10 Easy Steps to Coupon the Right Way
Do you love to save money? Do you use coupons every time you go shopping but can’t figure out how they work? We all love a good deal! Shopping and saving money is one of our favorite hobbies. So, why not learn how to coupon the right way? Couponing with easy steps will help you save more on your shopping budget. There are many different ways to use coupons, but we’re going to focus on three: using coupons in-store (or online), stacking coupons, and couponing like a pro. You’ll also learn what a coupon is, where you can find them, and how to use them to get the most savings possible. Couponing doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming–follow these steps and get ready for a happy shopping trip!
Find the Right Coupons
The first step to couponing is finding the right coupons. You may find them in your mail, online, or at a store near you. If you are using printable coupons, ensure they are valid by checking the expiration date and ensuring that there isn’t anything crossed out on it. Coupons can come from many different places depending on where your favorite stores are located. You can also get coupons at CouponGot and other coupon sites. These coupon sites are great for finding coupons that are hard to find!
Create a Coupon Binder or Folder with Pages
To keep your coupons organized, you will need to create a coupon binder. You can either buy an actual folder and binder at the store or print out pages of pockets from online templates. You can download a free printable coupon binder at the bottom of this blog to make it easier. If you choose to go with digital, it’s easy and super cheap!
Organize Coupons into Categories
You will want to organize your coupons by category. For example, grocery store-related should be in one section, whereas household cleaners would need to be in another. Think of your binder the same way you would think about shopping at a grocery store. You go into one section for dairy and then go to another aisle for meat items, etc. Doing this will keep things neat and clean when you are looking through coupons to find what you need! It is also where your coupon categories list will come in handy! Moreover, at Offers.com, you can find coupons for everything under the sun.
Don’t Buy Things You Won’t Use or Need
You may have a great coupon for something you use all the time, but don’t overbuy it just because of a good deal. If your goal is saving on groceries, you should only buy items that are non-perishable and that you will eat–it seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people do this! Also, buying essentials, which you will need weekly, can help you save time and money by getting these items at your local store instead of going out of the way.
Don’t Get Too Comfortable with Coupons.
While it’s great that you love saving big bucks, try not to get too comfortable with coupons. If there is an item where YOU know the price you pay regularly, don’t use a coupon. Don’t buy a product just because it is on sale and there’s a coupon for it. Instead, only purchase if you were already going out of your way to get that product (i.e., buying at least two) or find another substitute item. The goal of couponing is to save money, not spend more.
Avoid Coupon Creep
Coupon creeps when you start buying items that are on sale simply because it’s a great deal. You didn’t go out of your way for them and may not have even really needed them! It happens with soap, shampoo, pretty much anything you need. The problem with buying these “in-between” items is that you will usually end up paying full price for something else because there’s no coupon available, which can negate your savings from the first purchase! The exception to this is if you go grocery shopping with the intent of buying household goods.
Avoid Coupon Burnout
Couponing can be time-consuming and pretty exhausting if done incorrectly, so don’t overdo it! There are plenty of opportunities for couponing everywhere, but there’s no need to take advantage of them all. For example, if you have a stockpile of paper towels from when they were free last week, don’t bother buying them again this week unless there’s another great deal. The exception to this is if you go grocery shopping with the intent of buying household goods. Couponing is not a full-time job, so don’t make it one! Some couponers take advantage of great deals but never buy any items because they already have enough stockpiled at home from previous purchases. It is a bad idea because if no one buys the products on sale with coupons, stores will eventually stop carrying them at all! So don’t stockpile more than you can use in time before it expires.
Coupon-Friendly Groceries and Household Items
Fruits and vegetables, bread, and pasta tend to be the cheapest items on most grocery store shelves. If you know what your family regularly eats (chips? sodas?), consider buying these in bulk at warehouse stores like Costco or Sam’s Club, where you can save a lot of money. Items such as shampoo, toothpaste, soap, AND diapers will often be on sale almost every week at one store or another. These are some of the pricey items that we purchase regularly, so if possible, buy these in bulk when they’re cheap!
Take Advantage of Store Sales and Coupons
You can save on groceries by taking advantage of store sales and coupons. Many stores will advertise prices that are lower than the usual for certain items; these can even include name brands that usually cost more in the first place. These sales are usually on things that people use regularly, so it’s a great way to save some money! Act fast because these sales usually only last for a few days, or even just one day! There are many ways to stay on top of the store sale cycles.
Combine Coupon with Sales
The easiest way to take advantage of coupons and sales is by combining them. Many stores limit how many coupons they will accept per order. Still, store policy usually allows for an unlimited number of discounts or deals from the same company as long as there are no overlapping claims (for example, using two different coupon codes). So you can print out numerous coupons or use them all at once on your phone if you have the right apps.
On a Final Note
There are certain ways you should receive coupons, but the right ones will get you more savings. We’ve given some tips on effectively using coupons, so you don’t spend too much time clipping and sorting through inserts! Remember these simple rules of thumb when looking for bargains at your favorite grocery store or retailer. Know what’s on sale, shop with a list, focus on unit pricing, not package size/price tags, buy produce before dairy products. If this sounds worth exploring, click here for more information about couponing the right way! Read more articles at Trend Information site.
