Coupons are a great way to save money. But if you’ve never clipped one in your life, it may be a tad overwhelming. Learn how to start couponing right here!
Learning how to coupon is simpler than you might think. You just need to have someone teach you the important things you need to know.
If you’ve come here to learn the extreme couponing you’ve seen on television, you’re in the wrong place. That’s not what I teach. What I teach you to do is to make coupons work for you to lower your grocery bill by as much as 50% – or more!
The strategies I teach are the same ones I’ve used for years. I’ve taught these techniques to thousands of people, who have learned how to apply them to save money at the grocery store.
This page is divided into sections to help you learn how to coupon, both in the store and online. We even share some of the recent coupon deals we’ve found to help you put your coupons to work!
- Quick Start Guide
- How to Use Coupons
- How to Save Money
- Deals & Online Codes
- Using This Site to Save Money
HOW TO USE COUPONS: QUICK START GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS
New to coupons? If so, you might be feeling overwhelmed. This six-step quick start guide will get you on the way to using coupons in no time at all!
STEP 1: LEARN THE BASICS
In the first step to getting started using coupons, you’ll learn the basics of couponing, such as how to redeem coupons at a store, how to read coupons, how to understand coupon policy, how to power up your savings by doubling or tripling the value of a manufacturer’s coupon, and many other couponing tricks. Once you understand these beginner’s tips, you’ll be able to find deals and start saving.
STEP 2: LEARN WHERE TO FIND COUPONS
You probably already know that the coupon inserts in your Sunday paper are a great resource for grocery coupons. But did you know there are lots of ways to snag money-saving coupons right in the grocery store? Get the inside scoop on “blinkies,” “peelies,” “wine tags” and more when you read my article on 10 places to find coupons – including the best coupon websites.
Also see: 10 ways to find coupons without buying the Sunday paper
STEP 3: LEARN HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND COUPONS
Just because you have a coupon doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to use it at the store you want. As with most things in life, there’s some fine print! In How to Read and Understand Coupons, I break down the parts of a coupon to help you avoid some “gotchas” – things like the expiration date, coupon codes, the quantity required to use a coupon and where the coupon can be used. I also explain why you should never, ever look at the photos on a manufacturer’s coupon!
STEP 4: KNOW IMPORTANT COUPON FACTS
If you’re just starting out with couponing, there are some important facts you need to know before you try to redeem coupons for the first time. If you don’t know these basic rules, you could end up frustrated and confused and want to quit right away. Be sure to stay away from fraudulent coupons, copied coupons and other no-no’s. Here’s what not to do on your shopping trip.
STEP 5: ORGANIZE YOUR PAPER COUPONS
By now you’re probably starting to realize that couponing takes some organization. That’s why I’ve shared my ideas about how and where you can keep track of all your money-saving deals. A lot of people swear by a coupon binder, but that’s not the only kind of coupon organizer out there. See how to keep tabs on your printable grocery coupons and quickly organize them each week – no more unused, expired coupons in the bottom of your junk drawer!
STEP 6: KNOW YOUR STORE
Every store has its own coupon policy. Find the national and regional store coupon policies for your favorite store, from Acme to Yoke’s and everywhere in between. Plus, learn what to do when a cashier won’t honor your coupon.
STEP 7: LEARN MORE MONEY-SAVING STRATEGIES FOR USING COUPONS
After you’ve been clipping coupons for a while, the next step is to learn tricks and strategies to help you save even more money. Here’s everything you need to know about double coupons, coupon stacking, BOGO offers, and other powerful but easy ways to save.
COUPON MASTER CLASS: START SAVING MONEY LIKE A PRO
After you’re comfortable with the basics of couponing, you can take it up a notch. And whether you are still new to this or already a ninja, my pro tips on how to save even more will help you maximize your money.
WHERE TO GET COUPONS
I know people who buy the Sunday newspaper just for the coupon inserts (OK, and maybe the comics). Those inserts are definitely an easy way to see which deals are happening at your local grocery store, and you can plan your week’s meals around them. But coupons aren’t just in the newspaper anymore. The Internet has expanded our options and made it easy to find digital coupons!
One way to use the web to find deals is to search for printable coupons. Find offers you like, print them out and take them to the store with you. However, you should print digital coupons only from the manufacturer’s website or reputable online coupon websites.
You can even move away from searching for paper coupons entirely and just “clip” coupons in dedicated coupon apps or on your grocery store’s website, and the savings will be applied when you check out. The popular Ibotta app takes a different approach and gives you cash back after your purchase if you upload a receipt.
