Coupons Can Be Worth It
Coupons have always been a secret weapon for savvy moms. With a little bit of time and effort, you can save a lot on groceries and other necessities for you and your family. Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me. Here are some of the best places to find coupons out in the real world:
Magazines
Women’s publications such as Women’sDay, Redbook, Better Homes and Gardens, Real Simple (one of my favorites!) and Good Housekeeping frequently carry manufacturer coupons. Ahhh, coupons and a good read, all in one, what more could a girl ask for?!
In-Store
Coupons are all over store shelves, product packaging – even the back of your receipts. If you’re already in the store, why not look for them, and save that much more? A lot of grocery stores also mail out coupons to frequent-shopper cardholders – get on mailing lists and make the coupons come to you!
Junk Mail
It might not be pretty, but it could save you a lot. High-value manufacturer coupons are starting to appear in so-called “junk mailers” – so just be sure to look before you toss (or better yet, recycle).
On the flip side – coupons also have always been kind of a pain in the butt. All that collecting, compiling, and clipping – sometimes the money saved doesn’t seem worth the trouble you’ve gone through, right? Thank goodness for the internet. (Without it, I wouldn’t be here!) Everyday, more websites and apps pop up to take all the hard work out of collecting and organizing coupons. Here are a few of my favorites:
Dedicated Websites
Coupon websites such as Coupons.com and SmartSource.com offer big savings on lots of different things – and everything is formatted to be easily printed. Handy!
Social Media
Facebook and Twitter allow businesses to post deals and coupons for fans or followers to use. Follow your favorite brands and keep your eyes open for daily deals and special promotions.
Apps
Apps are where it’s at! My favorites are The Coupons App, Yowsa and CouponSherpa. They find me coupons, track them and keep me organized!
eBay
Did you know that there are loads of coupons for sale on eBay? Well, actually, most coupons state that they cannot be sold; however, sellers circumvent this by stating that you’re actually bidding on their time to cut, sort and list the coupons. This is a super way to stock up on coupons so you can stockpile an item when it’s on sale.
So now you’ve got a whole pile of coupons. How do you keep track of them all? How do you keep them from slowly turning your home into a giant coupon mountain? Here are a few tips to get you started:
Contain
Find a container to hold your coupons. Use a shoebox, a storage container, a coupon binder, a coupon wallet or a recipe box — it doesn’t matter what you choose, it’s just important to have a landing spot for all of those coupons.
Organize
Develop a filing system. Many couponers organize their coupons by grocery category–dairy, frozen foods, deli, etc. — but it’s not the only way to go. Find a filing system that works for you–by aisle, by expiration, etc. — and put it into action.
Evaluate
Purge regularly. Expired coupons won’t save you money, so don’t let them hog space in your coupon file. Set a schedule for purging expired coupons, and stick to it.
All in all, coupons can be worth it, if you’re smart about finding and keeping them (which I know you are). They truly can be a secret weapon for busy moms on a budget. Speaking of busy moms – or, to them, rather – do you need a break? I thought so. Nominate yourself for my “Momma Needs a Break!” contest by emailing a picture to getyourworthon@gmail.com, with a caption that explains why you need a break the most (hyper kids? stressful job? coupon-crazy?). The winner will be treated to a girls weekend getaway, courtesy of me and the folks at Fort Worth Community Credit Union.
Because you’re worth more (to us).
