Top 5 Couponing Tips

Hear ye, hear ye! It is time for my Top 5 Couponing Tips! Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned couponing “queen”, I hope that you will find these five couponing tips helpful. These tips will make your couponing life a little easier, but best of all, they will help you save more as well.

1.) You should always carry a current couponing policy for each store you shop at. I usually print a new one whenever there are updates to their policy and keep it in my coupon binder. You may find yourself standing with coupons in hand, trying to explain the store policy to a brand new clerk, and having the policy right there in front of you saves time and headaches. I’ve provided you with many store policies to get you started: ACME, Walmart, Target, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.

2.) Keep ALL of the coupons you get. This is true unless you trade them with a friend for a coupon you need. You never know when a deal will pop up and you’ll be able to snag a freebie! Now that does not mean you have to clip all of the coupons from your Sunday newspaper insert. Cut ONLY the ones you know you will be likely to use and then leave the rest in the insert and file them in your couponing folder or binder by date. This way when you come across a bargain, you can check my coupon database, and quickly be able to find your coupon..

3.) NEVER, buy an item just because there is a coupon for it. Just because you have a coupon does NOT make it a great deal – always take the time to shop the ads and match up coupons with sales. You will soon see that many retailers base their sale items for the week upon what coupons are released that same week. (see my Target coupon matchups, Safeway coupon matchups, Walgreens coupon matchups, CVS Coupon Matchups, Rite Aid coupon matchups, Giant Foods coupon matchups, ACME coupon matchups)

4.) It is not the end of the world to let some coupons expire. You are matching sales with coupons to score maximum savings, so accept that you will not use all of the coupons, even though you are saving them all. And that’s ok…because there will be lots more coupons coming up again next week and next month, for lots more savings!

5.) Follow the wording on a coupon. See my post here on how to read a coupon. Just because an inexperienced clerk accepts a coupon, or an item rings up cheaper in your favor thanks to a coupon, etc….this does NOT mean it is ok. Always be an honest and ethical couponer; many people are not being as honest nowadays and we are all paying added prices for that.