Why Everyone Should Use Coupons!

This is a guest post by Cassie @ MrsJanuary.com

Hello there! My name is Cassie and I am here to tell you why I think everyone should use coupons.

Simply put – coupons save you money. If you learn to use them the “right” way, they can actually save you ALOT of money. Spending just an hour every week to look for, clip and organize your coupons can save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars every year. Last year I saved over $13,000 using coupons. THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, PEOPLE! I still can’t believe it, myself. This was all possible because of coupons.

Using Coupons Is Too Much Work – NOT!
I cringe every time I hear this line. I mean, seriously, I saved all of that money last year and also worked. I did not sit on the computer all day, every day, trying to find deals and coupons. I spent a few hours a week researching good deals, ordering and clipping my coupons. I would spend about an hour once per week planning our weekly menu and my shopping trip. Another hour at the grocery store and that’s it. I’d say I average about 5 hours per week dealing with coupons. But you don’t have to spend that much time!

I use coupons on a massive scale because I donate and even sell some of my stuff, so I need to spend a bit more time with the deal hunting. If you just want to save even 50% off your monthly grocery bill, you really only need an hour or two (including the time to shop) to dedicate to coupons.

My favorite place to clip coupons is in front of the TV in the evenings. I find clipping to be SO BORING and just doing that in my office would probably drive me absolutely insane. By clipping coupons while I watch TV one night, it doesn’t bother me as much. The work gets done and I also get to enjoy some TV time.

Coupons Allow You To Try New Products On The Cheap
I have tried many new products since I’ve been couponing. These are things I would not normally have purchased, because I was content with what I was using then. However, when I receive a coupon for $1.00 off something that is on sale for $1.79, I think it’s worth it to give it a try. If I end up loving the product – awesome. If not, I can feel good knowing that I didn’t pay full price for it.

If there are products you want to try but can’t find good coupons for, I would suggest contacting the manufacturer directly. Simply tell them you would love to try their new product but find the store prices to be too expensive. Ask them if they can offer you any money saving coupons and a lot of the time, they will say yes! Don’t be discouraged if they don’t, though. Just email them another time and ask again. Maybe you will get a nicer representative that time. ;)

Save Money On More Than Just Groceries
Coupons aren’t just for food and household items. You can also find many coupons for clothing, local services and restaurants. Always check online for any coupons that may be available to use at the store you are about to visit.

If you plan on shopping online, always search for “_____ discount codes” through your search engine to see if there are any promotional codes available to those stores. Many times, there are. It may take a few tries, but you can almost always find a coupon code online!

Coupons are my best friend. Is that sad? Either way, I save tons of money so neener neener!

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Cassie is a 24 year old Canadian mom who blogs about personal finance, frugal living and deals & coupons. If you enjoy saving money and living a frugal life, you might enjoy her website MrsJanuary.com

{Jamie’s Note: How awesome is Cassie that she saved $13,000 using coupons last year. That is AMAZING! I was also glad to hear that she finds clipping coupons as boring as I do!  Do you think everyone should use coupons?}