In order to get the best combination for savings, and stretch your grocery dollar further, it’s a good idea to look for coupons wherever you can. There are a number of ways to find coupons that you can use as a shopper. The more coupons you have, the more money you save — especially if you can stack your coupons.
As you prepare for your next grocery store trip, here are 4 places to look for coupons:
1. Newspaper
One of the time-honored traditions of the coupon-clipper is to look in the newspaper for coupons. Many Sunday papers come with coupon inserts brimming with discounts. Take a look through the inserts, and select coupons for the items that you normally buy.
2. Mailbox
Your mailbox might also contain coupons. In many cases, the same coupons that you find in your newspaper insert are also delivered to your mailbox. On top of that, you might receive an envelope of ValPak coupons, or Hometown Values coupons. You might be able to stack these coupons with those you get from the newspaper, or find coupons for additional items.
3. Internet
The Internet is a great place to go for coupons. In fact, if you are looking for coupons for specific items or brands, and you might be able to go right to the source online and print off a coupon. On top of that, coupon aggregator sites like CouponShoebox (yours truly) can help you find thousands of coupons.
You can even sign up for a service like CoupSmart to have specific coupons delivered right to your email inbox. Combine what you find online with what you find offline, you can really start to boost your savings.
4. In-Store
Finally, keep your eyes open as you shop. Many stores have little coupon dispensers in the aisles for certain items. The gourmet sausages I like to use in some of my cooking often come with coupons attached to the packaging. Watch for coupons for items that you plan on buying anyway. Take a few seconds to look around, just to see if there is a coupon.
Careful Coupon Clipping
As you clip your coupons, make sure that you follow the principles of savvy shopping. One of the temptations with many coupon resources is that you see coupons for items that you don’t actually plan to buy. Don’t use the coupon as an excuse to buy something that you hadn’t planned on purchasing.
Instead, make a list, and stick to it. Choose coupons for items that you normally buy or that you know you will use later. When possible, use your coupons on items that are on sale as well. You want to compound your savings so that you get the best possible outcome for your couponing. You have to use your coupons within the framework of a larger plan.
It doesn’t have to take long to clip coupons and make a shopping list. With a little extra effort and time, you can start adding up the savings on items that you normally buy with the help of coupon clipping.
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