How To Save Money With Coupons

Don’t limit yourself to one edition of the Sunday paper. Serious savers carefully go through the coupon inserts in several editions, because different papers carry different coupons. The money you save will more than offset the cost of the papers.

Print coupons from internet sites like coolsavings.com, smartsource.com, hotcouponworld.com, coupons.com, couponsurfer.com, and ppgazette.com.

If you can’t find coupons for your favorite foods, check the brands’ websites; they sometimes offer printable coupons.

Organize your coupons in an accordion folder by food type — frozen foods, cereal, beverages, etc. — and arrange them by expiration date.

Check your local supermarkets to determine which has the most generous coupon policy. Some won’t accept coupons printed off the internet; others never offer “double coupons,” or days when coupons count twice their value. Ask if you can “stack” coupons, or use both a manufacturer’s coupon and a store coupon on the same item.

Scrutinize your weekly store circular for sale items — especially those for which you have coupons. See if you can plan menus around discounted foods.

Get extra coupons for the items you buy all the time simply by writing to the manufacturer and asking for them (it helps to praise the product first!).

Organize a coupon swap with friends and neighbors, so they can take advantage of coupons you don’t use and vice versa.