You can save some serious money if you use coupons when you go shopping. Many people neglect to take the time to utilize them, but they are very beneficial and can make a huge difference. Until you try it, you’re not going to know. Heed the following tips for consumers and coupons.
When you plan on being an extreme coupon clipper you must make sure you know exactly what the rules and policies are at your favorite store. There may be one store that will double coupons and another one of the stores that you frequent that do not double the coupons.
If you want to get the most of your couponing endeavors, check out some websites that are dedicated to helping you save big. From sites that offer to send you coupons for a small fee to those that send out coupons for free or tell you where to find them, there is no shortage of coupon websites out there.
It is a good idea to have a large coupon holder and organizer. This way when you are clipping coupons, you will be organized and know exactly where to look for it. If it is large, you will have plenty of room to clip all the coupons you find and possibly trade them with others.
When you are going to venture into extreme Couponing, you have to be a highly organized person. That is the key to this game. You must keep all of your coupons on file and know what you have, even if you have to write down what you have or keep them on a spreadsheet.
Store your coupons in little plastic baggies. This will save you time when you’re looking for one in particular, and they keep them looking neat. They won’t go flying all around the place, and they won’t get wet. Storing coupons in these little bags makes sense and will help you save.
Don’t rely on just one paper or website to get coupons from. Try subscribing to several sources if you can. You can even ask friends and family for their unused papers. The more sources you have in your arsenal, the more deals you have access to so that you can save money.
Make sure your coupons are stored in a place where you aren’t going to forget about them on your next shopping trip. Forgetting coupons can cost a lot of money during the course of the year.
Use rewards coupons carefully. You will very rarely get coupons for certain items, like milk or meats. Some stores offer rewards coupons and certificates for certain purchases, and these can be used for anything in the store. Take advantage of them and use them on products like milk, fruits and veggies, or meats.
Match your coupons up with sale items. Once you get the ad for the grocery store’s weekly sale, find items to buy that you use and have coupons for. Using a coupon on a sale item saves you even more money than just using the coupon on a regular priced item.
Try to cut out coupons that you are going to use more often than not. If you use coupons regularly, this will give you a better mindset for cutting them out, which will give you an incentive in the first place. Furthermore, using coupons on items that you need will reduce wasteful spending.
Compare coupons of competing stores. This works great for things like food and office supplies. One store may offer bananas for 79 cents per pound, while another store offers them for 60 cents a pound. Compare and look around to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible.
Rewards cards are awesome to use because they give you a big savings on sales but also there are usually incentives to being a member. Sometimes you will save money on gas at your local gas station if they have a deal with them or you can build points to save on groceries and other sales.
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.
Never buy an item simply because you have a great coupon for it. Only buy items you need. If a coupon offers great savings, you may feel tempted to go ahead and use it. Resist that temptation. You’re using coupons to save money. Don’t waste your income on things you don’t even need.
Don’t shop at a grocery store unless they’re offering you double coupon savings. Doubling allows you to stack coupons, saving you exponentially more. This can really come in handy concerning expensive items. Examine all coupons, because some of the language will tell you not to double and that eliminates that option.
Do you have more than one of the same coupon? You can usually use more than one coupon at the same time. Just make sure you follow the rules on the coupon and buy the amount of product that your coupons are for. For instance, if you have four coupons for one item, you can buy four items.
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.
Now that you know what to do, it’s your turn to utilize the information you’ve learned. Put a smile on your face when you see the bottom line on your next shopping bill. The power is in your hands to save yourself some money, so make sure you do just that.
