Couponing: A Beginner’s Guide

Coupons are a great way to save more money at your favorite stores—especially the grocery store, where they can really cut down on your food bills. They're also easier to use than ever, and available in newspapers, mobile apps, and store flyers. 

Ready to save money? Here's a quick primer on how to start couponing.

1. Find Your Coupons

There are lots of quick and easy ways to make couponing a regular part of your shopping. You can find coupons in lots of places, including online, in the mail, and at the store. Here’s how and where to find them:

• In the newspaper. If you still get a Sunday paper, there’s usually a few inserts in that. Otherwise, some free local papers have coupons too.

• In the mail. You can get coupons sent to you in the mail by the manufacturers of the products you use regularly. All you have to do is visit their website, go to their “Contact Us” page, and ask to be added to their coupon mailing list.

• Store mobile apps. Most stores have their own mobile apps these days, often with digital coupons you can easily scan on your phone or apply to your loyalty account.

• Store flyers. These can be found at the store or in the mail. They usually list what’s on sale for the week, and they also frequently contain coupons.

• Email newsletters and promos. Sign up for a store's email newsletters to get exclusive coupons sent to your inbox.

• Product packaging. Manufacturers sometimes stick coupons on the packaging of new products to incentivize you to buy them and come back for more.

• Manufacturer websites. Most major manufacturers have printable coupons on their websites that refresh on a monthly or weekly basis.

• Coupon websites. There are many third-party websites that aggregate coupons and offer shopping rebates.

• Couponing apps. Similar to the coupon websites, you can find a variety of third-party coupon and savings apps full of discount codes or shopping rebates.  

Many retailers accept coupons sent out by the store itself, and coupons issued by the maker of the product. You can generally also stack these coupons, meaning you can use both types of coupons on the same product at the same time to save even more money.

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2. Prepare and Organize Your Coupons

Once you've sourced your coupons, be sure to‌ collect them:

• Download or digitally clip e-coupons or in-app coupons.

• Manually cut out coupons from newspaper inserts and store ads.

• Print online manufacturer coupons you'll use in-store.

Saving unnecessary coupons takes up space, and it can be a waste of time—so be smart about which coupons you keep. For example, if you notice a coupon for a brand of cereal you don’t usually buy, don’t waste your time clipping it.

Organize your physical coupons by store and product so you can find them when you need them. (Photo storage boxes can be helpful here.) Consider making a list of your digital coupons so you don't forget any important deals. 

3. Plan Your Trip and Start Shopping

Always have a plan of action before you head to the store. Create a shopping list of what you plan to buy based on the coupons, sales, and your needs.

Watch out that you don't add items to your list simply because there is a coupon. "Because it's on sale" isn't enough of a reason to purchase something you don't actually need and wouldn't otherwise buy. Don’t use couponing as an excuse to shop recklessly.

You also need to consider the best use of your time. Going a half-hour out of your way to a different store to save $0.50 on a can of beans isn't a good use of your valuable time. Focus on coupons you can use at stores nearby, particularly ones you know well. When you shop at a familiar place, it’s easier to find the items you need quickly and maximize your efficiency.

4. Maximize Your Coupons

Simply using a few coupons on your next shopping trip should help you save some money. But here are a few tips to help you really maximize your couponing game:

• Only spend on what you actually need. Just because you have a coupon doesn’t mean you need to use it; make sure you stick with healthy financial habits. If you spend money on unwanted items, you’ve essentially wasted your hard-earned dollars.

• Use coupons on things that are already on sale. Think of it as getting a discount on a discount. But note that not all sales are valid with a coupon, so you may have to choose between the two options.

• Double up or combine your coupons. Some grocery stores may offer double coupon days as an incentive for shopping there. Note that date on your calendar, and try to make this the date you always do your food shopping.

• Combine manufacturer coupons with store coupons. Doubling your couponing power isn’t always allowed. So check the fine print on the coupons or ask the store if it’s allowed before you start shopping.

• Buy in bulk. Buying in bulk typically results in a lower price per unit, but it only makes sense if you can use everything you buy before it expires. Items like paper towels won’t go bad, but bulk produce may go bad in a week.

It only takes a little time and effort to start couponing—but before you know it, couponing will become part of your weekly routine. Start small, work it into your shopping habits little by little, then watch your savings grow.

Master Couponing, Tame Your Debt, and Plan Your Future

Adding couponing to your shopping routine is a great first step to mastering your budget and taking charge of your finances. The skills you learn couponing, like getting organized and prioritizing needs on your shopping lists, can also be applied to your finances overall. The money you save can be used to help you in other areas, like paying off debt and taking control of your financial future.

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