Paying for clothes, groceries, books, gas and other household items can get hectic when working with a small budget. The truth is, rarely does the amount spent on buying these everyday items go hand in hand with the budget planned. That is why coupons are so great! A great deal of money can be saved by successfully using coupons. This guide to couponing for beginners will help you understand how couponing works and the best saving hacks. You will also learn a few couponing tips and tricks for saving money on everyday items. Couponing means saving money and that always feels great!
Paper coupons are great but so are promotional codes when shopping online. This article will provide tips for both. With so many comparison options available at your finger tips, shopping online is an easy way to save money, including on basic necessities. But if you are looking to cut costs further, the trick is all in the code – the promotional code that is! From stacking codes to stocking up and going social, learn how to balance your family budget with these savvy promotional code tips.
How To Coupon For Beginners- 10 Tips For Success
Research
A lot of apps, websites and blogs can help you find savings online. Keep checking them out on a regular basis. Sign up to your favorite stores and be among the first to know about any valuable offers available. Slickdeals offers deals and coupons sorted by store. So if you love Target like I do, you can always get Target deals here.
Online Coupon Codes
Don’t ignore the promotional code box featured on a retailer’s check out page; you could miss out on big savings. Do be a social coupon code shopper. Follow your favorite retailer or promotional code website on Facebook or Twitter to get instant updates on the latest promotions and exclusive codes.
Don’t neglect comparing codes. The key to saving money is comparing prices among competitor stores and the same goes with online coupons. Always compare money-saving codes among brands that offer the same or similar products to find the best value. Don’t worry if this guide to couponing for beginners sounds like too much work, you can just keep it simple by picking one coupon website or app to make it as easy as possible and sticking to that.
Slickdeals has an awesome browser add-on that will make it so you never have to search for coupon codes again! It automatically finds and applies coupons as you shop online so you don’t need to waste time hunting for coupons!
Use Paper Coupons
I like to use a combination of paper coupons for somethings and coupon codes and app discounts for other things. Paper coupons are great for grocery shopping. You no longer have to rely on going through endless pages of newspapers to find coupons that you actually use. Printable coupons can be found online. The printable coupon sites are usually categorized by a brand or retailer.
Timing
Knowing the right time to use your coupon is key to getting maximum savings. The best time to use a coupon for an item is when it is on sale. This is because the product is already lower than the price it retails at and when you add a coupon on top of the reduced price, you end up purchasing that product for so much less!
Expiration Dates
Expiration dates on coupons and coupon codes are usually subject to change. This could be brought about by either a limited supply of products or an increase in demand. Once you get an offer, be quick. Stores reserve the right to expire coupon codes without much notice. On the other hand, you will find some stores are not as stringent on dates and will still let you use them even after they expire. It is worth asking!
Buy Name Brand Items
Find out how much you can save off on a brand name item and be sure to get the best deal. Generic brands usually do not have coupon offers so sometimes this helps you save a lot more than buying the generic brand.
Track Prices For Favorite Items
Have a notebook and make records of the prices of your favorite items in different stores. Continue keeping track for two weeks. This will help you know where your favorite grocery items have their lowest price thereby letting you understand when to stock up. And always stock up when items are on sale buy 1, get 1 free!
Watch For The Discount
This is a key part of couponing for beginners. Before making a purchase, always ensure that the discount is applied to your totals. Sometimes they will forget to scan the coupons you gave them so just keep on eye on the coupons and the screen showing the totals. Some stores, like Publix, will even give you the item for free if the sale price doesn’t ring up and you go to customer service to have that verified.
Check Out The Competition
If you get a really great coupon for something, you can compare a few store prices for that item. Then, choose the store that offers it for the best price.
Do Not Feel Shy To Save
Some may be a little hesitant to walk up to the cashier and pull out a stack of coupons. Do not fear, stores like it when customers use coupons because they know it encourages customers to buy. You may also feel more like whipping out your coupons in this adorable DIY coupon organizer!
In this economy, every family is looking for cost-cutting measures to balance out the budget. I hope this couponing for beginners guide helps inspire you to get started! Even though it will take some time getting used to, once you realize the amount of money you can save around your home using coupons, you will never turn back!
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