I want to start saving money using coupons after seeing how much people can save. What are the best places to look for coupons and what are some thing to keep in mind when using/clipping them?
When I moved in with my best friend senior year of college I thought she was crazy for keeping every coupon sent to us…until I went shopping with her for the first time. I never realized how much you save with coupons. Being on a tight college budget is tough, but utilizing coupons is extremely smart. Today’s technology has made it extremely easy to be a savvy spender, but you can also use the traditional form of coupon. Here are some quick tips for using coupons:
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Welcome to the World Wide Web
There are tons of websites created specifically for bringing coupons to you. It’s convenient to go online because that way you can specifically find coupons for what you need or deals in your area. Websites like smartsource.com, groupon.com and retailmenot.com offer a great array of coupons from groceries to clothing. One thing to be wary of is some online coupon websites may spread computer viruses, so make sure not to download anything.
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Social Networking Is Not Just for Stalking Anymore
Going along with the idea of utilizing the internet, social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare are retailers’ new favorite ways to reach consumers. You can sign up to be a fan of or follow your favorite stores and find amazing deals and promotions that way. For example, Gap announced a deal where if you were the first in-store on Friday you could win a pair of jeans free over their Facebook status.
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Sign-up Me Up
If you find yourself constantly shopping at the same store for clothing or furniture ask if it offers a free membership or newsletter subscription. Signing up for newsletters will keep you updated on any sales or promotions going on so you can take advantage and save some extra cash.
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Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
Yes, in this day and age the newspaper seems archaic, but it is the best place besides the Internet to look for coupons. When clipping coupons from the newspaper its beneficial to have them organized by category, this way when you run to the store it will be a lot more convenient to just pull out the coupons you need from respective envelopes and toss them in with your list of things to buy.
There are other ways to get coupons such as iPhone applications, magazines or just checking the ones sent to you in the mail. Keeping coupons organized in piles will increase your chances of using them because it will be less of a hassle for you to find the ones you need. Don’t limit your savings to just daily purchases, you can also save when you sign up for things like credit cards and debit cards. Use financial websites such as mybanktracker.com to compare rates and find the best deal on banks. A warning to you shop-a-holics out there: Using coupons does not give you an excuse to go on that shopping spree you dream of daily. Coupons should be seen as way to save, not a reason to shop.