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I started a new little hobby this summer- couponing. What started out as an innocent search on google one day has now taken on a life of it's own. So, as Jana offered some retail tips the other day, I am going to attempt to add a few coupon tips to the blogging world.

The best coupons are in your Sunday paper. The Charlotte Observer was PACKED this weekend with over $194 worth. (so the ad says, I didn't check the math) Tip #1- shop around for the paper. I was happy to pay $1.60 at On the Run until discovering WalMart sells it for.99!

Now the key to saving here is Tip #2- ONLY cut out coupons for things you already buy. It's not a good deal if it isn't something you would ordinarily purchase. Organize your coupons so they are handy and not a hassle. I picked up this organizer at the $1 spot at Target.

The greatest savings I have found is Tip #3 combine ads from stores with the manufacturer coupon. Drug stores have tremendous deals if you look for them. For example, at Walgreens this week you can get 4 boxes of Kellogg's cereal for $10. Combine this with the 2 Kellogg's coupons from the newspaper for $1 each bringing the price down to $8. Now watch this...at check out, Walgreens gives you $5 in rewards bucks for the cereal. So...simple math...4 boxes of cereal costs you $3!!!

Now, if you get into rebates...it gets even sweeter because Kellogg's has a $10 rebate out there by submitting 10 upc codes. If my math is correct...you can buy 12 boxes of cereal for $9 and get a check back from Kellogg's for $10. Free breakfast...for a month my friends! This would require usage of Tip #4- on really good coupon weekends, buy multiple copies of the paper. You would need 3 copies of yesterdays paper to make the above work. Yes, that could potentially mean you end up paying $2 for 12 boxes of cereal but that is only if you didn't use ANY other coupon in the paper.

Tip #5 Rather than buyint items when you need them, stock up when they are at their lowest price and paired with a coupon. By the time you need it again, it should be back on sale. Storage is the only issue here. We did some rearranging under the stairs and now have a second pantry area.

Tip #6 Buying in bulk isn't always cheaper. Check the price per unit. And when buying medication- the generic is almost always cheaper- even if you have a coupon for the brand name version.

I am far from the coupon queen. If you check out Coupon Mom you will learn there are many deeper levels to this thing that I have yet to conquer. Honestly, I am probably not willing to put in the amount of time it takes to go store to store to save the most but just from what I have started, the savings has been DRAMATIC. Yesterday alone we bought $95.83 worth of groceries and back to school items. We only paid $51.01- immediately saving $44.82.

Shop on!