How I Coupon

 I've been couponing ever since I first married more than 30 years ago.  Couponing success and lots of great deals can be dependent on the stores available to shop at.  When I lived in CA, the big stores like Vons and Ralphs and Food Basket doubled coupons up to $1 and there were no limits.  I've read about so many great deals at CVS and Rite Aid and Publix and Kroger - but they are not in my town so I have to be content with 2 Superwalmarts, Walgreens and 2 smaller grocery stores. 

But wherever you live,  if your coupons are not organized and with you when  you when you shop, they won't save you any money.
I've used a big binder in the past to organize my coupons but currently, I like this little purse sized organizer.  It is made by the Container Store but I got it at a yard sale in a box of miscellaneous junk marked $1 for the lot. 

 My catagories - these are what make sense to me - you will probably sort yours differently
wet staples - any food items that come in jars or bottles
dry staples - boxed and bagged staples
dairy - cheese, milk butter, eggs
frozen and meat
beverages
oral care - toothpaste, floss,
hair
makeup - I never buy makeup unless it is on sale and I have a coupon
health - soap, razors, vitamins, OTC medicines
cleaners - laundry, dish soap, any kind of cleaning product
wraps - this is any paper or plastic product
misc.  - this is where I put baby, pet care, batteries

I know some people say they don't use coupons because coupons are just for junk food.   I don't buy a lot of junk food either.  Half of my dividers are for food items and the other half are nonfood.  I would guess that I use a lot more nonfood coupons than food coupons but that is where I save money.  And if I spend almost nothing on shampoo and laundry soap, then I have more left to spend on produce and good groceries. 

 These are my 2 tickets from the last day of August.  I had a number of coupons that expired so I did a short shopping trip to Walgreens and Walmart.  Most of the things I bought were personal care and household items.  And you probably can't read the tickets too well, but I save a lot that day. 

I don't have shopping trips like this every time.  But when I can get razors and laundry soap and toothpaste and dishwashing soap for pennies on the dollar, it really helps. 

My coupons sources - of course I save the ones in my Sunday paper.  My brother and my mom usually save theirs and I have a few friends that we occassionally mail coupons to each other. 
Sometimes I print internet coupons that I know I  will use. 
When there is a really good coupon that I want lots of,   I look on Ebay.  Coupon sellers usually have every coupon you could imagine and they are mostly  pretty cheap.