Do you love watching those shows where shoppers check out their groceries for pennies on the dollar? Would slashing your food budget this month allows you to splurge on a date night or family weekend? It is possible with these three basic rules that every coupon queen follows. No matter what you are shopping for, here is how to save money every time you buy something.
-
Use Competitors Coupons and Price Match
Most stores don’t advertise it, but they’ll often accept competitor’s coupons or price match other local stores. So, check with the customer service desk at all your favorite stores for their coupon and price matching policies. As an example, Best Buy price matches Amazon. For example, you can get many electronics, games and appliances at 50 to 60 percent off Best Buy prices.
Here’s how: Scan the item in-store with the Amazon app. If Amazon offers a lower price, just take your phone with the Amazon page to the cashier and they’ll cash you out at the Amazon price.
-
Give up Brand Loyalty
You can save big bucks by avoiding being loyal to a specific brand. Shop the brands that are on sale, not the brands you’re used to buying. By switching between things like laundry detergent brands, cereal brands and salad dressing brands you’ll save since most grocery stores rotate which brands they offer on sale each week.
Don’t be afraid to buy generic, either. Safeway Select brands, for example, are just as tasty as brand names. Better still, they always come at a much lower budget price.
-
Stack Those Deals
This is the number one thing coupon queens do to maximize a deal. Pull together all your weekly shopping ads so you can base your grocery list on what’s on sale. Add a coupon to a sale item, and you’ve stacked a deal. Download grocery apps like Ibotta to stack coupons, with sales, with refunds to get triple savings.
Check websites like Couponmom.com and Passionforsavings.com to get breakdowns of the weekly deals by store, so you don’t have to find the deals on your own. That way, you’ll not just save money, you’ll save time, too.
Everyone has to spend money on food, clothing and other items. But by being smart about spending, your savings will add up fast.
