Saving Big with Coupons
It is common for new college students have
sticker shock on the cost of college housing, books for school, not to mention
college tuition. However, there are ways
to save on basic living expenses. Just remember the following acronym:
SAVING BIG WITH COUPONS.
Sunday paper- purchase or have a friend or family member mail you the
coupon pages.
A list of items bought on a regular basis, food, health and beauty aids,
and basic household items is a must to know which coupons to be on the watch
for.
Visit the stores on or near campus and follow what deals they have each
week. Check to see if they have a mobile
app for your phone to see their ads and online coupons. Some stores only have flyers and then the
coupons will need to be cut out. Sign up
for their free rewards cards. Some
stores even give special rewards on your birthday!
Items you don’t
normally buy….beware of these coupons and don’t allow yourself to get swayed
into buying them or you will just be spending and not really saving.
NEVER go shopping when you are
hungry or without your coupons.
Go to the store
with a list and coupons and stick to it.
Balance your couponing time with your school work. The whole reason you are going to school is
so you can make more money in the future, so….school needs to come first!
Invest in an inexpensive printer to download and print coupons from sites
such as Dealspotr, Red Plum, and Smart source.
Get your roommates in on couponing and
split the bill. With a combined effort you might be able to purchase $100 worth
of products and pay only $25 each!
Whenever you can “stack” coupons do it!
Combine a store sale with online coupons, rebates and newspaper coupons
to maximize your savings. Krazy Coupon
Lady is a great site that does a lot of the work for you.
Instead of going to the store whenever you
want, plan on going once a week. Most
local grocery stores will offer BOGO (buy one, get one free.) Combining this with coupons and you will save
a lot! Look for sales on items for
which you have coupons, as well.
The occasional splurge: use coupons
for pizza, or other takeout food when there is no time to cook or you just need
a little treat.
Have knowledge of the
coupon policy for the stores at which you shop.
Check your receipts: Sometimes you
can save up to 20% on your next purchase just by filling out a short online survey!
Online coupon codes…use
these for saving on laptops, printers, textbooks, and anything else you might
need for school or your dorm.
Use the in-store weekly ads. Use
rebate apps and send in your purchase receipt to get money back! Use your student ID whenever possible for
saving on purchases and ask if you don’t see posted discounts.
Purchase a 2” Binder with page protectors labeled my month and file
coupons by expiration date to make them easier to find.
Organize schedule
to fit in an hour or so a week for clipping, filing, and searching online
coupons.
Name brand verses
store brand: Most of the time you will
spend less on a store brand item when using a coupon than when purchasing a
similar store brand item.
Save money and
enjoy your college experience with less financial stress by using coupons!
Essay by Alycia Carey, participant in the Dealspotr
scholarship giveaway at https://dealspotr.com/scholarship-giveaway .
