Although using coupons seems simple enough, many people still find themselves challenged by figuring it all out. If you happen to be one of those people, the following article will help you learn which coupons to watch for and the best ways to use them. Pay attention, you can really save yourself a lot of money!
Organize your coupons in a way that makes sense to you. Maybe you want to keep all the coupons for baby things together, and you want to keep all the food coupons together. You might even decide to sort them by brand. However you organize them, make sure you can remember what you’ve done.
Look at your list before you go to the grocery store. Check over the items you need and see if there are any coupons available online. You can also check the flyer from the store you visit most often to see if any of the items you need are on sale.
Use store coupons along with manufacturer coupons. Most stores will allow you to use one of their coupons along with a manufacturer coupon; utilize this technique for extreme savings. Many stores will honor both coupons; however, when utilizing this savings strategy have a printed copy of the store’s coupon policy.
A great tip you can try if you like to use coupons is to do some comparing from coupons of different stores. This is a good way to find the very best deal. Some stores will even match a competitor’s price, which means you won’t have to travel all over to different stores.
Know your coupon lingo. You may not be aware of the things that you can do with your coupons. Look out for “coupon deals.” These are store promotions where the stores double the savings. Keep an eye out for ‘stackable’ coupons. These are coupons that you can use multiple of, stacking up the savings. When you know the lingo, you’ll be ready to take advantage of the opportunities.
Set coupon saving goals each week. Try to come with a dollar amount you need to save every week and use that as motivation to help you find those money saving coupons. By working this strategy it puts you in the mindset of always looking for those great coupon deals.
Target the smaller sizes on the grocery shelf to maximize your coupon. The reduction in size also carries a reduction in initial price. When you reduce your unit cost, you save more in the long run. This will let you control your usage of products better overall as well.
Be a conscientious coupon-clipper by never wiping the shelf clean, especially for-sale items. Buying the last two of a given item is understandable, but purchasing twenty of an item with limited stock is frustrating to other shoppers. If you know that you will be purchasing several of the same item, call the store a few days in advance to see whether they will order extra.
Keep your coupons organized. Whether you use a coupon holder, binder or envelopes, make sure your coupons are organized and easy to find. Organize them in a way that is easiest for you to sort through. Some ideas are sorting by item type or the section of the store the item is kept in.
If a product has a mail-in rebate offer, make sure that it is worth the postage and your time. If it is, make certain that you mail it in quickly. Some stores will offer you a special receipt, specifically for rebates. If your store doesn’t, pay for the item separately so that you have your receipt for other items.
Use a coupon search engine to your browser. Before you shop at an online retailer, be sure to search for promo or coupon codes. Look for deals on online buys and also for minutes for your prepay phone.
If you are couponing to save on groceries, remember that you can’t favor brands. You have to be willing to purchase items that are both on sale and that you have coupons for. While it may be okay to keep one or two favorites, in general, you have to be flexible.
Do not make copies of any coupons so you can use it more than one time. This is illegal and can get you into a lot of trouble. If you need another coupon, ask around and see if anyone you know has one instead of risking getting into a lot of trouble.
Warehouse stores are another great option for savings. With this type of store, you can purchase many items in bulk. When you buy a lot of one item, they are often offered at a discount, and then you can save even more when you have a coupon. This is a great way to buy things that you use a lot for the best value.
Do what it takes to break anyone in your household of brand loyalty. Being emotionally attached to one particular brand of any product is going to really restrict your couponing opportunities on that kind of item. You need to be flexible and willing to stock up on months’ worth of a name or alternate brand when the deal strikes.
Signing up for online coupon websites is a great way to get coupons without having to buy a newspaper. You can customize your profile on the website so that you are sent coupons that are of most interest to you. Often, there will be special coupons and deals that are only given to people who are members of these websites.
To help you save money with coupons it is best to know the store policy regarding coupons. Examples of this would be if they do allow double coupons? Will they coupons from competitors? Do they accept coupons from the internet? If yes, do they place any restrictions or limitations on how you may use? These are some of the things you will need to know regarding the store’s coupon policy.
Coupons can really stretch your dollars so much further than paying the regular price for items. Once you master your own personal system of couponing, you will be clipping, printing and ringing out with mega-savings like an old pro! In this economy, we could all use extra savings and coupons are an easy way to save plenty.
