Couponing in Canada

I have received many emails from friends and family wanting to know my couponing and saving secrets. Well I am going to spend a little time talking about  them.

Statistics Canada reports that the average Canadian household spends $241 per person on food each month.

Food, shelter and clothing still account for more than half of spending for the lowest income group in Canada.

The one-fifth of Canadian households with the lowest income spent an average of $22,340. Spending on food, shelter and clothing accounted for 52% of their total spending while personal taxes accounted for 3% of their budget.

Food is a variable cost and we can control how much we spend each month on groceries.

But can you really reduce your food budget without giving up on good nutrition and hygiene?

You can do it !

How... I did this by stockpiling on great sales and deals, using coupons smartly, planning my shops before buying anything and understanding sale cycles. I live in a 1 bedroom Condo and don't have room or space to stockpile like some of the people on show's like "extreme couponing" but i made some room and my savings have skyrocketed since.

**update, I actually now live in a 4 bedroom house and do have a stockpile room, dedicated to my couponing ways. I will share pictures soon**

With the tips I will try to provide,it won’t take a lot of effort for you to become a canadian coupon-er too.

KNOW THE COUPON POLICIES OF YOUR FAVORITE STORES

Many websites will publish deals and coupons but unfortunately, if you don’t know if your store will accept that coupon it will lead to extra frustration.Save on Foods stacks coupons for added savings $$$$$.

START SMALL AND HAVE GOALS

Simple

If your goal is not simple, it will be tough to achieve. Create a plan that you would like to start to save on groceries at first or on your beauty or cosmetic or baby product purchases. Keep it simple at first.

To start you off, register to receive emails from Grocery Alerts -we always publish the latest coupons available to Canadians that you can either order or print off.

Measurable

Have a measurable goal. Example, I want to save $50 per month on my grocery bill each month. This is $600 over a year.

START GETTING COUPONS

sign up on websites that send your coupons to your home.

websaver.ca

gocoupons.ca

save.ca

pandgbrandsaver

Here is a great trick to get a large number of HVCs (high-value coupons):

Request a coupon from your favorite manufacturer. They love to hear from their fans (just like us).  I have received high-value coupons from Chapmans, Dole, Popchips, Kelloggs, Fresh Express, and Micheal Angelo in the past.

Step 1: Find the manufacturer to contact.

Find a manufacturer whose products you use weekly and enjoy.

Step 2: Find the companies customer service mailing address or e-mail address.

Companies try to make it as easy as possible to contact them. Usually, you can find a “Contact Us” page that either has a form that you can submit, an e-mail address, or a mailing address.

Step 3: Join a trade group

Another major tip we have is that once you have accumulated a number of coupons, start to trade your spare or unwanted coupons for others that you are looking for.  Get the coupons you are looking for.

Trading coupons is one of the best ways to save huge on your shopping bills.

Step 4: Get organized
nomatter how you choose to organize your coupons (binder, sorting file, notebook, etc) organization is key to any shopping and couponing trip.

Step 5: Attend local coupon trade sessions and information sessions on how to coupon effectively :)

HAVE FUN AND BE FABULOUS!!