Using coupons? some ideas
I don’t use a lot of coupons since at least for food products, they often require purchasing two of things I only want to buy one of, or groceries I never really needs. But here are a few ideas for finding more coupons, the useful kind:
- Elementary schools often sell coupon books. I love using these, they are not tiny pieces of paper I have to organize, so I keep it in the car, and periodically tear out ones I think I could use in a given week. The books have products and services we use every day, like groceries, movies, shoes and clothing, furniture and restaurants. For $25, I save at least $250 using these, sometimes more.
Note that some municipality parks and recreation departments also sell these books, be sure to flip through one if you haven’t used on before, or find them here.
- Speaking of your town, the parks and rec department often has discounted tickets for local attractions and events. Be sure to look there first if you’re planning trips to amusement parks, theater, movies and more.
- Online services that give you discounts and coupon codes instead of paper. My favorite is BigCrumbs. You can just save a ton yourself on the discounts offered for buying by clicking through on their site, you get cash back into your PayPal account, and can buy things like vouchers for using in restaurants. EVEN BETTER: If you invite your friends, you get discounts when they shop too! You could actually build a small part time business getting the word out, as more and more people shop online for deals and steals. You have to check it out if you’re serious about saving!
BigCrumbs - Cash Back
- My township uses RecycleBank – a great service that collects all recyclables into one big can, and then gives us credits to trade for coupons based on how much we recycle. Of course, it has its drawbacks: the idea is to REDUCE your output of garbage and recycling, but as long as I have some, I can get coupons for clothing, food, local pharmacies and more. Look into it for your community.
- Online coupon swaps. Coupon swaps online are a great way to find coupons for items you actually use, and trade them for those you don’t want. Look for our coupon swap discussion group very soon.
These are just a couple ideas, saving on groceries, gas and more with coupons means every little bit helps you put more money in the bank.