5 Money Saving Tips from a “Coupon Queen”

GUEST POST: Ashley "Sloan" Leva is a full time college student, military wife, and young mother. While her husband serves as a Combat Engineer in the U.S. Army, she has embraced a frugal lifestyle as a “coupon queen.”

Budgets can be hard to stick to as they require a lot of self-control, but in the long run it is well worth it. Hopefully some of the money savings tips I utilize will be of help to you as well.

1. Use the Sunday Paper
On Sundays, plan out your weekly expenditures for groceries, etc. The Sunday paper contains hundreds of beneficial coupons that can help you trim your household expenses. If you don’t have access to the Sunday paper you can print coupons online from websites like smartsource.com or couponmom.com.* However, remember to never use coupons to buy items you simply don’t need. Coupons aren’t an excuse to go on a spending spree.


2. Combine Coupons whenever Possible

Check various local grocery stores’ ads to combine each store’s weekly sale prices with manufacturer coupons. Some supermarkets also have days where they will double their coupons to provide customers with additional savings. If you find a particular non-perishable item which you can get a good deal on by combining the above purchasing tactics, stockpile these items. Before jumping in the car, plan out your shopping trip in advance to conserve gasoline and hit multiple stores which feature the cheapest items. Try using the gas-saving tools that TheThriftyScholar posted on recently.

3: Sign up for Email Lists

Many major retailers and manufacturers offer special sales and coupons for values members. Try creating a separate email account just for email offers. 

If you have newborns or toddlers like myself, you can save money on baby related items such as diapers and formula by signing up for coupon programs with  Similac, Gerber, etc. Major retail chains such as Bath and Body Works, Victoria’s Secret, Sephora, etc often release coupons for great discounts and even free products. Major restaurant chains will even give you coupons for free food! Ruby Tuesday send’s out coupons for a free burger to all of their subscribers for their birthdays, T.G.I Friday’s and On The Border will send you a free appetizer coupon just for joining their E-Clubs. 

4. Utilize Online Promotional Codes

Always check to see if there is a promotional code from the website you are shopping from. More often than not, I can find a promotional code that will save me a certain percentage off my order, or provide me with free shipping.

5. Pay with Cash

I avoid charging anything onto credit cards unless it’s an emergency. The national average credit card  interest rate as of February 2011 was 14.15% but some interest rates can be as staggering as 79.9%!  During college, my husband and I learned the hard way that credit cards can be maxed out quickly if you are not careful.  Paying with cash also helps you to avoid the temptation of buying things you don’t need. Be sure to carry just enough cash to meet the budget you already planned.

If you insist on using credit cards to accumulate points or frequent flyer miles, use it to purchase something you can definitely pay off at the end of the month, such as gasoline. Make sure to “shop around” and find a credit card with a reasonable interest rate and no annual fee. 

* Note: You may have to install some additional coupon printing software from these sites which is usually available free of charge.