Save A Lot Coupons

With today's difficult economy in which many of you are struggling to pay bills, couponing is now a common topic in news media. More and more of you are using coupons to reduce your grocery bills. These savings are possible even without using controversial "extreme couponing" techniques. Read on to learn how to save a lot with coupons.

Coupon sources

Coupons come from a variety of sources. Newspaper inserts in the Sunday edition provide a large set of manufacturer-issued coupons every week. Grocery stores typically offer their own coupons in weekly ads and circulars, as well as in booklets available in the store. Coupon dispensers throughout store aisles supply additional coupons from manufacturers; occasionally, such coupons are even affixed to product containers. Many food producers now offer coupons electronically. In many cases, these coupons are printed out and redeemed at checkout. Some grocery stores allow for the loading of electronic coupons onto loyalty cards.

Coupon types and policies

All stores have a different policy on which coupons they accept. In particular, it is important to distinguish between manufacturer-issued and store-issued coupons; many stores allow one of each coupon type per item. In addition, many stores accept store coupons issued by local competitors and even match sale prices. Learning your stores' coupon policies allows you to match coupons most effectively to sales and everyday prices.

Using coupons

To maximize the effectiveness of your couponing, combine multiple coupons (such as a manufacturer's coupon and a store coupon) with sales and promotional offers. Many stores allow the use of multiple coupons on buy-one-get-one-free offers, which can yield exceptionally low prices when combined with coupons. Watch your stores' ad circulars and match sales against your coupon inventory to increase your savings. You can even use price-matching and competitor coupons to bring prices down at your favorite store, if store policy allows it.

Online resources

Many online resources exist to help you coupon effectively. Check for coupon-matching sites in your area, which help you combine your stock of coupons with current store sales and alert you to deal opportunities.

Couponing is a fun and financially rewarding activity for your famiy. Although some of you may still feel a stigma associated with using coupons, couponing is now a mainstream activity and can save a lot of money on your grocery bill.

Learning coupon policies allows you to match coupons most effectively

by Chris Anderson, Deals & Coupons writer