Wednesday 12 September 2012

Working With Coupons Is Easier Than You Think!

By Mary Jane


Using coupons can be a great way to save money and to make your grocery dollars buy more. But unless you are finding a using coupons in an organized way, you may find that you are simply wasting a lot of time and not getting back the great savings that you thought you would. This article can help you find and organize coupons so that you get the most for time and money.

If a product has a mail-in rebate offer, make sure that it is worth the postage and your time. If it is, make certain that you mail it in quickly. Some stores will offer you a special receipt, specifically for rebates. If your store doesn't, pay for the item separately so that you have your receipt for other items.

Many stores have an online store, and you can sign up for notifications when they have a sale. You can also check the site for current coupon offers periodically. You can print the coupon from their website, or use the code they provide if you want to order an item online.

If you are looking for a great way to collect coupons for items you use regularly, find the website for that item and sign up on their mailing list. Many companies send out exclusive coupons to those on their mailing list, and those coupons often offer great savings. This is a terrific way to save on the brands you are most loyal to.

Make friends with the cashiers. Particularly if you are in the same stores fairly often, it is important to be polite and thank them whenever possible. They can really help the process go much smoother if they aren't annoyed at having to scan all your coupons. A little personality can go a long way.

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.

Do not let couponing overwhelm you. If you have seen the extreme couponers on television reality shows, you know how far it can go. Even if that is drawing you in, start slow. Aim to save just five dollars off your regular expenses the first week. Repeat your success for several weeks before setting your sights higher.

Have your kids help you, and implement that child labor law within the household. If your kids pitch in, you can make coupon hunting much faster. At the same time, it helps them learn knowledgeable skills about cutting costs when it comes to shopping for groceries. Teach them, and help yourself.

If you are into couponing, chances are you have some friends and family who are not; so, to save even more money, ask them for spare coupons. Often, companies mail out great high-value coupons or include them in inserts in the local newspaper. Ask friends and family to set them aside for you if they won't be using them.

Find out how much others are saving with coupons. The reason you want to do this is because you will find that the stories from other people can inspire you and motivate you to stick your coupon regiment. Hearing that people saved money makes you feel more likely to do the same!

Put your scissors down! Instead of spending time clipping coupons that you may or may not ever use, just keep the whole circular. Organize them in a file chronologically. There are many blogs and databases online that will match up coupons with in-store sales and refer you to the dated insert with the corresponding coupon. When you find a deal you want, just look up the inserts and clip only the coupons you'll need.

Make sure you do maintenance on your coupon collection and get rid of coupons that might have expired or keep an eye on the ones that will expire soon. You will want to keep these towards the front of your pile so that you can recognize them before they start clogging up your coupon book.

Educate yourself before you get started couponing. Know what various terms mean. Become familiar with the policies of your local store. For example, can you use both a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon on the same item? Does your store double coupons? Understanding the process will save you time and frustration.

The best way to keep all of your coupons in order is to buy some plastic inserts and keep them in a binder. You can buy different sizes of plastic pouches and perhaps keep them in catagories this way. You can organize it however will be easiest for you to get through.

Clipping coupons is a great way to stretch your dollar during tight times. It is a fun hobby that helps many individuals to keep extra money in their pockets, and it is easy to do. This article has provided you with several great tips to help you start enjoying the benefits that coupons can bring. So start clipping and saving with the information you have gathered.




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