6 tips for smart couponing

How often do you clip coupons? If you said never, you could be missing out on opportunities to save money. 

And in this economy, saving is everything when you're watching your personal budget closely. If you're new to coupons or want to step up your savings game, these tips can help. 

6 easy coupon hacks to put money back in your pocket

Why should you use coupons? The simple answer is to spend less so you can save more. Even if you budget your income carefully, having some extra dollars and cents to work with doesn't hurt. 

These coupon tips are so simple that anyone can try them. When you put them all together, they could add up to some serious savings. 

1. Track purchases

First things first. A person could go broke saving money. In other words, you could spend unnecessarily if you use coupons to buy more than you need of a particular item or buy things you otherwise wouldn't just to get a deal. 

Keep track of your purchases to see where you typically spend most often. That could help you narrow down the type of coupons it makes sense to collect and use.

Use a free budgeting app to monitor expenses. That could help you identify which categories take up the most room in your budget. 

2. Stack coupons and deals

Stacking simply means you combine more than one coupon or deal offer for extra savings. 

For example, say you need to stock up on paper towels. You have:

• A $2 off store coupon from a local grocery store

• A $3 off manufacturer coupon from the company that makes your preferred paper towel brand

• A mail-in rebate offer good for $5 back when you spend $20 (after coupons or discounts are applied)

You buy $30 worth of paper towels at the grocery store with a store coupon and the manufacturer coupon to save $5 at checkout. You then mail your receipt for another $5 back from the rebate offer. 

That's $30 worth of paper towels for $20, just by stacking. 

You can also stack coupons with cash-back offers. With cash-back deals, you earn back a percentage of what you spend. 

For example, you might get 2% back when you shop at Walmart on top of what you saved with coupons or rebates. Rakuten and RetailMeNot are two of the most popular cash back rewards programs for savers. 

3. Activate coupon offers in your browser

Digital coupons could be a money-saver if you regularly shop online. You can install a free coupon browser extension and activate coupon offers on participating websites.

For example, the RetailMeNot Deal Finder extension is free to add to Google Chrome. Same for Rakuten’s browser extension. When you shop online at partner stores, the extension automatically applies eligible coupons. 

If you don't want to install extensions, you can use coupon and deal websites to activate promo codes when you shop. You can search for your favorite retailers, get a list of available coupon codes, and choose the ones you want to apply at checkout. 

4. Join loyalty programs

Loyalty programs may offer special benefits and perks, which include access to exclusive coupons or discounts. For example, your grocery store loyalty program might offer special coupons that you load right onto your loyalty card. 

All you need to do to cash in on those offers is scan your card at checkout. You might even get extra coupons in the mail, on top of digital offers on your card. 

Loyalty programs are great for saving money at the supermarket, but plenty of other retailers offer them. As long as there's no fee to join, you might find it worthwhile to join loyalty programs anywhere you shop regularly. 

5. Request coupons from the manufacturer

Sometimes getting a coupon for something you want to buy is as easy as asking.

For example, say you've got a new baby at home. It's possible to request coupons directly from top baby brands, including:

• Huggies

• Similac

• Honest Baby

• Pampers

You might have to sign up for the company's email list or join a rewards program, but it's a simple way to save money. And many baby brands offer free samples of their products, so you can try them before you buy.

6. Know your store policies

Whether you shop in stores or online it's important to know the coupon policy. Otherwise, you could miss out on chances to save.

Here are some helpful questions to ask:

• Does the store double coupons?

• Will the store accept coupons from a competing retailer or offer price-match deals?

• Can you get a raincheck if an item you have a coupon for is sold out? 

• Does the store accept expired coupons?

• Is there a limit on the number of coupons you can use in a single transaction? 

If you shop online for the holidays, look at whether the store allows you to apply multiple coupon codes or discounts at checkout. 

For example, if you have a 10% off coupon and $30 in rewards you might not be able to plug in both codes. So you'll need to decide which one will save you more money. 

Save more, pay down debt, and head towards your goals

You don't need to be an extreme couponer to use them to save money. You just need a little know-how to navigate the world of coupons, discounts, and cash back. Every penny you save with coupons could help you pay down debt or work toward your other financial goals.