Couponing can result in extremely successful money-saving results, and so more and more people are getting into the practice of cutting coupons. However, many newbies go into couponing without any knowledge or a strategy. Therefore they almost always make unnecessary and costly mistakes. Here are the most common mistakes that every couponing newbie makes.
First, many couponers are not educated in couponing. They do not do their research and simply show up to a store with a coupon and expect it to work every time. Coupons expire quickly and sometimes promotions change on a day-to-day basis. New couponers are frequently ignorant of different store policies and regulations, and so they often are disappointed when they can’t use a coupon or a coupon has expired. Many new couponers rely on workers or cashiers to let them know if a deal is available or if they can or cannot use a coupon. Experienced couponers know not to rely on these individuals. You need to know the rules yourself to ensure you get the appropriate discount or deal. There are lots of websites available to help you navigate different store coupon and promotion policies such as Money Saving Mom and others.
Next, many couponers are not organized. They may put coupons into a plastic baggie or simply stuff them into a wallet or bag. This is an easy way to lose coupons or get yourself flustered and stressed out. It is very inefficient and annoying to have to shuffle through lots and lots of coupons, hoping you will re-discover the one you were looking for. Instead, it is best to keep these coupons in a binder with small sleeves for each individual coupon. You can categorize these by store or by product type for easy accessibility.
Often new couponers are also guilty of going on couponing frenzies. They get so excited about the coupon clipping process that they start clipping every single coupon they see, in hopes that one day they will use or need it! This is not only a waste of time, but it can also cause you to become seriously unorganized. Experienced couponers know that they should only clip coupons that they will actually use. These should be items that your family really needs, not just items you think maybe you could possibly use eventually. Cutting these unnecessary coupons just clutters your binder and gives you more work to do. Plus, these coupons can actually cause you to spend even more money instead of saving it because you may end up buying products you didn’t really need and probably would not have purchased otherwise.
As with learning any new skill, it is natural that couponing newbies will make mistakes. It is common for them to be unaware of store coupon policies, to be unorganized, and to be unfocused. Whether you are using coupons for electronic shopping or to shop in a physical store, you can learn from the mistakes of newbie couponers to apply to your own couponing practice for more successful and rewarding results and savings during your shopping trips.