How much time do you spend on Facebook arguing with people and stalking long-lost classmates? Do you know that you can put that time to better use? Not that you have to forego Facebook at all. You just have to slash a couple of hours from your Facebook time and spend it on couponing. Why is this important? When done well, couponing can save you around $25 to $50 each week in groceries. It doesn’t take that much time to learn how to use coupons, so it’s a win-win situation.
Think of this as a helpful employee discount scheme your company offers you. Aren’t you already saving money from that? Think about doubling your savings. Wouldn’t that be cool? You can use that money for a vacation or pay off your credit card debts. Or you can put that in your emergency fund. The possibilities are endless, and all you have to do is to learn how to use coupons.
Put Your Time in It
Spend a couple of hours each week on couponing. This means learning the basics such as where to find coupons and categorizing coupons. You should also spend this time throwing away expired coupons or exchanging those you will not use. By organizing your coupons by expiration dates, stores, and categories, you will have an easier time using them effectively.
Find the Coupons
There are five main places where you can find coupons: store coupons, local newspapers and bulletin boards, flyers, apps, and websites. Collect coupons from these locations. You can sign up for your local newsletter, check the store bulletin, and download coupon apps. You can also join local coupon groups on Facebook and visit coupon websites regularly.
Know Store Policies
Stores such as Walmart and Smith’s allow customers to use an unlimited number of coupons. Other stores don’t. Other stores allow only up to four coupons per transaction. It’s important that you research the store policies on coupons so that you don’t waste your time and frustrate the cashier.
Wait for the Deals
The key to becoming a good couponer is to wait for good deals. Don’t waste your coupons on regular-priced items. Most coupons can be used on discounted and sale items. Wait for a good sale before pulling your coupon binder to you and finding the ones to use. You can get to know these scheduled discount sales by following your local grocery store’s social media pages. This way, you can prepare your grocery list better.
Learn to Redeem Coupons
Have you ever experienced your coupons not working when you get to the cashier? The problem with most people is that they don’t know how to redeem the coupons correctly. Before putting items in your basket, make sure that the coupons will work on these items. If you are not sure, ask the store personnel to explain it to you. When you reach the counter, tell the cashier that you will be using coupons. If that is not the right counter for you, the cashier will ask you to transfer to another one.
Couponers can save thousands of dollars a year. Manufacturers and stores want you to use these coupons because these tell them how successful their marketing strategies are. So don’t feel embarrassed about using these coupons. Stores and manufacturers expect and want you to use them.