If you are like many others looking for more ways to keep money in your pockets, couponing may be a desirable option. However, you may also be aware of how much time and energy can go into the process, making it look a whole lot less desirable. The good news is, there are ways to save a ton of money on your daily purchases without sacrificing all your time to do so.
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As a matter of fact, you don’t even need to be super organized to get this right. There are so many apps out here today that help simplify the process, and I am going to be discussing a few of those in today’s post.
Before we get started, I just want to say: this is NOT an extreme couponer post.
This guide is for individuals who are new to couponing and just want to save while making their daily purchases. We are not talking about growing a massive stockpile and turning couponing into a full-time career. This guide is to simply help you cut costs while getting what you need. So let’s dive in.
Benefits of Couponing
There are a few key benefits of couponing. Whether you are saving for your next vacation, allocating more money to your rainy-day fund, or needing to stretch your paycheck further, couponing can help you keep more money in your pockets. This, of course, is the main reason that people turn to this strategy.
The ultimate goal with couponing is to NEVER pay full price for anything. You can still get everything on your shopping list, but you look for ways to save on every item. This may be in the form of discounts or cashback.
Another well-known benefit of couponing is that you can stock up on much-needed items at a steep discount. To purchase these items in bulk at regular price would be extremely expensive. However, with coupons, sales, and other rewards, you can stock up on the product and extra savings.
Using Apps to Simplify the Process
As I mentioned earlier, there are so many apps out there that can simplify the process of couponing. I will be discussing a few of my personal favorites below.
The Krazy Coupon Lady
The Krazy Coupon Lady App is one of my favorite Coupon Databases to use. This app shows both in-store and online deals as well as available freebies. You can have alerts set up to go directly to your phone so that you can be one of the first to know when a deal goes live.
With The Krazy Coupon Lady app you can also shop deals by store and create shopping lists to further organize the process. On this app, coupons are broken into 3 categories: Mobile, Printable, and Newspaper. You can save and instantly download coupons for later use. There are so many nifty couponing features all in this one app.
There is also a section for “Tips” making this app extremely helpful for beginner couponers.
Cashback Apps and Rebates
Another easy way to save some money while shopping is by using cashback apps. Below, I will share a few popular cashback apps that I have had experience with personally.
Rakuten – With Rakuten, you can earn cashback both in-store and online. You can also install the browser extension to apply coupons automatically at checkout. The best part is, you earn REAL cash, not points. You get paid by Paypal or check. Rakuten is currently one of my favorite cashback apps to use and I have been using it for years. It’s so easy to use and they have an abundance of cashback opportunities. You can click here to sign up for Rakuten.
Capital One Shopping– Capital One Shopping, formerly known as WikiBuy also has a browser extension that generates coupon codes automatically. These codes are updated in realtime so you don’t have to worry about missing out on the latest deals. You can earn “credits” on your purchases which you can then use to buy gift cards. I actually earned a $50 Walmart gift card through Capital One Shopping, and that sure did come in handy. Another feature I really love is the price drop tracker. Capital One Shopping tracks the products you’ve viewed or purchased and sends you alerts when the prices drop. This feature alone is a couponer’s dream! Sign up for Capital One Shopping here.
Ibotta– Ibotta is another app that allows you to earn real cash on your everyday purchases. There are special offers for hundreds of stores so it’s very likely that you can find a cashback opportunity for many of your favorite stores. This cashback app also offers special bonuses to help you score a few extra bucks.
RebateKey– Save time by eliminating the need to clip coupons or wait for flyers in the mail. RebateKey offers thousands of cashback rebates and coupons from trusted retailers right there on their website.
Store Apps and Apps With Savings Features
If you are on the lookout for special savings and coupons for some of your favorite stores, it totally makes sense to download their app. Many retailers and restaurants offer an app for their brand. These apps often have cashback and reward opportunities built into them. You can also receive push notifications for sales and special offers.
It is also worthwhile to consider apps that offer special Savings Features like Cash App boosts. I am always receiving deals on some of the restaurants and stores I shop at all the time such as Walmart, Dunkin, Amazon, and Burger King just to name a few.
I have been getting boosts that take off anywhere from 10-15% of the total purchase. I have also received a few $5 off any purchases and I recently saw that they even had a 50% off total purchase at McDonald’s special offer! These boosts are definitely a great way to save even more when you use your Cash card.
Track Your Savings
Last but certainly not least, I highly recommend that you track your savings. You can use an app to do this, or kick it old school and just use a spreadsheet. This can help you to see the fruits of your labor and also see which methods have been the most useful for you. You may find that you need to modify your strategy a bit for optimal results.
Most importantly, BE PATIENT. Couponing is a process. Just be open to learning and looking for ways to simplify the process and things will go so much smoother. But once you get the hang of it, I am sure you will be quite pleased with the results.
Briana Marie is a mental health and financial literacy advocate, and founder of Major League Mommy. In her spare time, Briana enjoys yoga, travel, and spending time with her Husband and two daughters.