You can also learn more about how to use coupons and find other resources for coupons and rebates to help you save money at the store:
- Where to Find the Best Coupons
- How to Coupon: A Guide for Beginners
- Why Extreme Couponing Doesn’t Work
HOW TO READ AND USE A COUPON
Coupons and couponers use their own lingo when it comes to talking coupons. You’ll want to educate yourself so you understand the lingo, too.
HOW TO REDEEM COUPONS
Once you understand the general principles of how to use coupons, you’re ready to start learning advanced coupon techniques. These are the ways people get some of the best deals at the store.
ORGANIZING COUPONS
If you want to use coupons, you have to be able to find them when you need them. There are many ways to try to organize your coupons, but these coupon-organizing ideas will help!
STORE COUPON POLICIES
One of the most important lessons you need to learn when it comes to how to use coupons is that each store has its own policy. Take time to read through it before you shop. It’s also a good idea to keep the link or printed policy handy when redeeming coupons. That way, if there’s an issue at checkout, you’ll have the resource at your fingertips.
- What To Do if the Store Refuses Your Coupons
- What Happens When the Store Doesn’t Follow Its Own Coupon Policy?
- How to Deal With an Anti-Coupon Cashier
ONLINE COUPONS
You can use coupons in the store, but you can also use them online. Understanding coupon codes and policies will help you maximize your savings.
HOW TO SAVE MONEY
Coupons are just one strategy when it comes to saving money. There are different ways you can save on everything you need, from apples to zippers.
GROCERIES
- 50+ Ways to Save on Groceries Without Using Coupons
- How Much Should You Budget for Groceries?
- Mistakes That Are Killing Your Grocery Budget
- How to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half
- Saving Money on Your Favorite Organic Foods
- Ten Money-Saving Secrets Stores Don’t Want You to Know
- Ten Simple Ways to Save More at the Grocery Store
- Saving Money on Bread, Meat, Produce & Dairy
- Ten Things You Must Know About Shopping at Aldi
CLOTHES
UTILITIES
- 50+ Ways to Slash Your Utility Bills
- 5 Ways to Reduce Heating Costs
- 7 Ways to Save on Air-Conditioning
- 5 Brilliant Tips for Lowering Your Cable Bill
- Awesome Tricks to Reduce Your Cell Phone Bill
DINING OUT
- Starbucks Money-Saving Hacks
- The Best Money-Saving Tip for Dining Out
- Tipping Properly When Dining Out With Coupons
MORE WAYS TO SAVE
- 20 Ways to Save Money on Amazon
- 10 Tricks for Saving Money Shopping at Target
- 5 Tips to Save Money on Toilet Paper
- Annual Buying Guide: The Time of the Year to Buy Everything
- 5 Secret Tricks for Getting the Lowest Prices on Airfare
- Lowering Your Pet Costs
- How You Can Save Money on Fuel
- Ditching Debt
COUPON DEALS & ONLINE COUPON CODES
You can find some of the most recent deals and offers right here on Penny Pinchin’ Mom!
COUPON DEALS IN THE STORE
One of the best ways to save money is to know which store deals are available at your local store. Because this site covers the entire country, we try to keep the deals we share to the stores that can most commonly be found. To find current in-store deals, simply click on the icon below for that store.
ONLINE COUPONS
Coupons are not limited to in-store use. In fact, there are online coupons you can use every day. However, finding these codes can be tricky. Fortunately, we’ve got the coupon codes for some of the most common stores right here!
To find the most recent online coupon codes (and discounts), simply click on the store icon below. We’ll send you to that page to look through the list, so you can get the code you need.
USING THIS SITE TO SAVE MONEY
I’m here to help you save on everything you need. Here are some ways I do just that.
SIGN UP FOR OUR EMAILS
We offer emails where we share all of the most recent deals we’ve found. Make sure you’re signed up, so you don’t miss a thing!!
JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP
Connect and chat with others who are looking to save money, too! Head over to join the Penny Pinchin’ Mom Facebook Group.
FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST
I often find money-saving ideas and articles from other blogging experts. Make sure you follow me on Pinterest!
LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MONEY
We’re constantly sharing new ideas and concepts that you can use to better manage your finances.
ASK QUESTIONS
Our FAQs section should answer all of your questions. But if it doesn’t, just leave a comment or contact me, and I’ll be more than happy to help!