I know what you're thinking. You're
probably asking yourself why I am posting this kind of stuff here
instead of my other blog www.myoutofdebtjourney. One of the big
reasons is that I am being asked to do it from several different
sources.
Questions are coming frequently
from victims of domestic violence. Victims have a real need to cut
corners where ever possible. Some have never held a job that pays a
living wage. Financial savviness is required to get out of a shelter
and back into life. I believe that any woman of any income level can
benefit from a coupon binder and from discounts from places like
couponila.com.
The coupon binder is inexpensive enough
to fit in anyone's budget. You don't have to use all new items.
Repurposing and using used items will work for the most part. The
“big” expenses are a 3 inch, 3 ring binder, a 3 hole punch and
dividers. I slide the binder into a reusable tote bag that I got for
free. You can make your own or pick one up from Wal-Mart for .50
cents.
Making the binder begins with deciding
what types of coupons your family uses. I collected coupons for a
couple of weeks and then spread them out onto a table. A pattern
formed in just a few minutes. Dairy, general grocery items (canned
goods, mac and cheese etc.) household items (toilet paper, paper
towels) and personal care items were the bulk of the coupons.
These piles essentially told me what
sections I needed in the binder. From here it was a matter of cutting
the sheets, labeling the dividers and putting everything in place. I
then added a clear zip style baggie at the end of each section for
any loose coupons.
Using whole sheets of coupons and then
cutting at the store works for me. Some people cut coupons
individually and use baseball card sheets. This is great but it's not
my style and cost more than I wanted to spend.
Scissors, a pen and calculator to be
helpful. These were picked up from the dollar store. My big score
from was a large purple 3 hole punch. I also picked up a small pouch
to put them in. It fits neatly into the front of the coupon binder.
A section labeled “miscellaneous”
is in the back of the binder. This is where deals from sites like
www.couponila.com go. I also
use it for restaurant coupons, clothes, oil changes and any other
type of discount that doesn't come around everyday.
Going through the binder weekly helps
keep it up to date. Combing the discounts with sales helps you save
the most money. We tracked it for a couple of months and found that
our grocery bill was reduced by an average of 30% - 50%. That's
enough to make it worth the effort for my family. How about yours?