"Stack" coupons for maximum benefit
Coupons can save you money on food and products you need if you use them effectively.
Whether you clip 'n save the discounts from your newspaper or print them online coupons, you're bound to find the promise of savings for at least one or two items that is already on your shopping list.
But wait! you say. Aren't store brands always cheaper? And aren't coupons only offered for unhealthy prepared foods?
Not necessarily, on both accounts --- especially if you follow the strategy of frequent commenter and coupon maven Holly, who has shared her Target coupon strategies with Consuming Interests readers in the past.
As a mother of young children, she saves a lot with diaper and baby wipes coupons. And even if you make all your food from scratch, there are plenty of coupons for personal care items such as shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes and the like ... stuff most of us don't live without.
Holly "stacks" her manufacturer's coupons, waiting until an item goes on sale or when a store like Target offers a coupon itself. Then, she uses both the store discount and redeems her coupons for even greater savings. Those discounts can make name brand products even cheaper than store brands.
She recently e-mailed me when she discovered ...
... that BJ's Wholesale Club also allows customers to stack manufacturer's coupons with store coupons, which can be pretty lucrative. She benefits there from the lower prices for buying in bulk as well as the big coupons the store offers (sometimes more than $2 off, she said).
So when should you pull out your coupon organizer? Trent at The Simple Dollar recommends waiting a month to use a coupon. Check out his coupon organizing system.
He coordinates his meal planning with store sales circulars, his coupon binder and his grocery price book comparing regular prices at area stores, so to ensure he's getting the best deal. And generally, he has found the best deals can be had about one month after the coupon is published.
(photo: Algerina Perna/Baltimore Sun)
