When you are just starting to build your coupon stash, I highly recommend that you save every single coupon that you can that is not expired. You never know what you might go on sale, what might be free with a coupon, or what might even make you money for buying it. I’m not advocating against sharing coupons or trading coupons you don’t think you will use, I am telling you not to throw any away!
Here’s an example… A couple years ago there was a coupon for up to $35 off a diabetes monitor. Some couponers tossed the coupon thinking they would never use it. Then Walgreens put it on sale… buy the monitor for $24.99 and get a $10 Register Reward. The coupon made the monitor free, so all you paid was tax and you still got the $10 Register Reward. Wow! Can you imagine being the couponers that had thrown it out? Talk about being sick to your stomach…
I am not telling you to organize all these coupons. Just designate a box in your house to put them in. If you see a hot deal that uses an insert coupon that isn’t in your binder/box, you will know where to go to look. Plus this won’t last forever. After about 6 months of couponing, you will know what never goes on sale.
If you are new to Couponing, you might want to take a moment to read more in my Getting Started Couponing series.
Renee says
I don’t have any babies so I was tossing any formula coupons until the Similac $5 coupon a couple months back-took all of them to Walmart and got overage and donated the formula to a friend’s co-worker who just had a baby and was in need.
RK says
I dunno … I understand what you’re saying, and if you can do it, great, but for me … buying things I don’t need and then having to be organized enough to get them all donated before they expire (if they are items that expire) just seems beyond my abilities right now.
I still remember when I brought home all that ready-to-feed formula from the hospital when my daughter was born, thinking that if I don’t need it, I will just donate it … well, I didn’t need it, not one drop (yay!) … but it makes me sick to my stomach to think about the fact that it all expired before I got around to donating it. :-(
So I try to avoid buying things I don’t need, even if they are moneymakers, because knowing me, they will end up cluttering up my house or worse, having to be thrown out, and that’s not worth the trip to the store and the dollar or so I might make off of it. (Now, in the case of this monitor … OK, $10 … that might have been worth it … and I hope that I would have donated it properly, if I’d done that deal … but I don’t even remember the coupon.)
So I do think there’s a downside to buying free/moneymaking items you or your family does not need. I would be very careful about it if you are as disorganized as I am.
DD DeVito says
I too agree that if you are not going to use the items or donate why bother. Couponing is a hobby for me – yes it is one we use to stretch out our budget. Without coupons we wouldn’t have as much to eat or be able to put gas in the car! I only save coupons that I know I will use or my kids will use for their families. The rest get freecycled out! I don’t stress over a few missed opportunities to make a few bucks…..
Crystal says
I agree with you on this one. I’m organized, but I find it too stressful to be swimming in coupon inserts. I used to do it and the clutter along with trying to find stuff drove me nuts. Now I just cut out the coupons that I know I will use or that I might consider using if I get a really good deal. Otherwise, I toss it. I put the ones that I know I will use right away in a little organizer in my purse … I have sections for food, retail stores such as Children’s Place, free coupons, Target (I give them their own section so I can put my stacks together), and then a section for the rest.
The other coupons I cut out stay filed in an accordion envelope size organizer – when I go through the blogs or the paper and see a deal I want to do, I transfer the coupons to my purse then.
Sure there have been times that I have missed out on a deal because I threw something away, and also times when I wish I had a coupon with me in the store, but carrying around a huge coupon binder with me everywhere I go just isn’t for me.
Kristin from Couponing to Disney says
It sounds to me like you’ve been doing this long enough to know what is going to go on sale and what isn’t and that you followed this tip when you needed to the most. I think the first 3-6 months is a learning experience and you definitely should save every coupon. After that, you are going to know what is worth saving and what isn’t. :-)
Donna Kirk says
As I cut my coupons each week, I put the ones I think I will never use in an envelope or a sandwich bag and put the date on the bag. That way, if there’s a deal I didn’t think would come up, I can still go right to it! I never throw coupons away either.
Tina B says
This is a good idea. The coupon blogs often refer to SmartSource of Feb 2 or the Red Plum of Jan 1 (for example), and your dates would help you locate them easily.
denise says
I was remember that coupon. I had it in my hand and then i threw it out. I still get a sick feeling thinking about it. Oh well, lesson learned. =)
Tabatha says
I love this! I was one of those idiots that pitched that diabetes monitor coupon so long ago! Well that won’t happen again! Since then I’ve learned of places that could use monitors like that among other things so when I can get them for free I do and then donate them! Never, never, NEVER pitch your coupons!
Leanne says
I agree, too. I save cosmetics coupons for brands I don’t use, then wait for a clearance sale. I get nice new things to try for free that way!
Meycy says
Are you saying to also save the expire coupons?
Leanne says
You can mail those out to the military bases because overseas, they can use expired coupons.
Kristin from Couponing to Disney says
Oh no. That wouldn’t make any sense. I would send them to the military. :)
Star says
I agree…there have been some GREAT deals I have missed out on because I gave away the coupons I didn’t think I would use!!!! Not anmore! I will cut them all out and SAVE them in an old wipes conatiner…this way they are out of sight, but still able to be accessed!
Tabatha says
An old wipes container? Ok, now that’s genius!! I would have never thought to do that and with a new baby on the way I will have empty wipes containers every where again! Thanks for the tip!!!
Marjorie says
Oh so true, how I wish, just starting out myself, that would go ahead and print every danged coupon!
Andy Son says
Agreed! I was one of the ones who tossed a huge stack of these (saved 3). My paper lady WAS bringing me stacks of inserts, then.