Save money with a couponing toolbox

Bargain Boot Camp

In the early days of my marriage, I started what I affectionately refer to as "The man box." It was a place where I could put all the cords, fishing tackle, tools and other various man things that I found while tidying up. Thirteen years later, there is a whole lot more tools laying around the house but the "man box" remains as a savior to both my sanity and my husbands treasures.
One of the most important things every good bargain hunter needs is a place to collect all your stuff. Each of us operates on a different level of keep-it-togetherness and so, we will each have our own method of organization. One of my favorite bargaining babes is Coupon Mom. On her site, she teaches an organizing method that eliminates unnecessary coupon clipping and grocery circular saving. That lady is truly amazing and I often visit her site to check out where to find the best deals.
I myself, am not nearly as together, so I use a kitchen drawer to keep all my bargain getting stuff in. So, whether you use a complex filing system, an online helper or a big 'ol box to store your stuff in, here is a list of the top tools you should have inside.

1. Store loyalty cards- These are an excellent resource for getting the best deals. Not only do you need them to get the sale prices at some stores, but they often offer rewards programs.

2. Coupon file folder or envelope for your purse or car- I keep coupons here that are for products that aren't normally on my shopping list. That way, if I catch them on sale or clearance, I have my coupons handy. I once got Panteen shampoo for free and men's Old Spice body wash for -$4. That's right... they paid me $4 to take two bottles of it!

3. Separate junk email account- This is a life saver. A lot of my best freebies come from sites that require me to sign up with my email address. Now, my in-box overfloweth. To avoid having this happen to you, sign up for a free email account like yahoo mail or gmail that you use JUST to sign up for offers.

4. Notebook- I like to keep a notebook to write down all the websites I find, as well as usernames and passwords for my online coupon sources and sweepstakes programs. I can't tell you how frustrating it is when something happens to your favorite's list on your browser and you have lost all your treasured links.

5. A printer and ink- This is vital to all bargain hunters. A lot of the most valuable coupons are printable ones. When you stumble across a high value coupon (often coupons for free stuff), you want to be sure that you can print them out.

I hope this helps everyone get started and get in the mood for the upcoming posts. I will be sharing some of my favorite places to find cheap/free goodies and more tips on finding and using coupons. Stay tuned...