We’ve all heard stories of the fantastic savings garnered by self-proclaimed “Coupon Queen.” Many of us have pictured bleary-eyed moms, surrounded by stacks of this week’s newspaper, clipping coupon after coupon far into the night while watching reruns of Desperate Housewives and late-night tv talk shows. And we’ve decided that life is not for us.
However, if you’ve ever stood in the check-out line behind one of these money-saving mavens, you’ve seen just how much one woman can accomplish in her personal battle against tough economic times. These mega-savers claim to have saved from hundreds to even thousands of dollars each year using their techniques. With grocery stores offering double- and triple-coupon savings, you wonder, can I possibly join this fight and win?
I recently stumbled upon a product that is designed to make using coupons so much easier. It’s called the Couponizer® and it is not simply a pouch to corral all of those wisps of paper. It is an entire system that will get you started on your way toward the Coupon Hall of Fame….okay, maybe not, but it will guide you through the entire process of successfully using coupons.
What I like about this product is that it does treat couponing as a process, and since I, too, have been guilty of launching into coupon madness in an inspired moment only to toss out several unused slips months later, I see the need for guidance in the cost-effective use of them. A visit to the Couponizer® website, http://www.thecouponizer.com, demonstrates how the product accomplishes this.
The Couponizer® is not merely a coupon storage pouch with pre-printed dividers. It’s really a toolkit for saving money, with 18 pockets of various categories for groceries and other discounted items. It features Customer Loyalty Sleeves to house your customer reward cards, punch cards, and gift cards. Also included are a shopping list pad, a CoupTracker to keep a running total of your savings (very motivational!), and even a pair of scissors for all of that cutting you’ll be longing to do. (Sorry, there are no Band-aids for the inevitable paper cut.)
Perhaps what I like best is the CoupStacker, a fold-out mat that shows the categories of coupons you’ll be working with. As you sit happily clipping away, you simply place each coupon in its proper place on the mat. When you are finished, just lift the stack of coupons from each category and place it into the appropriate Couponizer® pocket. Then, you can place the entire organizer into the included carrying bag to keep in your car or tote bag.
For those of us who are visual learners and feel compelled to read an organized list, the Couponizer® website has a “how it works” page that shows the step-by-step process for using their system. It includes tips such as watching the scanner as you check out to make sure your savings are being correctly applied. All in all, it is a well-organized system of couponing in a thoughtfully-designed, sturdy storage component.
The Couponizer® has been featured on the QVC channel and can be ordered directly from their website, http://www.thecouponizer.com, for $19.95 plus shipping and handling. If you are looking for a home-based business, the Couponizer® offers that, too. You can become a Couponizer® Coach. For a low start-up cost of $39.95, you’ll get your own Couponizer® system plus a training dvd that explains how you can hold money-saving home workshops to demonstrate the value of coupons and the Couponizer® system plus sell Couponizer® products for profit.
I found this money-saving system in a July, 2009 e-newsletter from Econobusters.com. This week, the Econobusters Blog is giving away a free Couponizer® as part of a contest. To enter, visit http://www.econobusters.com and scroll down to the July 22 blog entry, WFMW – Coupon Organizer. While you’re at it, you might want to subscribe to Econobuster’s newsletter, A Minute with Molly. It’s well worth the weekly email and you’ll receive a free menu-planning e-book just for signing up.
Coupon clipping doesn’t have to be an overwhelming ordeal, but it can indeed save you money. And that’s something we could all use a bit more of these days.