You Don’t Have to Be an Extreme Couponer to Save

This post is for you if:

•  you watched one of those new couponing shows and felt exhausted afterwards.
•  you told your husband/BFF/self that couponing was just too much work.
•  you wish you could use coupons to save money, but you don’t know where to start.
•  you  just feel too lazy or too busy to use coupons.
•  any, all, or none of the above apply.

My name is Dianna, and I’m a guest blogger from Savings in Seconds.  I’m a mom, teacher, and saver. I love to save money and time, but I feel that “couponing” has really earned a bad reputation in the past couple of years.  I decided to save money my own way, in a way that works for my family and me.  I save when I can and don’t stress about it when I can’t. Here are a few of my strategies.

First of all, I choose only one or two stores to shop.  Go there only when it’s worth the time. I don’t make a special trip for just one free tube of toothpaste.  My time, gas, and energy are worth more than that.  Limiting myself in this way also helps me not to buy extraneous merchandise that I don’t really need in the first place.  “Stockpiling” would just be more stuff for me to keep up with.   You can shop at daily deal sites or local websites to find ways to save at these stores, too.

Secondly, save on products that you were buying anyway.  Take an extra second or two to look at the packaging to see if any coupons are stuck to your product.  See if one of the boxes in the back flaunts that it has coupons inside the package.  Is there a bonus pack, one with a free sample attached?   Make a place in your house for keeping up with those packaging coupons, so you can save on items that you already buy. Those little savings can add up, and you’re not stuck dealing with hundreds of other coupons that you’ll never use.   Don’t forget to sign up for the deals at restaurants you love…..you might just get a message like the one below!

Next, make the products you have last a little longer. Getting to the end of your shampoo or conditioner bottle?   Put a little water in it and make it last a few more days.  Do this with each bottle and you’ll eventually save yourself one free one!  I buy my children’s clothing from Boden because it washes so well.  I never have to scrub out a stain or wash something 20 times hoping a stain will come out.  Yes, it costs a bit more, but it saves me oodles of time and frustration.

Finally, discover the joys of shopping online!  When I come home from work, I have another full-time job waiting for me (kids!!)   I can’t remember the last time I had an un-rushed trip to Target.  I started buying a lot of our needs online, including food, laundry detergent, and almost all of our clothes.  Yes, I could shop on the clearance racks, but that would require taking my three year old with me and a lot of screaming in the store (mostly by me.)  By using discount codes and cashback programs like ShopAtHome, I am able to save money, time, sanity, and sometimes even EARN money!   It can be a very budget-friendly way of couponing without spending a lot of time in your car running from store to store.  Shopping for a swimsuit in your pajamas…………Need I say more?

I hope you find a way of saving money that works for you.  It is really rewarding to be a good steward of your family’s resources.

Disclosure: Some of the links posted above are my referral links.