Extreme Couponing

- Maria V

There is a lot of hype now regarding coupons. A select few take couponing to the

next level with extreme couponing. A show called Extreme Couponing premiered on TLC

at the beginning of the summer and has intrigued its’ viewers with crazed “soccer moms” all

competing to have the biggest and best stock pile. If you haven’t seen the show it gives the

viewer an insight on how to coupon in a super market. Store discounts, and multiple transactions

are how these moms can purchase one thousand dollars worth of groceries for just twenty

dollars. Now we can apply this same concept when shopping for clothes.

Department stores often put coupons in local newspapers, or will list promotions on their

website. Know what stores are offering before you begin shopping and only shop in stores with

offers to insure your best deal. Many customers, me included, get discouraged when we reach

the register with our coupons and the cashier tells us we can only use one coupon per transaction.

In a typical situation we would become frustrated and simply finish the transaction without

contemplating our best deal. This is the beauty of multiple transactions; many stores will allow a

customer to purchase items with multiple transactions to get the best deal possible. Breaking up

the transactions can be confusing but if you’re making a substantial purchase then it’s worth the

work.

The most common coupon is fifty dollars off a purchase of one hundred and fifty dollars

or more. Try and use this coupon on a transaction of exactly one hundred and fifty dollars or at

least as close as you can get to it. After the fifty dollars is removed from your total you’re left

with a balance of one hundred dollars. Getting a store card will always help you save money.

Using your store card will earn you an extra fifteen percent off your total purchase. This brings

your total down to eighty five dollars. If the stores are doing promotions it will usually be

something like an additional ten percent off a total purchase of fifty dollars or more. Since your

total is eighty five dollars meeting the fifty dollar minimum requirement you get an extra ten

percent off, leaving you with a total of seventy three dollars and seventy five cents. Before the

use of promotions and a store card the total of this first transaction was one hundred and fifty

dollar. But with the use of coupons the total is seventy three dollars and seventy five cents

for a total savings of seventy seven dollars and seventy five cents. And this is only the first

transaction.

If you continue with these tips for your next transactions you’re likely to save even more.

I cannot stress enough that even if you’re not making a large purchase these coupons have deals

for smaller purchases hidden in the fine print. A lot of these coupons are reusable and can be

used during your next transaction. If the coupons can be used again it will say so in the fine

print at the bottom or back of the coupon. So read the fine print! You can still grab a deal even if

you’re only doing a little shopping.

07/16/11