How Couponing Is The Ultimate Money-Saver Method And How To Start Couponing
Hello, and thanks for upvoting . . . i mean, reading. Even though I don't know you in person, I know that by reading my post here, you're interested in saving some money! A lot of money! Get that budget of yours sorted out, well you came to just the right place.
Why You Should Start Couponing
here's never a right time to start couponing, but there's never a wrong time either. See, most people think of coupons as some tacky concessions supermarkets and other retailers make in order to sell more products. While that all may be true, it severely undermines the money-saving potential that a little devotion to coupons can bring you!
To keep things simple, let's say you're in town trying to find some toothpaste. Your budget is 5 dollars, and you quickly find some toothpaste at that price and make your purchase. What you didn't notice is that you could have saved 2 dollars on that purchase with a coupon in the mailer you received that very same day. "But that's just 2 dollars!", you would exclaim, but what if I told you that was 40 percent of your budget? What if I told you that through couponing and making convenient compromises, you can shred your budget on food and house essentials by AT LEAST 40 percent? Coupon enthusiasts are known to save even 70 or 80 percent, so why shouldn't you?
That means more of this..
What You Need
Before you start couponing, make sure you have these items sorted out:
- local newspaper subscriptions
- ziploc bags
- post-it notes
- scissors (or any other cutting tool)
- printer (if you decide that online printing is worth your effort)
If you already have a different management system in mind, you can disregard the ziploc bags and post-it notes; leaving newspaper subscriptions the only essential start-up cost. Newspaper subscriptions are important because this is where you are going to find most of the coupons you will use. Once you've established your coupon habits, you'll notice that you will save much more money than what it takes to buy one or two newspapers every week. However, if you're just starting out, relying on mailers and in-store flyers are also good alternatives. Don't forget to ask your neighbors, friends or relatives for any spare newspapers they might have.
Why Did You Say I Had To Make "Convenient Compromises" Earlier?
Fact of the matter is, more than likely you are not going to be able to find every coupon you WANT , but more than you NEED. Primarily, this means two things:
Every purchase you make from now on will have to be planned "before" going to the store, and
Your meals will have to vary according to the coupons you have available to you.
These are "convenient compromises". It's a compromise because you are giving away the opportunity to buy something you want (maybe something you really, really want), but it's "convenient" because you can have something else that saves you money! And that money helps you buy things that you really, really, REALLY want (like more booze).
What About Online Coupons?
Online coupons are very convenient in the sense that you can find savings for nearly anything you want to buy. You can either print out a coupon, or the service you're using might mail you some coupons. However, these sort of coupons aren't convenient in the sense that they won't save you as much MONEY as coupons you arrive at yourself through hours of clipping newspapers. Nevertheless, you are still saving money and if your budget constraints are lenient, then you can find a lot of use in saving less amounts on things you wouldn't want to pass up.
If you're looking for a good website to get coupons from, you might want to considerLiving Rich With Coupons
That being said, if you are going to be printing coupons you will need to buy a printer. The library will only take so much from before they furiously kick you out to take your frugal adventures elsewhere. I'm not going to recommend any printers because it's best for you, as an individual reader, to look around and find some good deals on printers, be it through clearance sales or shopping holidays like Black Friday. However, keep this in mind when buying a printer and/or ink:
- choose a laser printer or inkjet
- Brother and HP are some of the most reliable brands
- Buy your ink online through a service such as Inkfarm
Well there you have it! I hope you readers find this short beginner's guide into couponing worthwhile and worth your time to read. If you're reading this, I'm very glad you made it to the end. Thanks and have a great day!
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