You are told a lot of times that the simplest way to get a discount when shopping is using coupon offers. Well, this is true. Nonetheless, what you are not told is that it’s not that simple to use these offers. You don’t just walk into a store and submit your coupons to the teller. You need to have a plan. So, you have to prepare for the shopping experience. That’s how you take control of your purchases.
If you are not sure where to start, here are 7 clever tips to use:
1. Make a Budget
If you are looking to have better control of your shopping, it’s wise to have a working budget. Following it will protect you from making impromptu purchases. You need to decide beforehand how much you are willing to spend. Of course, you have to factor in the discounts that you’ll get when you use coupon codes.
2. Create a Shopping List
Before you can step out of your house to go to the store, you have to be sure about what you are going to get. So, you need to create a shopping list that coincides with your budget. Once you are done with this, you should look at your coupons to see which of them apply to items on your list. This will help you decide about what items to go for first and what to get last when you have some money to spare.
3. Discount Over Sale
So many people make the mistake of rushing to buy items using their coupons just because the items are on sale. What they don’t realize is that not all sales equal good deals. Some are just a way to promote a product and the prices are likely to drop over time. So, it makes more sense to first determine if what you are getting is a discount and not just another sale.
4. Calculate Your Saving
Discounts are offered in terms of percentages or money off. Even free shipping means money off since you’ll not cater for the transportation. So, it’s important to calculate what you are getting. Some discounts don’t make sense and should be skipped for those that do. For example, a coupon promising $0.50 discount off may not guarantee you a significant saving. Accordingly, you should get the one that promises more saving.
5. Organization is Professionalism
When you are storing so many coupon prints or cutouts, it’s easier not to keep watch of their expiry date. You can also miss a coupon. For this reason, organizing them is important. It’s a professional way of couponing. You can organize them based on date, type, and store.
Here are the options to use:
- Filing box
- Plastic binder
- Cardboard dividers
- Large clear container
- Shoe boxes
6. Leave the Kids Behind
You know how kids are when you take them shopping. All they want are candies and toys. Such items may really mess up your budget. Just to avoid any kind of inconvenience, better leave them at home. Besides, you can always grab a few items on your way back home to give them.
7. Patience is Key
Lastly, you don’t have to run to the store every single week just because you have some coupons that need to be redeemed. Provided that their expiry date has not reached, you should take time to decide what you really want to buy. Some purchases don’t make an economic sense to you and so they need to be avoided. It’s not just about saving but finding value in the saving.
Couponing is an industry that has so many challenges. However, you still have to try to find ways to leverage the power that coupon offers possess. Simply put, you need to have absolute control over your shopping. That’s what the above tips are all about.