I’ve always had issues with the word save whose dictionary definition includes “To spend less by (save 25 percent).” You see, I’ve always thought that advertisers were just being clever when they tell you that you can “save big money” by buying their products. In fact, “you can’t save money at a sale” is one of my go-to soundbites. Thankfully, a recent article in Self magazine taught me how you actually can save money at a sale. From the November issue:

Make your virtual savings real
If you buy a $100 jacket on sale at 50 percent off and pay $50, have you saved $50? Of course not. (But you already knew that, didn’t you?) Yet many people succumb to the notion that “a bargain ain’t a bargain unless you buy it,” as if the savings from a discount were as tangible as money spent, says Peter Tufano, Ph.D., professor of financial management at Harvard Business School in Boston. To make your savings concrete, jot down the amount of the discount—$25 off your new Flip cam, for instance—then transfer that money directly into your savings account. This time, you’ve truly saved $25.

I wish I had thought of that! (Actually, that is how I feel every time I read the work of MP Dunleavey.)

I read a lot of magazine articles about money saving tips, but this tip stood out for a number of reasons:

-You’ll think before you buy. It seems as though things look better when they’re on sale. A dress you would never consider for $100 might look very attractive at $30. (70% off seems to be my breaking point—I lose all perspective!) With this new savings strategy, you are still committing to $100, so you’re likely to view things more realistically.

-You’re rewarded twice. Getting a great deal on something you love can be rewarding, but the comfort of knowing that you have something set aside for emergencies is valuable too. By stashing your savings, you’ll get the best of both worlds.

-The New Year will be off to a great start. There is a sale for every occasion and the upcoming holiday season is no exception. By making your virtual savings real, shoppers won’t be able to help saving. If you have trouble sticking to your stashing, try imagining how great it will be to start the New Year with savings instead of debt.

Speaking of debt, I should mention that this savings strategy only works if you’ve got the money to spend and save. As a general rule, charges should not be put on a credit card unless the balance can be paid in full when the monthly statement comes in. Remember, financing purchases—even if they’re on sale—is rarely a bargain.

So, it seems everyone is talking about couponing these days. Maybe it’s that I’m getting older, that I love a good bargain or the fact that I work at Money Management International, but I’ve jumped on the coupon bandwagon….and I’M SOLD.

The first step to successful couponing is to overcome those mental barriers. You may have a few of your own:

-Mom always told me it was a waste of time. Mother is always right, right? Wrong. The key is organization and finding just a few extra minutes to dedicate to saving. Just because it didn’t work for someone else doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.

-Coupons are only for the really expensive items. Sometimes, but the trick is to find name brand items when they are on sale. Using a coupon on a sale item equals savings.

-I have ZERO extra time. I’m hardly an expert, so I probably don’t spend nearly the time clipping as a real master. I’ve found that the key is just starting and starting small. You’ll find your comfort zone once you start saving.

-I don’t quite get how price matching works. I discovered that you can save money even when you don’t have a coupon. Start by collecting store flyers each week. I have found that the best savings are for beef, chicken, and pork. Take the flyers with you and simply ask your store to match the lowest advertised price. Just last week I saved over $6.00 on the price per pound match on a sirloin steak.

Check out these results!

When you’ve looked yourself in the mirror and made a dedication to saving, here are a few pointers to get started:

1. Research.
There are so many online resources out there for coupon trading, coupon selling, coupon printing, coupon clipping and coupon organizing. A couple of my favorites are CouponMom.com and Couponizer.com.

2. Take it one week at a time.
Push yourself to do a little more each week. The first week, just focus on one store flyer. The second week, plan a menu around sale items. Change can be tough and overwhelming, so start small.

3. Plan and organize.
Set aside some time to clip coupons, make a list and plan your meals each week. Get an expandable file folder or a binder with business card inserts and create categories to file your coupons.

4. Find a store that matches prices and/or doubles or triples coupons.
Price matching is where I’ve saved. Add a coupon on top of the price match and that’s a real savings.

Stay tuned. Good luck and happy saving!

Do you have any tips or tricks? What kind of savings have you seen? Tell us about it!

Believe it or not, holiday shopping starts to heat up during the final days of summer. By the time Labor Day rolled around, one in six Americans had already started work on their gift lists.

Shopping early can be convenient. Early shoppers can avoid crowds and spread their holiday budget out over several months. Some holiday shoppers are already out there searching secondhand stores for classic records and books, buying out-of-season clothing and sporting goods at steep discounts and using department store coupons to save money. To get a jump on your holiday shopping and avoid big end-of-year bills, consider the following:

Create a holiday budget early. Start the budgeting process by reviewing last year’s holiday purchases. Be sure to include decorations, food, clothes, stamps, cards, wrapping paper, event tickets, meals out, holiday entertainment and office party gifts. This should give you an idea of how much to allot this year.

Create a spending plan. Divide your budget by the number of months or weeks until the final shopping day and pace yourself. For example, if your budget is $1,000 and you have three months until the holidays, try spending $325 a month. This will make it easier for you to absorb the cost of the holidays and to avoid the trauma of having an extra $1,000 on your January credit card balance.

Know what it all costs. Even if you finish your gift buying early, realize that the holidays involve many more expenses than just gifts. Don’t forget the incidentals such as gift-wrap, shipping, greeting cards, postage, charitable donations and babysitting.

Know when to stop. When you finish shopping—stop! Sometimes it’s hard to resist the “one extra little gift,” however, even small items can add up to be budget-breakers. Three out of every four adults purchase presents for themselves when shopping for friends and family, according to American Express.

The key is to have a plan. It doesn’t matter when you buy as long as you’re smart about it. If basic budgeting skills are followed, savvy shoppers will find themselves sipping eggnog in front of the fire, while the rest of us are battling over the last Spiderman toy.