Late - Sit Down Saturday 9/26

In lieu of missing out on the Find Out Friday & Sit Down Saturday post due to family weekend at my brother's college; I thought I would still go ahead and post. Better late, then never!

Today's Sit Down Saturday Question is as follows:
Q: How do you keep track of what date the inserts come in the paper?First, there are 3 inserts that come in the Sunday papers.
The P&G insert only comes in the paper once per month.
Each have their names on the front:
RedPlum
P&G (Proctor & Gamble)
SmartSource

A: Each insert has their own individual date stamp on the spine.
See below.

This is on the spine of today's Proctor & Gamble insert.
It shows today's date. So now you'll know what date the inserts came in the paper. I keep a hanging file folder box, and label the file folders by date & insert. That way I can quickly pull out the insert I need, and then file it away after I finish clipping.

Sit Down Saturday 9/18

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Today's Sit Down Saturday Question is as follows:

Is it really worth it to sign up for Company e-mail lists?

Good Question! Yes! See the items in the above picture? I received an e-mail from my local Kohl's recently to inform me that my store had been remodeled. Inside that email, I received $10 off my next shopping trip. Now, before my couponing days I would have gone to Kohl's and bought whatever I found and used my coupon, but not now.

Over the years I've learned how to use these coupons to their fullest potential. For this particular coupon, I ended up purchasing items that would reach my total to as close to $10 as possible. The cookbook was $5, and the sunglasses were $5.40. I ended up walking out of the store only paying .40 + tax for both items. How great is that?

Now, if the coupon is "Free ____ w/ any purchase" - find the most inexpensive item available. That way you spend as little out of pocket as possible, but still end up receiving your freebie.

I would recommend that you set up an email specifically for Company email lists. That way your regular inbox stays clean, and you will always have your very own "deals" email address. You will end up receiving advanced notice on upcoming sales, or exclusive email coupons.

Don't hesitate to use the email coupons. Every penny helps, right? Print them up even if you aren't sure you'll be near the store. Chances are you might end up at the mall, and wish you had that coupon with you. Also, many stores will allow you to use the coupon on clearance which can make for some great deals!

Sit Down Saturday 8/28

I'm starting a new series of posts. They will be titled "Find Out Friday", and "Sit Down Saturday." I will give you all the opportunity to ask me questions on Friday, and I'll choose a few to answer during my "Sit Down Saturday" post. This is your place for frugal deals, but it is also a place to learn. I am sure I have some tenured couponers out there, but I also know many of you are new to couponing & frugal shopping. I will be focusing more on beginner's topics and my intent is to create posts that are simple, easy to understand, and informative.
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Today's Sit Down Saturday Topic: How did you get into using coupons?

I started using coupons about 3 years ago. I was working on my college degree, and soon realized what it was like to be a "poor college student." I was literally living paycheck to paycheck, and was tired of it! (I was paying for tuition out of pocket to avoid debt). I decided the first place I could cut costs was with my grocery bill. I knew coupons came in the Sunday paper, but I needed more. I started searching the web for internet printable coupons, and came across a whole site dedicated to coupons & store deals. The site is called: hotcouponworld.com. If you have some time - go check it out. It changed the way I shop. I will NEVER go back to paying full price. My interest in shopping with coupons grew fast. I wanted to know everything there was about shopping smart. Saving money soon became a hobby. I would get SO excited about how many items I could purchase for free or close to it! I ended up expanding my hobby outside of groceries, and have saved tremendously on many other purchases. I knew I wanted to share my coupon knowledge with others, but wasn't sure how. I felt like it was this big secret, or something! This past April, an opportunity landed in my lap. I taught my very own coupon class! The impact that I made on the class attendants - made my heart so happy! Many of those attendants wanted to stay in touch, and thus my page was born. This page has given me the ability to share my knowledge, and shopping trips with my family/friends. Now, I'm helping others just like you! I have the best followers, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me as this page grows. Thank you!!!