Crash Course for Newbies

You want to save money, but don’t know how to get started? Not a problem. There are some quick things you can learn today that will save you money fast.


1. You need to make the commitment to saving. This means that you will watch for sales, coupons, and rebates while you shop. It doesn’t take more time, but will help you to save money fast. Once you have made the decision to save money, the rest is easy.

2. You need to start printing coupons. I’m Guilty: I waste time on the internet each week. Next time we sit down to do some mindless surfing; we should be printing some valuable coupons at the same time. We are helping by matching up printable coupons right next to items for sale each week at County Market. Just sign up for the Coupon Match up on Wednesdays, and you can literally print while talking on the phone.

3. Start being price conscious. This doesn’t take time either. Just start paying attention to the price of any item over $3 that you buy on a regular basis. If you buy laundry detergent, know if your brand is on sale, or if the advertised price is the regular price. Knowing a deal when you see it can save you a lot of money. If your detergent is truly on sale by more than 35% off the regular price, buy more than one. This way you will have it when you need it, and at a discount.

4. Start picking up a Sunday paper. Sundays have coupon inserts in all metro areas. Sometimes there are only one or two coupon inserts. Other weeks there are up to four inserts. When there is a heavy coupon week, you may want to purchase more than one paper. Find a place to keep your coupons. You may not want to use each one right away. In fact the best time to use a coupon is when the item is on sale for 35% off the regular price. This will yield a Double savings!

5. Use your eyes! County Market stores are packed with savings you may not have noticed before today. Tear pads are usually found hanging off the shelves. You can find Peelie coupons on items themselves, and the blinking smartsource coupon boxes for instant discounts. Start reviewing each aisle as you shop. It doesn’t take more time, but you can snag some savings. If you see a coupon today, you can always keep it for later as well.

6. Start working on your family consumables budget. This includes both Food and Non food items. Personal Hygiene items, cleaning supplies, and paper goods make up 25% of a household’s consumables. Save on those too. A good way to start working on a budget is to gather your last 2 months receipts. Look at how much you actually spent, and the numbers of items purchased. Once you have a start here, you can rework your budget including savings.

This is a good start. Now just subscribe to our Coupon match up Email Blast and our savings blog. We’ll help you keep motivated and help you keep learning more tips to saving more.