 Make a menu plan for a month  Print out a weekly/monthly calendar and fill in meal plans (Google Calendars or are great tools.)  Write down all of your family’s favorite meals and transfer them to the calendar  Look at local advertised supermarket sales items to help build the monthly menu plan  Don’t forget about days you want to try new meals, dates of ballgames, church, etc. Note them in the calendar

 Create a Master Shopping List  Add every ingredient from your monthly meal plan to your MSL  Include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks  Don’t forget health, beauty, and household needs  If you buy it more than 3 times a year, write it down

 Create a Price Book  This is a way you can track prices of items on your shopping list  12 week sale cycle  Write down the price of everything you buy  Eventually you will know what the cheapest price is on items you buy regularly  This is a lot of work at first, but will really help you if you want to save big  Now you’re ready for coupons

 Finding, Clipping, and Organizing  Bang for Your Buck  Coupon Etiquette  Useful Resources  Stocking Your Store at Home

 Sunday newspaper (you can also find coupons in the weekly papers)  Online printable coupons  Online downloadable (you can go to the manufacturer’s website, just be sure to check the privacy policy to avoid being sold to spammers)  Upload coupons to your store cards from websites like and  Weekly flyers and magazines  Blinking coupon dispensers in the grocery store  Coupon tear pads  eBay  Other people’s coupons, if they do not use them  Coupon exchanges

 Cut out coupons  Divide them into groups that work best for you  File them in a baseball card-style binder  Also create a purse file to take with you  You may also organize coupons by envelopes

 Sales run in 12-week cycles and so do coupons  Use coupons combined with sales for more savings  Shop at stores that double or even triple coupons  Keep an eye out for stores that have special offers  Use coupons to buy smaller size products to save even more  Do not be loyal to just one store. Shop around!  Buy items that are not on sale and without a coupon only if you really NEED them

 You may not copy coupons  Do not try to use a coupon for anything other than what it is intended. Example: If it says you must buy 2, buy 2.  You cannot use more than one manufacturer’s coupon on the same item. You may, however, use a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon.  Be polite when checking out!  Do not throw away expired coupons. Please contact local military bases for more information on a program for military families, who are allowed to use them.

Stockpiling is the only way to save big, long-term. Stock your home like a store. Only stockpile items that YOU WILL USE! You may buy low priced items in bulk to last you until you can buy them at a low price again. This is called stockpiling. Stockpile enough low priced items for 12 weeks.

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 Original cost for cheese slices: $3.49  Sale price: 2/$4 (with card)  75¢ off cheese slice blinking coupon at the blinking coupon dispenser in the cheese section of the grocery store.  How many would you buy and how much would you save?

 Check the expiration date.  Check how many slices are in a package.  Estimate how much cheese your family might use in the next couple weeks.  This will help you determine how many packages you should buy.

 Original Price$3.49 each  Sale Price$2.00 each  blinking coupon75¢ off each  Total Savings$2.24 each  Amount Paid$1.25 each  Total Savings ÷ Original Price =  A cost savings of 64%!

 Original Cost of a particular brand of diapers $12.49  Sale price is $10.00 (with card)  Promotion: If you buy $20 of a particular brand of diapers you get a $5 in-store coupon  Manufacturer’s coupon for $1 off a particular brand of diapers (you have 2 coupons!)  How many would you buy and how much will you pay?

 You will buy 2 packages of diapers. ◦ Reason 1: If you buy $20 worth, you will get $5 credit next time you shop. ◦ Reason 2: You have 2 coupons to save an additional $1 on each package of diapers.

 Original price$24.98  Store Sale Price with card$20.00  Manufacturer’s Coupons$2.00  In-store credit (next time)$5.00  Total Savings for BOTH$11.98  Amount paid for BOTH$13.00  Amount each$6.50  A cost savings of 48%

 Original price of cinnamon rolls: $1.39  Cinnamon rolls are on sale 10/$10 (or $1 each, with card)  You have 4 (30¢) manufacturer’s coupons for cinnamon rolls and your store will double them.  If you buy 5 cans of cinnamon rolls, you will get an in-store coupon for $3.00 off of your next purchase.  How many will you buy and how much will you save?

 You will buy 5 cans of cinnamon rolls. ◦ Reason 1: You have 4 coupons that will double to save you 60¢ each for 4 of the cans, making them only 40¢ each. You will not have a coupon for the fifth item. ◦ Reason 2: If you buy five cans, you will receive an additional $3 off of your next store purchase.

 Original price$6.95  store sale price with card$5.00  Manufacturer’s Coupons$2.40  In-store credit (next time)$3.00  Total Savings for all 5$7.35  Amount paid for all 5-$.40  The amount you made on each can is 8¢

Audrey Myers, ???? Green County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Katie Englert, Former Hancock County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences July 2010 Copyright ©2010 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational or nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.