- Check your grocery store to see if they accept store competitor coupons. This can be a HUGE savings in many cases. Publix, my local store, for example varies from location to location on what other store's coupons they accept. Mine accepts Target, Winn-Dixie, Whole Foods and more. Publix also accepts store brand coupons to use on their own brand. For example you can use a coupon for Market Pantry (Target's brand) on Publix brand items.
- Most stores allow one manufacture and one store coupon per item. So it is a good deal when you can find both to use on one item. There are limits as with any coupon deal so read fine print carefully.
- Buy 1 Get 1 Free (also known as B1G1) deals can be a coupon person's dream. The reason being is that you can use 4 coupons on the deal. Remember 1 store and 1 manufacture coupon can be used per item. Well even though you are getting one free, you can still use coupons on the free item. This can result in huge savings and sometimes even free items.
ie. Pop Secret is on sale B1G1. It is priced at $3.99 a box. You immediately have to see it as $1.99 a box because you are getting one free, so divide the price in half. Then let's say you have a coupon for $0.50 off 1 box. If you have two of them use them on both boxes which will knock off $1 off the total. Therefore you are paying $2.99 for two boxes, then if you divide in half that is $1.49 a box, for a total savings of $4.99 of the original retail price. If you had a store coupon to use with the manufacture coupon, the savings would be even bigger.
- Always look for store extras like using reusable bags, store cards like the Target Debit Card which gives you 5% every purchase, and other coupon booklets as you enter the store.
- I only get one paper a week and print most of my coupons online. This does mean that at times I do not have multiple coupons to use on B1G1 deals, but I just don't see the need to get 20 papers and save coupons for months to rifle through. I honestly don't have that kind of time. Now if I know a great deal is coming up I will buy some papers or ask friends. However many coupons are available online now and print up just as easy, and you don't need a subscription to the paper.
- The last tip is to be organized when you go. Put all coupons you are going to use in an envelope. Write a list of the items you are getting. As you shop check the coupons and prices to make sure the deal will work and is worth it. Sometimes just because you have a coupon doesn't mean it is cheaper than the store brand. You need to be flexible with what brands you get of things if you want the better deal. Also do not buy things that you will not use just because you have coupons, that is called hoarding. If you can't use up 10 bottles of salad dressing before they expire, then probably not a good idea to get 10.
There are many more things to go along with this, but this gives you a basic insight. I count it as a win when I can save 40-50% of what the original total was. I have had savings of 70% before as well, so it can be done. I honestly don't spend much more than 30 min or so before I grocery shop to get everything ready, unless I have a bigger more complicated trip to do. Below are the websites I use, so feel free to bookmark and visit them!
Totally Target - This is a site devoted to Target. Weekly ads are posted with deals associated with them, contest, tips, and other ways to save at the best store ever.
Coupon Mom - This is one of the original sites that came up years ago. She wrote a book on couponing and has been on all sorts of TV shows. Her site can be a little hard to navigate but she does list many store each week and the coupon deals to be had at each. There are also tutorials.
I Heart Publix - This is my local grocery store. It can be a bit pricey for things, but is a great comfortable place to shop. Their weekly B1G1 free deals and acceptance of many store competitors make it a great place to coupon.
Saving Well, Spending Less - And finally this is my favorite site. This lady has put together a great easy to read site for coupons. She also post deals she finds on amazon and other websites. Because of her I was notified of a very cheap laser printer on Amazon that was only available for a few hours. She has a large list of stores, national and local, and a list of their ads each week with coupon match ups. She does the work for you and all you need to do is print or clip the coupons she says and the deal is yours. She also has a great online coupon lesson that takes you week by week at slow steps to get used to it. This site also has a sister site which is a blog about living on a budget and has some great tips as well.
Enjoy and Happy Shopping!
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