I seem to enlighten or enrage folks where ever I go. One thing that drives me CRAZY is wasting money. I hate to see people just tossing cash away stupidly. I realize no one made me steward of other people’s money, but this just irks me. During the holiday season, it’s amazing to see how quickly money is lost because of poor planning on the part of shoppers.
I just returned from Bath and Body Works yesterday, where I spent $20 and got $26 worth of FREE products by using coupons. The woman in front of me spent nearly twice as much and got NO free items or discounts. By my reckoning, she’d have saved up to fifty percent if she’d had taken time to get a coupon or two.
There are some stores you should NEVER shop without a coupon. Let me repeat that- NEVER! Too many coupons exist from these retailers to even grace the doors without a little advance preparation.
On the short list of couponing retailers:
1. Bath and Body Works- There isn’t a month that goes by without this trendy spot hosting some sort of deal. Where to look? Do a Google search for “printable coupons” or check out their site. You can also call your local store and ask about current coupons. Once you’ve made a purchase, typically you’ll get a coupon for at least a third off your next visit. However, free product coupons may also exist. Hunt a few moments and you’ll likely uncover one. The deal I found on the internet for a free $13 item with a ten dollar purchase was a better bargain than the one being offered in the store.
2. Victoria’s Secret- What you’ll often find online are printable coupons for free Pink items with a purchase. In recent months they’ve given away free panties, a T-shirt for $5, and a free tank top with any purchase. Nearly all of these need to be taken into a store to be redeemed.
3. Walgreens- Check out the Sunday flyer for clip and save coupons. Walgreen’s doesn’t post these prices on the items or even in most cases, will alert you in the store to clip and save prices. Last week, Christmas labels (packs of 24) were on sale for $1.99. With a store coupon, you could get these for less than a buck. I watched two people buy these without saving extra last night. Just because it’s on sale, doesn’t mean that price is the bottom line. Check the Sunday flyer (also available in stores) and their monthly savings booklet for additional cost reductions ( in the store, usually near the rack with Sunday flyers). You can stack these in store coupons with manufacturer’s coupons to save big time! Frequently the store employees will alert you to these “in store” coupons. But with the holiday madness, it’s likely you may lose out if you don’t check prices for yourself.
4. CVS- No coupons in the Sunday flyer, but they do have up to two monthly booklets with additional “clip-free” savings. Find one upfront by the racks with the weekly flyers. Ask an associate for any other savings booklets. Often the pharmacy has additional coupon books.
5. E.L.F. Cosmetics- This new kid on the block makeup dynamo has cheap, cheap prices and decent products. But don’t comfort yourself with those rock bottom prices alone. You can get 50 % off some items, a free product or free shipping by using coupon codes that are readily available on the internet. Check here for latest coupons. One thing about Eyes, Face, Lips (E.L. F.) and coupon codes- you can’t stack them. So choose wisely the code you use. For example, that free item offered might seem tempting- but FREE shipping might be a better value. Usually shipping is about $7 on their site. Choose offers that gain you more than that to really save.
6. Sephora- You will find frequent freebies from Sephora if you look. As part of their promotions, Sephora’s in JC Penney’s are giving away free items on what appears to be a monthly basis. These don’t amount to cash savings usually as much as complimentary items, but trial sizes are fun to have and give to others.
7. Clinque, Estee Lauder and Lancome- Each of these offer free products with purchase in various months. You can score a really nice set of trial size skin care or makeup products when these specials are underway. You won’t be saving out right cash, BUT these promotions can save by giving you a month or more of items you don’t have to purchase. In the past, I’ve received enough moisturizer samples to carry me through another month or even two. Ask at your local beauty counter when these are scheduled for the year and plan your purchases accordingly.
8. JC Penneys, Kohls, Sears, Old Navy and Macys- NEVER, ever buy anything at suggested retail at these stores. Everything goes on sale and nearly every month you will find coupons somewhere for these stores. Sunday flyers or in-store campaigns abound. Shop when Kohls gives cash back bucks (about every six weeks) and use these on sale items to make your money go farther. Sears and the other stores often have scratch off savings coupons to save an added 30-40 percent. Complete store surveys to gain extra bucks when they offer these. Old Navy hardly ever has coupons for retail stores, but if you watch their sales and clearance, you can eventually buy nearly everything for less than $10 on clearance. (Many items reduce to less than $5). Wait a while and it’ll go on clearance. If you can’t wait for closeout prices, shop their weekly items. Each week they have one item in a wide array of colors that is greatly reduced.
9. Kmart- If you don’t scan your Kmart flyer, you are losing out. Not only do they offer double manufacturer’s coupon days frequently, you’ll find clip out coupons from time to time in their flyers.
10. Target- Has new online printable coupons. You can gain free products by using these. Last week Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate was on sale in stores for $1.00. If you looked at their coupons online, you’d find a printable coupon for a dollar off this item. Print up to two and you’d get 2 of this product free. Small savings add up. If you get only 2 one dollar items free a week using this method, you’d save over $100 a year on your grocery budget. For most families, this is like a week of free groceries!
Add up the grocery savings, free products that give you a few weeks of use and gifts that you gain by using coupons and watching deals- you’ll be shocked to know the average family can save up to a third of their budget by this method! Tomorrow I’ll talk about how to make an extra $2k a year.