Couponing is a great way to save money as long as you’re doing it the right way. Can saving money be any easier than cutting out deals? However, while it’s an easy way to save money, there are some common mistakes that people make that can negate some of the savings. Here are those common mistakes and why you should avoid them.
Keeping Your Coupons Online
Relying solely on online coupons isn’t the best way to save money because there’s a chance that you may not be able to access your deals. The reason for this is that DDoS attacks are on the rise. In 2021, there was a 573% increase in attacks on Layer 7 DDoS. These attacks prevent servers from bringing you to the website that you need to access your coupons, which can keep you from the deals you had saved in the first place. Consider taking screenshots of your coupons instead and keeping them in a secure folder on your computer rather than relying on a network.
Not Reading the Fine Print
The fine print on coupons give you all the information you need about how to use them. Unfortunately, if you don’t read the fine print, you may wind up overspending at the store. The fine print is where you find all the details about when and how the coupon applies. No one likes to get to the checkout only to learn that a coupon was expired or it didn’t apply to this specific item from the manufacturer. It’s frustrating and time consuming. Read the fine print to ensure you understand the limits of the coupon before you use it.
Spending More to Use the Coupon
Couponing can be exciting, and sometimes that excitement overlooks the obvious fact that you’re paying more to use a coupon than you would if you didn’t use the coupon. Many coupons that you find online will have requirements like buy 4 at regular price and get the 5th one free. FREE is the word that stands out, but when you do the math, you may not actually save anything, and in some cases, you may be overpaying.
You have to look carefully at what your bottom line cost is to get the most value from couponing. Buying an expensive item to take advantage of a coupon for a less expensive item isn’t really savings.
Overstocking on Items
The coupon craze has everyone starting these “stockpiles” of goods. While it can be nice to have a years supply of toothpaste, the question is, “Do you really need it?” Overstocking on goods that you may or may not use is time consuming (time is money), requires extra space to store it all, and ultimately may wind up rotting on the shelf before it ever gets used.
Buying Things You Don’t Use
Another mistake is when you find a coupon online for something that you don’t use and you use it anyway just because it is such a great deal. This is spending money that you wouldn’t normally spend to get an item that you likely won’t use. This isn’t saving money.
The real glory in couponing is finding coupons for the things that you would normally be buying anyway. Of course, you can switch between brands if you can find coupons for different brands than you would normally buy. Buying things that you don’t need or want to use a coupon is wasting money, not saving it.
You can save a significant amount of money if you coupon the right way. Learn more about the common mistakes people make when using coupons to ensure you don’t make the same ones.
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