Shopping with coupons
Remember to purge regularly. Expired coupons won't save you money, so don't let them take up space in your coupon file. Set a schedule for purging expired coupons, and stick to it.
Get ready to change the way you shop.
Although couponing is not well known in South Africa, with the increase in food, petrol and the implementation of e-tolls, saving every cent is necessary.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to coupon correctly and stay organised.
The first thing you need to do is establish your coupon sources.
There are usually two main sources of coupons: the newspaper and printable coupons. Of course though, when you go to the grocery store, you may find coupons attached to the items you would normally buy.
How to keep coupons organised
There are lots of ways to organise coupons but the key is to find the approach that works best for you.
There are three options to consider:
- Clipping out all coupons.
- Clipping out just the coupons you intend to use.
- Leaving the coupon inserts intact, and clipping coupons on an “as-needed” basis.
Whichever approach you choose, there are several things you can do to ensure that your coupons remain neat and accessible.
It is suggested that you develop a filing system. Many coupon collectors organise their coupons by grocery category such as dairy, frozen foods and deli, but it’s not the only way to go.
Find a filing system that works for you, such as by expiration date, and put it into action.
Next, find a container to hold your coupons. Use a shoebox, a storage container or a recipe box – it doesn’t matter what you choose but it’s important to have storage for all of those coupons.
To avoid losing or damaging your coupons, file them the same day you get them.
You may not always have time to file your coupons right away, but try to file them as soon as you can. This will save you the hassle of having to sort through a big mess of coupons all at once.
Remember to purge regularly. Expired coupons won’t save you money, so don’t let them take up space in your coupon file. Set a schedule for purging expired coupons, and stick to it.
Using your coupons
After a few weeks of collecting newspaper and printing coupons, you should by now have a fairly decent stash.
You still won’t be able to take advantage of every single great deal that comes along, but between newspaper and printable coupons, you should be able to get most of them.
When using your coupons, first determine which stores are in your area you want to shop at.
Would you use coupons? Leave a comment on our website.
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