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Clipping coupons can make a real difference when we are trying make our money go further and find the best possible deal, especially when it comes to the weekly food shop, but effective coupon collecting and savings mean more than simply cutting out a token from the paper and handing it to a retailer. By following the four tips below, you can turn this hobby into a really effective and rewarding system and become a true couponing expert.
1: Think like an expert and you will become an expert.
It can be a little daunting to get started with coupons as you may not know where to start or you may find yourself taking on too big a project and getting snowed under with all the different styles, offers, brands and everything else that you have to consider. Prepare yourself and start to learn some of the different styles and the language of coupons so that you easily separate your BOGOs from your PSAs and won’t be caught off-guard when people start raving about the ads that the supermarket across town has just put in.
2: Organization is vital to successful couponing.
Being prepared for the experience of spending those coupons and getting those deals also means getting yourself organized. You are far less likely to feel overwhelmed by all those dates and offers if that mountain of little pieces of paper is neatly organized into a binder. Schedules and tables are a nice way of making sure that you keep on top of offers and don’t let anything expire unnecessarily but some coupon enthusiasts advise using a baseball card holder to neatly arrange it all by brand, date or whatever other criteria comes to mind. You can also organize by bulk buying certain items and making space for everything before you shop. Planning the shopping trip can be as important as getting the deals, which leads nicely to the next tip.
3: Be prepared to shop around a bit for a good deal.
We all like to shop around at different supermarkets in the hope of a few lower prices but when you take up the art of couponing there is even more to consider. The wealth of different offers and coupons out there means you could find yourself making savings in stores you had never considered before. Brand loyalty may become ingrained once we find something we really like but this loyalty is not always a good thing if you want the best deal. Also, it is worth considering alternative sources for your coupons as different newspapers and magazine will have different deals and there are also online coupons to consider through social media platforms and other sites.
4: Don’t forget to control your shopping and show a little self-restraint:
With all this talk of multiple coupons, comparing stores, sales and multi-buys, it is easy to get a little bit out of control and over-zealous when it comes to clipping coupons and exchanging them, which is where this final piece of advice comes in. Its great to throw yourself in and be enthusiastic but couponing needs to be efficient and worthwhile too. Don’t use coupons just because they are there if you don’t have the space or even the need for the product; make sure you get a good deal at the right time for the things you really need.
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