STEP #4: The Anatomy of A Coupon and Coupon Clipping.

Did you make your menu from Step #3?  Oh please, Oh please do! It is such an important step! Your success will be SO much better if you have a plan!

Alright, as strange as it may be that this would require an entire step all to itself....well, IT DOES! There is a lot to remember, easy, but important....very important!

First, make your life easier! Go out and get one of these.....

You will love me for that one day! I promise!

Now, here is how I do it.....

With your Red Plum, Smart Source or Other Coupon Insert from your news paper, go through each booklet and tear out the pages you want to keep. There are many people that keep all coupons, but I want you to remember this important detail about saving money....DON'T GO BROKE SAVING IT! Meaning, if you buy a lot of something, just because with the coupons it was a killer deal, even though you are not sure anyone in your family will even use it, you are still spending money to save money....DON'T DO THAT!

I can tell you that because I have learned from experience! I clipped everything and anything that looked like a coupon. Then I saved it in my handy dandy coupon folder, which you will learn ALL about in the next step, and threw it out when it expired because it really wasn't something I was interested in spending money on! Know your MENU GROCERY LIST that you learned in Step #3. Keep a grocery list on hand for snacks, breakfast or lunch and stick to it! You will be all good!

On the coupon there are some things that are essential to know.

First...Is is a Store Coupon or a Manufacturer Coupon? Store coupons are generally store specific...some stores will accept competitors coupons. Ask your local store Customer Service for a copy of their Coupon Guidlines or visit their website for a printable copy, if they have one there. The description of and instructions on how to use the different types of coupons will be coming up in a later step.

Second....The Expiration Date. IT IS A MUST that you do not clip through this date. It must be there in it's entirety. Save yourself a headache and be so careful not to cut this box off of the coupon!

Third....The coupon will have an item description. Be careful to pay close attention to this description. If you try to apply the coupon to an item that it does not work with, it will only cause you a big headache.

Fourth....Ah, the disclaimers and lovely stipulation for use, AKA FINE PRINT! They are mostly the same across the board. Read them a few times and you will have a good idea of what is contained there. Know what the offer is and if there is a question you can direct the cashier to the fine print!

Fifth...."DO NOT DOUBLE" you are not going to want to cut this part off. Although it is tempting when you have a stack of "Doublers" from Albertsons or a good Double Coupon day at your local market. This coupon cannot be doubled. Don't even think about it!

and Sixth....BARCODE. MUY IMPORTANTE: Do Not Cut or Tear Through This!

This part of the coupon is essential to the use of the coupon.

NOW, take your booklet of coupons and tear out each page. Toss the ones you are not interested in, or be kind and ask a fellow couponer if they are interested in your extras. Line up all of the pages that you are going to keep. Now, do this to the next booklet. Stack the coupons that are the same on top of the previous line and so forth.

Now, stack about 3 or 4 of identical coupons at a time and run them through your slicer. Give yourself plenty of room around the outside of the coupon, so you don't remove any essentials. You are also going to want to make sure you have a sharp blade. As you cut the coupons stack them according to category (defined in the next step).

Do the same with the next booklet and proceed until all coupons are clipped!

With the internet printed coupons, most sites have a similar printing pattern. I will generally print a bunch, stack them, according to the site they were printed from, making sure the coupons line up and then slice and sort.

Easy- Peasy, right?! Well, now that we are FINALLY back on track you are going to get cooking through this and be in that store saving like you won't believe! THEN, oh THEN will you see what I mean by ADDICTION! There is nothing like walking out of a store having spent 3 cents on a $3 item! Oh, you just wait!

Next step.....ORGANIZING Your COUPONS! Oh, I get giddy just thinking about it! You are going to love this part!