Saving Money on Groceries: How to Increase Your Coupon Stash

When I first stared coupon shopping I was befuddled at the number of coupons that people had for a single item that they could find deals on. Sure, I found the deals, but I only had one of the coupon, so I couldn't really stockpile my finds, and they were soon eaten or used up. The big question was: how do I increase my stash of coupons without spending a fortune on Sunday newspapers. (Those newspapers are $2 a pop in these parts!)

* I do subscribe to the Sunday paper, so I always have that as a standby. I receive one copy in my driveway, and I don't have to stop somewhere after church to pick one up. I subscribed for a year, and received a somewhat discounted price, so it's not quite the $2 each.

* If it's a really good week in coupons, I will buy some extra papers. If I buy the double pack in the Atlanta area, I can get two for $2.50, instead of $2 each.

* Ask your friends and relatives to give you their unwanted circulars. My mother-in-law saves two sets for me each week, but I only can pick them up from her every three or four weeks. My mom (out of state) mails some to me, too.

* Look for great coupon savings in the stores where you shop. Publix is always putting out numerous great coupon books, so I pick up a few each time I visit. Keep your eyes open for blinkie machines which spit out coupons at you. There are frequently tearpad coupons on the bread aisle, cracker aisle, and other places too. These are always free coupons. Free is good.

* Print coupons from the internet. The big three coupon sites are coupons.com, smartsource.com, and redplum.com, but there are so many others, too. Manufacturer's also post printable coupons on their websites, too. For a great list of available printable coupons, you can check the alphabetical listing at Slick Deals.net. These are free except for the cost of paper and printer ink. You can usually print two of each coupon per computer.

* Join an internet coupon trading group. I belong to one here. Each week I receive an envelope full of coupons from the person in my trading group before me, and send an envelope to the person after me. I find this an effective use of money, as I spend less on postage than I would buying more papers.

* Start a coupon trading group with your friends. I organized a coupon trading group with many of the ladies from my church. We share our unwanted coupons with each other in a round-robin fashion, and this greatly increases my stash of desired coupons. It also allows my unwanted coupons to circulate to other group members who might be able to use them. This has been a huge blessing. This also is free!

* Buy extra coupons on the internet from eBay or The Coupon Clippers. I have only done this occasionally when there have been some especially good coupons that I really, really wanted. The cost is a little higher, but you can save some big dollars in the long run. Okay, technically you cannot legally sell or buy coupons, but you pay the person for their clipping and mailing service.

* Visit a great coupon forum. Another one of my favorite ways to find more coupons is to trade for them at A Full Cup Forum. I found lots and lots of Yakisoba 50c/1 coupons by trading with people there, all for the cost of one stamp. It's also fun!

I hope these tips help you increase your coupon stash and multiply your savings. Have fun!