Grocery shopping is not one of those experiences that most people love. Most people are probably closer to the “loathe it” end of the scale. But something that can give a little lift to the end of your shopping is pulling out some coupons and saving a few bucks.
Not hundreds, usually. Maybe if you’re one of those extreme couponers that can turn grocery shopping into a television show. They sure must eat a lot of soup, is all I can say. And the time spent collecting flyers, clipping coupons, and sorting them is considerable. Maybe they do that instead of watching shows such as Extreme Couponing. Anything would be a better use of time than that.
It’s not being thrifty to buy something that you will not use, that will expire before you can use it, or that you don’t like. So try to be realistic with your coupons.
- Clip ones that you will use for something you intend to buy anyway.
- Keep them in some handy fashion so they will be available when the time comes.
- Go through them at least once a month with your magnifying glass, because you will need it to read the conditions and the ridiculously small expiry date. When a shopper hands over a pile or them to the cashier, who must check them all and reject a bunch because of the date, it’s hard to say who is more frustrated: the shopper, the cashier, or the person next in line.
A clear plastic zip pouch is handy for storing and carrying the good coupons.
(image: Container Store)
