Going grocery shopping is essential in any household. Sometimes shopping for food is enjoyable and other times it can be a time consuming and expensive activity. With so many people being on a tight budget and needed to feed several people. There has got to be a better, more cost-effective way to shop! I am here to tell you about some of the best couponing tips to help cut down on the time you spend at the store as well as how much you are spending.
Make A List
A list is a must. Make sure to add the things you can not go without onto your list first and the projected price at the store. Afterward, pick up your sales ads. Write down all the sale items you see that you need. Write the correct description for each item including the weight and sales price beside the description. Be sure to list if other special buy prices or coupons are included in the ad pricing. After making the list calculate your total price so you can see your budget and make adjustments as needed.
Pro tip: Make sure you list your items in like categories or by where they are located in the store. This will help minimize your time in the store by ensuring you do not have to zigzag around the store to get everything on your list.
Pair your Coupons
After making your list, and looking over the sales ad for the best price, it is time to look for coupons. Sometimes these coupons are noted in the sales ad. If this is the case, it should note where you can find the coupon online, Sunday paper, or in-ad. Otherise log onto sites like coupons.com, your store loyalty account online and check the coupon section, or check your Sunday paper insert coupons.
Pro tip: While shopping you can find coupon blinkies around the store and sometimes on the product itself. Be on the lookout for these coupons, and pick some up even if you are going to use them at a later date.
Eat Before you go
I always recommend eating a meal before you head into the store to shop. You can eat a light snack, breakfast, or lunch. I don’t know about you, but seeing food makes my stomach growl when I haven’t eaten anything. Not only will you feel hungry, but your need to eat will make you start adding unnecessary items to your cart. These items can cost you time and blow your projected budget. So again, I advise to never shop hungry.
Don’t forget Your Rebates
If you have downloaded apps like Checkout 51 and Ibotta, don’t forget to collect cash for items you bought. You can do this by linking your store reward cards to the app. For the apps with this feature, you simply ad offers before you shop or immediately after, and the rewards roll in automatically after they verify your purchase. This can take up to 5 days for some applications. If pairing your rewards card is not an option, break out your receipts and goods when you get home. Pull up your app and add the offers you received at the store. Once you have made your selections, you must verify your receipt by taking a picture of it and verify your items by scanning their barcode. Afterward, you hit submit and wait for your cashback to be deposited on your app.
What are some of your best couponing tips? Feel free to share them in the comments below.
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