Grocery shopping is a necessity everyone must face in life. It is better when you know you can save some money when getting the groceries that you need. Implementing coupons into your plan is a great way to do just that. Consider the following advice regarding using coupons when shopping for groceries.
When using coupons, be sure it’s actually the best deal out there. There are many times that a generic may offer more saving than you would receive from a coupon. Don’t always assume that coupons are the key to savings.
Another method of getting coupons is to stop by your local cafe on Sunday. Many coffee shops provide their customers with free newspapers, and will often hand over the coupons to the first person who asks. Do not be afraid to ask for what you need! People are often willing to help out.
If you are into couponing, chances are you have some friends and family who are not; so, to save even more money, ask them for spare coupons. Often, companies mail out great high-value coupons or include them in inserts in the local newspaper. Ask friends and family to set them aside for you if they won’t be using them.
Keep your coupon organizer up to date. At least monthly, you should go through your stock and toss any expired coupons. If you wish, you can donate the coupons to overseas military families. Coupons can be used for several months after their expiration dates, so even if you cannot use them, they could.
Whenever you go shopping, make a budget and stick to it. If you are using coupons to save money, you have to stick to your food budget and keep your money in your pocket, not on impulse spending. If you have extra money after shopping, put it aside so that you can stock up on something special another week.
Buy the Sunday paper. This is one of the best ways to get coupons. If you know someone who gets the paper, but doesn’t use coupons ask them for their coupon inserts. Even though the newspaper costs money, the money saving coupons in it will more than pay for the price of the newspaper.
In order to get the most out of all the coupons you clipped, you should go shopping every week. Weekly specials change, so you will need to shop frequently to take advantage of these deals. Stores offer coupons every week that you should use to save the most money.
If you snag a truly great deal with a coupon for an item that you won’t use, donate it. Food banks will accept nearly any packaged food item. Women’s shelters can often use diapers, shampoo, and other toiletries and supplies. Research and contact local resources in your community to find out what they need, and use your couponing skills for good.
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.
You don’t have to waste costly color ink printing coupons on your home printer. If you have an inkjet printer, you can set your preferences to print in black and white or simply remove the color cartridge. This way, everything will print in black and white. Retail establishments will still accept these non-colored coupons.
Look for a website that specializes in deals, bringing together all the best web coupons. By compiling offers and coupons from all over, these sites can save you an enormous amount of time and effort.
Figure out a way to create more storage space where you live so you can do more with your couponing. If you are able to stock up mass quantities on an item, make sure you can properly store and organize those items.
Keep in mind that you might end up with 40 sticks of free deodorant or 100 bottles of shampoo on your shelf. If you want to stock up, this is great but if you do not have the space, you will always want to keep this in mind and steer clear of these traps.
Read the fine print for all the coupons that you use. You do not need to be embarrassed in line when you are trying to use coupons. A simple read can help you figure out if there is anything you should consider when you are going to buy anything with a coupon.
If you can find a store that allows coupon doubling, shop there. The potential for increased savings is significant, and there are a surprising number of stores that offer this. Sometimes, doubling of coupons could make purchases free. Free is always the right price! You also have the chance to try new things you might not have otherwise done!
Having brand loyalty is not always wise if you are going to be using coupons for savings. For instance, you may enjoy Pepsi, but if Coca Cola is the brand that is on sale and you have coupons for it, that is what you should go with. Being faithful to a brand is not going to save you money.
To minimize conflicts when you go shopping, keep a hard copy of the store coupon policy in your coupon binder. This way, if a cashier or manager says that your coupons can not be combined, you have the store words to back you up. You may choose to review the policy beforehand, to ensure you understand it.
Now you should have a better idea as to how to use coupons when shopping for groceries. It’s a great thing to look at how much you’ve saved on the receipt, and to tailor a grocery list according to what you need and what is on sale. Get to it!
