When I became a SAHM, the first thing we had to do was slash our budget dramatically. Our budget is pretty tight with one parent at home so I began researching couponing. I was so intrigued by extreme couponers I was determined to make this my new hobby. I had never truly understood couponing, — anytime I tried to use a coupon I’d get up to the checkout and it would rarely pan out and that frustrated me.  I stumbled upon the book How to Shop for Free and it opened my eyes to a whole new world of saving money. These days, nearly three years later, I rarely buy anything of value over $10 without a coupon. Practice has made it a wonderful habit.

Here are 5 starter tips for navigating the world of couponing:

1. Read the coupon

Don’t just look at the picture on the coupon (which may indicate a specific product). Oftentimes, a coupon will encompass a broad range of a brand’s particular products while the coupon image may just be the latest product of the brand. A coupon can be worth more than just its face value when you consider the other products and sizes it encompasses.

2. Combine coupons with store sales

To save extra money, compare weekly sale ads at several different stores and look for items you want on sale. Combining a coupon and a sale saves you a lot of money. This is pretty relevant in the household goods and clothing departments I’ve noticed.

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3. You can use two coupons at once….sometimes

You can use a manufacturer’s coupon and a store’s coupon on one item. For instance, you can use a Target coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon on one item (like diapers). You CANNOT use two manufacturer’s coupons on one item (you can use them on two items) or two store coupons on one item.

4. BOGO’s are always a win 

Buy One Get One free deals are amazing because you can use one manufacturer’s coupon and one store coupon on each product — yes that’s two coupons per item. You can use a coupon on a product you got for free as your ‘get one’ thus bringing your entire purchase total down even more. And if you are an extreme couponer, this can mean making money (store credit)!!!

5. Watch out for tricky advertising

You can use a manufacturer’s coupon anywhere. I asked this question once when using a manufacturer’s coupon (label is always at the top by the expiration date) at a store that was not advertised on the coupon. Many coupons say “redeemable at xyz store.” Well this is not a mandate — it is an advertising ploy to get you to use your coupon at the store you most likely received it from.

Coupons can be tricky but if you know what you are doing they can be amazing!! I like to think of them as monopoly money that helps your money stretch further.

Do you use coupons?