July 22, 2011
07/25/11 Kim and Stan Clark of North Liberty and Renita Flickinger of Wakarusa presented Couponing 101: A Workshop Tuesday evening at Miller’s Senior living Community. The workshop was well attended by people of all ages who were interested in receiving the best deal for their money. Several of those in attendance admitted they have already started couponing but they were there to pick up some extra tips.
Clark and Flickinger are sister-in-laws who are what they refer to as “couponing buddies”. They each go through their newspapers separately and clip and organize their coupons. However, they often shop together and they even call each other and share the latest “deals” they have run across in their coupon searching. Clark’s husband Stan is her “computer expert” and he searches for online coupons for the ladies.
Clark gave everyone at the workshop a coupon workbook with helpful hints and resources for finding coupons. She explained that one of the most important things when shopping is to “know the store’s coupon policy”.
“You can find these online,” said Clark. Print the policy and take it to the store with you. That way if there is a clerk who questions you on something you have the policy right there in your hands.”
Clark also expressed the importance of never throwing a coupon away. Even if it is a product you do not believe you will use; go ahead and carry it with you. There is a great feeling to use a coupon and get something free that you can donate to a food pantry or homeless shelter.
If you are new to couponing other helpful hints are to start small, go to online blogs and let them help you step-by-step and by all means remain organized. Take your coupons to the store with you at all times. You never know when the store will have a special sale that will increase the saving when you can then also use a coupon.
Clark dedicates her Sunday afternoons to reading the sale ads and looking over the coupons and then clipping and organizing. She does admit that she receives a “real rush” when she goes through the check out line and has two hundred dollars worth of items that she has only paid for with seventy or eighty dollars.
Photo: Renita Flickinger of Wakarusa and Kim Clark of North Liberty show some of the products they have received free through their wise use of coupons.