SavvySugar

How-To: Get the Most From Coupon Clipping

SavvySugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:45:10 -0700

Coupon clipping was introduced more than a century ago, and the present recession has given the practice a popularity boost. For some it's a hobby, for some it's a necessity, but for most people, it's just a smart thing to do. Use my tips to get more out of your coupon clipping.

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Coupon Tricks From the Women Who Started Coupon Parties

SavvySugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:15:36 -0800

We all know that coupons can save us money on items that we were going to buy anyway, but there's more to using these paper savings tools than meets the eye. Kansas City moms Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee perfected the art of using coupons when they were having trouble reducing their families' food bills. Once they became experts at saving about $400 a month on their groceries, the duo started charging $25 for others to attend coupon parties led by them and created their website Be CentsAble. They say attendees will save at least that amount in their first grocery trip after applying lessons learned at the parties.

Good Morning America ran a spot on Chrissy and Kristin, and the pair gave several examples of how to make better use of coupons. I certainly learned something new. They're all about "layering savings strategies"; to see some of their tips on how to do this, read more.

First look for sales, then look for coupons for the sale items.
An even better idea is to go to a store that gives double-coupon credit.
Get the best deals by combining the manufacturer's coupon with a store's coupon.
For manufacturer coupons that cover entire product lines, ignore the picture and pay attention to the bar codes. A more expensive item is typically pictured, but you can use the coupon on cheaper products.
Buy one get one free: You can use two coupons on these promotions because you're buying two items. You can even use a buy-one-get-one-free coupon and end up getting both for free.
If you have a store coupon, like $5 off any $20 purchase, give them that coupon first while the total is more than $20. Once that discount has been taken, hand over your other coupons for individual products.

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Coupon Clippers Negatively Judged, Even in a Recession

SavvySugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:30:41 -0800

I grew up reading the comics as my dad sat across from me and clipped grocery coupons on Sunday mornings, so I've never been one to judge those who use them. There are some people who are embarrassed to shop with coupons, and even in our slow-as-molasses economy, self-conscious shoppers are still projecting their feelings onto coupon-using shoppers.

One study found that people waiting in line thought shoppers using low-value coupons were cheap, and that sentiment was carried over to the person in line behind the coupon holder. This particular study observed shoppers buying pens in a bookstore, and those who used a $0.50 discount for a $4 pen were judged most harshly, while shoppers who used a $2 coupon to buy a $5.50 pen weren't considered to be as cheap.

Coupons are all about getting more for your money - as a kid we had my favorite Breyer's ice cream in the freezer instead of the store brand carton, because a coupon brought down the cost of the name brand product. It's not much different than refusing to buy a particular item until it goes on sale, except you have to be comfortable using coupons at the register. Do you ever find yourself passing judgment on coupon clippers?

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Three Tips For Getting Grocery Coupons Online

SavvySugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:45:32 -0700

Coupon clipping has become less popular since its peak in 1992, but 2007 was the first year usage did not decline. Expectantly, the change of heart is attributed to more expensive groceries and less discretionary income. Resistant shoppers claim the time and money trade isn't worth it, but there are new online tools that are perfect for busy people that want to save money.

TheGroceryGame.com: The site will send a weekly list of the lowest-priced products at your supermarket along with manufacturers' coupons and specials.
AOL Shortcuts: Register your store loyalty cards with AOL Shortcuts and then search online offers. When you find deals that fit your product needs, click on coupons you want and they'll be added to your loyalty cards. Swipe your card when you check out at the store - no paper involved!
Manufacturer websites: Some manufacturers, like Pillsbury and General Mills, offer coupon galleries on their websites.

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Which Brand First Introduced Clipped Coupons?

SavvySugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:30:08 -0700

Coupon clipping is a cornerstone of countless families' food budgets, and it's a part of consumer culture that has seemingly existed forever. Like all things, the idea of companies printing coupons to be clipped by shoppers did start somewhere. Do you know which brand first introduced the concept?

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What Do You Do With the Coupon Circulars in Your Mailbox?

SavvySugar — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 11:00:14 -0700

Checking the mail is often a disappointing experience; most days we walk away with nothing but bills and random junk. There's another expected piece of mail that is delivered a couple times each week - coupon circulars from local stores. What do you do with them?

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Do You Remember to Send in Rebates?

SavvySugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:00:07 -0700

Rebates are one of the ways retailers entice us to proceed with a purchase and offer ourselves some soothing rationalization for doing so. We calculate the rebate when figuring an item's total, yet in the end many of us end up paying full price.

According to consulting firm Vericours, 40 percent of rebates go unredeemed, meaning our forgetfulness / laziness / apathy gives retailers a big win. I'm certainly guilty of procrastinating rebate redemptions until they're expired, are you?

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Your Two Cents: Do You Use Grocery Coupons?

SavvySugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:31:23 -0700

In the age of everything costing more, many of us are trying to figure out how to pay for more expensive goods while our salaries stay the same. Using coupons for items you'd normally buy is one way to save on groceries, but it seems rare that I see a shopper give the cashier coupons when checking out. Do you use coupons for groceries?

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This Lady Has a Black Belt in Shopping: Watch Her Shop

SavvySugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 09:48:52 -0700

Stephanie Nelson, founder of CouponMom.com, was featured in a segment on The Early Show and led correspondent Priya David through her "strategic" shopping tips and tricks. Priya asked questions about saving time versus clipping coupons, and why should a shopper buy an item she doesn't like as much as another just because it costs less. They performed a challenge where they started with identical lists, but Stephanie's bill came out to be $73.35 while Priya's cost $232.60. Watch the Coupon Mom in action:

Making Headlines: Digital Grocery Coupons

SavvySugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:56:06 -0800

Do you find newspaper coupons to be tedious or feel uncomfortable whipping out a wad of clipped coupons at the cash register? Online coupons may be the solution to help you save money at the ever more pricey grocery store while simplifying the world of coupons. How would it work, exactly? You'd simply load the online coupons on to your customer loyalty cards, and your card would be scanned at the checkout.

Kroger Co., the nation's largest traditional grocery chain, and Procter & Gamble Co., the largest consumer products company, partnered in a digital coupon trial that started in December. Other supermarkets are testing out their own paperless coupons as well, but that doesn't mean that paper coupons will be completely obsolete. It's just one more option to accommodate an increasingly digital world.

I hope that the online coupon trend continues and catches on nationwide. I know that I'd be more likely to poke around for coupons online than in the paper. What about you?

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