This Opinion article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Couponing is a hard concept for my Zillennial brain to grasp as I always find myself paying full price for items I buy.
Admittedly, it's for a couple of frivolous reasons. One, I find that stores overwhelmingly offer so many deals it makes me give up before I even start clipping. And two, I am terribly bad with numbers and math.
However, I'm lucky enough to have an extreme couponer as a sister who recently made me realize my opinions about couponing in 2022 were all wrong.
@couponwithashleyb Deal is good 8/6 only! #dollargeneral #dg #extremecouponing #inflation #neverpayfullprice #moneysavingtips #couponwithashleyb
Ashley is my older sibling and has gained over 290,000 followers on her TikTok account @couponwithashleyb by sharing how she shops for essentials, like laundry detergent, virtually for free.
Our latest conversation covered all the couponing basics I would need, and now I'm sharing them with you. I think you'll thank me later.
How do I begin couponing?
One worry I have is not knowing where to start and find the deals.
"The first step I recommend is downloading all the apps for any store you shop at," Ashley said. Virtually any store like Target or Kroger has a reward and coupon system that provides exclusive ways to save.
"I recommend choosing one store to focus on first, and then once you master that store, move to the next," she continued.
If you really want to get into the nitty gritty of spending little to no cash on items, couponers often share price breakdowns on their social media accounts.
How can I get coupons for free?
Gone are the days of clipping coupons from paper newspapers, apparently. I had no clue because I thought they were still a thing.
Her first recommendation on how to score free deals is to head to the coupons website.
"They have many free printable coupons that change weekly," Ashley said
You'll find both digital and printable discounts to use at a range of shops, including CVS, Walgreens, and pretty much every chain of grocery stores.
Does couponing really save you money?
For most of my 20s now, I have thought spending the time to find coupons wouldn't actually save me money in the long run.
After all, I'm perfectly fine picking up a $10 value pack of toothpaste, paying its full price, and walking out of the store without a care in the world — something that makes my older sibling roll her eyes.
Boy, am I doing it wrong because Ashley admits she has saved around $20,000 since starting this "lifestyle" back in 2020.
What is the trick to couponing?
Sure, Ashley may make it seem quite extravagant to people, but these tips can be worked into your regular shopping habits.
"The trick to couponing is stacking manufacturer coupons with store coupons, rebate apps, and the store's rewards system (if they have one)," she said.
To quell any confusion about the previous sentence, she suggested following a few of the trusty couponing community like herself or @karlasavings to help get your bearings and ensure your deals are legit.
My Sister Is A Viral Extreme Couponer & I Got All Of Her Best Couponing Secrets
Source: News Article Viral
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