Saving money when you shop is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. The economy has many tightening their purse strings, and coupons are one of the best ways to ease the pain of tightening their budgets. Read the article ahead and learn some great ways in which you can make coupons a staple of your shopping routine.
A good tip is to use coupons at your local store when they have a buy one-get one free sale. The second item will be free, and you will also receive discounts on the first item you purchase. You may find that you pay about a fourth of the original cost.
Get organized with your coupons. Use a three ring binder with baseball card holders to sort them. Separate the coupons into different sections, such as dairy, baking products, frozen, and others. Keep a section open for coupons you plan to use immediately. That way, when you get to the store, you are ready to go.
To get extra circulars from the Sunday papers, make inquiries with the publisher about couponer’s price breaks. Lots of papers offer discounts to Sunday edition subscribers who order multiple copies.
Do not buy something just because you have a coupon for it. Many extreme couponers will only buy an item because they have a coupon for it; this can make you waste tons of money. Instead, hold onto the coupon and when the item is on sale, use it then.
When you go shopping, you are much more likely to stick to your budget if you only pay with cash. Decide how much you are going to spend. Decide the amount of savings from coupons you will receive. Then only take that amount of cash with you shopping. You will only purchase what you need and you will be motivated towards using all your coupons if you shop with cash only.
Before getting your car serviced anywhere, check their website first. Many mechanics and service centers have a page for current deals and coupons that you can print out and use. These might be national deals, or just ones running at that particular location. It only takes a minute to check and can save you a few bucks.
Expert couponers know that organization and quick access is critical. Many people organize coupons by their grocery category like dairy, meats, frozen items, etc. This organization is the preference for many people, but you can personalize it to fit your needs. Any organizing approach that works for you is a winner.
An excellent tip for couponing is to buy an increased quantity of certain items with your coupons. Although you may not want to purchase items in bulk, you could save much more money by purchasing a greater amount of an item whenever it is on sale.
Some of the best coupons that you will find are going to be in your local newspapers. These coupons will be for the stores that are local in your area and very easy to get to, which will improve the level of convenience you have and reduce your stress level.
Trade coupons with your friends or family members. Sometimes it can be worth your time to clip good coupons that you will not be using so that you can trade them with others for coupons that you can use. This helps everyone to save more, and the coupon swaps can offer a fun reason to get together.
Print coupons from the Internet. There are many websites that offer manufacturers coupons for you to print and use at many different stores. Sometimes the manufacturer’s website even has printable coupons you can use. Different stores have different policies regarding printed coupons so be sure to check your store’s policy.
Always read a coupon carefully so you are sure of what the product is and what the terms for using the coupon are. Many times there are coupons for a product and people make the mistake of thinking they are for another product. Always be sure of what the item is and what the quantity is you need to buy.
Sign up for the mailing lists of your favorite stores and brands. Many companies send out coupons to people subscribed to their list that aren’t available otherwise. Stores also send valuable store-specific coupons like a percentage of your purchase or a dollar amount off a purchase of a certain amount.
Don’t just use coupons for yourself. If you see a great deal that can be had using coupons for a product you don’t use, you might want to get it for someone who can use it. Especially for products that end up being free, this is a great thing to do.
Make sure you use the different coupons to help build a stockpile. Try to get as many copies of each coupon as you can. When you have multiple coupons for an item that is on sale, use all of your coupons to purchase multiples of that item. Is chicken soup on sale? If you have five coupons, buy all five. That way, you will not be paying full price for that product for a while.
Find store coupon policies online and print them out. Keep these hard copies in the front of your coupon binder. Every once in a while, or perhaps often, you will find a cashier that is either misinformed of their own policy or just does not feel like dealing with all your coupons. Know your rights in advance.
Try to avoid shopping at a store during their peak hours. Many people just need to pick up a few things after work. Several of them are not going to enjoy waiting for someone in front of them with a huge stack of coupons. Avoiding these hours makes the shopping trip go smoother for you and them.
Saving money is so important, and following the advice you have read here will help ease that process along. When you pay less than full price for items, you win in the long run. As you become more diligent in your efforts, you may just be surprised at the money you have saved each year.
