Rule Six: Use as many coupons as possible. How to bend it: Before you buy an item just because you have a coupon, ask yourself if it would be cheaper to make from scratch, if a store brand would be cheaper, or if you really want the item or are purchasing it just because you have a coupon. Some people aren’t meant to be coupon queens, and I’m one of them! I find it frustrating to clip coupons for everything, and in a rural area, the selection is limited and brands I have coupons for are not always available. I clip high-value coupons for cereal and soap – and that’s all.
Rule Seven: Never clip coupons for snack items, prepared foods, and other expensive items you don’t buy. How to bend it: Save high value and buy-one-get-one-free coupons for these convenience items anyway. Occasionally stores will offer the item at a very low price and then you’ll be ready to stock up! Consider clipping coupons for new items as they may be promoted with very low introductory prices.
Rule Eight: Save POPs, UPCs, and receipts, and get rebates and free items. How to bend it: Like clipping coupons, I found that for the most part, rebates aren’t for me. Despite the time I spent clipping and filing, I could never seem to collect the required number of items before the offer expire . But sometimes the effort is worth it. Last year, I purchased two, 36-roll packages of toilet paper for $5.98 each. I mailed in the required two POPs and the receipt and got a $10 rebate! I got 72 rolls of toilet paper for only $1.96!
Rule Nine: Only shop every two weeks or once a month. How to break it: If you have the willpower to purchase only sale items, shop again if there’s a fantastic sale on something your family uses a lot of, like cereal or soda.
Rule Ten: Compare prices and specials and go to several stores, if necessary, to get the best deals. How to break it: Consider the amount of time and gas it takes to drive across town to save 50 cents on coffee. Unless the special is exceptional, you’re probably better off shopping at one store where you’re familiar with the layout and sale cycle.
Use these rules and other tips and suggestions you gather from books, magazines, and websites, as guidelines. Bend them, break them, or throw them out completely. Make the shopping rules work for you!
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