How to Remember to Use Coupons

Amy Brantley
We all know how valuable coupons can be. We spend every week clipping them out, matching them up to sales and then what happens? We forget them at home. A lot of good that does. Instead of leaving valuable coupons at home, or forgetting to use them in the checkout, here are some tips that will help you remember to use your coupons.

Tip #1: Stay on Track With Coupons

Once you miss a few weeks of clipping and organizing your coupons, it can be easy to just let it go. Instead of letting your coupons become a mess, set aside time each week to clip, organize and match coupons with sales. This time can also be used to go through your old coupons and weed out any that have expired.

Tip #2: Create a System That Works

The reason many people forget to use coupons is that they have coupons all over the place. Coupons find their way into your purse, car, kitchen, junk drawer and sometimes even the bedroom. Instead of letting your coupons roam free, round them up into a binder. I've found that a binder is the best solution for keeping coupons organized. Not only does creating a coupon binder allow you to easily see what coupons you have, and the expiration dates, but they also allow you to create as many sections as you need. Having all your coupons in one spot makes it easier to find and remember to use coupons. There are numerous sources online for creating a coupon binder, but they can be customized to fit your exact needs.

Tip #3: Keep Your Coupon Binder Handy

It doesn't do you any good to spend time organizing your coupons and then not have them with you. Keeping a coupon binder in your car is sometimes a good idea, but you can often forget to bring it inside to organize. If you have a large purse, that's the perfect place to keep a coupon binder. Either way, find a way to remember to bring your coupons along. For example, sit the binder next to your car keys once you get done organizing it.

Tip #4: Place Coupons With Items

Once you've put an item into your buggy, place the coupon with that item. That way, you remember to use the coupon and the cashier can easily match the coupon to the product. If you're purchasing several groceries at once, place the coupons for the items already in the buggy in one hand and move coupons from your binder to your hand as you place more items in the buggy. Another good tip is to place coupons you plan to use with your store discount card so that you can hand both to the cashier at the same time.

Published by Amy Brantley - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle

A passionate writer who specializes in food-related content and has hopes of changing the way people think about cooking. Has published over a thousand pieces of food-related content. Amy is available for wr...  View profile

  • Create a system that works for you and stay on top of it.
  • Keep coupons in an easy to remember location.
  • Single out coupons you plan to use as you add items to your buggy.

11 Comments

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  • Luke M.11/17/2010

    Interesting. Thanks.

  • Heather White9/27/2010

    Great tips! I always forget mine. Thanks for the helpful ideas!!!!!

  • Sophie S9/21/2010

    I know I've forgotten coupons at home enough times than I care to remember! Thanks for these tips, Amy.
    Sophie

  • Kristie Leong M.D.9/20/2010

    Great tips! I'm terrible about clipping and then forgetting to use them. :-)

  • Richard L. Meister Jr.9/17/2010

    Oh, one more comment. Putting your coupons on your items in your cart is a good idea--if you're not the type of person who believes your shopping cart is a race car. I've seen people practically run through the store. If they did that, there would be coupon scattered for one end of the store to the next. Wind power!

  • Richard L. Meister Jr.9/17/2010

    Good tips, Amy. I used to get so mad at myself because I would gather up my coupons, put them in my shirt pocket, get to the store, buy the coupon items, get into my car and be halfway home when, oh, crap, my coupons are still in my pocket! But now that I do most of my shopping at Costco, all I need to do is tell the cashier I forgot my coupons. No problem. When the cashier is done, all the coupon savings is taken off. When it comes to my favorite cashier I don't have to say anything. She'll deduct them. Costco only takes their store coupon but if you have one coupon then all coupon items will be deducted.

  • Darlene Michaud9/16/2010

    These are great tips!

  • Charlotte Kuchinsky9/16/2010

    Coupons I remember. What I need is an article on how to remember take in my darn green bags.

  • Theresa Leschmann9/16/2010

    I make a mark on my grocery list - something "2/$1.00" so I know I have a coupon and how many itmes I have to purchase to qualify.

  • Charlene Collins9/16/2010

    Hi 5! Page view love!

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