If you are thinking about starting the money saving journey of couponing, or have already started couponing, it can be an extremely overwhelming process. You have to decide where to get your coupons, how to organize them, how to form your grocery list, and where you’re going to put all the items you saved so much money on. Couponing can be a very rewarding adventure, but only if you do it correctly. People can become easily defeated with the process of couponing and they give it up. However, it does not have to end in defeat. You can master couponing and continue to save yourself a lot of money if you just follow the do's and don'ts of couponing.
Do: Keep your coupons organized.
Having so many coupons can get a little hectic, so you need to keep up with the coupons. Go through your coupons weekly to make sure that there are no expired coupons, or coupons that you don’t necessarily need. You could have found a coupon that interested you before, but it no longer pertains to your needs. These coupons are just taking up space where legitimate coupons could go. Keeping the coupons organized will help ensure a stress free couponing experience.
Do: Make sure you are going to a legitimate couponing website.
You need to verify if the site you are using is a legitimate site by checking if they have coupon-printing software. This will ensure that the store will be able to scan the coupon and you will not have any issues when you go to the store. You can either search the Internet for reviews about the website to see if others have had any problems, or contact the website to see if they offer coupon printing software. Also, set your printer settings to black and white, so you don’t waste colored ink on coupons that do not need them.
Do: Check with your local store on couponing policies.
Some stores have policies about printable and manufacturers coupons. They could have restrictions on how many coupons you can bring in, or if they even take these printable coupons. Most stores also have policies on doubling coupons, so it is smart to check if your store allows it before planning your next big shopping trip. Just call or go into the store and ask the manager about coupon policies. They will be happier you did this now rather than at the checkout.
Don’t: Copy coupons.
Do not copy coupons. If you do copy a coupon, it will not work at the register. So copying coupons is a waste of everyone’s time. Also, do not fall prey to websites that simply have taken pictures of coupons and want you to print them out. These will also not work and you will have an embarrassing time at the cash register.
Don’t: Buy an item just for the coupon.
The point of couponing is to save money. If you buy an item just because it has an amazing sale price or coupon actually isn’t saving you any money. Buying an item you don’t need will ultimately end up costing you more money than if you hadn’t purchased it in the first place. Stick to your list, and stray away from items you don’t need just because they offer a good deal.
Don’t: Buy more than you need.
Some coupons require you to buy a certain amount of a product in order to obtain the discount. Items such as laundry detergent, diapers, and other items that have no expiration date are ideal for these types of coupons. Otherwise, if you have to buy in bulk, make sure that you will actually use the entire product you have to buy. If most of the product goes to waste because you couldn’t finish or use it in time is actually going to end up wasting money, rather than saving money.