Couponing Makes Cents
Posted by Prince Institute on Wed, Jan 25, 2012 @ 03:30 PM
Being a student is about making smart financial choices. Investing in your Prince Institute education is an outstanding choice and so is saving money on the little things … by couponing! Couponing is not as difficult or time consuming as people think. Once you start, it quickly becomes a habit that you don’t want to break.
Take advantage of websites that match store sales with the weekly coupon inserts that appear in the Sunday papers. One of my favorites is jillcataldo.com. Jill’s site lists sale items at both local and national stores like Walgreens and Target. Links are provided to the corresponding coupons that you can print out and take with you to save even more.
Some retailers, like Target, Jewel, and Dominick’s, have store coupons that you can pair with a manufacturer’s coupon for additional savings. Some sales generate a Catalina coupon (a coupon that prints with your receipt at the end of the transaction) when you buy specific items, which you can apply to a future purchase. Sometimes, you can actually make money on a purchase once you factor in the sale price, coupon redeemed, and Catalina coupon.
Have you noticed the Walgreens “Register Rewards” ads? You may be surprised to find that you can use the ones that have “Manufacturer’s Coupon” printed on them toward your store purchases at Jewel. Walgreens does not return the favor—so don’t try using Jewel coupons at Walgreens when you purchase lotion or aspirin.
If you end up with free items that you have no use for, consider donating them to a local food pantry or charity. With the tough economy, food pantries are serving more and more families. The recipients of your donations will be very grateful. There are even pet food pantries that reach out to families in need with pets.
One last tip—do not forget to send in for rebates on purchased items. You might be able to “stack a sale” and score a deal as I recently did when purchasing a box of cereal. While the cereal was on sale, I used an in-store coupon with the manufacturer’s coupon, and took advantage of a gas gift card promotion. The result: I received a much larger discount than I would have with just coupons—the cereal was free, and by mailing in the rebate I earned $10 in free gas.
So, plan ahead and see how a smart “little” choice can make a difference. And finally, best wishes for success in couponing and success in the studies that lie before you!
By Vivian Han, Receptionist, Prince Institute—Great Lakes