponing 6 years ago I was shocked you could get things for free and cereal for $0.50 frequently. I started getting things we didn’t like or wouldn’t use up before they expired.  I wasn’t used to getting brand name items for cheap. So in the beginning when I saw French’s mustard for $0.66 a bottle I bought 4 bottles.

I had them for three years. They expired. Guess we don’t eat that much mustard. I wasn’t even able to donate it because they had already expired.  Of course you can buy things and donate the items you do not want, but just be aware if you are buying things you don’t need, with money you may not have, and storing in places that are taking over your house, it is time to cut back.

Not buying a printer

I hear many people say “Oh I really want to start couponing but I don’t have a printer.”  It is 2016. We are technology driven and although there are more ecoupons for us to save, a printer is a must to couponing these days.  70% of the coupons I use are online.  When you have a local store that doubles coupons and you pair it with the online $0.75/1 printable coupon you have hit a goldmine.  The good news is there are always deals for printers.

Taking all the Peelies and Tear Pad Coupons

There you are in your favorite store and what do you see?! A coupon peelie on Oreos for a $1 off one package. You have not come across a $1 off one on Oreos in .. NEVER. You grab it and all the others. These coupons will make a great deal when they go on sale.

WRONG. We have coupon code. Taking peelies ( coupons found on a product) is wrong. These coupons are meant only for the person who is buying the product.

Tear pad coupons are found throughout stores on a tear pad. These coupons you can take without buying any product. Yet you have to remember to only take what your family will use. Taking 25 coupons and leaving 5 for others is wrong. We need to think about our fellow savers.

Not Using Your Stockpile

Many couponers think in the beginning they have to grab every deal that comes around.  As a blogger I see many of the same deals come around every 4-8 weeks. Sure that sounds like a long time but when you grab a few of the items while they are at a stock up price they should last you until the next rock bottom price. This gives you time to let some of the other deals that you don’t need go.  I am currently on a spending freeze.

I see in our local grocery store ad that pasta is on sale for $0.66 a box. It’s tempting to grab some even though I just looked in my pantry and I have 10 boxes of assorted varieties of pasta.  Don’t waste your time and funds to keep stocking up when you are already stocked up. You can easily get caught into the trap of “HOT DEALS NOW”. But you can also go broke grabbing every deal. Remember that we have sale cycles meaning every 4-8 weeks the same items will be on sale again.

You’re Not Following A Matchup List Every Week

“Not now Hunny. I’m still searching through this ad for the best deals.” Whoa whoa whoa. That my dear is a thing of the past. There is no more searching through the ad yourself then searching through your coupons, trying to match the items up. This is all done for you.

You can get all the BJ’s Coupon Matchup Lists Right Here. Or Check out Money Saving Mom for more stores. They are the best way to coupon and save time.  Each week you can easily scan through the items to find the best deal and add it to a printable shopping list. Multitasking at it’s finest! If you are not familiar with these lists- please do yourself a huge favor and check them out! Plus they are time consuming and I appreciate all the clicks to those matchups 🙂

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