There are a lot of great ways to save money. When it comes to one of the best and innovative ways to spend less in stores, couponing is definitely up there on the list. However, unless practical and correct couponing skills are used, couponing can actually have some detrimental effects that end up costing you more, which means you won’t be saving anything at all. By destroying bad couponing habits, shoppers can continue to save money and not be scammed into myths about couponing that may very well have them spending way too much on grocery, shoes, and other imperative items.
When you buy more, you save more
There are tons of myths roaming around about couponing and how to do it correctly. One of the most popular and commonly believed myths is that when you buy more, you save more. This belief poses a variety of problems; however, it is easy to believe this statement as it seems to make common sense to most people.
Just think about it: You get a huge pile of coupons in the mail one morning. While cyphering through the wide variety of coupons, you come across some amazing deals for the local grocery store. These deals include everything from buy one, get one free to buy three and get the fourth for half of. While it may seem like a great idea to buy multiple items to get the last one free or at a discounted price, one should ask themselves this highly imperative question: Do I really NEED to have multiples of the item in question? While at some point it may be a good idea to stock up (cereals, frozen foods, etc) some items should not be purchased in bulk, including such products as makeup, hair dye, and other things of that nature.
Another aspect of the ‘buy more, save more’ that one should consider is if the coupon is truly offering them a discounted price. Think about it: If the coupon is offering you a deal but you must buy multiples in order to get the deal, will the end price really be cheaper? Or would it simply be cheaper to purchase one of the item? When it comes to using coupons for any good, one must ensure that the coupon is surely offering them with a deal they can’t resist, and a deal that WILL save them money. Otherwise, a foolish purchase will be made simply because the individual believed a common myth about couponing.
Buy an item because there is a coupon for it
When it comes to mistakes in couponing, there is practically an endless list of possibilities. One of the most commonly made mistakes when it comes to couponing is the act of buying an item simply because of a coupon. When people decide to purchase an item simply because they run across a coupon for it, they are really not doing themselves a favor at all. These flighty purchases end up costing shoppers a lot more than they should ever spend on items they definitely do not need.
While this is a very big mistake on a shoppers part, it is very common amongst all consumers. Think about it: As your cyphering through your morning newspaper, you may come across a set of amazing coupons. Perhaps there is a coupon in the newspaper stating that you can get some mascara for half off when you buy two- but only in the color dark blue. This sounds like a great deal, who wouldn’t want mascara (which is most of the time very expensive) for half off? The problem is, you are only a black mascara wearer, and would not be caught dead in blue; but you simply can’t pass up the deal. You decide to make the purchase, simply because you had the coupon. Now you have two mascaras you hate and will probably never use, when you could have bought your favorite colored mascara for cheaper.
Dismiss this mistake altogether by not falling under the spell of the coupon. Meaning, never buy a product you do not need simply because you find a coupon for it. If it is not essential, then you do not need to buy it. Instead, save your money for an item you really want and will feel happy about purchasing.
Buy printable coupons off eBay
It is no secret that eBay is an excellent place to make purchases. One can find practically anything they desire on eBay for a very discounted price, as individuals will sell their used and brand new products on there for quite a cheap price. For this reason, a lot of shoppers decide that purchasing coupons on eBay is also a great idea. However, this actually poses a lot of problems towards consumers as the end result is them having to spend money instead of receiving the discounts they want.
The problem with buying a coupon on eBay is this: you aren’t getting the deal you deserve. For instance, if you buy a coupon on eBay for one dollar and the coupon is to save two dollars on your favorite frozen pizza, then you really are not getting the two dollar savings at all. It would be much smarter to seek out the coupon in a newspaper or somewhere else online- for FREE.
Another very distinct problem with buying coupons on eBay is this: why would you spend money on a coupon when there is literally thousands of available coupons to consumers online and in magazines, newspapers, etc? If you really need to find some outstanding coupons, consider searching for them with your preferred search engine. You will be instantly redirected to hundreds of websites with tons of coupons to choose from. And best of all, these websites will have coupons that can be printed to use in stores, or they will have a code that you can enter into the website to receive a discount. There is no need to purchase coupons when there is hundreds readily available online.
