As groceries, gas and other purchases we have to make every month get more and more expensive, people are finding it necessary to use coupons, promotions, rebates and other methods to help offset costs. Be it an oil change on your car or your weekly trip to the grocery store, coupons, online promo codes, rebates and other money saving strategies are out there if you know where to look.
Don't believe that groceries are the only thing you can save money on. You can save money on movie rentals, car tires and that next ski trip. It just takes some planning. Today's retail market is very competitive. Companies will match other's prices. Expensive advertising and marketing plans are put in place to compete with each other. All of which benefits the informed consumer...you! You could realistically save hundreds - even thousands of dollars every year.
Grocery and Food Coupons
Groceries are what most people think of when considering using coupons to save money. The Sunday paper is probably the most common resource for them. And, as lucrative as the Sunday paper can be, it is not the only place you can find coupons.
You can find coupons right in your grocery store. It is difficult to plan to these coupons, but if you are flexible and only buy what you need, you can find a lot of savings. It is very common, dare I say always, coupons with the batteries. The competition between the top three battery manufacturers creates some pretty good deals. Never buy batteries without a coupon! Search the Isles for coupons hanging from the shelves, blinking lights or zip-tied right to the product, they can come in many forms, keep an eye out! Many of these in-store coupons are store coupons or store specific. Don't limit yourself to shopping at your one favorite grocery store.
Online Savings
A quick internet search will reveal the many "coupon exchanges" out there. Many of them are taking advantage of "forums" to communicate with each other. These forums will also open the door to discussions on the latest deals, links to websites that have printable coupons, or promotional codes to use on websites. Once you are using the internet to find coupons, keep in mind that many coupons are regional
You can also by coupons in bulk through internet auctions. If you have a baby in your family, you know how valuable the diaper and formula coupons can be. Many people who do not need these coupons will sell them on these auction sites. Pet food is another popular coupon that is sold via auction. Typically though the actions end at around three or four dollars for hundreds of coupons. Buy the coupons, search through them for what you need, add the coupons from your Sunday paper you don't need and re-sell them on the auction site. You will typically break even on the coupon sales while acquiring valuable coupons you wouldn't have otherwise had.
Remember that coupons are time sensitive. If the coupons you have are expired, don't throw them away, but rather save them separately for a different auction. There is a market for them as well. Military commissaries that are overseas will take coupons up to six months after they expire. Just be sure to clearly advertise the fact they are expired in your auction.
Always search the inside of products and their labels. Coupons and recipes are commonly found here. The insides of cereal and soft drink boxes almost always have a coupon.
Rebates
Rebates are another great way to keep money in your bank account. There are a number of products, typically consumer electronics and batteries that offer these rebates yet they are not the only rebates available. Keep your eyes open and check the internet forums for these deals. Many companies use the mail-in-rebate marketing strategy because of the low percentage of actual rebates given. Be sure to follow all the instructions carefully when applying for a rebate. Not complying can delay or negate the rebate. Remember that it can take weeks and sometimes months to receive your rebate.
Price Matching
Price matching is a good way to save hundreds of dollars a year. The trick to it is you have to do some comparison shopping and you've got to be willing to ask for it. Remember, just because a store advertises they will "match any advertised price" does not mean they have the lowest price. Currently many stores will do this and not advertise it. After you ask for the lower price, expect them to call the competing store to verify the price.
The Radio
One of your local radio stations will have a money saving show such as "The Grocery Guru." These are an awesome resource to find deals, sales and double coupon opportunities. Many of them offer weekly menus that coincide with the sales and offers, enabling you to save up to 70 percent on your grocery bill.
Clipping coupons, scouring the internet for deals and mailing those rebates is becoming more and more popular as the recession begins to squeeze our wallets and budgets. It is becoming almost necessary to most families to become frugal and save your hard earned money. The strategies in this article are not just for struggling families. Remember the common cliché, "It's not what you make, it's what you save." This is true and more and more families, regardless of their economic situation are spending their money more wisely and taking advantage of these strategies in an attempt to minimize the amount of money they lose every month in their budgets.
