You don’t have to go into each shopping trip expecting to spent too much money. Knowing how to use coupons most effectively is the best way to save the most money. You just need to learn where you can find the right kind. Read below to get some useful tips about using coupons to trim your bills.
Use the Internet to your advantage. As couponing has become more popular, more and more websites are offering coupons that you can just print out at home. Frequent these sites, and check them often. These coupons are free and snagging them often does not require a large time investment either.
You’ll find great coupons in newspapers, so make sure you’re subscribing to several of them. This is especially true of the Sunday paper. Don’t just get one copy. Buy several copies. More often than not, you will find that you are saving far more than what you spent on the newspapers.
When you are going to venture into extreme Couponing, you have to be a highly organized person. That is the key to this game. You must keep all of your coupons on file and know what you have, even if you have to write down what you have or keep them on a spreadsheet.
When grocery shopping with a lot of coupons, don’t visit the store at peak hours. This frustrates not only those waiting behind you in line, but extra-busy cashiers and baggers, as well. You are less likely to inconvenience other shoppers or the store staff during slower times, like weekday mornings.
When you are cutting coupons you should make sure you have a filing system that is labeled for each different grocery department. This will make it easier to find your coupons when you are planning a big shopping trip once per week. You will save a lot of time by doing this.
To truly maximize your coupon benefits, you should learn coupon jargon. These are words that you will see on various coupons. Some popular coupon terms are “BOGO,” “MIR,” and “OYNO.” These terms mean, “Buy One Get One,” “Mail-In Rebate,” and “On Your Next Order.” Taking the time to learn these terms and many more can really boost your savings.
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
Do not rely solely on your newspaper for coupons. Today’s technology means that coupons come from a vast number of sources. There are an abundance of coupon sites readily available online. Just look at coupons that are available, then simply print out the ones you want right at home.
Try to find some of the sites online that will offer the best coupons in the stores that you shop in your area. This will give you the ability to get the most out of the coupons that you purchase and maximize the savings that you will have in the long run.
Coupon codes offer great savings on your online purchases. Lots of online sellers offer such codes to provide you with discounts. Try using any well known search engine to find the savings. Find current coupons and offers by searching according to the current year and month. An example of this would be “Domino’s Pizza June 2012 Coupon” that would make it valid during June of 2012.
Purge old or unwanted coupons from your collection routinely. Keeping your coupon stash filled with expired coupons is a waste of time and money since the clutter keeps you from finding the coupons that are most useful to you. Make it a point to clean out expired coupons every week or so.
Try to shop at stores that double the value of coupons. You can get huge savings if you stick with stores that double coupons. In some cases, doubled coupons mean free items. There is nothing like getting something you want for free! You might also try items you wouldn’t have tried otherwise.
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.
Stay away from coupon clipping services. These people claim to charge you only for the time it took to clip coupons, but some manufacturers do not see it that way. It is illegal to buy or sell coupons, and if you are caught, you can be charged with coupon fraud.
What counts the most on most coupons that you use is the bar code on it. If you tear up the barcode then at least make sure that the cashier can read the numbers for the coupon so that you can get your savings. If you don’t do this then you might not be able to get your discount.
Many successful coupon users have many friends who also use coupons, and they often trade out coupons they don’t need for coupons that they do need. Not everyone uses the same products so having a coupon buddy can be a great way to get the coupons that are of most use to you.
The best way to stay organized when you are couponing is to have a bin that will house all of your filing systems and coupons in one place so you can easily find them when you’re clipping this week’s coupons or getting read to go on your big shopping adventure.
Now that you have a better understanding of how to become an active shopper who utilizes coupons, you can begin to take advantage of a tremendous savings. There is a lot to keep in mind, but with dedication, you can end up saving serious money. You’ll see instant savings when you go grocery shopping with these coupon tips.
