10 Best Frugal Living Tips To Save Money 2026

Frugal living is more important than ever before in today's economy. Frugality will help everyday people get through this painful and volatile economic scenario. 

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Did you know that about three quarters of people in the United States have trouble managing their money? Are you one of these people in debt or in a cycle of bad spending habits? Will you and your family be able to withstand more inflation or cost increases as a result of new tariffs?

Whether you have gotten yourself into debt or simply find that you spend more than you earn, choosing to live frugally can save you a lot of headaches and stress. Along with helping save you money, living a frugal lifestyle also has a positive impact on the environment, your community, and your happiness in life. Frugality can be fun and effective when it is embraced and optimized. 

If you are really ready to change your spending habits, check out our top 10 best frugal living tips to save money and balance your budget for 2026. 

Top 10 Best Frugal Living Tips To Live Lean And Prosper

1. Take Advantage Of Coupons And Discount Codes

Before you head to the grocery store, check your Sunday paper and go online to look for coupons for food and other supplies you need. Often, your grocery store will have its own savings program that lets you clip coupons online. Otherwise, you can find online coupon websites that allow you to print offers for everyday items. Don't forget to look online for coupon codes that you can use for frugal online retailers as well. 

You can also easily find offers and discount codes for local restaurants, service providers, and more. Couponing is key for frugal living long-term, and the savings can be invested elsewhere.

2. Shop Around For The Best Deals On Everything 

The best frugal tips and tricks focus on making sure you don't pay any more than necessary for what you need. This means you will want to browse the sales ads before you head to the store and take advantage of any special offers on everyday necessities. 

For those large purchases like electronics and appliances, use the internet to your advantage. You can often enter a product name into Google and see the frugal prices for many retailers in one place. Also, keep in mind sales days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday when you can save big when shopping frugally. 

3. Don't Always Buy Things New, Go For Used And Factory Refurbished Instead

Rather than heading to the store to buy an item you need, consider alternatives like buying used or even borrowing. For example, rather than buying a brand new car, consider looking for a reliable used car and help avoid taking on a car loan and to lower your insurance. 

You can also find used items like clothes, furniture, toys, and electronics through thrift shops, garage sales, second hand stores, and auctions. Don't forget places like your local public library where you can borrow books and DVDs and save money. You may also find that friends and family can lend you everyday items that they don't need to help you save even more money. 

4. Get Creative To Reduce Your Living Expenses 

When you need help paying bills, that indicates you should look into cutting your living expenses as much as possible. Good places to start include your transportation and utility costs. For example, you might consider giving up your car to travel cheaply by bus or train, or you could simply bike or walk more often to cut down on gas costs. Using less water and adjusting your thermostat can also go a long way toward cutting your electric and water bills. 

If you struggle to afford housing, consider downsizing or even renting out one or more rooms. You can also look into income-based housing options to help get assistance with your bills. 

5. Grow Your Own Food Frugally

If you want to cut down on food costs and get some enjoyment in the garden, growing your own food can be a good way to practice frugal living. You get the benefit of choosing the specific foods your family will enjoy and can avoid using some of the harmful chemicals you might worry about. You will just need to prepare to put in the effort and time to plant, care for, and harvest your crops. Depending on where you live and the season, you may need to grow food indoors in a sun room or greenhouse. 

Growing your own food also takes time along with a lot of trial and error. But if you can grow your food like a frugal fanatic, it can help make a dent in your food budget amid rising food prices.

6. Earn A Side Income To Enhance Frugality

One of the other frugal living ideas to consider is to boost your earnings with a side gig. Whether you want to work from home or in your community, you have many options to make money and can get creative. 

For example, you might consider turning your crafting or gardening hobby into a business where you sell your products to others. You can also look into options like getting paid to deliver groceries, drive people around, or work part-time at a local store. 

7. Get Cheaper Health Care 

Whenever you need to see a doctor or fill a prescription, check your insurance plan and shop around to get the best deal. For example, sometimes you can book an online doctor's appointment for minor issues and avoid paying a hefty urgent care fee. Even if you do need to see a doctor locally, you should consider a second opinion if you get told you need an expensive procedure. You can also use top tools and services to find the cheapest prescriptions and even locate pharmacies that fill certain prescriptions for free. 

