Are you a former coupon user who got away from the habit but now wants to return? If so, you should be aware of a few changes to the coupon scene. Let’s examine modern couponing and how it differs from what you may remember. Let’s also see how you can use today’s methods to your greatest advantage.
Traditional Couponing
Perhaps, when you think of coupons, you have fond memories of helping your parents cut coupons from the weekend newspaper. As the influence and sales of physical newspapers dwindled, so did the practice of clipping coupons.
Physical Coupons
But paper coupons haven’t disappeared. They’re still available in weekend newspapers around the country. They’re also often included in free community newspapers, too.
If you want paper coupons without paying for a newspaper, the neighborhood gazette may be your answer. But, for a larger assortment of coupons, ask your friends and relatives for their inserts. You can, with permission, also gather coupons from the newspapers available in libraries, coffee shops, and other places where people gather.
Coupons by Mail
Some marketers use direct mailing to get coupons into the hands of potential customers. At least once a month, they tend to blanket their target area with coupons ranging from grocery store staples to fast food items.
However, most serious coupon users have migrated from physical coupons to digital ones. If you shop online, you probably receive electronic coupons in your email inbox at least once a week. So, there’s no more need to devote hours each week to combing through newspapers and bulk mail to clip coupon after coupon.
Digital Coupons
Electronic coupons also solve a huge storage problem. Previously, it was necessary to use a filing system and notebook to keep coupons within easy reach. Finding the correct coupon could be laborious and frustrating.
In contrast, you can easily rearrange your digital coupons to suit your preference with a few clicks or swipes on your phone. The coupons are always handy since you probably never leave the house without your smartphone.
Some internet sites may not always use the term coupon. Instead, they may refer to a discount code. The effect is the same. They both save you money.
The only difference is their appearance. A digital coupon is often graphically designed to resemble the traditional paper coupon, but a discount code is simply a string of numbers, letters, or a combination of the two. Still, other sites may use the phrase discount voucher.
Free Items
Today’s coupon culture enjoys tremendous convenience. However, you will have to adjust to the way coupons have changed regarding savings.
For example, one of the most exciting things about old-school coupons was the chance to save so much on the grocery bill that the store ended up owing you money. The experience not only thrilled the buyer but also earned the astonished admiration of the cashier and the customer standing next in line.
Those days are gone, but saving never goes out of style. You can still dwindle a price down to zero. And there’s nothing not to like about getting an item for free.
Stacking Coupons
Fortunately, you can still stack or combine coupons in many stores. Suppose the retail location offers a coupon for an item, and the manufacturer provides a different coupon for the same product. Stacking the coupons together could give you substantial savings.
One of the easiest ways to coupon stack is to use a coupon for an item on sale. That’s an instant increase in savings with little effort.
Multiple Value and Identical Coupons
You might also remember those special days when a store would double or even triple the value of a coupon. You’ll have to look long and hard to find a company that continues that practice.
Identical coupons are still accepted, but not in large quantities. For example, the product’s manufacturer may allow five, but the store where you’re shopping may cap identical coupons at three. If so, the store’s policy overrules the manufacturer’s.
The manufacturer is simply setting a maximum allowance for its product. As long as the store doesn’t violate the manufacturer’s guidelines, it can restrict the acceptable number of identical coupons to protect its own interests.
Trustworthy Coupons
Make sure you gather your coupons from a reliable source. If the coupon fails at the cash register, there may not be anything that can be done. It’s common for retailers to forbid cashiers from manually entering coupon information. The restriction is one more hedge against coupon fraud.
Rewards Programs
To get the most from your favorite stores’ coupons, you’ll probably have to join their rewards program. Usually, enrollment is simple and free, requiring little more than an email address or phone number. You typically receive a plastic rewards card you present at the register with each purchase.
A retailer will make its coupons available on its website where you can select them with a click instead of a pair of scissors. Then, your coupons are applied to your purchase when you present your rewards card at the register.
In other words, that one card could replace a wallet full of paper coupons. And the transaction takes place with one scan. The cashier doesn’t have to scan each coupon individually.
Rewards Rules
The rewards cards, true to their name, gift you for shopping at their stores. For example, a grocery store reward card may give you $2 in credit for spending $10 on a particular item.
Each retailer will have its own rewards rules. For example, the amount of credit may change each month. Likewise, the specific items eligible for rewards could change as well.
For stores without a rewards card, you simply store the digital coupon on your phone. Digital storage makes it simple to organize and reorganize your collection according to the circumstances.
Are you excited to dive back into couponing? As always, it’s a great way to stretch your money a little further, but today’s couponing is even more convenient than ever. Review this article a few times, and you’ll be well on your way to taking full advantage of your favorite coupons.