|
Last week, I bought $200 worth of groceries and only paid $50. How? Coupons.
There are many excuses people use in order to avoid using coupons. Some of the most common ones include, "It takes too much time," or "I don't see the value in it." But in our recent economy, more and more people are taking the time to print or clip coupons while watching their savings grow.
Learning to use coupons is definitely a process. It takes time to figure out how the systems work. Here are a few tips to help, which I call the "5 W's of Couponing."
*Who accepts coupons? Stores print their own coupons that are good only in their store. Companies print Manufacturer coupons that can be redeemed in any store. The best savings occur when a manufacturer coupon is combined with a store coupon.
*What are coupons? Free money! Store coupons are the responsibility of the store, but stores get reimbursed the amount of each Manufacturer coupon. Companies essentially use coupons to convince us to buy and try their products.
*When are coupons available? Sunday newspapers usually have ads from companies like Red Plum, Smart Source and Proctor and Gamble. These appear with other store ads. More store coupons can be found in weekly store ads. Manufacturer coupons can also be found online.
*Where can I find them? Store and Manufacturer coupons in the form of Internet printables are becoming more and more common. Simply do an internet search of the companies above and you will find coupons.
*Why am I doing this again? You'll save a lot of money. Try it…you'll see.
The easiest way to become a couponer is to start small. When I first started using coupons, I decided that I no longer wanted to pay for cereal, so I started using coupons for cereal only. And guess what? I don't pay for cereal.
Another way to get started is by using store ads, buying necessities on sale or with a store coupon. Sometimes these store coupons can be combined with manufacturer coupons for even more savings.
Start clipping, and watch your savings grow!
A former teacher, Kelly Wilson wanted to stay at home with her kids. She has saved hundreds of dollars per year on her grocery bill alone to do just that. You can find out how to save money using coupons at WilsonWrites.com.
|
tweet this!