How to Make the Most out of Coupon Savings – WikiHow

27 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment

by moneymakingjus in Uncategorized Tags: coupon, grocery, money, postaday2012, savings, store, wikihow

How to Make the Most out of Coupon Savings

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You don’t have to be an extreme couponer in order to save lots of money. Using coupons can be typically confusing at first and the results might not go as originally hoped if you don’t know how to properly use them. Here is how to make the most out of coupon savings.
Note: This article applies in the United States. In other areas, check with the retailer for coupon savings deals––some countries do not use coupons for savings.

Steps

1. Be aware that every person will not receive the same weekly coupons in newspapers. Coupon values will be regional, as some people might receive a $1.00 savings off one item, while others will receive a $1.00 savings off for two items. At times, you will need to be flexible and get into trading. eBay and coupon message boards are the best methods to get the right coupons for the maximum savings for your family needs. Set up an alert or have email alerts sent to you for such sites, so that you can keep up with coupon trades as relevant.
2. Use your coupons at the rock bottom sales. Rock bottom prices are considered to be those where an item goes at its lowest for the store sale cycle. Hitting these prices andusing your coupons will guarantee the best results for your shopping trip.
   • Be aware that to get the most out of the coupon savings at this sale time, you can expect to purchase multiple of the same items, not just one or two of them. Doing this may seem like you’re spending more all at once, but because you have a stockpile, you won’t be going to the store at the last minute paying the regular and higher price.
3. Get the most by doubling or tripling your coupons. By piling up the coupon savings, you can go very far in making decent savings. Be sure to double check with stores in your area that they do accept doubling up or tripling in their coupon policy and how much of the coupon’s value they multiply them by. Most drug and super stores, such as Target, CVS, and Rite Aid do not multiply coupon values. Compare different supermarkets and see which one offers the best deals.
   • If Store A doubles coupons up to 99 cents, a $0.75 coupon is actually worth $1.50 off, but a $1.00 coupon would be worth $1.00 off. If Store B doubles coupons up to $1.00, the $0.75 coupon is still worth $1.50 off, but a $1.00 coupon by their policy actually turns into $2.00 off.
4. Get used to setting aside some time to think through and write out possible transactions. There are ways to get free and cheap stuff if it’s in the right stores at the right time, with coupons. You might see yourself having to do either one transaction in person or multiple transactions in order to get the best deals. It’s important to have worked through the best options in advance.
   • Some stores offer additional benefits, such as reward card savings, gas points, free store gift cards/rewards, or Box Top for Education points if you purchase either a minimum amount of items or in value in one transaction or during a special sale event.
5. Get out of any “brand commitment” you might currently have. It will be harder than ever if you commit to one brand, as the coupons will be infrequent and possibly never. Always think outside of the box and try out either different brands or store brands. The bigger your variety is, the easier it will be to discover better savings with coupons.
   • Keep in mind that many home brands are made by the same manufacturer as the name brand; they just don’t clarify this. Use your own experience to judge whether the substitute products are satisfactory or not––often, they’ll be just fine.
6. Avoid using coupons just because you have coupons for an item. Yes, it might be $0.50 off, but you’re spending more in the long run of the game if you don’t actually need or want the product.
   • If you have a coupon that you won’t use or don’t mind “giving it away”, use it in a random act of kindness way. Leave coupons on aisle shelves near the goods in question or quickly scan other people’s carts to see if you can match things. Ask them if they might want the coupons for their benefit. You never know what friendships you might strike up this way!
   • If a coupon expires before you use it, don’t fret. Store sales come and go all the time and so do coupon offers. If the stores you shop at do not accept expired coupons, never let them go to waste. Military overseas and selected stores do accept these up to six months after the expiration date.

Warnings

• Purchasing coupons in general is illegal. However, a person can “sell” coupons and price things based on their own time and work of cutting and organizing the coupons.

Things You’ll Need

• Coupons
• Folder or container for keeping coupons

Related wikiHows

• How to Use Coupons Effectively
• How to Organize Coupons
• How to Save Money on Household Cleaning Supplies
• How to Save Money with Online Printable Coupons
• How to Stick to a Shopping List at the Grocery Store

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