How to Get the Most Savings with Coupons

#1- Never buy something at regular retail price, even if you have a coupon. Ok- so this isn’t a hard and fast rule, and sometimes you just HAVE to buy something, even when it’s not on sale or you don’t have a coupon.  But to get the most savings with coupons, you want to wait for a sale and then use it with a coupon.

#2- Stack your coupons. Stacking your coupons means combining a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon.  Using both usually can double your savings.

#3- Know your stores. Know how to best shop each store, including understanding their coupon policy.  There are different sets of “rules” that each store follows and you will get the best deals if you know and understand how to use your coupons in each one.  Also, know what types of rewards or customer programs are offered from each store- often these give you additional savings, rewards or promotions.

#4- Check your coupons often! When I list the best deals I find online, I try to put printable and insert coupons that are available, but don’t forget that you may have printed a coupon that is no longer available or grabbed a blinkie coupon in the store that wouldn’t be listed in the weekly deals.  Anytime you see something on sale that you really want to buy, check to see if you have a coupon for it!

#5- Don’t be brand picky. What I mean by this is be willing to use various brands of products.  Coupons & products go in cycles of what is on sale in the store and what coupons are being put out.  If you are willing to use whatever brand in that current cycle, you will most likely always be able to get the best deal.  And if you have your favorite brand, stock up on it when you can get it at a rock bottom price and then make due with your second choice until that sale comes around again.

#6- Bigger isn’t always better. I always thought buying the largest package would give me the most for my money, but this isn’t always true, especially when using coupons.  And if you have multiples of the same coupon it’s almost never true.  Here’s an example:

Tums, 24 ct is on sale for $.99 (each Tums tablet would cost about $.04 at this price)
Tums, 60 ct is on sale for $2.00 (each Tums tablet would cost about $.03 at this price)

You have a coupon for $1.00/1

Using this coupon on the smaller Tums product, you now have 24 Tums for FREE.  If you use the coupon on the larger Tums product, you still have a cost of $.02 per tablet.  And if you have 3 of those coupons and use them on the smaller product, you now have 72 Tums for FREE- more tablets than if you would have bought the larger product and there is NO cost per tablet.

#7- Know what is a good price. Some people figure what is a good price based on the percentage off they are saving (example: 75% off regular price).  But honestly, that’s too much math for me.  Even if I get a great percentage off, if the generic version at Wal-Mart is still cheaper, I’m not really saving anything.  So- I base it on a couple things.  I try to know what I would pay for a generic version of it at Wal-Mart or if I can get a cheaper version of it at the dollar store.

For example:  my family goes through a lot of italian dressing.  I know I can buy a bottle of an off-name-brand at the dollar store, for $1.00.  So if I can get a name brand dressing for $1.00, it’s a decent deal.  But if I can get a name brand dressing for $.50 or even $.25 I know it’s a REALLY good deal.

I used to think getting name brand toothpaste for $1.00 was a great deal until I realized I can get toothpaste for FREE regularly!  $1.00 wasn’t such a great deal anymore.

#8 – Stock up when possible. The benefit to having multiple coupons is that you can get multiple products at great prices!  Stock up on those items at rock bottom prices so that you don’t have to buy them at full price and have enough stored to wait until the next great sale & coupon matchup!

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