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.
In order to get as many useful coupons as possible, you should not confine your searches to conventional sources alone. By expanding your coupon hunting beyond newspaper circulars to include online resources and coupon trading groups, it is likely to maximize the products for which you can receive discounts and realize the greatest amount of savings.
In order to really get the most value out of the coupons you clip, be sure to keep them organized and broken down by product category. By maintaining distinct classes of coupons, you will have quick access to them while shopping, which can prevent you from being left with a large number of expired discount offers.
Don’t use your coupons right away. To help you save the most amount of money, look for the items when they go on sale. Doing this will allow you to save the most amount of money. That way, you can save twice as much and sometimes it will be even free.
Even though the paper on Sunday is known for coupons, nowadays the Internet is a better place to get them. You can find a wide variety of coupons online for many things, like clothes and food. The awesome part of this is that you’re not going to have to sit there and clip coupons for an hour, they can just be printed out.
Do not buy something just because you have a coupon for it. Many extreme couponers will only buy an item because they have a coupon for it; this can make you waste tons of money. Instead, hold onto the coupon and when the item is on sale, use it then.
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.
If you are desperate for coupons, do not be scared to go “dumpster diving”. You can do this with a minimum amount of exposure by wearing gloves and sifting through the loose papers as you search for inserts and flyers. You might just be shocked at how many coupons wind up in the trash.
Organize your coupon collection. As you get more and more into coupons, you’ll reach a point where coupons are everywhere. You need to create an organization system so that you don’t miss out on any of those great opportunities. Consider organizing them by brand, by store or even by expiration date
Stop splurging and buy only things that you use with coupons. If you do not think you can use a coupon in time, or use the product, you should either give the coupon away or simply not use it.
If a product has a mail-in rebate offer, make sure that it is worth the postage and your time. If it is, make certain that you mail it in quickly. Some stores will offer you a special receipt, specifically for rebates. If your store doesn’t, pay for the item separately so that you have your receipt for other items.
Stock up on an item if it is free or just a few cents. You may not usually buy large amounts of an item, but you could save more by stocking up when there is a good sale going on.
If you have the time and the notion, become an extreme couponer. For people who have nothing better to do, this can be a great way to stock up on products. It does take time and dedication, so it’s definitely not for everyone. But give it a try, and you may find it worthwhile.
If you are couponing to save on groceries, remember that you can’t favor brands. You have to be willing to purchase items that are both on sale and that you have coupons for. While it may be okay to keep one or two favorites, in general, you have to be flexible.
Save twice as much money by stacking store coupons with manufacturer’s coupons. This is the best way to get the most money off when couponing. Look at the weekly ad circular’s to see what’s on sale, then go to the manufacturer’s site and see if they have a coupon. This way, you can “double-up” and save the most money!
Sign up for deals whenever possible. It’s true that you could have a pile of junk mail for your recycling bin, but the coupons in there will boost your finances. Take surveys and fill out consumer information cards, and you will soon be receiving savings in your mailbox!
Have a schedule for clipping coupons. To be most effective, you need to devote time to it on a regular basis. Devote regular chunks of your time to clipping and organizing your coupons. If you can’t find any, search online for more coupons. Make sure to bookmark any interesting sites.
Plan your shopping trips thoroughly. Sometimes, you are going to have a stack of coupons good at a store that is not your usual stop. Definitely go there if the amount of money you are going to save is worth it. However, in determining if it is worth it, factor in your extra driving time as well as your gas usage.
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.
