Tips on Saving Money with Shopping Coupons

Like they say, time is money. The more time you spend, the more you earn through the savings!

The cost of a newspaper has gone up these days, but that does not mean that it is not worth the few dollars. Many newspapers print the total coupon $ amount on the cover so you can get an idea of how many discounts you will find. Keep a pocket in your wallet for your coupons and surprise friends with your savvy ways of saving when you pull out a discount for the place they are just about to go to.

We have been trained to look for the lowest price and often focus on just going to a low-cost leader. Remember, costs on some low-priced items are balanced out on other products are retailer sells that are not necessarily a better deal than other stores in the area.

Sometimes we shop where we think we will find the lowest prices, but take the time to find out which grocery stores in your area have the best rewards and multiply your coupons you end up saving more money! Stores like Walmart I have noticed adjust their prices throughout the season, or prices vary by store. The stores with better customer service sometimes end up keeping customers by rewarding with earned discounts (10 cents per gallon on gas) or incentives ($1 = 1 airmile on every purchase). It is worth digging into, I save a typical 25-35% of my total grocery bill.

Hold onto those perscription refills! Even if you don't need to fill the Rx, hold onto the ones with cheap generic costs (under $10) and wait until you find a coupon for a free gift card with transfer purchase!.These cards range from $10-$30 with a transfer to another local Pharmacy. I have filled a $3 prescription I didn't really need, but got a $30 card with the transfer.

Get bonuses with gift card purchases in several places. Many grocery stores or pharmacies offer extra points, gas discounts, or gift card bonuses when you buy gift cards. When the holidays arrive and you purchase gift cards for friends and family, make a trip to a store and see what they offer. You often have to scan your frequent customer card to earn these but the bonuses are for you.

Every year does the local school band sell the massive coupon books for about $20 each? You may not want to fork over the $20 right then, but not only do you support the kids but you really do get the savings. Often there are more grocery coupons that equal the cost of the book you can use throughout the year. Even airlines have 10% off discounts for flights. It is also a great way to try new places! If you often go out for lunch with friends from work, skip paying the $7-12 dollars a meal at your usual place. Grab your friends or co-workers and try something new with the local restaurant buy-one-get-one-free coupons. Not only does it break up a week but you save money at the same time. Publications like the Entertainment book also have a website for members where most discounts are available.

Stock up if you need to. You many not need a gallon of ketchup from a club store, but if you stock up items you know you would use, do it! Juice, canned food and toothpaste don't expire too soon and may be worth the extra purchase when on sale.

Buy one get one free gum .. for free.. one of my favorites is chewing gum coupons. I don't ever feel it is something I want to pay $1.99 for a pack, but it nice to have around.The newspaper often has discounts and coupons for these, but hold onto them until your local grocery has them on sale as well. This way you can get the buy one get one discount with the coupon, and then the additional promo the store is running. I end up with a lot of gum this way for free!

In all, time is money and if you just spend a little time, you can save the $$! Take a minute to look through the junk mail on the way up the drive way and you might be surprised what you can find. Also, dont forget to proof your bill after you pay to make sure everything rang up at the right price. More often than not there are mistakes. Sometimes an old sale sign you saw is left on the shelf and you pay more than you thought you would, or signs just don't match the register price.