When I first started my frugal journey, it made me feel so good to redeem a coupon thinking that I am saving money. Unfortunately, redeeming a coupon doesn’t always mean that you are saving money. Once companies release a high dollar coupon like $3 dollars off Snuggle dryer sheets, most likely dryer sheets won’t be on sale for several weeks. You have a choice of going to the store right away to buy dryer sheet at full price ($4.50) redeeming $3 dollar coupon and paying $1.50 or waiting until dryer sheets go on sale and get them for free. I really like getting my dryer sheet for free and I hope you are too. When you cut or print your coupons, hold on to them until item goes on sale and only then redeem your coupon. Your savings will go up and you will be hooked on using coupons, when you walk out of the store with free items.
My other favorite method of walking out of the store with free stuff is buying travel size items. When I cut a coupon, I always read fine prints. If a coupon specifies which size of an item I must purchase in order to redeem a coupon, I must buy only the specific size that coupon indicated. However, if the coupon does not indicate a specific size or states that I can use the coupon on any size, I go to Target or Wal-Mart and buy that item in travel size if available. For example, Procter and Gamble often puts out a coupon for $1 off any Tide detergent. This means that I can go to Wal-Mart and buy travel size packet of Tide for free, because the cost of the travel size is $0.97. Over a year I have accumulated over 70 packets of free travel size Tide detergent. I have also purchased with coupons travel size lotions, shampoos, razors, deodorant and wipes just to name a few. Most of the time a coupon will beep if you are buying traveling size items, because the amount of the coupon exceeds retail price of the item you are buying. This makes cashiers nervous and they will tell you that you can not use your coupon. In this case I explain to the cashier that coupon states that I can buy a product of any size and redeem this coupon. If cashier is still not allowing me to use my coupon, I then ask to speak to the manger who always tells cashiers that coupon is acceptable.
Next time you are cutting out your coupon, read the fine prints carefully. If you have enough coupons, you can buy 5 travel size items for free that would be equivalent of buying one full size item at full price. If the desired item is not available in a travel size, wait until the item goes on sale and only then redeem your coupon. I promise your patience will pay off and you will never go back to paying a full price for anything.
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