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Maybe you’ve tried to use a coupon or two in the past . . .
But you’re not getting the savings you’d like.
You may think you just don’t have enough time, but don’t get too upset.
Devoting too much time to couponing may be working AGAINST you.
There are 3 ways to coupon in minutes. If you deny it, you’ll lose out on the savings you deserve.
It might be little over the top.
I understand, but . . .
Here’s Why Not Paying Full Price is Vital
Before we get going with the tips, you may wonder:
Why work so hard?
What’s the point?
The driving force behind your efforts is an overarching goal.
Zig Ziglar once said:
A goal properly set is half reached.
To build your couponing muscles and show marked enthusiasm for it, I’m sharing my insight to actually plot out savings while enjoying television. Yipee! So let’s say you need to get a staple for your wardrobe, purchase an appliance you’ve been meaning to replace or maybe get your kid an extra pair of uniform pants. Instead of paying full price, opt for spending less while enjoying your favorite show.
You may start to actually look forward to this process because you will watch something you like while efficiently cramming in a money-saving session. So instead of trying to make more hours in the day, kick back, watch TV and prepare to get a discount. It sounds silly but it works.
How to Start Couponing While Being a Couch Potato
So I’ll stop my little rant and I’ll walk you through what I do.
1. You’ve got mail. . .to sort.
Go through your mail during commercials. See if there are any coupons to save or dates to remember from flyers, store promos or seasonal coupons. There might be an upcoming sale on something you were meaning to purchase. Maybe there’s a sale on paint or that big appliance. Gather up these flyers and coupons you will need in the future. Use the time during commercials again to get organized. You can even go through any offers in your email at this time too.
2. Turn your receipt into a coupon.
Many store receipts have special offers, contests or future discounts if you answer surveys about your shopping experience. We all mean to do this but it ends up at the bottom of our to do list. Before you know it, the chance to reap the potential savings expires and that’s leaving money on the table.
Every now and again, I’ll get a receipt with an option to fill out a survey for a certain percentage off on my next purchase on one regularly priced item or a percentage off the total purchase. This is the easiest way to guarantee a a lower price in the future and it doesn’t take long to do at all. If you want to stick your toe in and try this method, this is definitely the way to go to learn how to start couponing for clothing stores and other places that sell seasonal items.
At first, this can seem like a pain in the neck especially if filling out the survey cuts into your precious free time. I try not to do that. Instead I fill out the surveys during commercials. It actually becomes an enjoyable experience because I’ll watch a show like The Last Comic Standing and in between laughs, I plug away at my surveys during commercials. They really don’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes to complete. I recently did this for Old Navy and was able to line up my rewards in such a way that I got my daughter a pair of pants for 85 cents.
2. Just Google Calendar it.
Google Calendar is your friend when it comes to getting more for your money in the near future. Enter information about promotions, future sales and coupons for clothing stores, chain stores and any other places you where you want to shop. This is not a method for grocery store couponing. This is more for items you buy less often and need a reminder to go shopping at a certain time to make sure you don’t forget the sales or coupons. This reminder comes in the form of an email subject line. How efficient is that.
The Bottom Line
If you don’t want to pay full price, learn how to start couponing so it’s not time consuming or dreadful. You can blend it into to your routine by doing small tasks intermittently while watching television. Use the time during commercials to get tasks done such as mail sorting, logging in promotions and coupons on Google Calendar and taking advantage of discounts offered on receipts.
“I love how you’re always scheming for new ways to make your stuff INTERESTING. That post with the guy in the wilderness video? Hotness! Keep that creativity flowing so we can all continue being entertained while learning in the process. You help those of us with A.D.D. to come back.”
J.Money, Budgets are Sexy and Rockstar Finance