Do This Now if you Want Huge 2014 Coupon Savings

We're heading into the home stretch of 2013 and the new year will be here before you know it. The week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is the perfect time to do some maintenance on your coupon stash and stockpile. It will be time well spent and ensure everything is in prime condition to help you take advantage of 2014 grocery deals.

Here are five things to put on your year-end to-do list.

Clear out your expired coupons

December 31 is typically the day when the most coupons expire. If you file your inserts and clip only when needed, you can head to the SavingsAngel.com knowledge base (http://helpdesk.savingsangel.com/forums) and search for “˜list of inserts' to find out which ones can be recycled and which ones to keep.

If you clip and file your coupons in a binder or a box, it might take a little longer to sort through your stash. I recommend firing up Netflix for your favorite mindless TV show or popping in some music while you work!

Don't let freebies go to waste

If you have used the Enlightened Shopping section on SavingsAngel to create your final shopping list of 2013, you probably have already pulled the coupons you need from your stash. All your other expiring ones can be recycled.

However,keep an eye open for free coupons you may have missed using earlier in the year. These could be from inserts, home mailings or contests. Regardless of where you got them, you don't want to miss your chance to use them! Add those items to your shopping list and use them before the year runs out.

Take stock of your stockpile

Couponing and stockpiles go hand-in-hand. Just as you want your coupon stash to be fresh for the new year, you also want to purge your stockpile of unneeded or expiring items.

Hopefully, you have been rotating your items as you add new purchases but if you haven't, now is the time to look for items nearing expiration. Pull those to the front and make an effort to meal plan around them.

Also, consider whether you have items that can be donated. Maybe you overbought on spaghetti sauce or you purchased a new variety of pasta your family didn't like. So long as the packages are unopened and unexpired, send those to the local food pantry where they can be a blessing to someone else.

Re-evaluate your system

Next up is to reconsider how you coupon. Whether you file inserts or clip all the coupons, be honest with yourself about whether the system is working. Can you easily find your coupons? Do you find yourself spending too much time on couponing? Or are you so overwhelmed that you have practically given up and are missing out on savings?

Also think about the shopping process itself. For example, do you end up going with the kids and losing your temper each week? Could you go at a different time without them? Or go on a different day when it is less busy at the store?

The end of the year is the perfect time to look at what worked, what didn't and brainstorm how to make the new year better.

Look back at your savings

Finally, the end of the year is the best time to go back and relish your success. If you keep a spreadsheet or otherwise track your savings, calculate just how much your couponing has brought down your bill. Seeing that number can be motivation to keep going during 2014.

And if you're not saving as much as you'd like, stop by SavingsAngel.com to see how we can help you!