How to Never Use Coupons Again and Save money!
Shopping with Kids
I was on the hunt to save money! The year was 2019, and it was an ordinary shopping trip. I was maskless and fancy-free. It was quite a scene. I had one kid in the cart, another in the aisle, and paper coupons in my hand. This was the struggle bus for sure.
The article said to do all the things with the coupons and I was determined to save money on those five containers of detergent! Was it the 32 oz. bottle or the 72 oz. one? Going to the store with coupons seemed like it would be easy enough before I left the house.
“Hey, don’t touch that!”
“Wait; what?? You have to use the restroom?????”
Give me a break.
I CAN’T WITH THE PAPER COUPONS!!!
Going out with kids solo is an adventure by itself, but checking labels on products and checking paper scraps in your hand makes it a bit tougher.
There’s a better way to save money. Read on my fellow parent or person that stumbled on this site.
Online Codes to Save Money
Sign Me Up for Savings!
There is a little box on nearly every website where you can plop down your email address for a neat discount. Do this first if you are seriously considering buying from a website because it may take a little while to get to your inbox.
I haven’t had much luck with this, but sometimes companies will send you codes for future purchases. Often, the item also has to be full price, and I just don’t roll like that.
Referral Code It Up!
Out of the kindness of their hearts, people will recommend a product. Eh, it’s because they get points or something. That’s ok as long as you are getting a discount too! People love to post links like this on social media. Additionally, you can search “referral codes for________.”
Search Away
In addition, you can also search “coupon codes for ______.” I have been pleasantly surprised many times when this turned up savings.
Using Rakuten to Save Money
If I remember, I go to Rakuten first to do my online shopping. I’m not naive. Take my info on what I am buying and give me that cash back! Rakuten pays out to your Paypal once a season or so if you have at least $20.
Another way to play the Rakuten game is to go there first and pick a store giving the highest cashback. Maybe you have a gift to buy and need some ideas on stores to buy.
Credit Cards are Not Bad (sometimes) to Save Money!
That Credit Card in Your Wallet
A credit card may give you cash back on your everyday purchases. For example, a bank credit card doesn’t care where you shop but may give you points based on what you buy, e.g., gas, clothing, groceries. That’s a nice perk if you can control your spending or make a payment as you purchase items.
Store Specific Credit Cards
Now, these are a little fun (to me, at least). If you shop at one particular store a lot, you may consider just getting a store card for the cashback, discount, or other perks. For example, Target gives you 5% off and free shipping. I like to combine those benefits with sales!
Best Time to Shop to Save Money
Holiday Savings
We are all familiar with holiday weekend sales. If you are close enough to a sale promising big deals, it’s worth checking it out. Just take note of the “regular” price and what their “sale” promises. To clarify a store will mark up a price a few weeks before to say their product is on “sale.”
End of the Season
Clothes are an excellent example of a seasonal item. Stores both online and off need to make room. If you have a kid, why not buy a size up or two for the next year. Catch the summer deals and save the clothes for another year if you have another kid. Maybe it is cool in your house year-round, and those shorts on sale will be great all year round. Catch the end of the season and catch the deals. Remember, “end of the season” may not be the end of the season. The end of summer is September, but an end of season sale may be in August. You can also make a reminder if you like shopping at a store and don’t want to miss their “end of season” sales.
Going Out of Business
Sadly, some stores don’t make it. If you can catch a “going out of business” deal, needless to say, you can save a lot. Sometimes it is one store in a chain that is going out of business. The news will often forecast a chain going out of business or closing a massive amount of stores. Check your area to see if any local stores are affected.
Other Brilliant Ways to Save Money
Imperfect Items
It’s a glorious sight to see. Some of these items are barely scratched but at huge discounts. Sometimes a package is ripped, but these are great deals if you see something you can use. We have found great deals on snack foods and random items like dishwashing gloves. You may want to ask your friendly employee what day they put end cap items out. It may be a random day or every Thursday.
Rainchecks
I remember rainchecks when I was a little girl. Some stores still do this! If an item that is on sale is out of stock, you get a raincheck. A small paper gives you the same deal to get another time when they have the item available.
Make the Most of it All to Save Money
I had a unicorn kind of a moment a few months back, and I could go through Rakuten, use my store credit card, with a clearance item. I was quite proud of that moment. Of course, you don’t need to save if you don’t buy in the first place, but that is an entirely different article. For now, be smart when you have to shop! Try to use as many of these helpful tips as possible and share it with a friend. How many of these did you already know? Which of these were new to you?
