Things To Know When You Start Using Coupons

With the economy struggling like it has been for the past few years, more and more people are looking for ways to save money where ever they can. Using coupons has become especially popular recently, even to the point that there is a reality show about how much certain people save on groceries just by clipping coupons. Using coupons can be extremely beneficial and advantageous for many people but not without the proper knowledge on how to use them for the optimum savings. There are certain things to know when you start using coupons that will help you on your way to saving a lot of money.

Where To Find Coupons

The first thing you need to know is where exactly to find the coupons. Coupons can be found in a wide variety of places. They can be found in newspapers, in local ads, on merchandise, on the internet and in many other locations. Make sure you are always on the lookout for coupons and that you are paying attention to where they usually pop up. One of the best ways to look for coupons on the internet is to set up Google alerts with specific products and the word coupon attached to them, you'll get an email whether a coupon matching your alert pops up on the internet.

Another very important thing to keep in mind when you start using coupons is the importance of being neat and organized with all of your coupon clippings. It is best if you devise a system somehow, either a notebook, an excel spreadsheet, some type of organizational pattern that helps you separate and keep your coupons accessible and easy to find when you need them. It's also imperative that you go through your coupons every 1-2 weeks and purge the expired ones.

The next tip that will help you once you start using coupons, is to know the specific rules and guidelines associated with coupon use for each store you shop at. Some stores allow things like doubling and tripling coupons which gives you even more savings on top of what you already save. Make sure you are friendly and courteous to all cashiers, let them know before hand that you will be using coupons and ask them if they want the products grouped on the conveyor belt in any specific order. Be as helpful and pleasant as possible at all times.

Consistency

Lastly, realize that to save a significant amount of money with couponing you have to be consistent and you must pay attention. Know the rules, where to get the best coupons, and stay organized and you will be on your way to saving you and your household a bunch of money by using coupons. Hopefully this article has been filled with helpful things to know when you start using coupons so that your coupon clipping experience is something that helps you save money during this tough economic time. After taking all of these tips into consideration, get started collecting and using coupons and see your savings start to slowly add up. Happy couponing!

About the Author: Matthew Pont aka The Coupon King (!) has been clipping coupons and saving his family money for the past 10 years. He is also a technology geek, so is always on the look out for Best Buy coupons to save money on those techie purchases.