Coupons that offer money off particular products or for shopping at particular places can be a great way of saving money.This article looks at coupons that you can use to cut the cost of your grocery shopping: both how to find them and use them.
Where to find them
Tracking down coupons can be a bit of a treasure hunt. You're never sure where you're going to find them or, indeed, what you're going to find. You can typically find coupons:
- In newspapers as part of an advertisement.
- In free supermarket magazines.
- On product websites.
- At specialist coupon websites.
With regard to the latter, Penny has been scouring the internet and came up with the following finds:
Check them out, but be sure to browse safely!Putting them to use
Most coupons are very easy to use. Just hand them over to the cashier before they begin scanning your items. If you're using a self-scan machine, there will usually be a special page for entering coupons; if you have difficulties, ask a member of staff who will be happy to help you.
Location, location, location
Some coupons limit where they can be redeemed. This is especially true of those found in free supermarket magazines: typically the vouchers can only be used in branches of that particular supermarket. Sometimes even particular branches are excluded, so be sure to check the small print carefully.
Time limits
Most coupons feature expiry dates. Some of these can be quite generous, offering several months for redemption. Others can last only a week or even just a day. If you're considering using a voucher, it's important to check that it hasn't yet expired.
If you take to couponing as a hobby and become a seasoned coupon collector, it can be helpful to file them away by reference to their expiry dates.
Points to note
Saving money with coupons is all good and well, but there are a few things that should be borne in mind:
- Most coupons cannot be used 'in conjunction with any other offer'. If the item in question is on special offer already, consider whether the coupon is really worth using instead of that offer.
- Don't be tempted to buy things that you wouldn't normally buy except as a replacement for something you normally buy.
Conclusion
Couponing can be a useful (and sometimes fun) way to save money on your groceries, but due to their very nature they are not an especially reliable method of cutting your costs. Find and use what you can, but don't go to more effort trying to find them than they are worth.
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