How to shop with grocery coupons for beginners
Food prices up 10.4% (opens in new tab) in June 2022 compared to June 2021 you are probably looking for a way to reduce costs.
Dealing with grocery coupons might seem tedious and overwhelming, but it’s a way to keep more money in your pocket when you venture to the grocery store.
You might also be relieved to know that collecting shopping coupons doesn’t have to become a hobby (or obsession) to save money. Below is a beginner’s guide to couponing to help you get started.
Grocery vouchers: what they are and how they work
At a very basic level, a coupon is a discount that shoppers can use to pay less for an item. In the world of grocery vouchers, these are the main types of vouchers:
- Shop Coupons: Shop vouchers must be redeemed in the respective store. For example, you can only use one Giant (opens in new tab) or Kroeger (opens in new tab) Voucher at Giant or Kroger.
- Manufacturer coupons: Manufacturer coupons come from the manufacturer and can be used in many different types of stores. For example, a General Mills coupon could be used to purchase General Mills products at any grocery store that accepts the coupon.
- Catalina Coupons: Catalina coupons are the coupons printed off your receipt at checkout, which can be manufacturer coupons and other store-related discounts.
- Loyalty Vouchers: If you are a member of a certain store, you may receive special coupons and discounts exclusively for members.
The discount option of a voucher may vary. For example, some coupons give you a dollar amount off when you buy one or two items.
In other cases, you can buy one item and a second one for free. Reading the terms and conditions for each coupon can help you identify exclusions of items not covered by the discount.
Where do you get vouchers?
We all know you can get coupons in the Sunday paper, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Shoppers can also get coupons online through sites like Coupons.com (opens in new tab)Redplum.com (opens in new tab)TheKrazyKouponLady.com (opens in new tab) and SmartSource.com (opens in new tab).
For example, Coupons.com offers coupons that you can print or save. Also, you may be able to connect your loyalty card to Coupons.com to add digital coupons.
This way you don’t have to print and keep the paper. Instead, the coupons on your loyalty card should be applied automatically when you use your loyalty card at checkout.
In addition to visiting coupon websites that group coupons together, you may also be able to go directly to a grocery store’s website to find coupons. Below is a snapshot of what Harris Teeter is (opens in new tab) has to offer.
Finally, manufacturers can have their own coupon and bonus pages. For example, PepsiCo has its Tasty Rewards website (opens in new tab)where you can find deals on drinks and a wide variety of PepsiCo groceries like Doritos, Quaker Oats and more.
How to maximize coupons
Well, this is where the magic happens. You may have seen episodes of reality TV shows where people buy groceries and actually get money back instead of paying for their big haul.
How do you do that? Here are some possibilities:
- Use multiple coupons for one item. Some retailers allow you to use multiple coupons for one product, and by combining a manufacturer coupon with a store coupon, you can pay almost nothing for products. If the coupon is higher than the item price, you can even get a credit on your bill.
- Use coupons for discounted products. If a store is offering a sale on an item, issuing a coupon for that product can help you pocket even more money.
- Some stores will double coupons. Sometimes stores will double the value of your coupons. For example, if you have a coupon for 25 cents, that value will be increased to 50 cents. The Grocery Coupons Guide website (opens in new tab) lists grocery stores in each state where you may get double the value. The list does not mention when the information will be updated. So you could use them as a starting point, but you may need to confirm offers at the retailers mentioned.
By reading the fine print, you can avoid having your coupons declined at checkout by trying tactics like using multiple coupons at once.
And if your coupons are declined, don’t worry – treat it as practice and get instructions on how to use them next time.
Putting a coupon strategy into practice
Couponing can become overwhelming when you have a pile of paper lying around that’s hard to find when you’re trying to make a purchase. Here are a few tips that might help you get started with couponing with less stress:
- Check your pantry. Be aware of the products and brands you buy so you can look out for relevant coupons, and be sure to check manufacturers’ websites for deals on brands you use regularly.
- Find an organizational system. The best strategy for managing your coupons is the one that works for you. You could get a small accordion binder or decide to trade with digital coupons only.
- Schedule couponing time. Pick a time during the week to browse various newsletters, coupon books, coupon websites and manufacturer websites to find coupons and deals.
- Subscribe to coupon websites. Sites like The Krazy Koupon Lady regularly post grocery and drugstore deals along with coupons, so you can sign up to get ongoing deals delivered to your inbox.
- Delete expired coupons. Keep track of coupons that are no longer valid so your coupon stash doesn’t become unwieldy.
What if couponing isn’t for you?
Let’s face it – couponing isn’t for everyone. And if it’s not for you, you can always save at the grocery store with other bargain strategies. Here are a few websites that offer money-saving deals that don’t involve cutting off any coupons.
- Ibotta (opens in new tab): Ibotta is a shopping deals app that gives you money back when you shop at certain retailers. After signing up, you get access to exclusive cashback offers that you can activate online at checkout. For personal shopping, you may be able to save cashback offers on your loyalty cards or submit receipts to claim your discount. grocery deliveries (opens in new tab) can also qualify for cashback.
- Rakuten (opens in new tab): Rakuten is another cashback site that offers deals at retailers, including grocery stores like Kroger and Food Lion (opens in new tab).
- Treasure (opens in new tab): Honey also offers cashback offers at various retailers and on certain products for members.
While it’s true that setting up couponing or signing up for a cashback website can take time, the time invested can pay off when it leaves more money in your pocket.
Consider setting aside time on your calendar for bargain hunting this week and experiment to see how much you save.