How to Save Money with Coupons
You don’t have to go pedal to the metal into extreme couponing to save some serious cash using paper and online coupons. But you can spend a little time each week using these coupon tips to help you start saving each time you shop.
Where To Find Coupons
Coupons are just about everywhere, whether that’s in weekly newspaper inserts or even in your daily “junk” mail pile. You’ll also see them in-store, both in the weekly sales sheets at the grocery store or on the shelf – and even on your receipt when you check out.
Online couponing has just about become the norm for a lot of shoppers. Who wants to pay full price when a quick search brings up opportunities to save? Here are a few popular coupon websites:
- Groupon — The great thing about Groupon is you can not only find deals for online purchases, but they offer a ton of location-based savings for services near you. It’s perfect for trying something new, say, that floatation bath you’ve been curious about.
- Woot — Originally, Woot was a deal-a-day service that sold a particular item at a discounted rate until it was all bought. It was purchased by Amazon, and now they offer reduced prices on a huge range of products, from home and electronics to garden and outdoor.
- RetailMeNot — Not only does this website offer coupons on thousands of items and services, but they also have a plugin that can be downloaded on your website browser that automatically applies any applicable coupons for instant savings without you having to search for a code.
- Coupons.com — With almost 150 printable coupons and coupon codes for dozens of major retailers, this website ensures you’ll be spending less time looking for deals and more time saving.
Most major (and even small) retailers and service-based companies offer individual coupons and member programs that help you save as you shop.
Free Membership Savings Programs
Many businesses offer membership programs that allow you to build up points to use towards later purchases. A quick online search will lead you to points programs at stores across the country, and are even categorized by benefits. For example, this blog article tells you about points programs to sign up for if you have a family, helping you save on everything from clothes to travel to baby supplies. While you may want to avoid signing up for the store credit cards, there are still many opportunities to save with membership programs.
How To Organize Your Coupons
With all these additional coupons lying around, in order to best use them, you need to organize them. Here are a few ways to do just that:
- Set up a filing system; it’s quick and easy to keep up with. Organize coupons by type (grocery, clothing, household supplies, etc.) and file them within each type by expiration date – the sooner the expiration, the closer to the front.
- Dedicate a binder and organize by your most visited stores. You can purchase some binder folders made for business cards or photos and slide the coupons face up so you know exactly what to put on your purchase list.
You can also organize your online coupons in a similar manner using your browser bookmarks feature. Create a separate bookmark for each website and set it up alphabetically for quick reference. When you find a new site, immediately move its bookmark to this folder.
How Much Do You Save With Coupons?
It all depends on how much and what type of products you are purchasing. For a family, the savings can add up very quickly. Many coupons require you to buy in bulk. For single or two-person households, using coupons for dried good or household items with a longer expiration date is ideal. In some cases, you can save as much as 50% on your grocery bill. Regardless, a penny saved is a penny earned, and over time, those pennies can really add up.
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