Shopping Wisely with Grocery Coupons

C. Jeanne Heida, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Oct 23, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

Not terribly long ago, savvy grocery shoppers could take a pile of coupons to the grocery store and trim a whopping 15-25% off their bill, and even more on double coupon day.

Those days are long past I'm afraid, at least in our community. Double coupon days have gone the way of the Dodo bird, and the manufacturer's coupons I can really use seem to be nonexistent. Most of the coupons turning up in the Sunday circulars these days are for over priced convenience grocery items that a scratch cook wouldn't consider buying. Is clipping coupons still worth the trouble?

How to use a grocery coupon to your best advantage

Our family clips the Sunday coupons for the groceries we use on a regular basis, and take them with us every time we shop. In our community, local grocery stores often put those promotional items on sale in hopes of luring customers to their store. When these store sales are combined with the manufacturer's coupon, the savings can be terrific. The secret of course, is making sure that between the store sale and the discount, the item is still priced less than a comparative brand.

As far as the other coupons? Stay away from the convenience foods but for most non food items, these are usually worth clipping. Coupons for personal care products, detergents, cleansers and nonfood items are often in that $1 to $2 off range and can be paired up with a store discount for incredible savings.

Where to find the best grocery coupons

The best coupons are the ones you find in a store circular. Many grocery stores have special coupons on what I call "scratch" groceries, but these are usually tucked away somewhere in that store ad. Get in the habit of grabbing the circulars on the way inside the store, since these coupons are often not advertised elsewhere. The circular is where a shopper can find coupons for house brands, produce, dairy items and meat products and those "unadvertised specials."

Certain coupons are a bit more promotional in nature and offer a discount on one product if the customer buys two other products. These promotions can get a person into trouble by encouraging them to buy a grocery item they don't need in order to get something free or at a reduced price. However, if the item is something you can use, by all means go for it! These promotional coupons can usually be paired with a manufacturer's coupon for double the savings.

Some grocery stores such as Albertsons and Kroegers, print merchandise coupons on the back of their receipts. I have found some astonishing good values on the flip side of the receipt for grocery items our family really can use. And don't forget to check the inside of your grocery packages! Some grain & cereal companies will print a coupon on the inside of the cereal or cracker box for a $1 off a future purchase.

Coupon shopping isn't as straight forward as it once was, and these days, merchandise discounts seem to come more from the store than from the manufacturer themselves. But clipping coupons is by no means a waste of effort. By taking advantage of store sales and discounts, and matching them up with coupons for things you actually use, you will be pleased to discover the savings at checkout.

Published by C. Jeanne Heida - Featured Contributor in Business & Finance and Lifestyle

Jeanne is a small business owner with 25 years experience in the real estate industry. A consistent Y!CN Top 100 writer, her articles can be found at Y!Finance, Shine, Your Wisdom, DEX, and the Scripps Net... View profile

Shopping Wisely with Grocery Coupons

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