"To Cut or Not to Cut?" that is the question!

Photo Credit:  helix.co

I used to cut EVERY COUPON and I mean EVERY SINGLE ONE , even if I didn't use the product or know anyone who did I  cut it...........and filed it and then threw away what I didn't use.........those days are over !

THE HISTORY
I had a GREAT filing system.  I had a gutted and remade Cassette Tape box that was PERFECT with ziploc snack sized (short bags) in each compartment to hold the sorted coupons.  It fit perfectly in my basket ,  locked tightly and was easy to manage (carry) but ............was a bear to clean out (the only pitfall of this particular system)  I don't have any photos to show you , but I used this tried and true system for many years.  I put other products on "test runs" "trials" and "reviews" to try to find a replacement that would be more efficient or really "more anything" but nothing every compared............it was damn near perfect I gave it a "10" for the "times."   I also had a rubbermade, locktight file box for rebate forms (there were a plethora of them in those days) and I filed them by expiration date...........and ad a box for "extras" and even filed TRASH (my trash and everyone elses that I could get my hands on)  to "pull the UPCS" I needed for an offer.   I traded via snail mail , conventions and some friends I met along the way and then started trading through "Prodigy" in the old days when there was a black screen and a cursor to work with.   I subscribed to every publication that talked about rebating and couponing to make friends, traders and contacts nationwide.
I even wrote articles to earn more issues...................... THOSE WERE THE DAYS

FAST FORWARD 20-30 YEARS LATER
there are many many sites that tout many many systems as the "best" and "tested" filing systems for couponing.   Its almost comical to see those binder systems and boxes that file the coupons.  I have reviewed most of them and trust me they are NOT worth the time and effort for the occasional deal that I may miss for doing things the way that I do now.  Not to mention the "cost" "bulk" and paper cuts on my fingers from the plastic inserts.   

The digital age has changed things and even though I am not sending out 100's of rebates a month (the postage increases have also dampened the "worth" of such ventures) I am still SAVVY SHOPPING ,  FREE SHOPPING,  GIFTING , STOCKPILING, DONATING and "rocking" the coupon world.
I barely send out 1 per week, if that these days when 1 per day was heartbreaking in the day.

Just as you "DONT WANT TO PUT ALL OF YOUR EGGS iN ONE BASKET"   you also don't want to depend on one SAVINGS STATEGY.............actually I have written several articles on the topic of using the different ways to shop depending on what you need, whats on sale and what you can afford.  I will be REPOSTING a "guest blog" that I did some time ago NEXT on this page / series on HOW TO BE A COUPONER! 

One of the strategies I use depending on the week is........ this online DATABASE here to "look up" items and match coupons with them.  This system allows for you to NOT cut your inserts and file them by date and look up the coupons to match with sales weekly.  I know it sounds complicated but really it isn't................ this video actually makes it a bit MORE SIMPLE THAN IT REALLY IS................truthfully it is somewhere in between









NOW here is another video about the STRATEGIC SHOPPING that she uses for DRUGSTORE DEALS...........I call is SAVVY SHOPPING .........its the same thing