There are may people who are touting the extraordinary saving that they are able to get by using coupons. While this may be possible, it is not as easy as simply clipping a coupon and shopping. The most effective use of coupons takes a methodical and organized approach. This article can help you find ways to make your couponing really work for you.
When you have a manufacturer’s coupon, you can stack that coupon with store coupons. This is a great way to get items for next to free or almost free. Use the store’s coupons from their weekly circular and match them up with coupons from the manufacturer off the Internet or from the newspaper.
Educate yourself before you get started couponing. Know what various terms mean. Become familiar with the policies of your local store. For example, can you use both a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon on the same item? Does your store double coupons? Understanding the process will save you time and frustration.
Try to clip coupons for every item you find, even if you do not use that product. Sometimes you may have a neighbor who needs coupons for diapers, and you could trade them the diaper coupons for ones that you can use. This helps you and your neighbor as well.
Start by subscribing to newsletters that will offer you discounts from time to time. When you do this, you can find a lot of coupons from being emailed by different websites. You don’t have to use them whenever you get them, but if you find a deal, then you could be in luck.
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.
It is in your best interest to make a shopping list at the beginning of the week and have it revolve around the coupons you have. From this list, you will be able to decide on which stores to shop at and where you can save the most money with each coupon.
Put your scissors down! Instead of spending time clipping coupons that you may or may not ever use, just keep the whole circular. Organize them in a file chronologically. There are many blogs and databases online that will match up coupons with in-store sales and refer you to the dated insert with the corresponding coupon. When you find a deal you want, just look up the inserts and clip only the coupons you’ll need.
When you get to the checkout area, ensure that the coupons you use will properly scan. It is shocking to learn that lots of coupons fail to scan, due to problems with the store computer or the coupon itself. Look at the cashier and the screen to see that each coupon is read and processed accurately.
To make the most from coupons, you should make sure you have a subscription to your local Sunday paper. There are coupons in the newspaper every day of the week. However, the sheer volume and variety of coupons in the Sunday paper will more than offset the cost of the subscription.
Buy more than one Sunday newspaper. Generally, it is recommended that a family should buy the same number of newspapers as they have family members. You can use these coupons to buy the many different items your family uses on a regular basis. If you don’t use all the coupons, share them.
Watch yourself carefully when you are collecting coupons and avoid clipping something just because it is a good deal. Just because you can get a large dollar amount off, it does not instantly mean you should use the coupon. If the brand is not one that you would normally buy, you can actually end up wasting money by using the great coupon you have found.
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.
A good coupon tip you can use is to find out whether a store offers what many people know as a “double coupon day”. On this day consumers will get double the deal that they get when they present their coupons. This is a great way of saving even more money.
As previously noted, couponing can indeed be a great way to save a lot of money (and to even get free products). But unless you are well versed in the ways of gathering, organizing and using coupons, you may find that you don’t get the results you dreamed of. Apply the tips from the article above to get the most of your couponing time and money.
