I’ve been there. With so many different sources of discounts, working out how to maximize savings can be more complicated than it appears. Is Costco genuinely cheaper than CVS? Do I really need three Kleenex six-packs? Which savings and coupon apps are actually useful, and which ones aren’t worth your time?
These days, I don’t view couponing as a headache; I’ve developed a way to organize coupons that makes the process quicker, more pleasant and effective — helping me cut costs while stocking up on essentials for my family. Ready to learn my couponing routines and tactics?
1. How to Organize Coupons With a Binder System
I remember going grocery shopping with my mother and watching her sift through an enormous heap of coupons to pull out the ones she could use that day. Instead of hauling every single coupon to the store, wouldn’t it be simpler to bring only those you’ll actually use? Keep your coupon collection under control by putting together a neat binder system.
The first thing to do is find a binder — preferably a bright one that’s easy to spot on your shelf. Look through last year’s school supplies for leftover binders, or check thrift stores and garage sales.
Buy coupon sleeves and sort them by category using divider tabs. My divisions include beauty, home goods, pet, food, medicine, cleaning supplies and restaurants.
Place your paper coupons — those clipped from newspapers and circulars or received in the mail, such as Valpaks — into the matching sections. Voila!
This approach makes it simple to match your shopping list to your coupons. If you know you’ll be buying dog food, light bulbs and glass cleaner, you’ll only need to take a few sleeve pages with you, rather than a random stack of clippings!
2. Use Savings Websites to Find More Discounts
Your local paper might show some promotions, but it can’t rival the breadth of deals online. Make sure you’re not missing extra savings by checking these websites for online promo codes and printable coupons you can clip and add to your coupon binder.
One of the largest coupon hubs, Coupons.com provides printable coupons for everyday essentials. The only downside is that you can’t directly search for a specific item’s coupon; instead, you browse through available coupons in a category until you find one that fits.
Offering both printable coupons and promo codes for online purchases, RetailMeNot is worth bookmarking for any coupon enthusiast. You’ll often find discounts for favorite retailers, and the site continually expands its offerings. If nothing’s available for a particular store today, check back in a few weeks and you may find new deals.
This upstart service lists numerous online coupons and aggregates offers from daily deal platforms like Living Social and Groupon. It also helps you stay organized by consolidating paper coupons and local store bargains according to your location.
If you like, you can use the site as a digital parallel to the binder I described, since it even tracks coupons that appear in your local paper. Use the dashboard to build a grocery list, manage all your coupons in one place and view your total savings.
3. Save on Your Smartphone
Your most powerful savings tool may be the smartphone in your pocket. The great part? Many of these money-saving apps can be used after you leave the store, from the comfort of your home — no more balancing coupons while standing in the checkout line.
Ibotta
This free app gives you cash back on groceries and products you’d purchase anyway. It works with many brick-and-mortar and online retailers like Publix, Target, Walmart, Amazon — even Uber.
Here’s how it works….
- Sign up for Ibotta here (you only need a name and email to get started).
- Browse the cash-back deals available in your area and note them before your next shopping trip (offers rotate weekly). For instance, in my region Ibotta will pay 50 cents for a receipt showing a gallon of milk and $1 for graham crackers. Neat, right? Once you’ve earned at least $20, you can request payout via PayPal or Venmo. Right now, Ibotta is offering new users a $10 welcome bonus when they redeem their first receipt.
- Of course you shouldn’t buy things you weren’t planning to purchase. But this is an easy way to get extra cash back on items you already planned to buy. Plus, you can stack manufacturer coupons with Ibotta offers, and in some cases you might score the item for free. To get started, read our Ibotta review.
Cartwheel
Who doesn’t like Target? It’s even better with Target’s Cartwheel app, which saves you money in-store without any paper. Just browse items or scan the product barcode, then tap “Add.” At checkout, the cashier scans your mobile coupon — a personalized barcode that includes all the items you selected.
Download Cartwheel for iOS and Android.
Favado
Favado is more of an aggregator than a traditional coupon app. It collects all the sales happening near you. Rather than rifling through all the circulars from the Sunday paper, choose the stores you frequent — including Trader Joe’s and CVS — and Favado will display the sale items for each location.
Download Favado for iOS and Android.
Berrycart
This app works similarly to Ibotta: you scan, upload a receipt image and save money. The difference is Berrycart focuses on healthier foods, offering cash back on things like almond milk iced coffee or coconut water — items that don’t often get discounted.
Download Berrycart for iOS and Android.
Snap
This is my favorite couponing app. Built by Groupon, Snap lists deals on a wide range of products, from Robitussin to pasta sauce. Sometimes it offers savings on generic items like “any fresh salmon” or “any grapes,” meaning you can save on your preferred brand without being limited to a single coupon.
The app functions like Ibotta, but you only need to photograph the receipt, not scan barcodes. Another benefit: Snap isn’t tied to any particular store, so you can shop where it’s most convenient for you.
Download Snap on iOS and Android.
Use Your Couponing System
Don’t worry if this approach feels like a lot at first. Give it a try, and you’ll likely discover quickly how to get your coupons in order. Keep your paper coupons tidy in your binder and handle online promo codes with Qponsr or RetailMeNot to simplify shopping trips. Check your favorite apps while you make your list, then scan barcodes and photograph receipts when you return home.
While individual savings might seem modest initially, they accumulate. Before long you’ll realize you saved enough for a coffee or a movie ticket — and celebrate that win! Couponing can become a rewarding pastime that pays off, so reduce the stress of saving by trying these methods.
Disclosure: Here’s a nod to the affiliate links in this post. May we all be a bit wealthier today.
