Coupons can be a great way to save money and to get free products. There are many success stories of people who have big savings and get lots of free merchandise. But it does take a dedicated effort to make the most of your time using coupons. You need to carefully collect and use your coupons. This article can help you plot a strategy that works for you.
Go to the website of your favorite grocery store to find out what kind of weekly specials they may have and then go through your coupon book to see if you can get any extra deals. The coupon websites do not always have everything listed. You might find a great deal on your own.
Ask friends, neighbors and relatives to save their coupon circulars and newspaper inserts for you. Many people throw coupons away or recycle them with the rest of the paper, not realizing how much they could save by using them. This is a great, free way to acquire extra coupons for the items you use most.
Think before you click the submit button! Always do an online search for coupon codes before making an online purchase. There are even whole websites dedicated to keeping databases of coupon codes. Visit retailmenot.com or couponcabin.com before making a purchase. It only takes a second and could save you a lot of money.
Familiarize yourself with coupon terminology. You don’t want to get to the front register and find out you can’t use half your coupons. Look at your coupons before you make the trip to the store. Make sure you’re reading the fine print. Make sure you understand the jargon that is used on it.
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.
Compare prices between the warehouse and the grocer. There can often be a better deal waiting for you at the your local ‘warehouse’ store. Check online or check the prices between the two, in person, and evaluate the best use of your coupons. You may buy a little more, yet save a little more as well.
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.
Keep your coupons organized. Whether you use a coupon holder, binder or envelopes, make sure your coupons are organized and easy to find. Organize them in a way that is easiest for you to sort through. Some ideas are sorting by item type or the section of the store the item is kept in.
Make sure you purchase only what fits in your house, and do not be gluttonous. Either don’t buy that perishable or frozen item or give it to a friend.
When you are trying to acquire the best coupons, one of the things that you will need to do is make sure that they are not expired. The worst thing that you can do is spend unnecessary time cutting out coupons that are no longer valid to use on your purchase.
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.
Look for unique ways to store your coupons. Baseball-card holders are one option. What is great about these holders is that they make it easy for you to organize your coupons. Also, baseball card holders allow you to see through the front and back for coupon specifications. These holders are very durable and convenient, making them a valuable asset for coupon cutting.
Set up a dummy email account and sign up for all those coupon sites! Most of us don’t like getting spam in our regular mailbox, so have an address just for the purpose of collecting all those amazing coupons, along with whatever else you might get. Your savings will be phenomenal, but your email won’t be over-loaded with junk.
If you have lots of coupons, try to shop on off-peak hours. Many people who are shopping right after work are simply picking up a handful of groceries for dinner. If you come in with your massive pack of coupons and hold up a line for an extended period, you’ll certainly get some frowns from your neighbors.
If you shop at a store regularly, inquire about their customer loyalty program. All loyalty programs offer their members coupons and discounts that other people do not get. This is especially helpful at the grocery store, because that is a place that you do need to visit every so often.
Know which stores near you offer the lowest price to begin with, then go to them with your coupons. If store X is selling an item at two dollars more than most and your coupon is for a dollar off, you are just selling yourself short! Do the basic legwork and maximize your total savings!
As you have seen on TV and on the internet, there can be great savings by using coupons. You may even get a lot of free things but you will have to invest time to truly get the most of using coupons. The information and advice from the above article can help you find strategies that work for you and get you on the road to coupon savings today.
