5 Couponing Tips

Thanks to TLC and Lifetime, it seems like the only way to go about couponing is to do it to the extreme: shows about couponing regularly feature dumpster-divers who scour their neighbors trash for coupons and people purchasing hundreds of tubes of toothpaste to save long-term.

Learn Couponing Jargon

You have to be familiar with coupon terms in order to maximize your couponing ability.

Are your coupons stackable?

This means you can use a store coupon plus a manufacturer’s coupon to get the best deal. Do stores in your area offer double coupon deals, where you can use a coupon at certain times for double its value?

Know Your Acronyms

• BOGO means buy one get one (usually half off or free)
• OYNO means on your next order, as in you will save a certain percentage or dollar amount the next time you make a purchase
• MIR means mail-in rebate: you won’t save money the moment you use the coupon, but the company will send you a refund

Know Coupon Policies

There is always going to be a sales clerk or manager who doesn't feel like taking the time to honor a bunch of coupons.

They will try telling you that you can’t stack coupons or that you can’t use a coupon you printed off the internet. The best way to avoid this trouble is to know the policies of the stores you frequently shop at.

Go where the Sales Are

Once you have your coupons ready, check out what is on sale at different stores.

You can check out weekly circulars online to see who has deals on what this week.

Maybe your grocery store has a sale on toilet paper, while CVS has a sale on cleaning goods– by going to where the sale is and doubling up on your discount with your coupons, you will save more money than just going to one place.

Buy in Bulk

For items that are not perishable, like toilet paper, toothpaste, paper towels, canned goods or pasta, you will save in the long run if you stock up while these items are on sale.

You must make sure that these are items you will actually use, and be sure that you have room in your home to store them.

Scour Weekend Papers

The more newspapers you are able to clip coupons from, the greater variety of coupons you will have to choose from.

If you live in an apartment complex and see newspapers piling up at the entryway over the course of the week, chances are they are either free editions that the publisher provides in hopes of getting you to subscribe, or the person who originally subscribed to the paper has moved.

Once you've determined that no one is claiming these papers, feel free to take the coupon section from them each week.

Try to get an even number of the same coupon so you can double up on them for BOGO deals, too!