A typical American household of four can expect to spend more than $600 on food every month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But coupons can help lessen the bite on your budget if you know the secrets of using them effectively. That means staying on top of these valuable dollar-stretchers. Check out these saving strategies - a smaller grocery bill is just a clip away.
Clip all you canCollect coupons from lots of sources.
Scour the Sunday newspaper for inserts. Then go further, looking through your favorite magazines, circulars in your mailbox, grocery store shelves and your grocery receipt.
Register with your favorite stores - they'll regularly mail you coupons when you're on their list.
- Carry a zip-top baggie or other transparent container for coupons in your purse. This way when you come across a good one you won't lose it and you'll be able to see it.
- Get a coupon book that's easy to leaf through and organize it in a way that suits your shopping needs. For example, you can arrange coupons according to items you purchase most. Or organize them by expiration date so you won't miss out on savings. Bear in mind that coupons often expire on the first or last day of the month.
- Keep your coupon book in the glove compartment of your car so it will always be handy when you go shopping.
- Trade coupons with friends once or twice a month. They may have some you need and vice versa. Another good way to swap is to start a coupon basket in a public place in your neighborhood or at work. Everyone can drop off unwanted coupons for other shoppers to search through.
- Stay motivated and be committedYou won't save anything if your coupons just sit in your glove compartment. Use them regularly.
- Treat coupons like cash and you'll stop letting them go to waste. Next time you're about to toss some in the trash, try thinking of them as actual currency. You wouldn't throw away a dollar bill, would you?
- Multitask while you clip and organize your coupons. Get out the scissors while you watch a favorite TV show, listen to music or catch up with a friend on the phone.
- Get your kids involved in the coupon organizing. Turn it into a math game and ask them to help you keep weekly totals of how much you save.
- Plan your weekly meals around which coupons you have in your file, whenever possible. Think of it as a new way to answer that dreaded question, "What's for dinner?"
Collect the money you save with coupons and keep it in an envelope or a jar. Seeing that thick wad of cash at the end of a few months will make your coupon efforts seem tangible and worthwhile.
- Strategize and planReap extra savings with careful shopping.
Use coupons at sales; speak to a store manager to find out if you'd be able to use coupons on items that are already on sale. If so, check store flyers each week to see if you have coupons that match up. Also find out if a store accepts double coupons and whether you can use the store's coupon and a manufacturer's coupon for the same item.
Shop at multiple stores so you can find the items that match your coupons. Just remember to play it smart - it would be penny-wise and pound-foolish to drive all over town going to different stores.
- Patronize a store that matches prices and, if it's not convenient to visit more than one supermarket, ask the manager there if he will match coupons from another store.
- Don't pay attention to the in-store promotions you often see in your grocery aisles. Retailers love it when you fall for impulse purchases! Manufacturers tend to jack up the price of items on these displays, so your coupon probably won't save you much. Calculate the difference between the name brand on sale with the coupon and the regular price of a generic brand.
- Allow adequate time to shop when you use your coupons. It takes a little longer to find all the products you have coupons for, but it's worth it. If you race through the store, you'll miss out on the savings.
- Use the web as a coupon resourceThe Internet can be a great resource for coupons. If you're worried about spam (unsolicited e-mails you may get after registering with an online coupon site), use a secondary e-mail account.
Download free coupons online - You can also sign up to receive coupons through e-mail and regular mail. Also, visit the websites of your favorite products to check for online coupons. Go to http://www.coolsavings.com/home.aspx?SessionID=1474cbc5-0698-49cf-aa50-2e04c45c70ee, http://print.coupons.com/gmsa/offers.asp?UID=0&lgn=0&sgn=&pid=12582&ZID=ad89&NID=10&X=1, http://www.customcoupons.com/, http://www.eversave.com/, http://www.flamingoworld.com/, and http://www.valpak.com/vpcol/home.do.
Get free product samples - Find out where to get complimentary merchandise, coupons and big discounts on everything from clothes to restaurants to electronics. Go to http://www.weeklyfreebie.com/.
- Join a free rewards program - Earn points when you receive promotional e-mails and make online purchases. You can cash in the points for gift cards. Go to http://www.mypoints.com/.
- Look for sales - See what's on sale this week in your neighborhood with a website like salescircular.com. Just click on your state and search by the type of product you're looking for.Go to http://www.salescircular.com/.
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