While most families traditionally make a grocery-shopping list of items that are missing from their pantry or that they’re in the mood for, many savvy shoppers have learned to save a bundle by instead purchasing items that are on sale at that moment. Using coupons to save money is not a new idea, but as families today look to cut costs and feed their family on a budget, they’re taking advantage of online sites to find the best daily deals and shop smarter.
Timing is everything. Southern Savers offers a useful schedule that shows when many stores publish their coupon list, so you can keep track of your store’s weekly deals and capitalize on those regular savings. Also, scan your local newspapers and magazines for coupons (Sunday papers often have the largest section).
MashupMom.com offers tips for newbie couponers about how to combine or “stack” coupons. Stacking coupons is a way to get extra savings; the idea is to combine manufacturer coupons with store coupons to save doubly on the same product.
In addition to regular discounts at your local store, you can also find printable coupons, coupon codes, and advertisements at dozens of online sights for other grocery-store savings. To access some of these, you need to sign up to become a member of the site (which usually just requires completing a simple registration form) and you’ll need a printer at home to print out the coupons—but then you can search for coupons near you, often using your zip code to find a list of nearby deals and discounted products, from vegetables to toothpaste to pasta. Simply ‘clip’ the coupons you want, print them out, and stick them in your wallet until you’re ready to scan them and save at the store (but keep an eye on the expiration date). This is a handy list of sites that regularly publishes coupons—check them out to find daily deals near you:
Daily Grocery Coupon
Red Plum
Boxtops for Education
Coupon Network
Smartsource Coupons
A Full Cup
Pillsbury
Betty Crocker
What other resources do you use to find savings at your local grocery store?