During the current difficult economic times, virtually everyone is looking to save money. One of the best ways to save your hard earned cash is by using coupons when you shop. This article is jam packed with coupon tips and advice that will help you to save more money than you ever imagined. Read on to learn more.
Always make sure you study the store’s policy for coupons. You want to know if you can double or triple your coupons or how strict their expiration policy is. If you are not familiar with the coupon policy, you will not know if you can use your coupon at the store.
Before beginning any coupon strategy find and print a copy of the store’s coupon policy. Many stores limit the number of coupons that can be used on each transaction, while other stores may not accept internet coupons. It is therefore, important that you print a copy of your store’s coupon policy.
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.
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.
Try joining an online forum to find good deals. There are many sites available that will alert you to different deals available both in store and online. Forums are great for finding coupons because you can see which ones work from comments of other users. You can also print out these coupons to use in your favorite stores.
When you go shopping, leave the children at home. Children will get you off your shopping and coupon list and try to get you to buy impulse items for them. They are a distraction and difficult to keep entertained while shopping. If you can leave them at home with your partner, that is your best choice.
Inquire with the newspaper about their couponer’s discount in order to avoid buying lots of extra papers just to get the inserts. In some cases, you might be able to purchase the Sunday paper in bulk and receive a discount of up to half off.
Try using competitor coupons at your local grocery store. Many grocery stores will honor competitor coupons to garner your business. This technique will not only save time, but it will also save money on the gas you would spend driving to multiple stores. If you do not know if your grocer honors competitor coupons, simply ask the store manager for a copy of their coupon policy.
Read the small print of a coupon. For instance, you may get a coupon for a dollar off your favorite food. But when you see the fine print, you may realize you have to buy two to save the dollar. It can be hassle to get to the checkout only to figure out it is not such a good deal after all.
Try contacting the manufacturer directly. If there is a product that you love, but don’t often find coupons for, try contacting the company directly. Express your enthusiasm for their products and ask if they have any coupons available. Who knows? You may score some great deals on a brand you really love!
Sometimes your grocery store will let you stack coupons with others from the manufacturer. This will get you double the savings and potentially have the grocery store owing you money at the end of the transaction! Of course you will not get this money because of the coupons but it is funny to see.
Do not forget about your national chain drug stores. These places have a ton of their own in store coupons every week and stacked with manufacturers coupons you will be saving big. Alot of these places also have rewards cards that will give you dollars back to spend there once you spend so much.
If you’re serious about couponing, get organized! Struggling to find the most recent coupons in a messy pile is problematic. If you don’t find them quick enough, they can expire. Try keeping your coupons inside some binder-sized sleeve protectors or baseball card holders. These can keep all of your coupons tidy so that you can easily see them and take them to the store with you.
The key to proper coupon use to avoid the paycheck to paycheck lifestyle. Unless you have the money on hand, you’re not going to be able to purchase enough to make the trip worth it. So just put it off until you have the funds. You may be using coupons to save when grocery shopping, but you miss out on all the other wonderful opportunities to load up on paper and dry goods.
A great place to look for coupons are in magazines and newspapers. Sure people may not turn to newspapers and magazines as much as they used to, but they are still a great source for coupons so make sure that you go through them to find the best deals possible.
Try and find any hidden costs that maybe associated when using a coupon. A coupon for $5 off some Chinese food for example may seem like a good deal until you discover that there is a delivery charge you have to pay, not to mention the fact that you must also pay a tip.
As was mentioned at the start of this article, due to today’s bleak economic times, everyone is looking for ways to save money. Taking advantage of coupons is one of the best ways to save. By applying the advice and info you’ve gleaned from this article, you will be able to save big bucks.
