My 1st attempt @ "Extreme Couponing" SUCCESS!!!

This was my 1st attempt @ "Extreme Couponing" and it was a SUCCESS!!!  

I got the item for FREE ;) yes, FREE!

I started learning to "Extreme Coupon" a little over 2 weeks ago and this was the 1st item that I bought and I got it for FREE! YES, FREE! 

I gave it to my niece Sophie last Sunday  and I have a 2nd to donate to a needy family @ Christmas time.  I ran out of ink on my inkjet printer or I would have gotten 2 more for needy families. 

It was a Fischer Price Laugh & Learn Love to Play Sis (Originally $19.99)...I had a Manufacturer Coupon for $5, Target Store Coupon for $5, Cartwheel App Discount and it went on Price Cut & I used my Target Red Card 5% discount. 

The receipts show a price adjustment because I showed the Cashier the Price Cut Print Screen from Target.com 

More Posts coming soon!

Jaime aka LilCouponBug 

ORGANIZATION

I would strongly suggest (learned the hard way of course) that you get ORGANIZED before you start collecting huge amounts of coupons.

Here are the items that I have purchased and have gotten me organized ;)

I chose the BINDER method for organizing my coupons.

I highly recommend this Binder:  

Case-it Large Capacity 3-Inch Zipper Binder, D-146-PUR

$19.99 on Amazon.com with Free Shipping

and you can find it here: 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GIP258/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I recommend these Plastic Dividers:

Avery Style Edge Insertable Plastic Dividers, 8-Tab Set (11201)

I bought 3 sets for the sections in my Binder.

and you can find them here:

http://www.amazon.com/Avery-Insertable-Plastic-Dividers-11201/dp/B0002HLI48/ref=sr_1_11?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1382585632&sr=1-11&keywords=baseball+card+sleeves

And You will also need Baseball Card Sleeves 9-Pocket Plastic Sheets

I bought 1 pack of 100

They are approximately $5 for a pack of 30 @ Target or you can buy a box of 100 here:

http://www.amazon.com/100-BCW-9-Pocket-Plastic-Sheets/dp/B005JCL05I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382585815&sr=8-3&keywords=baseball+card+sleeves+100

Organizing Your Binder

These are the catagories I used (of course you can always search different websites for "Coupon Binder Catagories" and use whats best for you).  Many of the websites have said 36 different catagories but I combined several of the catagories so that my binder wasn't huge.  

Oral Care

Meds & First Aid

Refrigerated

Frozen or Freezer

Condiments

Canned Items

Sides & Pasta

Candy & Snacks

Baking

Breakfast

P.P, Foil & Bags   (Paper Plates, Plastic, Aluminum Foil & Bags)

TP & PT   (Toilet Paper & Paper Towels)

Cleaning

Laundry & Dish

Pets

Misc

Restaurants

Another great Coupon Organization option for which I just recently purchased is:

A Jenns Coupon Box Organizer Bag

http://www.jennscouponboxes.com/
and right now (1/8/14 the original is on clearance for $15 plus shipping regularly $50)

***Please tell them that LILCOUPONBUG referred You***

That is all for now more posts to come soon,

LilCouponBug

Before You Start - DO These things and DO NOT DO These things!

After you start learning and figuring out how it is done you will want to start signing up for websites, facebook groups, freebies, surveys to earn free things, store savings cards and apps on your computer, tablet and cell.

I learned these things the hard way right away.  Do NOT make the same mistakes I made you WILL regret it!  trust me ;)

1.) Sign up for a seperate email address.  I like gmail because I use the Chrome Browser and everything is linked ;)  gmail.com

***If you DO NOT do this you will be flooded with spam***

2.) Sign up for a seperate Facebook account for your couponing.  If you don't your personal feed WILL be flooded.  facebook.com

3.) Sign up for a Google Voice Phone Number.  It's FREE and it has voicemail and the sites you will sign up for information or freebies may require a phone number.  If you DON'T do this you WILL get a constant flow of solicitation calls all day long.  Um YA learned that one the hard way!  We had to change our home number.  I felt really stupid about that mistake!

after you sign up for your gmail account search google for google voice then sign up ;)
fyi a gmail account is required


I STRONGLY suggest you do all of the above before you get started.

LilCouponBug

Ways to Contact & Follow Me :)

Here are ways to follow me or contact me:

https://www.facebook.com/lilcoupon.bug

LilCouponBug@gmail.com

More posts coming soon!
Jaime aka LilCouponBug

Why, When and How I Started to Coupon.

Hi :) my name is Jaime aka LilCouponBug

Here is my story about when and why it all started with me and looking back I wish I would have started this 2 decades ago lol.

My husband had surgery on both of his wrists for severe carpal tunnel syndrome and had been off work for 3 months.  He is a Butcher and his hands primarily support us.  I am on permanent disability due to physical issues and other reasons. Finances are extremely tight as you can imagine and I was trying to think of ways that I can save or make money to contribute to our income that I can do when I am physically able to do so.

In the beginning of October 2013, I went to Walmart to purchase groceries and the lady in front of me had a whole bunch of coupons and a huge amount of groceries.  Her total was ridiculously low compared to the amount of groceries she was walking out of the store with (I am sorry, I don't remember the amount exactly she spent and saved).  I asked her if she would consider telling me how she did it and could I give her my email.  She said yes and the cashier did the same thing.  I wasn't trying to be rude asking, I was just very curious and hoped she would consider just pointing me in a good direction. I kept checking my email and NOTHING ever came.  I was dissapointed :(

I had heard of the "Extreme Couponing" and was curious if I could do it too!

I used to be a "Buyer" as my previous career so I definitely got the purchasing down! lol.

I was laying in bed at night with my beloved Nexus 7 Tablet and I looked up Extreme Couponing on my Kindle App :)

This is what came up 1st:

A book called "Pick Another Check Out Lane, Honey"  I laughed and saw that it was only $4.39.  So I bought it and started reading :)  This book is wonderful and cheap!

here is the authors website:

http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

then I started getting excited and went on Netflix on my tablet and started watching episodes of "Extreme Couponing" (there are only 3 seasons)

that was a saturday night around the beginning of October 2013.

Sunday morning I went to the QT and picked up 4 newspapers for coupons.

That was the beginning of my journey.

I have been couponing now a couple of weeks and have been asked several times how did I do it?

I promised myself that if anyone ever asked me how do I do it if I was successful I would help them!

Hence beginning this blog :)

please check back for more updates coming soon as I am compiling what I have learned and what NOT to do.. things I have learned the hard way unfortunately!

LilCouponBug

New Blog Started Oct. 19th, 2013

Hi Everyone :)

I just started this blog to share what I have learned about how to do "Extreme Couponing".
I am going to share what I have learned "HOW TO" and "WHAT NOT TO DO" (from things I have learned the hard way LOL).

I am going to post pics of "Savings Hauls" along with pics of the receipts which will show how I did it :)

As well as links and Facebook pages to follow.

Please check back in a few days, I will have lots more info to share :)

Thanks for visiting and come back soon!
Jaime aka LilCouponBug