September Savings Day Five: Coupons are your friend

This is perhaps the biggest tip I have. Every week, your newspaper comes to you with hundreds of dollars of potential savings wrapped up in it. All you have to do is take those inserts and file them away, then match up coupons with sales and rebates. It's money in your pocket.

It’s really that simple.

Some may argue that coupons are just for junk food and that the store brand is always cheaper. Not so. Everyone uses soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent, dishwasher soap and deodorant, to name a few. These are things I haven’t paid for in more than a year. No store brand can't beat that.

If you live in the Chicagoland area, I highly recommend taking a couponing class from Jill Cataldo. I’ve taken both of her classes and I can’t tell you how much I’ve saved in the past year. The classes are free and very informative. She also has a new DVD available, for those of you outside her classroom coverage area.

The saving doesn’t stop at the store. There are coupons for oil changes, high-end clothing, department stores and more; you just have to look. I recently spent $1.63 at Victoria’s Secret for three pairs of underwear, a piece of candy and a travel kit with little bottles of toiletries. Everyone needs undies and the travel kit will make a great gift. Based on the retail prices, I saved more than $50. Awesome!

Here are some great Web sites to get started with:
Jillcataldo.com
moneysavingmom.com
Dealseekingmom.com
Thethriftymama.com
Iheartcvs.com
Iheartwags.com

And if you don't currently receive a newspaper, you can get a Chicago Tribune subscription for $.50 a week for just the Sunday paper. Or, you can pick up the Sunday paper at Menards for $1.