When in doubt, try and use a pharmacy discount card like GoodRX or SingleCare as well that can be found free at pharmacies or medical centers nationwide. If you are buying over the counter medications or dietary supplements, be frugal and buy the store brand or generic options. When you buy brand name medications or branded supplement products with the same exact ingredients, you are really just paying extra for marketing. It is almost always the same exact ingredients or medication (check the label to make sure) but you don't have to pay for the brand name. This improves your frugal finances and fiscal fitness.

8. Buy In Bulk And Save A Bundle

While you might find it less convenient to haul larger quantities home, you can potentially save a lot if you buy items like food, medicine, and other non-perishables in bulk. You will also rest assured you are making a more environmentally friendly choice. 

First, you will often pay less per unit or ounce on products bought in bulk, even if you buy name-brand products. Second, you save in terms of not needing to make as many trips to the store to buy the same items. With the high price of fuel these days, it is a smart frugal trick to cut gasoline or diesel costs.

9. Try To Do Small Repairs Yourself 

Although with helping you gain handy life skills, learning to do small fixes yourself saves you money and can bring some convenience. For example, you can take a course on car repair and learn to do common maintenance tasks without paying for labor at a car shop. A true frugal living fanatic will also watch videos online to learn skills such as trimming their family's hair, doing minor home repairs, and making your own cleaning products. 

When deciding to try something yourself, do keep in mind your safety and confidence. Trying to fix an electrical issue in your house can put you in danger and cause more expensive problems down the road, for example. So, know when to call a professional while living your best frugal life and when you can safety DIY.  

10. Work Out At Home With Frugal Fitness 

Gyms and personal trainers can be quite costly. You can save a lot of money each month and still get the same health and fitness results by working out at home frugally. All you need are items around the house, a little floor space, your own bodyweight, and maybe some inexpensive exercise equipment. For under $100 you can purchase a frugal exercise mat, set of dumbbells, several resistance bands, and a physio ball. Fitness YouTube channels are free as well.

You can also find plenty of free resources on exercise and nutrition online to help save on healthy workouts and food. Frugal Fitness TV helps you get in shape at home or while traveling on any thrifty budget. The world is your gym, free of monthly fees or joining costs, if you know how to workout frugally!

Use The Best Frugal Living Tips To Save More Money Now 

With the best frugal living tips in mind, go ahead and start saving money! You can use that extra cash to frugally pay down any debts or even save toward a family vacation you will always remember. Do know that you have many other ways to apply frugal living principles too. For example, you can call creditors, doctors' offices, and utility companies to ask for reduced payments or extended payment plans. Everything is negotiable when you are dialed in to the frugal living lifestyle.

Do you want even more top ideas for making money and living frugally? Then check out our many other posts about living frugally right here on the Frugal Finance Blog. Live lean and prosper while living your best life on a budget!

Why Couponing Will Never Go Out of Style

Did you know that Coca-Cola was the first company to use coupons as a way to encourage people to buy its products? Way back in 1887, the company launched what is widely considered to be the first coupon – a buy one get one free offer.

Ever since then, consumers have latched on to discount coupons to save money on products they may never try otherwise.

In today’s economy, consumers view couponing as a must in order to live a frugal lifestyle. Incomes have dropped and the cost of living continues to increase, which means that you have to get creative when you’re buying necessities.

Read on to learn about couponing and how you can use coupons to save money in 2025 and 2026.


The Trick to Couponing

Do you know what the difference is between people who spend more on coupons and people who save money couponing?

Discipline. That is it. People who are wise coupon users know what coupons a good deal and which ones aren’t.

For example, you are a single person who lives alone and you find a coupon for a buy two – get one free coupon for a perishable product like fresh vegetables. You can get the deal, but you have to ask yourself if you’re really going to use all of that produce.

In the end, you could be spending more money to get the bargain and wasting food at the same time.

If you have a family to feed, you may come across a similar dilemma. You may come across a product that’s similar to something you normally purchase every week, like a pack of frozen vegetables.

You find that the product that you normally buy is $1.79. The product with the coupon is priced at $2.99 with a $.50 coupon.

While you’ll save $.50 with the coupon, in the end, you’ll spend $.70 more for the product with the coupon than for the product that you would normally purchase.

Is that really saving money?

The trick to being successful at couponing is to clip coupons for items that you know you’re going to purchase anyway, like ingredients for healthy recipes that you want to try. That way, you’re going to save money on products that you’re going to buy anyway.

