Lots of people are trumpeting the value of coupons these days. There are “coupon queens”, Internet sites and television shows that all claim to have gotten things for free because of their couponing. No matter how easy they make it look, couponing successfully does require some work and organizing. You can become a coupon guru just like them by applying the information in this article.
While a coupon may offer a good deal on a product, verify that it truly is the best deal. It is not uncommon for the generic offerings in the store to hold a better value for your shopping dollar than the coupon can afford you. Always check to make sure you are getting the best price.
Coupons are most effective during BOGO sales, best known as buy one and get one free purchases. You’ll get two items for less than you would pay for even one. Often you will pay less than a quarter of the original price.
You do not have to use coupons right when you get them. Use the coupon when the item goes on sale, then use your coupon. You will be able to get more savings this way.
Always create a list when you’re at the store shopping with coupons. Check off each item as you shop and be sure to have the coupon for it. Also, purchase the correct amount of items, depending on the coupon specifications.
Stores are extremely competitive with each other, so use this to your advantage. Often, one grocery store will honor another store’s coupons. Sometimes, this can save you from having to shop at multiple stores. By doing this you also take advantage of the savings in gas that you otherwise would have spent while driving to the other store.
It’s a good idea to have your coupons easily accessible whenever you go shopping, even if you have no specific plans to use them. You may run across a one-day manager special or something similar that you have a coupon for, and it’s best to have it with you should you need it.
Look at your coupon’s expiration date. Some coupons expire within a matter of days. There are others that can last as long as a month. That’s why it’s a good idea to get into a habit of reviewing the expiration dates on your coupons every week. Quickly purchase items with coupons that are in danger of expiring. This can help your coupon savings add up.
Make sure your coupons are paired up with the special sales of your grocery store. That will help you save the most. Just make sure that the coupons that you use are up to date, you don’t want to use a coupon that is expired and wind up spending more money. Master couponers can save almost 90 percent on the cost of their groceries.
There is nothing wrong with searching for coupons to save some money. 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. Many, many people simply toss their coupons.
Don’t allow couponing to use up time that you don’t have. Going over ads and inserts and trimming out coupons can quickly take up all of your time. Dividing your average weekly savings by the number of hours you spend clipping coupons will let you know if the endeavor is worthwhile for you.
You can purchase coupons on certain sites. You never know what you can get for super cheap or for free. Paying a small fee for extras of this coupon can still save you a great deal at the cash register.
It is important to have coupons that offer the most amount of savings. Many companies have a variety of coupons available. You might see a coupon for a percentage off or a buy one get one free deal. Identify the ones that save you most. But, think about keeping both just in case or for different occasions.
Keep in mind that the coupons which you get at the register cannot be doubled. See if a coupon you have on hand or the checkout coupon will save you the most money.
Coupon Codes
Before making an online purchase, take a few minutes to search for coupon codes. Lots of online sellers offer such codes to provide you with discounts. Use any search engine to quickly find a coupon code. Use search strings that include the current year and month so that you can find more current deals and coupon codes. An example of this would be “Domino’s Pizza June 2012 Coupon” that would make it valid during June of 2012.
As you probably know already, there are coupons all over the place. They can save you quite a bit of money if they are used correctly and are organized in the right way. Your own coupon journey can begin with the coupon advice listed above.