Your Guide To Couponing
Taking up couponing could mean big savings on your weekly shop! If you’re interested in giving it a go, but don’t quite know where to begin, then I’ve got some handy hints and tips to give you a helping hand along the way.
Where To Find Coupons
There are hundreds of coupons out there just waiting to be unearthed, it’s all about knowing where to look.
Once you get into the swing of things, checking the back of your receipts for savings will soon become second nature!
Many of the coupons I receive come directly from the retailers themselves. It’s often worth thinking ahead about the products you’re thinking of buying in the upcoming weeks, or have previously bought and have been extremely happy (or unhappy) with. Go ahead and contact the manufacturers directly with your feedback, they are likely to reward you with a coupon to be used exclusively against their product. You can get in touch by visiting their website and heading over to their ‘contact us’ section.
Once you start thinking like a couponer, you’ll realise that they are everywhere! Printable coupons are a great place for beginners to start building up their collection. They can be found online through a simple google search, or on the company’s Facebook page. They are arguably the most common form of coupon.
Store coupons and free sample coupons are also ones to look out for. The next time you go to do your shopping, pick up a copy of your supermarkets in-store magazine. There will often be lots printed in there, or if they have run out you can always contact customer service and request they send you some out in the post. Free sample coupons are also worth looking out for. I know many of us see free samples through our letter-box and immediately put them to one side in the junk mail pile, however, don’t be so hasty next time as you will often find coupons attached to be used against the new product.
You can also find coupons in newspapers, at events such as wedding fares and baby shows, on the bottom of email newsletters and on the back of your receipts. Not to mention the more obvious ones which can be found on the actual products themselves. They really are everywhere!
Get Organised
You’ll of created a stockpile of coupons in no time, and once you have, it’s time to get organised! Some of the more extreme couponers may have special filing systems, and can even go as far as putting them in alphabetical order. But don’t worry, that’s not completely necessary and I usually find that an envelope can do the trick of keeping them all together! Alternatively, you could use a cheap photo album. The clear sleeves are ideal for helping you keep track of what coupons you have left and which ones are due to expire. It’s best to put them away neatly as soon as you get them to prevent them from getting lost and also saves you having to go through a big pile of coupons all at once.
My Top 5 Couponing Tips
Here are my five top couponing tips for beginners:
- Start Small
Try not to get carried away by buying ten of everything as soon as you get started or you will quickly blow your coupon budget! Also try not to be a shelf clearer, you may have 40 coupons to use against one product, but try and leave some on the shelves for other customers.
- Warn The Cashier
It’s best to give the person serving you a heads up that you’re going to be using coupons before they start scanning your products. This means they can call for assistance if they aren’t sure how to process your coupons.
- Donate What You Don’t Need
Every couponer will eventually have one of those moments where the temptation to go overboard and buy twice the amount you actually need of something just gets too much! If you do realise you’ve been caught up in the moment and there’s no way you will actually get round to using all of your products before they go out of date, don’t worry! Do a good deed and donate it to the food banks rather than having to throw everything away.
- Aim For Smaller Companies
When you directly contact manufactureres in an attempt to secure coupons, try and target the smaller companies. Remember the larger companies such as Coca- Cola and Cadbury’s receive millions of letters every day, so you are less likely to get a response.
- Don’t Assume Coupons Are Limited To Junk Food
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding couponing, is that you can’t use the vouchers against fresh foods, however, newspapers often feature vouchers that can be used against fresh fruit and veg. Another useful tip would be to check the clearance sections of your store because things like bananas and berries can be frozen for a later date.
You should now have all of the information you need to get you started on your couponing journey. I hope this guide has been useful to lots of you. Remember to keep checking back to my coupon page on the site to see what coupons you’re missing!