It does require discipline to stay on track with your normal purchases and not get sidetracked by the potential to save money.


How to Clip Coupons

How do you really save money on coupons? You have to know where to find them.

The thing to remember is that you can save money on any purchase, not just on groceries.

Let’s say that you need to buy furniture for a new apartment. You can search for and find home improvement coupons that will help you save money on those purchases.

There are some retailers like Old Navy that seem to have a sale every week on clothing. The best way to save money is to know what you need and wait for the opportune time to make the purchase.

If there are retailers and stores where you normally shop, look at their weekly circular or sign up to their email list to get regular sales updates. Some retailers will offer a discount just for signing up to their list.

Also, look at the products that you normally purchase. You can check out the manufacturer’s page to see if they have coupons available.

There are also plenty of apps and websites that have coupons and discounts available for any item. Ibotta and SnipSnap are two popular apps that are great for saving money.

One thing to be aware of is that grocery stores have a coupon policy. You want to check out your local grocery store’s website and know what their policy is.


Finding the Time to Find Coupons

Just like budgeting your finances, you have to budget your time and find the time to find the coupons you need.

It can be easy to let couponing take over your schedule, but the reality is that you have a busy life and things to do.

When you are just starting to clip coupons, you will want to set a side a small amount of time each week. You can start with 20 minutes and see how quickly you can find coupons. In an ideal situation, you can set aside about an hour each week before you head to the grocery store.

You may remember perusing the Sunday papers looking for coupons and keeping them organized in a small folder.

You can still do that, but most coupons will be in the form of emails or apps. Be prepared to spend a little time in front of the computer to find the best discounts and coupons.

One of the reasons why people say that couponing doesn’t work is because they spend so much time finding coupons, only to save $.20. Make sure you maintain a balance between your time and saving money.

There will be moments when your time is worth much more than the money you save.


Couponing Can Save You Money When Done Right

Retailers know that people love bargains and will entice people to try their products through coupons and discounts.

Shoppers know that coupons are a great way to save money, but in the end, they can wind up spending more money on products that they don’t really need or use.

As you start couponing for yourself, you want to make sure that you have a list of items that you want and need and stick to it. You can easily find coupons and discounts for those items, which will turn into massive savings for you and your family.

Do you want to learn more about the art of couponing? Check out this page that has more money-saving tips and tricks.

Drivstoffkort - What You Should Know Before Getting It

Since the car has become a necessity for the average person, it is clear that fuel has become a significant item in the household budget. Even if you don't drive long distances, your four-wheeler must have fuel in it because you never know when you might need it. 

On the source below, find out how to optimize fuel consumption: https://www.confused.com/...cost-of-motoring/driving-tips-to-help-improve-fuel-economy 

If you travel a lot, for pleasure or work, you probably fill up the car tank several times a month. You're probably aware that fuel prices are on the rise again, and you may be feeling that pinch. If you have a pump in your area and have been visiting it few times a week, maybe it's time to take your relationship with a particular brand to the next level. 

Many different credit and debit cards for gas are offered by many oil companies, banks, and other legal entities because of the high demand for fuel. When you're a regular customer, most companies may be willing to give you certain bonuses and perks based on your good payment history and loyalty to them. 

Understand How Gas Cards Work 

Simply put, these means of payment allow you to make money while you spend. Each amount you pay with it has a certain percentage of refunds on it. You can have this perk on almost every pump that belongs to a larger chain. You can choose the issuer that offers you the most benefits. 

Over time, that amount becomes significant and can be spent in certain ways. These are the benefits provided to you by the issuer as a sign of gratitude for being a loyal customer. That can offer some relief if you pay high fuel bills every time. Also, it's a great way to track your fuel consumption. 

You can use a gas card at any participating pump, including independent and co-branded ones. Some companies will only accept transactions you have made on their pumps. They won't award you for purchases from competitors. 

It's good to know that some traditional credit cards can participate in reward programs. You can get this information from your bank. This payment means work almost the same way as a gas credit card, but these can sometimes offer a better value. Their rebate rates go up to 5 or 6 percent. 

What Privileges Are Available 

Gas credit cards offer a bunch of discounts, points, or fuel credits to loyal customers. While points can be turned into cash, fuel credit will reflect on your fuel bill as a discount. That saves you money at the moment you make payment. 

As long as your rewards overcome the yearly maintenance cost, it pays-off having a gas card. Different issuers will provide different reward programs. The purpose of each of them will be to make you spend (and earn) more. 

