In today’s economy, extreme couponing has evolved as a new national sport. We have all seen people on television shrieking maniacally with delight as they spend a few dollars on several shopping carts full of groceries and household goods to the tune of hundreds of dollars – all by using coupons. Their homes look like miniature Walmarts, with boxes of cereal and cartons of toilet paper skilfully crammed into every nook and cranny. These tips may not propel you into those dizzying heights, but here are a few hints on how to make the most of your couponing energy.
Coupon Tips
- You can now use coupons to buy Starbucks coffee at the supermarket. That’s right, you are able to drink Starbucks coffee in your own home as you get dressed and prepare to drive to Starbucks for a caffeine jolt on your way to work.
- Just because you have a fistful of coupons in your possession does not mean that you have to necessarily cash them in immediately. You can save even more on purchases if you wait for the items to go on sale.
- One of the more popular ways that stores discount items is to offer them as a BOGO, buy one, get one free. Did you know that you can use a store coupon for a product AND a manufacturer’s coupon for the same product and get BOTH items for free. For example, if your local store has a BOGO offer on shampoo and you have a manufacturer’s coupon for the same shampoo, this is the best time to cash it in. Your supermarket pays for one bottle and the maker pays for the other!
- Got a pile of expired coupons? Worry not, as long as they are no more than six months past date, you can send them to servicemen and women via an organization called Troopon and our troops will still be able to use them on military bases. This only works for manufacturers’ coupons.
- Tear pads, blinkies and peelies can save you money! These are little stashes of coupons dotted around the stores. You can usually find these near the products themselves, in the aisles and near the checkout point. Keep your eyes peeled for these.
You don’t have to be an extreme couponer to be a savvy saver. You may not be able to get a week’s shopping for four people for absolutely nothing, but you could save 75% or more off your shopping bill.
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written by: Teri Gault
About the Author
The Grocery Game, Inc. was founded by Teri Gault, who turned her hobby of collecting coupons and matching them to grocery store sales into a passion. Teri shared her money saving ideas with family and friends who were impressed by her attention to detail and her ability to predict sales trends. The Grocery Game offers a system for and is also the largest source on the web for grocery coupons. The site provides access to hundreds of printable coupons and online coupons that can be sent to store loyalty cards. The Grocery Game offers savings with as well as grocery manufacturer coupons in all 50 states and internationally.
