POP: Plan, Organize and Practice

POP has been the cornerstone of my saving system for almost 40 years. It’s become second nature to me. I hardly think of it as 3 separate steps, but that’s exactly what it is. If you think of my system as 3 separate steps, you’ll find it easy to use too, as simple as 1, 2, 3.

Step 1: Plan. Planning for your shopping trip takes a little bit of time, but in the end it will actually save you time and money. Think of it as investing 15 minutes to save ½ hour in the store and 50% off your shopping trip.

Start by reviewing the weekly sales flyer. Look for items you use that are on sale. Be brand flexible when planning your purchases. If you always buy Kleenex and Scotties are being promoted, give it a shot. If possible, match up a coupon to further reduce your bill.

Pass up any regular-priced item that you can do without. It’s bound to be on sale the next time you shop.

Step 2: Organize. Organize your purchases into a shopping list. I use the category system which mirrors the layout of the supermarket. Each aisle matches a section on my list. Getting all the tissues I want while in the paper aisle saves time by having my checklist in hand. I never have to return to that aisle for a missing product.

At www.couponqueen.com you can actually put together a shopping list in the simplest and quickest way.

Organize your coupons too. Categories are the answer here, and once again use the supermarket as your guide. Keep your coupons handy, in a place that’s easily visible, so you’ll be sure to give them all to the checker.

Step 3: Practice. It’s no secret that the more often you practice, the better you become. That’s the same with shopping and saving. The more you do it, the better you get, and the more you save.

You may start off with a 10-20% savings. On a $100 weekly bill that’s $10-$20 a week or $500-$1000 a year. Not bad. But keep practicing and you could work that up to 50% or $50 a week or $2500 a year.

Now it’s definitely worth it. And that extra 15 minutes to plan that list is earning you almost $50 a shopping trip.

This POP system is part of my newest book, Supershop Like the Coupon Queen. It helps you get into the right mindset to become a Super Saver.

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