Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Listen to me talk about this article in my podcast.
Seasoned couponers will honestly tell you: to save money, you need to spend some time. But it doesn’t have to be hours. Here are of our favorite time-saving tips for couponing.
- Keep your coupons organized to save time clipping: File whole coupon inserts by date. Write the insert date in large numbers on the front cover (taking care to not write over any coupons). Place the inserts into dated file folders.
a. Storing them: Place the file folders in a filing cabinet or some kind of case. You might use a different folder for each week, or do them by month. Make what works for you.
b. Matching by pages before storing: Take the inserts apart, match up the identical pages, staple and date them. Or collate whole inserts together, using the cover page to keep it like a booklet.
- Purchase great deals in quantity: To purchase in quantity, you need multiple coupons. Buy more than one copy of the newspaper, print more online coupons, and digitally “clip” more coupons for paperless use.
a. Clipping from multiple copies: Put the individual coupon pages on top of each other, then carefully cut at the same time. If the pages slip, you could cut the coupons incorrectly, voiding them. If cutting newspaper insert coupons, be sure to check the opposite side of the pages before cutting. Whenever possible, cut wide around the coupon to help avoid cutting accidents.
b. Printing multiple copies: You can typically have 2 prints of any online coupons, per computer. More computers means more prints of a coupon. Just always read the fine print.
c. Go digital: If your favorite store participates, get with their digital coupon offers. Typically attached to a store loyalty card or your mobile phone number, these coupons are paperless and “clipped” online, then redeemed automatically when you enter the information at the register.
- Break tasks down: When pressed for time, break coupon shopping down into smaller tasks.
Day 1: Make your shopping list and understand any special offers.
Day 2: Review your list, digitally clip any paperless coupons, print online coupons, and then cut any prints you made along with any newspaper coupons. As you prepare your coupons, coordinate and notate on your list the quantity of each item you plan to pick up.
Day 3: Shop.
- Prepare to jet through the store before ever leaving the house:
a. Arrange your shopping list by store aisle, or in the way you move through the store.
b. Paperclip your coupons together or have them in an envelope so you can refer to them quickly if needed. It’s also helpful to match the order you stack them to your arranged shopping list. That way if the store is out of something, you can easily find the coupons you won’t use and set them aside.
c. Have notes on special deals so you don’t waste time staring at the products and checking your coupons repeatedly standing in the aisle.
- Execute moving fast in store: While in the store, move along, only following your list. Do not get side-tracked. It’s been proven that the longer you’re in the store, the more you’ll spend. Even 10-15 minutes extra can blow the savings you expected when unplanned purchases find their way into your cart.
a. Double-check your path using the overhead aisle signs, and compare to your list, to avoid unnecessary backtracking.
b. Use the price-checking scanners available in the aisles to rapidly verify sale items so there are no surprises at checkout.
- Handle left-over paper with care: If you come home with unused (and now clipped) coupons, rain checks, or other important shopping papers, care for them right away.
a. Rain checks, special offers (such as money off your next shopping order), and any coupons matching your rain check should be place where they will not be forgotten next trip.
b. Clipped coupons should be filed. If you cannot recall which insert they were from, or if they were originally printable coupons, have an envelope or special file for loose coupons. Review this file every time you prepare to shop.
