Finding coupons to save you money on shopping for groceries and other products is one great way to make you feel much better about your excursions. You have to spend the money, but do you really have to just keep handing it over like you have been? Pay attention to the following tips.
Keep your coupon organizer up to date. At least monthly, you should go through your stock and toss any expired coupons. If you wish, you can donate the coupons to overseas military families. Coupons can be used for several months after their expiration dates, so even if you cannot use them, they could.
Acquire copies of the couponing policies at the stores you frequent, and keep them in your coupon binder on each shopping trip. Having this policies in writing can help to clear up any misunderstandings at the register quickly. Many stores make their policies regarding coupons available on their web sites.
Signing up for a couponing website is a good idea so that you can trade with people from other areas. Many companies will print coupons in one area of the country that they do not in others. They are still good nationally, but they may just not be available to you.
To get the most coupons possible, sign up for more than one Sunday newspaper subscription. You will receive tons of coupons this way and may even get different ones with each subscriptions. Also, ask your family and friends to save the coupons from their papers for you (if they are not using them).
Compare coupons of competing stores. This works great for things like food and office supplies. One store may offer bananas for 79 cents per pound, while another store offers them for 60 cents a pound. Compare and look around to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible.
If your Sunday paper has a great coupon circular, buy more than one copy. The cost of the paper is often less than the savings the coupons offer if they are for items or brands that your family regularly uses. In addition to buying extra copies, you can also ask your friends or family members for their copies.
Look for deal websites or blogs. This helps you easily find deals for the items you need.
Make sure that you pay close attention the expiration date on coupons you are interested in using. If you save them for too long, you may miss the opportunity to use them. It is a good idea to set a reminder in your calendar about a week or two before it expires.
Talk to your friends or neighbors to see if you can trade coupons with them. Go over all of the coupons that you have found and ask someone else if they can trade with you. By doing this you can help each other out and save a bunch of money as well.
To stretch your efforts with coupons, consider adding a toolbar from a search engine to an Internet browser. Before you attempt to make a purchase look up a code or promotion to see if you can get a discount. There are coupons and savings that are good for big ticket items, online purchases or even free shipping on items by mail.
Having a coupon saving plan by organizing everything. A lot of people who save money with coupons are extremely organized. Get yourself a folder and start marking down all the different coupons you have and placing them in there. Make sure you pay attention to the expiring dates so you don’t miss out on those wonderful sales!
Sign up for the mailing lists of your favorite stores and brands. Many companies send out coupons to people subscribed to their list that aren’t available otherwise. Stores also send valuable store-specific coupons like a percentage of your purchase or a dollar amount off a purchase of a certain amount.
A good tip you can try out if you’re into using coupons is to subscribe to the newsletter of all your favorite stores. This is a win-win scenario because the store is holding onto you as a consumer, and they in turn will provide you with special coupons that you can use.
Find the coupon sites that you can utilize to make the process faster for you. Time is a commodity in today’s world, and you don’t want to lose the opportunity of finding coupons just because you’re short on time. There are many sites that can have you matching coupons to your list and be printing within 15 minutes.
Do not make copies of any coupons so you can use it more than one time. This is illegal and can get you into a lot of trouble. If you need another coupon, ask around and see if anyone you know has one instead of risking getting into a lot of trouble.
Buying in large quantities can be extremely beneficial, especially when you find a good deal on a frequently used product. If you go this route, make certain to have a space dedicated to store your extra merchandise. It should be cool and dry. You also need to rotate the stock; so oldest items are used first.
Find coupons in your magazines. Magazines have always been full of advertisements, but recently advertisers have been adding coupons to many of their magazine ads. Look for tear-out cards with coupons or even coupons printed directly on the page. Even if you aren’t planning on reading the magazine right away, when it arrives in the mail, do a quick flip-through to find coupons before their expiration dates pass.
There are ways to save you money when shopping using coupons, and now you should have a better idea as to how to go about doing that. You will be surprised at how much savings you see when you utilize the tips and advice you’ve read here. It’s a way to protect your budget and save some of your income for other things.
