Have you ever stopped to think how coupons can affect your life? Most families I know spend an average of $150.00 a week in groceries. Did you know that you can cut that in half by just clipping and printing coupons? I have come up with my top seven secretes for finding the coupons you need!
1. Coupons.com- this is my favorite site to print coupons from. They always have a variety of coupons that fit my every day needs. From food, personal care, and toys, etc…. But, did you know that each region has a different set of coupons or price values? If there is a specific coupon you are looking for on coupons.com try switching around the zip codes. You will find different coupons for different areas.
2. Smartsource, Redplum , and Procter & Gamble are coupon inserts that show up in the Sunday papers. But, did you know that there are sites like these online that will work on your shopper’s cards? They are cellfire.com, shortcuts.com and pgesaver.com. These sites allow you to take your Store Value Card (King Super, Kroger, Safeway, Albertsons, etc..) and upload coupons right to your card.
**Most of the time if you have a coupon in your hand AND a coupon on your shoppers card for the same product. Both coupons will come off at the register! How cool is that?
3. One thing that most people never think to do is E-Mail the company directly. I have done this on numerous occasions to let the company know how often my family uses their products and how much we love them. This in turn gains me coupons from the companies as a Thank You for being loyal to their brand.
4. How many magazines do you have lying around your house? I know that I receive many Magazines in the mail weekly. Before I chuck them in the trash I always look to see what I can find. Often times my husband’s automotive magazines contain coupons for motor oil, car cleaners, or tools. My Daughters magazines contain coupons for toys and her favorite snack foods, My exercise and home and garden magazines contain many useful coupons for the items I use in my day to day. So before you throw away it is always worth it to check them out!
5. One of the newest ways to score yourself some great coupons is from your cell phone. I know that my iPhone has Mobile coupon applications but you can also get mobile coupons from cellfire.com or even Mobile Target coupons texted to your phone every Sunday from Target.com.
6. If you are still in need of a coupon or A Lot of one specific coupon then the last place I would check is E-Bay. There are many people selling coupons on E-Bay. When I come across a good deal on an item that I use often I make sure to stock up on as many coupons for that item as I can.
7. Every store contains Blinkies, Tear Pads, and Store Displays. Always check around and see what you can find. Maybe you will get lucky like me and have family that is into coupons as well. My family and I have a coupon chain. We mail each other our extra blinkies, tear pads, and store display coupons. Each of our stores has different coupons so we are all very excited when we find the envelope in our mail box.
Before you head out shopping I encourage all of you to check and make sure you know your local stores coupon policy. I always carry a coupon policy with me when I go shopping to ensure that I have no problems when using my coupons. Also, if you find a coupon that you think is too good to be true, check to make sure it is authentic. A good site that will help you determine if your coupon is counterfeit or not is http://www.centsoff.com/body_coupon_counterfeiters.cfm
Marina Chernayak is the co-owner of 1001Shops LLC, One-stop shop of fine imported products like Music Boxes, Venetian Mirrors , Venetian Masks and many more.
Don’t forget Yowza!! for the iPhone — it’s my go-to when I want to save money. http://getyowza.com