Coupons Can Save You money
If used correctly coupons can
save you a lot of money on your grocery bill. It's quite
easy to get hooked on clipping coupons and getting used to
big savings. I first got hooked on coupon savings a few
years ago, I saw a coupon for Tide and since it was the only
detergent that my baby at the time was not allergic too and
they had a sale at our local grocery store and I saved 50
cents, and I was hooked. Now I clip coupons and save an
average of about 40% off of our food budget thru careful
shopping and watching all the sales every week. I am not
loyal to any particular brands, most of the time I just buy
the no-name or store brand for most things since it is the
least expensive, but a lot of the time a good sale and a few
coupons and I get a great deal. I find most of my coupons
in the paper, some thru free surveys I have filled out, a
ton of free coupons that I print off the internet, and quite
a few from friends who think I am off my rocker but indulge
me anyway.:-) You can also get great coupons by calling the
1800 number listed on the back of your favorite products, I
have gotten a number of great $2.00 off coupons that way.
If I also truly like a product I will email the company and
let them know that I was satisfied with their product and
most of the time they send out a coupon. I keep all my
coupons organized in a coupon box of sorts, divided by index
cards and sorted by food, bathroom items. cleaners, dog food
etc. A good friend of mine sorts hers by expiry dates but
she has a fantastic memory for the amount of coupons she has
and I have yet to duplicate her methods.
If you live in a region where the stores will double your
coupons then you have it made. I wish I did, but with
keeping a careful eye on the sales and knowing what I have
on hand and the store policy I do quite well and stock up on
a lot of necessary items. Some stores may have a great deal
but limit the coupon to only one per person per item, this
is where my teenagers and husband come in handy.. I have
had people make fun of me for clipping coupons, clerks who
rolled their eyes, and even my own family giving me a hard
time for doing this. Every time I went to the store I
calculated how much I saved by using my coupons and the
first year no one seemed to complain when we went to
Disneyland using the savings I had built up thru coupon
clipping. Now my kids get in the act and help finding
coupons, getting extra flyers when possible (our complex has
a paper recycling bin, most flyers are thrown out) and a lot
of stores have the coupons in store that you have to
carefully watch for or you will miss it. Clipping coupons
may not make you rich but it sure can add a nice big bonus
to the family savings account when you take the time to do
so.
About the Author
Diana Cassen is a part time write and co-webmaster of http://www.thrifty-mom.com