My mama has clipped and saved coupons for as long as I can remember. I don’t know when she started, but at least since I was a toddler, I remember sitting at the kitchen table with her while she flipped through pages of coupons and cut out useful ones. She stored them in a small accordion file and every time we needed to go to the grocery store, the coupons came with us.
All coupons have expiration dates and they are strictly enforced, except at Bed Bath & Beyond. I use expiration dates as my guide when deciding which ones to cut out and save. That, and need of the item. If I find a coupon for an item that I’m likely to buy or already buy regularly, and its expiration date is within the month, I cut it out and save it.
The hardest part of clipping coupons is battling the “Oh! That looks good! I may or may not buy that sometime!” sensation that comes with it. The thought of saving money and being frugal is exciting, sure, but you can’t get too carried away. Remember to only save coupons for things you’re likely to buy, not things you maybe might buy. It makes organization easier and more expedient.
Pay attention to the fine print, too. A lot of coupons will say “SAVE $2.00” in big bold letters at the top to fool you into thinking you’ll save $2 on one item. In reality, you’re saving $2 on two items. For example, “Save $2.00 on any two boxes” of a certain product.
Couponing can be extremely beneficial and fun when done right. I don’t claim to be an expert; I’m certainly learning as I go along. But I will continue to share my coupon wisdom and any tips I figure out here so we can all learn to be expert couponers together. I just have to remember to buy my Sunday paper this coming weekend, too.
My mama would be so proud of me.
What are your best coupon habits and tips?
