Laurel Cole spent years as a cog in the Corporate America wheel before she discovered blogging. Now she has one of the best coupon blogs you’ll find anywhere.
In addition to providing consistent updates on all the hottest deals, Laurel also mixes in some great giveaways to keep her Goneklippinkrazy.com readers interested.
Laurel explains her love for couponing and blogging in the following Q&A:
A: I have used coupons on and off for most of my adult life. However, it was only approximately 3 years ago that I became what I would call a serious couponer.
A: With many mouths to feed and a lean budget I found myself needing a way to save on my weekly grocery budget. Buying off-brand products is one way to save. However, there are many specific brands of a product that I just did not want to give up. After some Couponing 101 education I realized I could save a significant amount of money while not sacrificing my favorite brands of foods.
A: I have been blogging since early 2013. My passion for savings was easily channeled into the blog and I am able to share ways to save with others.
A: Working for corporate America for many years has left me with a very strong desire to be my own boss. A few years ago, while I was laid off, I was looking for a stay at home job. Lucky for me my cousin and I reconnected and she shared details about her current career as a blogger with me. At the time blogging allowed me to stay home while earning some income. Perhaps the best part was being able to share my passions with others through the blog.
A: I love to SAVE money! There is nothing like the feeling of getting something for almost nothing. I have a lot of pride in my ability to coupon and shop around for the best deals. Paying full price for products are just not an option in my household.
A: I cannot pick a specific store because I like to shop where the best deal is. One week that might be Wegmans, Price Chopper or Walmart. I do like stores that offer double coupons and stores that have their own members clubs or cash back programs. I have a lot of store cards in my purse so that I am always able to take advantage of each store’s special deals.
A: If you are a couponing newbie my best advice is do not buy products just because you have a coupon. Make sure you focus on buying products that your family likes and will use. Many new couponers will buy products because they can save money but if they do not use it they are actually wasting money on products they do not need.
A: Staying organized can be one of the biggest challenges for a couponer.
A: There are a lot of paperless coupon programs starting up and currently running. In the future I see paper coupons being replaced with digital programs. There are currently programs such as Saving Star where you have to link your card to your favorite stores and when you buy the product you are able to save.
A: While couponing may take some time, the average person can save a significant amount of money on daily items. If you tell yourself you are not going to pay full price for products, then you ensure that you will take the time and effort to find the deals. You learn to stock up when an item you commonly use is on sale. Also, when I decide I want to purchase something, there is no impulsive buying because I have to look for a sale or a deal. Sometimes I realize the item I wanted was just a passing urge, not something I had to have.
