[1]Why Bother?
Is it worth the time and energy to clip coupons? Is it even worth the cost of a Sunday paper?
Attempts to save money by using coupons often result in frustration after hours of clipping, searching the store and shopping result in total savings of $5-$10 dollars which seems small even viewed on an annualized basis of $260 – $520. But coupons are one key piece of a larger puzzle – Strategic Shopping. Strategic shopping combines multiple promotional marketing elements to realize the greatest possible savings. The ultimate goal is to purchase any given item at the lowest possible price which is often free and occasionally profitable.
Making Coupon Use Effective aka. clipping your way to a great annual vacation…
The most effective way to balance the time vs. money equation is to focus on saving significantly on key household and grocery staples. Select 25 – 30 items you purchase on a regular basis it is helpful to be brand flexible but not required. Assuming these items are purchased at a rate of four per month = 48 units of each focus item per year and a total of 1200 (48 x 25) total items.
How much can you save per item? Obviously the rate is variable and dependent on any individual’s shopping list but here are some common examples with five items in the categories of grocery, home care and personal care: *
[2]* prices are based on Brand Name items i.e. Tree Top or Motts Juice, Windex, Tide or Gain detergent, Crest or Colgate toothpaste etc.