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Money Girl

098 MG Go Coupon Crazy

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Broadcast on:
19 Nov 2008
Audio Format:
other

Like what you hear? Help us out by writing a review at iTunes. Questions go to money@qdnow.com. Thank you!

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Hello, and welcome to Money Girls' Quick and Dirty Tips for a richer life. I'm your host, Laura Adams. In today's show, I'm going to share tips on how to save big bucks using coupons. Even though I love the idea of saving money with coupons, I've never been a big coupon clipper. If I did find a good coupon in the past, inevitably it wouldn't make it to the grocery store with me when I needed it at the checkout line. But lately I've heard a couple amazing stories about people who bought over $200 worth of groceries for something like $10 using coupons. So I did some research to find out how these huge savings are actually accomplished. Using coupons for everyday expenses takes time and dedication, but can really be worth the effort if you create an easy-to-use system. Most people who find success with coupons share some common advice for novices like me. 1. Get Organized If you don't know what coupons you have, you'll certainly never use them, right? Consider buying a coupon organizer, or you can use an accordion file, a three-ring binder with clear sleeves, or even envelopes in a shoebox. No matter what your filing method, be sure to label your organizer with the product categories that you're going to collect. Here's a suggested list of 15 common shopping categories. Meat, dairy, sauces and condiments, canned goods, crackers and cookies, pasta and rice, bread, frozen foods, baking ingredients, breakfast foods, snacks, beverages, personal care, baby food and supplies, and household supplies. Tip #2. Make it easy. One of the best tips I found was to sort coupons into categories that you'd find grouped together in the grocery store. So if you always go to a certain store and shop it from the left side to the right side, for example, make a note of the product categories you find as you move through the store, then bring your coupons with you in this order. Tip #3. Be proactive in your search. Finding coupons has become much easier in our age of information. Sunday papers and store flyers are still a great way to find them, but don't limit yourself to just those sources. Good taste is easy to spot, but hard to pin down. You know it when you see it, and in today's culture, there's no greater signifier of taste than the car you drive. You want something sophisticated, but not stodgy. Daring, yet classic, approachable, but with an air of opulence. It may sound like a rare find, because it is. And it perfectly describes the Range Rover Evoke. Drive a statement piece with pure presence. The Evoke is charisma in motion. This luxury SUV is artfully crafted and designed to stand out, and the reductive exterior is an elegant expression of Range Rover DNA. With clean lines, the minimalist design speaks for itself. The chisel taillights give it a sense of motion. Even at standstill, you'll find quality materials and solid craftsmanship at every turn. 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And if you ever need help or guidance, they have an expert license support team to answer your questions, handle all the paperwork, and advocate for you throughout the process. It's never too late to plan ahead. Go to policygenius.com or click the link in the description to get your free life insurance quotes and see how much you can save. That's policygenius.com. Are you struggling to close deals? Cold Outreach is wasting the time of both the buyer and seller at every stage, especially when sellers are using outdated data. Your organization can overcome these challenges with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, the first deep sales platform. Right now, you can try LinkedIn Sales Navigator and get a 60-day free trial at LinkedIn.com/trial. That is LinkedIn.com/trial for a 60-day free trial. Let LinkedIn Sales Navigator help you sell like a superstar today. Print out coupons from the many websites that offer them. Check out coupons.com, smartsource.com, coolsavings.com, shop@home.com, coupon album.com, entirely coupons.com, and bradsdeals.com, just to name a few. There's even a site for organic coupons called organiccoupons.com. And why not go straight to the manufacturer for savings? If you're brand loyal, visit the company website to see what they offer. You may be able to sign up for a mailing list that will email you coupons. Tip number four, stay current. Set aside a few minutes each week to throw away all expired coupons, or if you shop on a regular basis, purge your file before you go. Consider putting coupons in order of their expiration date within each of your product categories. And tip number five, prepare to shop. When you create your grocery list, write in on an envelope, then put the corresponding coupons that you want to use for those items inside. When you arrive at the checkout line, you can hand them to the clerk right away. I found that the holy grail of couponing is to layer savings. This means using a coupon for an item that's already on sale. Many stores will let you double up like this. And speaking of doubling, some stores will even double the value of coupons all the time or on certain days. Here are some more tips to consider for maximum savings. Never waste time cutting or printing coupons for items that you don't buy. Don't spend money on any item that you really don't need, just because you have a killer coupon. As you shop, be on the lookout for coupon caddies on the store shelves. Know your prices. Coupons for brand name products may still be more expensive than a generic that suits you just fine. Keep a list of the items you frequently purchase and their regular prices. This will help you know when you find a really good deal. If you have the storage and freezer space, buy in bulk. If you shop regularly at a certain store, ask what their policy is regarding expired coupons. I've heard that some stores will honor all coupons even after their expiration date. I'm glad you're listening. If you haven't taken the money girl survey yet, please go to moneygirl.quickanddirtytips.com. You'll find the link on the left sidebar. It's a very short survey designed to help me improve the show and understand what financial topics are most important to you. Also, feel free to e-mail me with your questions or show topic suggestions. The address is money at quickanddirtytips.com. That's all for now. Courtesy of money girl. Your guide to a richer life. Imagine earning a degree that prepares you with real skills for the real world. Capella University's programs teach skills relevant to your career so you can apply what you learn right away. Learn how Capella can make a difference in your life at capella.edu. Thank you.