How to Use Coupons

Today, our guest writer, Justice Sanchez reveals how to use coupons to save money on your groceries.

How To Use Coupons by: Justice Sanchez

Coupons have long been a staple of newspapers across the country. There was a time when most consumers just threw the coupons out with the trash not bothering to see the value on those little pieces of paper. There used to be an unspoken taboo when it came to couponing. NOT ANYMORE! Thanks largely to a struggling economy, a need to make budgets stretch and the popularity of shows such as TLC's Extreme Couponing; couponing is now more popular than ever. Consumers have come to a realization- Coupons are FREE money.

Couponing can save a family. When done correctly, couponing has the ability to not only save consumers money, but also offers an opportunity to teach valuable lessons to children, places more necessities in homes and allows money to be shifted to other obligations.

While most consumers will not dwindle their shopping budget to mere pennies, as shown on Extreme Couponing, it is very reasonable to save upwards of a 1/4- 1/3 of  your current shopping budget. Here are some tips to help you maximize your savings.

Online- Use a consistently updated  all- in- one couponing site. Sites such as www.couponmadd.info allow visitors to go to all of the major couponing websites all from one central website. This can save consumers time and money. Sites such as Coupon MADD are better than individual sites because they allow consumers to print coupons from home, which can be used at most major supermarkets, as well as, offering digital coupons which can be loaded onto the shoppers reward card. They also have tools and third party sites to make saving money even easier.

When looking to save money always check online for the current weeks sales at supermarkets and supercenters, check if there are coupon codes available, as well as, if there are any special offers or sales at the products website. This is a great trick to use in all areas of consumer shopping. 

Compile a list of all the products your family uses on a regular basis. Visit each products website and sign up for emails and regular mail from the company. This a great way to get extra coupons for the products you use already. Sites like coupon MADD can be become money- saving havens. Saving money in all areas of your life is possible using the right website.
At the Supermarket- If your local grocery store offers a shopper reward card- Sign Up! If yours does not- consider shopping at one that does. The reason is simple- these cards offer members’ greater savings, special members’ only rewards and the cards can be used to download digital coupons. Digital coupons will then be redeemed just by swiping your reward card the next time you go shopping.

Use supermarket websites to check for weekly sales, check coupon policies and to create shopping lists. Always do comparison shopping of all the sales in your shopping area before you begin your shopping trip. The most important rule is to plan ahead. Couponing works best when used in conjunction with a weekly sale. When possible save your coupons for when items are on sale and then make the purchase. That is the easiest way to pay bottom dollar for most things. Stock up and save!

Clipping Coupons- Buy at least four Sunday papers each week. The reason is also simple- many manufacturers and supermarkets limit the number of coupons which can be used in a single transaction (check your supermarket for specific guidelines), often that limit is four. Also, having four of anything usually allows a family to have enough supplies to cover themselves for at least two weeks.
** If you have a larger family, remember that each transaction can have a limited number of coupons. Therefore, two adults in a family can each have 4 sets of each coupon as long as they pay separately.
To save time when clipping, get the whole family involved. If the person can hold scissors and cut straight lines then they can clip coupons. To sort coupons quickly separate first by shape then further sort each pile by product. Use a coupon binder or folder to keep coupons organized so that expired coupons can be removed and fresh ones can be inserted. Keep like coupons together so that planning a shopping trip is easier and more accurate.

Saving money by using coupons can be a life changing new habit. Coupons can easily free upwards of $175 per shopping trip if done with patience and planning. Couponing can help a family get over a financial hump, free up money which can be used for a vacation or to pay other bills and teach children the value of saving money. Happy Couponing!