Here's what I do:
Early in the morning I go to my local newspaper stand box for the OC WEEKLY and I buy 2 OC WEEKLY's. FP: $3.00
Then I buy 2 Press Telegram's. FP: $2.00
THEN I go to the 99 cent store (or if I can't make it I ask my Sister-in-law since she lives right down the street from one) and I buy 4-6 LA TIMES. Normal price at the newspaper stand: $1.50ea. At the 99 cent store: $.99!!!!
Total Cost for 10 Sunday newspapers: $11.00
Does that seem costly to you? I challenge you to look at it this way. If there are at least 11 coupons that you can use which value at $1.00 you've recovered the cost of your papers. HOWEVER rarely have I found ONLY 11 coupons valued at $1.00 that I can use!! There are SO much more than that!! The savings using coupons are ENORMOUS!! Look at my last VONS shopping trip. I bought over $200 worth of groceries, but I only spent $50+ dollars OUT OF POCKET!!!! That's over $150 in savings! Looking at it that way does $11.00 seem like a high cost to reach those kind of savings? I didn't think so!
SO if you aren't used to buying Sunday papers, or clipping coupons THIS SUNDAY 4/5 is the PERFECT day to start with the highest amount of instant rewards! I'm giddy thinking about all of the great coupons that can be in 4 inserts! Multiply each of the 4 inserts by 10 papers! That's 40 inserts!! Seeing as how most coupons expire at least 60 days from now that's at least 8 weeks of savings!!!
Are you starting to see a trend here? A fresh new outlook on things!! Instead of looking at the cost spent on newspapers and thinking, 'That's a lot of money for newspapers!' you should look at it this way, 'Wow that's a lot more money I will be saving without those newspapers and the coupon inserts!'. Hey we all have to start somewhere! Start small..... follow my lead! The first Sunday I ever clipped a coupon I bought 2 papers, from the 99 cent store. Total cost: $2.00. Two months later (yes I've ONLY been clipping coupons for 2 months now) I am up to 10 newspapers at total cost: $11.00. BUT those first few weeks I saved on average $20 per shopping trip. Which was GOOD!! That's an extra $80 saved per month!! Now two months and 10 papers later, I'm saving on average $200 per shopping trip!!
So I encourage newbies to start small, and go for the instant rewards! Set goals in the beginning to buy at least 2 papers on Sunday and clip the coupons. Then set the goal of trying to save at least $5-10 on every grocery bill! My favorite thing to do is to wait until the very end of the transaction to swipe my member savings card, and hand over my coupons. That way I can see the final cost lower. BAM! Instant reward! You see the cost drop before your very eyes! Seeing that makes it more real, and besides being rewarding is also encouraging!! If I can do this, anyone can do this!! (If you ever met me than you'd understand! I'm quite the frazzled sight to behold at times! haha!!)
So go buy those papers this Sunday!!