Types Of Rewards 

Some companies will provide extra incentives to customers who use spend more money at their pumps. You have several options regarding how you can make purchases. For instance, some cards will give you cash back; others reward you with better fuel prices. Some brands give you points that you will eventually exchange for something. 

Most people will choose cashback reward programs. Most oil companies and pumps have them, and you can benefit from these bonuses every time you buy fuel. Whether you use the card at one gas station or several different ones of the same chain, you still receive the same level of reward. The only difference is how the company rewards you. 

Another option provided by card issuers is giving you points. This is another way that they reward their customers for frequent purchases. The more you spend on fuel, the more points you collect. At the end of a month, these can be exchanged for some product that gas stations have on their offer. 

Both of these types of rewards are nice. You get the convenience of rewards when you use your gas credit cards. You also get the ability to save money from regular purchases at the same gas stations. 

How To Apply For A Gas Card 

Anyone who meets the requirements prescribed by the issuer can apply for it. On Kredittkortinfo – drivstoffkort, you can check some options and compare them. The conditions for acquiring a gas credit card are much looser than for regular one. One of the reasons for this is that you can't use these means of payment outside pumps. The possibility of exceeding the limit is almost non-existent. 

Despite the limited use, gas credit cards can be quite handy if you can't get a traditional credit card because of a poor credit score. In fact, it can be a good way to boost your credit score if you settle your monthly balance regularly. 

With some cards, you may be able to choose a billing date that works for you. Some companies will even give you a chance to redeem your rewards. For example, if you don't need extra fuel that month, you can turn your points into cash and buy some car cosmetics. 

It doesn't matter if you buy fuel every day or once a month. You can participate in a reward program even if you don't have a car. Still, if you don't use the card enough to make significant savings or earn rewards that compensate annual fees, you can cancel it anytime, without extra costs. 

Are There Any Downsides To Gas Cards? 

There are not many problems with gas credit cards. Their limited use is probably the most significant one. That's why you should choose issuers carefully. Gas stations participating in their reward programs must fit into your lifestyle and be places that you visit often. 

With some gas credit cards, it can be tricky difficult to earn the maximum reward amount. There is no telling how many years this will last as the gas credit card rewards are based on your credit score. If it's bad, you would be limited with perks. It can take some time to build up the needed credit history to receive the maximum benefits. 

If you have too many monthly payments, a gas reward card can be an additional burden. Getting a few benefits is not a reason to accumulate debts and risk exceeding the limit. Paying high-interest rates is another disadvantage of this payment means. But if you can handle these costs (you have a steady income and are debt-free), go for it. 

If you use your gas card at the same gas station where you make regular purchases, you may be given a percentage off your entire gasoline or diesel fuel purchase. That can bring you some relief on gas expenses, which can be a significant burden to your budget as fuel prices are going up.

How to Penny Shop at Dollar General Stores

According to a recent study, sixty-five percent of Americans don’t know how much money they spent last month. Even though money is listed as the main source of stress for forty-four percent of people, fewer people track their spending habits than ever before. 

Of course, this could be because money is stressing them out, so instead of tracking it, they choose to ignore it. This can lead to many other problems down the line, such as missing bills or running out of money because they weren’t budgeting. 

If you’re one of those people that find budgeting gives you peace of mind, or you would like to jump on that wagon, you’re in the right place. Finding deals can get you what you need much cheaper (for a penny, perhaps?), and it can be an enjoyable experience along the way. 

Keep reading to learn the tips and tricks on how to penny shop at Dollar General and find unbelievable deals you would have never thought existed. 

What Is Penny Shopping? 

If you’re new to this world of finding amazing deals, you’re probably wondering what penny shopping even is. When products are older or out of season, they get marked in Dollar General’s system as an item that needs to be taken off the shelves. 

The way they get marked is by making them a penny in their system. So, if you were to find these products and attempt to buy them before the sale associates remove them from the shelves, your product would ring up as just $0.01! 

It’s a bit of a scavenger hunt to get started because these products are never marked as a penny for the customer to see. But, once you know the ins and outs, you’ll be able to load up on a ton of cool stuff and save a bunch of money. 

Look for the Codes 

One of the most helpful penny shopping tips is knowing the codes for how they mark discounted items. First, look at the codes underneath the barcode. They will be labeled by both the year and the season in which they were first released. 

