Coupons save you big bucks at the grocery checkout

If you haven't jumped on the coupon bandwagon yet-or perhaps you have gotten off the trend, you could be missing out on some big savings.

Especially ahead of the shopping season, couponing can make a big difference whether it is your first time or you just need a brush up on the basics.

With five kids and four that are active in sports, Toni Parrish needed a way to save on household products they were using up all the time.

"I'm constantly needing deodorant, constantly needing body wash," Parrish says. "I'm constantly needing laundry soap."

That's when she turned to coupons so she could save big on household goods and use that money for groceries she can't find coupons for, like meat and the like.

This is how she does it:

Paper coupons from the newspaper

Internet coupons you can print out

Digital coupons you can use on your smartphone

Catalinas, coupons that print out at the register

All these components can create a domino effect of savings.

"Once you purchase one thing, that will give you something else," Parrish says. "I use that to buy something else that I actually need."

For example, last week at Krogers, she got a catalina coupon for free baby wipes after scoring another deal.

The key to any couponer's success is stocking up on items while they are on sale. While we were shopping, Parrish demonstrated her savings on mouthwash.

A regular bottle of mouthwash at $5.99 was on sale for $4.49. But, when you buy three, you save $3 off of three bottles. With a $2 off coupon, Parrish was able to get all three bottles for $1.49 a piece.

"This is a really good deal for this sized mouthwash," she says.

One final rule you need to know: Don't clear out the shelves just because you have a coupon. Just take what you need.

For more on her methods, check out her YouTube channel and Facebook page.