Coupon Basics
Most of us have used coupons before. You clip them out of the papers, you stick them in your purse, you purchase an item and remember that you have a coupon for it somewhere, and sometimes you are able to dig it out and save a bit of change on your item. Not too hard, right?
But then you look around and hear about people getting all of this FREE stuff with coupons, and you just don’t see how it is possible! You might say, “Well, I use coupons, but I have never saved money like that!” Well, not only is it possible, it is EASY to do when you know how!
Here are some basic couponing tips to get you started:
1. Most grocery stores DOUBLE coupons up to 50 cents- so that 50 cent coupon is actually worth $1! (Drugstores and supercenters do NOT double!)
2. At most stores, you can STACK coupons. This means you can use ONE manufacturer coupon and ONE store coupon on the SAME item.
3. Everything goes on sale at some point. Most items are on a 6-week cycle. This means that once every 6 weeks an item goes down to its lowest sale price. This is called the “rock-bottom price”- and THIS is when you should use your coupon. Using coupons on non-sale items is a waste of your time and your coupon.
4. Buy one get one free sales are actually half-price sales (at grocery stores)- you quite typically do NOT have to buy 2 items to get the reduced price. Even better, coupons can be used on BOTH items (we will discuss this more)!
5. Any time an item has overage (the amount of the coupon is greater than the price of the item), you should buy it. The overage acts as a coupon for the rest of your purchase.
6. Mid-week grocery trips are what cost you the most- so even if you carefully prepare a grocery list, “running out” to the store to grab an item costs you big time- the item is usually not on sale. This can totally blow your budget. Preparation is key.
7. Creating a “stockpile” can help you avoid midweek trips by ensuring that you have enough of the product for your family to last you until that product goes on sale again. You need to have as many coupons as you can to stockpile well.
8. RAINCHECKS RAINCHECKS RAINCHECKS! If the store is out of a sale item that you went to get, don’t panic! Ask for a raincheck at Customer Service. This will allow you to purchase the item when they have replenished the shelves, and still receive the sale price. If you have coupons that are about to expire, let them know.
9. You need to have a way to organize your coupons that makes sense to you, and allows you to quickly find the coupon that you need.
10. Coupon wording is more important that the picture on the coupon. They will always picture the most expensive item on the coupon. Read your coupon carefully so that you and your cashier know what your coupon is for.
These are (pretty much) universal coupon truths for our area- for other areas (meaning areas besides North Georgia), be sure to check with your stores for their coupon policies. Generally, using these tips will help you no matter where you shop.
But then you look around and hear about people getting all of this FREE stuff with coupons, and you just don’t see how it is possible! You might say, “Well, I use coupons, but I have never saved money like that!” Well, not only is it possible, it is EASY to do when you know how!
Here are some basic couponing tips to get you started:
1. Most grocery stores DOUBLE coupons up to 50 cents- so that 50 cent coupon is actually worth $1! (Drugstores and supercenters do NOT double!)
2. At most stores, you can STACK coupons. This means you can use ONE manufacturer coupon and ONE store coupon on the SAME item.
3. Everything goes on sale at some point. Most items are on a 6-week cycle. This means that once every 6 weeks an item goes down to its lowest sale price. This is called the “rock-bottom price”- and THIS is when you should use your coupon. Using coupons on non-sale items is a waste of your time and your coupon.
4. Buy one get one free sales are actually half-price sales (at grocery stores)- you quite typically do NOT have to buy 2 items to get the reduced price. Even better, coupons can be used on BOTH items (we will discuss this more)!
5. Any time an item has overage (the amount of the coupon is greater than the price of the item), you should buy it. The overage acts as a coupon for the rest of your purchase.
6. Mid-week grocery trips are what cost you the most- so even if you carefully prepare a grocery list, “running out” to the store to grab an item costs you big time- the item is usually not on sale. This can totally blow your budget. Preparation is key.
7. Creating a “stockpile” can help you avoid midweek trips by ensuring that you have enough of the product for your family to last you until that product goes on sale again. You need to have as many coupons as you can to stockpile well.
8. RAINCHECKS RAINCHECKS RAINCHECKS! If the store is out of a sale item that you went to get, don’t panic! Ask for a raincheck at Customer Service. This will allow you to purchase the item when they have replenished the shelves, and still receive the sale price. If you have coupons that are about to expire, let them know.
9. You need to have a way to organize your coupons that makes sense to you, and allows you to quickly find the coupon that you need.
10. Coupon wording is more important that the picture on the coupon. They will always picture the most expensive item on the coupon. Read your coupon carefully so that you and your cashier know what your coupon is for.
These are (pretty much) universal coupon truths for our area- for other areas (meaning areas besides North Georgia), be sure to check with your stores for their coupon policies. Generally, using these tips will help you no matter where you shop.
