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GROCERY COUPONS
How do I find coupons?
The best coupons are found in your Sunday paper in the insert circulars.
You can find coupons online, but most often, the coupon from the paper can often be of better value than the online coupon.So search online for coupons when it's something you really need and can't find in the newspaper inserts. Just keep in mind that your best coupons can be delivered right to your doorstep with a Sunday newspaper subscription.
Also remember that, to print an online coupon, you will use expensive paper and ink, when you could just get the same free coupon from the paper. The free coupon in the paper usually is of a higher amount off than the online coupon. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule.
There is a proper way to search for, and organize coupons. I have seen women who go to the grocery store with binders full of coupons. They use tabs to organize the coupons according to catagory, ie. 'Dairy Products,' 'Paper Products,' 'Frozen Vegetables,' etc. This method takes a lot of time and dedication, which most working mothers, and career women, can never seem to find. For these coupon shoppers, I would suggest using a service that sorts and co-ordinates the best coupons to the current sales, which results in getting far more value from the coupon. I prefer this method, because you do NOT sit and endlessly clip each coupon and try to keep the loose coupons organized.
I use a service called "The Grocery Game" that breaks down the sales and best coupons to use on those sales for the grocery stores of your choice in your local area. All I have to do is to put all of the inserts from each Sunday paper into a folder that is labled with the date of that newspaper. You do NOT clip the coupons until the service tells you which one to clip. Since they are arranged in folders by date, you are told which dated folder to search in, the name of the insert (Red Plum, Smart Source, etc.) and which coupon for a particular item, to clip. This way, you are clipping the exact coupon for the exact item that matches that week's sale in your favorite grocery store(s). Yes, it does cost to have this service, but you can save much more than the cost of the service in your first trip to the store. My first trip to the store would have cost just over $20, but I paid $8.07. That is over 50%! Not bad for the first trip for an in-experienced couponer.
You can find all kinds of savings with coupons. You could even find a free coupon in your newspaper, which may be redeemed for a free item. Be sure the coupon code matches the bar code on the free item. If the coupon code doesn't match, you may need to look for a different variety. Checking on this will save you frustration and disappointment at the checkout counter. For more Information on coupon sources and how to use them read The Basics of Couponing (opens in a new window)
What are pre-loaded coupons?
If you do use the Internet, another great way to get coupons is to pre-load them onto your favorite store's 'loyalty card.' Remember to check the terms of use for these 'digital coupons' that you add to your store shopper card/loyalty card. Most of these offers from almost all stores DO NOT double the digital coupons that you pre-load on your loyalty card. If you have a coupon service that shows you a paper coupon for the same item, you need to use that coupon and do NOT load the digital coupon on to the shopper card, since they do not allow the use of both coupons for the same item. The digital coupon will be used first, so once you load it onto the shopper card, you will not be able to use the paper coupon for that item until you have used the digital one.
These types of restrictions are the main reason that you should use your service (if you belong to one) first, so that you can determine the paper coupons available to use that week with the sales at your favorite store (especially if they double or triple the paper coupons). If none of the paper coupons are for an item that is on special at your favorite grocery store, but the store's website shows a special price for a digital coupon, then, by all means, load that onto your store's shopper card.
Once you have made use of coupons and the store card for savings, you will not feel so overwhelmed by the methods that you need to use in order to maximize your savings. My first trip to the store was a bit stressful because I was not sure of what I was doing, but, once I had saved over 50% on that days venture, I relaxed and have gotten even higher savings (some days close to 85%).
What Method Should I Use For a Service?
The best method that I have found is the shopper service called The Grocery Game. It will save you a ton of time, since you do not clip all the coupons freom the inserts and put them in catagorical files. You simply pull the inserts from the Sunday newspaper, clip them all together with a paper clip and slip a post-it note under the paper clip with the date of that edition of the newspaper. Simple! I then stack them in date order. Turning each dated bundle a different direction also helps organize. Then you simply go to the service online and match your weekly grocery store specials to the coupons in the correct insert, clip only the coupons you need, and go shopping. I spend only about an hour each Sunday making my shopping list, gathering coupons and getting ready to shop. Sure beats clipping all the coupons and filing them in a binder or in an organizer!
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