Q:  LittleMissKnowitAll, I try to use coupons but it seems to take forever to shop!  I go to the store with all my coupons, and I try to match them to what I'm buying, but it just takes so much time and it seems like my savings aren't that high.  Not like I see you talking about!  It doesn't seem like it should be this hard!  What am I doing wrong?Lisa A:You're right Lisa, it does take some time to learn!  I often say in my classes "Slow and Steady Wins the Race!"  Start small--don't try to apply coupon savings to your entire trip the first few times out.  Go and run a coupon deal that is for one or two items at a time.  Get ONLY those items.  Takes 15-20 minutes.  While it is small, the lightbulb moments happen a lot faster when you do it small like that.  Do your big shopping trip another time so that you can begin learning to keep the two separate!  Also, don't forget that we do the matchups for you--we tell you what is on sale and which coupons go with it.  No need to do that on your own! I used to do the up and down the aisles with the coupons thing too.  And like you, I'd get tired and frustrated. It was because I didn't understand how it all worked.  Smaller really is better--at least in the beginning.  Start small, learn the tricks of the trade, then move up into bigger and bigger trips.  The slower you go in the beginning, the less likely you are to become frustrated and quit!  It is a bit like running.  You wouldn't run a marathon your first time out.  (Or well, not if you're sane!) You start by running a mile, then three miles, then five miles and before you know it, you're running a half-marathon with ease.  Then you grow your skills until you're running marathons!  It is the same with saving money with coupons.  Start slow.  You'll be saving hundreds of dollars and running the savings marathon in no time!