4 Tips On How To Save Thousands With Coupons

You can save thousands of dollars" with coupons, says Stephanie Nelson a leading expert in strategic shopping. "Coupons and price matching really can save your family hundreds of dollars a month and it doesn't take much time to do it" explains Kimberly Sayer-Giles. Coupons are now available for anything from groceries to TV's to restaurant meals and clothes. Because of nationwide belt tightening, there has been a sharp rise in "couponing" by both women and men.

What Are Coupons?

Coupons are discounts offered to shoppers, and they come in a variety of different types. A manufacturer's coupon (like Kraft) will typically offer discounts on a Kraft food brand, that they are looking to promote. Store coupons must be redeemed at specific stores for the sale merchandise or general discounts on total amounts purchased (like 10% off your purchase of $25 or more). Restaurant coupons work similar to store coupons.

Coupon Types:

There are many types of coupons, so it's important that you read them carefully. Advertiser's are trying to get you to buy (and try) their product, with the hope that you will become a loyal customer. Some common types are dollar discount on one or more, percent discounts, BOGO buy one get one, buy one- get one half off, spend a certain amount and get a percentage off your purchase and so on.

Coupons normally come with an expiration date, in small print. A good idea is to write this on the coupon so it is easy to see.

Where to Get Coupons:

The traditional newspaper, magazine and store circular clipping ads are still quite effective coupon sources. You may well find that buying two or more copies of your Sunday paper will provide incredible amounts of valuable discount coupons, worth far more that the cost of the paper.

The Internet has exploded with offers, coupons and services that you can use to simplify the task of couponing. There are sites that will help match current sales in your stores to coupons you have, so you can get double savings. Some sites will send you coupons for the groceries, restaurants or retail stores that you request.

4 Tips to Get Started

The basic goal of maximizing your savings with coupons in the smallest time requires that you have an organized system. These are four tips you will need to follow.

1. Learn all about your local store policies regarding sales and use of coupons.

2. Find out what saving programs your stores currently offer.

3. Match your "organized" coupons to the current On-Sale items and buy them.

4. Plan weekly meals around the discounted foods you have purchased

Following these basic steps will dramatically cut your shopping costs at the market.