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MONEY SMART ~ CLIPPING COUPONS CAN SAVE YOU MONEY

By Scott Hackmyer

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I like Tide Laundry Detergent. It’s a little more expensive than some brands, but I think it does a better job. Target almost always sells the 92 ounce bottle for $11.99. So here’s the art of using coupons and discounts.

 

In the Sunday paper there were $3 off coupons for Tide. Proctor and Gamble also has these coupons online. I was able to purchase my Tide for $8.99 a bottle using two of these coupons, but it gets better.

 

Target's offer was if you buy two bottles you get a free $5 gift card which basically takes another $2.50 off the cost of each bottle so now my cost is down to $6.49. I also have a Target Credit Card. When you use your credit card, Target takes 5 percent off your purchase price. This dropped the price another .45 cents per bottle, so my actual cost for the $11.99 large bottle of Tide was $6.04.

 

This is just one example. If you spend a few minutes looking for coupons or discounts you can save a lot of money. Even if you use one .25 cent coupon a week by the end of the year you will have saved enough money to treat your family to two pizzas. I usually save about $3 a week which in a year's time is $156. That’s the cost of what I usually pay for one month's electric bill. If someone said to me if you spend just a little time cutting coupons I will pay your electric bill for May, I would jump at that offer.

 

Some churches, apartment clubhouses and friends have boxes where people exchange coupons to get the ones they want. One secret about using coupons is to only use and buy items that you know you like and will use. Even if a deal is too good to be true if it’s for an item that will just sit on the shelf and never be used, it’s not a good deal. Shop smart, look for sale prices and use your coupons.