How to Keep Track of Coupons Before They Expire
No matter how many store catalogs or fliers rest at the entrance of a grocery store or sit in a mailbox, some people just won't make use of them but will still say they want to save money. For those of you who are determined to save pennies any chance you get, you should learn tips for effecting coupon spending. It's not just a matter of cutting the coupons but knowing when to use them.
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Things You'll Need
- Coupon book Store catalog with coupons or mail discount postcards Wallet jacket to store coupons Monthly coupon organizer, preferably lightweight and easy to store
Instructions
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Organize coupons by the month and day that they expire. This way, you'll know which ones to use first and be able to quickly sort them.
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2
Make a grocery list before you go to the grocery store or a retail store so you know exactly what you're getting. If you know you're going to spend a certain amount of money on an item, it's much easier to know whether you'll be able to use the percentage-off coupon or not. Try not to overspend just to use the coupon because that defeats the purpose of saving money.
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3
Keep the coupons in a place that you regularly use when shopping, whether it's in your car, your purse or your wallet. Storing coupons in a monthly organizer is a useful idea, but not if the organizer is so big that you don't feel like being bothered with it on your regular shopping trips.
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4
Cut the coupons so they are easy to scan and store. Printing coupons from your computer and folding them up is OK with one or two coupons, but it tends to create a bulge in your wallet or purse and is clumpy, having the same effect as the coupon monthly organizer in Step 3. If the coupons are cut around the dotted lines, this is also an easier way to keep track of dates at a glance.
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Write in your planner the days that important coupons expire, especially dollar-off coupons. Don't risk losing money for items you regularly buy just because you didn't know what day the coupons expire. Although some stores give a little leeway if the coupon is only a day or two old, most stores don't, and there's a reason why the coupons have an expiration date.
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Keep the coupons handy in your hand, pocket or clipped to your grocery list. Sometimes people go intp grocery stores and grab so many items that they forget to even buy the item that goes with the coupon, specifically the specific size and quantity. You don't want to leave the store with a bunch of coupons and without the item you came for, because chances are you won't go all the way back to the store to buy that item just to use the coupon. Gas costs will be more than the coupon is worth.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Shamontiel L. Vaughn
