Did you know coupons were invented by Coca-Cola?
They became popular back in 1887 and were initially used as a marketing tactic to get consumers to buy more. Over the years coupons have become more and more popular, not just to buy more soda pop or for those struggling financially.
But now, coupons are used by the financially wise as a way to hack their finances in a simple and effective way. We’ve come a long way from using newspaper coupons. Now, using online coupons from the comfort of your home is the norm.
You might be thinking… Coupons? Really? But I’m better than that.
However, in reality, it’s frugal who becomes rich. The financially wise isn’t only trying to figure out how to earn money and grow their income. They’re constantly thinking about how to save money as well to help reduce their expenses. And if you want to get ahead financially, you’ll have to be willing to get creative.
Thankfully, using coupons doesn’t mean you have to sit at home for hours clipping your newspaper. Now you can have all the discounts you need at the click of a button. Keep reading to discover how you can easily use coupons to hack your finances and save thousands each year.
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Do Coupons Really Save You Money?
Many people believe that coupons make you spend more and become interested in products you previously had no interest in.
However, these days people are more selective about what they’re buying. The financially wise have figured out a way to capitalize on the coupons instead of buying tons of unnecessary items they wouldn’t have bought in the first place.
The trick to mastering coupons (instead of having them master you) is to use them selectively from certain sites where you can find the right ones that have discounts for something you’re already planning to buy.
Websites like Savings.com offer a wide variety of saving options, allowing you to carefully select what you’re wanting to save money on. This kind of selective couponing really does allow you to save money when done right.
Coupons can also save you money when you see a coupon for a similar product that you’d usually buy (but it’s marked down for a fraction of what you’d usually be spending for that type of product).
If you know you have to buy toilet paper in a few days, and you see a deal for 80% off, that’s an easy win to bank a few bucks.
Insider Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Coupons
There are a few ways you can save a ton of cash while avoiding marketing temptations.
1. Make Coupons a Part of Your Monthly Shopping
Many people wonder where their money has gone at the end of the month. Feeling like they’re never getting ahead and constantly feeling like they don’t have enough money for their basic needs.
By incorporating coupons into your lifestyle it can help you save on your regular groceries and household items that you’re already planning to buy.
2. Keep Your Eye Out for the Deals
Some coupons still arrive in the newspaper, but coupon websites like savings.com seem to have better deals since they specialize in hunting for the top deals from each category.
3. Say Thank You and You’ll Get a Deal
Contacting your favorite companies can lead to several rewards. Reaching out with an email or phone call to say thank you for their business can sometimes lead to coupons and even free products. If you don’t ask, you don’t get it.
4. Set Up a Saving System
When it comes to saving money, making a plan can help you turn your good intentions into reality. Saving coupons and being proactive is important, so when you know you need to buy dish soap or diapers, you’ve got your coupons saved ahead of time.
You might think it’s not a big deal, saving a dollar or two, here and there. However, things add up over time and can equal big savings in the long term. You’ll see how you can save thousands in just a bit.
5. Capitalize on Your Necessities
As mentioned earlier, you’re going to be purchasing certain products regularly. So when you know you’re about to make a certain purchase, look for a coupon that applies to that product before spending.
You’ll be amazed at how often you’ll get a deal this way.
How to Save Money With Coupon Sites
According to the Washington Post, 9.7% of household spending is done online for homes with an annual income above $50,000.
Most people are already spending nearly 10% of their money online, so how can you take advantage of online shopping?
Use coupon and discount sites. If you’re wondering how to save money and you want an easy tactic, make sure to save one of these sites before you go ahead and make an online purchase.
What Site Do We Recommend?
Our favorite coupon site is Savings.com.
While there are niche coupon sites that offer discounts in specific industries, Savings.com is one of the bigger, broader players. They offer a wide variety of deals on big retailers like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Target, Macy’s, and more.
They offer coupons for nearly every major industry, acting as an Amazon-style store, but for coupons. They have whatever you need: from electronics, to travel, to home improvement, and clothing.
If you already buy from any of these retailers regularly, then making sure you’re on Savings.com’s email list is a good idea. If you’re already going to be spending money at these places, then having access to every major discount with these big retailers can save you a ton of cash.
Discounts can range from 5% to 60% off (and sometimes more, depending on if there’s a flash sale). This means, if your household expenses are $3,000 per month, and you’re spending 10% of that online, that $300 really could become $100-$150, saving you $200-$250 per month by utilizing these coupons.
In a year, that works out to be $2400-$3000 in savings. Do you see how quickly these savings can add up?
The great thing is, Savings.com offers both online discounts as well as printable coupons. So even if you’re spending 90% of your expenses offline, you can gain access to their “offline” deals by printing out coupons.
Savings.com employs a team of dedicated coupon and discount hunters full time, snagging the best possible deals and gathering them into one location, so you don’t have to spend hours searching for them.
Remember, the best way to get the most out of Savings.com is to make sure you’re using it intentionally when you know you need to make a purchase.
When it comes to building up your financial empire, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. With discounts, a couple of bucks saved here and there can turn into thousands over a single year. Rather than simply trying to figure out how to earn money and increase your income, start focusing on how to save money by reducing your expenses.
Just imagine if you had an extra $2,000 at the end of the year just because you used coupons. How would you invest that extra $2,000?
