Why Not Just Clip Coupons?

Many people simply use coupons to get their grocery prices down. Honestly, I use coupons as well. I love them. But not only are they not for everyone, you find yourself dependent on the stores having sales to get the maximum “rush” out of couponing. The women that find themselves getting $200 worth of groceries for $0.15? That’s simply awesome for them.
For many months, I tried following blog after blog to find out how to do this. Who wouldn’t want to? Do you know what I learned? Honestly? I learned that most of these blogs are not in Minnesota. I’d see blogs of “coupon match-ups” for Meijjer. I don’t have access to a Meijjer, or Safeway, or a lot of these awesome sounding stores that are offering these easy match ups.
Yes, I still use coupons. I clip with reckless abandon. Every Sunday, I swing by our local Dollar Tree and pick up a newspaper for $1. I come home, I throw away everything but the ads, coupon inserts and now Job Classifieds stays out of the trash. I put these right into the garbage because they are otherwise clutter in my house. My house is pretty cluttery having a 16 month old who has tons of toys…I don’t need to add more!
I than sit down and clip any coupon that I might use. Again, I don’t keep the whole inserts, free is fun, but I don’t want clutter! I organize my coupons into a little binder that I picked up at the Dollar Tree.
Next, I will try to match up prices. Say something is on sale for $1 and I have a $0.50 coupon for it. I will only buy it if it is a product my family uses.
My family loves rice. I often find coupons for Minute brand rice in the inserts. I clip them. Than, I often find that even with a coupon available, the store brand is cheaper. Honestly? I often than leave my unused coupon behind for a family that can use it. I like to think that they get them, though I could be annoying grocery store employees by causing them another item that they have to clean up. (If you are a grocery store employee who has cleaned up coupons because of people like me and are annoyed, I’m ever so sorry, my intention is never to annoy you or leave trash behind)
This is the method that works for me. Others do what works for them. That’s okay.