Coupons are a wonderful thing! The best part about them is they don’t cost you any money; they save you money! It’s a no-brainer! Continue reading for some helpful advice regarding using coupons when shopping. You will be surprised at just how much they can actually help you on your next visit.
Only use coupons for products that you will actually use. You won’t save any money by purchasing items that your family does not need or brands that you don’t like just because you have a coupon. Cutting out coupons for items you don’t use also costs you time, which could be better spent.
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.
A good tip when clipping out coupons is to place them in a pouch or somewhere you can easily keep track of them. This will prevent you from creating a mess and you’ll have your coupons readily available when you need them so you won’t have to dig around to find them.
Try to use your coupons when your grocery store has a sale on those items. That will help you save the most. Generally, coupons will not expire before the item goes on sale at a store near you. When you use sale prices and coupons, you can save even more than 90% on your food bill!
Don’t only look to print papers, look to the Internet as well. Many websites contain coupons that you can print and bring with you. Some even have digital coupons that you can scan from your smart phone while in the store. Or if you are online shopping, they may provide a coupon code for your use.
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.
When you use coupons, try to always be respectful. You do not want to try and play games with any store by arguing about coupons that you know won’t work. Not only does this really hold the line up and put you on bad terms with the store, but it also hurts other people in the future. Some stores might change the way they use coupons if you’re gaming the system.
To make finding your coupons easier, try sorting them by a similar attribute. For instance, you could sort them by brand, by product type, by expiration date, etc. There are so many ways you can keep everything together so that you can easily see and use them to maximize your savings.
Look for coupons on your favorite items early every month. Most of the time, manufacturers put a cap on the number of coupons available to consumers, and different sites and stores will be allotted different amounts but all around the first week of each month. Make sure you get your savings by checking in early!
It is important to have your coupons organized, to avoid expiration dates passing without your knowledge. In addition to sorting by type, put the ones with the soonest expiration dates first. When you see that the time is approaching, add the item to your shopping list. Knowing what you have in advance will also help you to work with the in-store sales.
You can really save a lot of money when you have coupons that get you up to 75% off the retail price. When you encounter coupons like this, you should stock up on the items for at least a three-month supply. This also gives you time to look for additional coupons during that time period to help you replenish your stock when it is low.
Make sure you’re not purchasing items simply because you have coupons available for them. You want to make sure you’re planning your grocery list ahead of time first. If done correctly, the coupons will save you money. If done incorrectly and in improper order, the coupons will actually cause you to spend more money.
Have the coupon policy for your favorite stores on hand when you shop. If a cashier tries to go up against you about stacking coupons or the number of coupons, you are allowed to use, having the policy can help you to get out of the situation and save the money you deserve to save.
Using coupons requires planning just like efficient shopping does as well. Make your list, find your coupons, and have at it! You will be amazed at what you can do. Remember the helpful advice you’ve read here as you embark on your next shopping journey, and find yourself saving a considerable amount of money.