So, you will see something like this for each item: 

• SP – Spring 

• SU – Summer 

• FA – Fall 

• WI – Winter 

• 18 – 2018 

• 19 – 2019 

• 20 – 2020 

• 21 – 2021 

If you want a product with the symbol “SU18” on it, chances are it’s going to be discounted. If the item is older, there is a higher chance it will ring up as a penny, but it is never guaranteed. 

Another sign you can look for is the colored stickers on the products. You’ll find these located on the tags, ranging from different colors and shapes such as: 

• Blue Circle 

• Pink Circle 

• Red Circle 

• Pink Star 

• Purple Diamond 

Each color and shape refers to a specific discount, ranging from 10% to 90%. Each store uses its own system, so you won't know right away which code means 90% for your particular store. Once you work it out, you can come back in a week or two and see that item will most likely ring up as a penny. 

Try a Scanner 

When learning how to penny shop, it may seem overwhelming to learn all of the codes without even being sure it actually is a penny. One tool you can use is a scanner, which you can download on your phone through the app store for both Android and iOS devices. 

There are many different types of scanners, and some are specifically made for penny shopping at Dollar General. When you scan the product’s barcode, it will ring up as it would when you purchase it, so you’ll know ahead of time if it is truly a penny product. 

Another great perk of using scanners is that you will be able to find other great bargain deals of the week besides penny shopping, and you can access different store’s deals as well. 

Check Out Penny Lists 

Since penny shopping was discovered, there have been resources created to help the avid bargain hunter on their quest to uncover the penny products. Every month or so, the list of penny products gets leaked to the general public, and some sites are in the business of updating those who are in the need to know this information. 

It doesn’t always mean the store you go to will follow these lists absolutely, but finding these deals can help you save time by looking for the particular products you already know are most likely going to be a penny. 

Final Tips and Tricks 

There are a few disclaimers you should know before you start your penny shopping journey. The most important thing to remember is that these penny deals exist for a reason. These products are old, and Dollar General intends to take them off the shelves and throw them out. 

Therefore, if you happen to find them, they aren’t obligated to sell them to you. But for the most part, it’s a win-win for both parties, as the store is getting rid of the products by selling them to you anyways, and you get it for practically free. 

It is up to the discretion of the employee working at the time, so keep it in mind, and don’t argue with them if they refuse to sell it to you for the penny price. 

Otherwise, there are some tips you should keep in mind when beginning to penny shop. Asking the employees where the penny deals are won't help you, because they won’t show you. In fact, they’ll probably try to hurry to take them off the shelves before you find them at Dollar General stores. 

Similarly, it's not wise to ask for a price check, because they’ll tell you it’s an unsellable item since they were supposed to take it off the shelves a while ago. You don't want to sabotage your frugal finds.

Instead, fill your cart up with product and go to the check out normally. Be nice to the Dollar General employees, and you’ll have a much better chance of them selling it to you for that penny price. 

How to Penny Shop at Dollar General Smarter

Now that you know how to penny shop at Dollar General, it’s time to put these tips into practice! Learn the codes, look at the lists, and keep in mind that nothing is exactly guaranteed when penny shopping at dollar stores. 

You could be the owner of some pretty cool products and only spend a few cents, which, who wouldn’t want that? If you enjoyed this article on how to do penny shopping at dollar stores and found it helpful, check out more of our frugal shopper posts today!

How to Enjoy Debt Free Living

Did you know that college students graduate with an average of almost $30,000 in debt? And many graduates have multiples of that amount in student loans. That can be a huge obstacle when trying to build a life for yourself.

Debt can come from anywhere and anything, even from something as simple as a credit card. Are you wondering how you can start living that debt-free life?

Keep reading to learn all about how to enjoy debt-free living.


Use Coupons

When it comes to a spender's guide to debt-free living, you shouldn't underestimate the power of coupons. Whether it's a digital coupon that comes from subscribing to a newsletter or an old-fashioned coupon cut right out of newspaper, the savings can add up to impressive amounts.

There's even a reality show called Extreme Couponing in which people are able to walk away with huge amounts of groceries, for instance, just by using coupons.


Keep Track of Your Money

One of the most important keys to frugal debt-free living is to keep a very close eye on your money. This includes both how much you're earning and how much you're spending.

If you don't keep track, you won't be able to know about the things you might be wasting your money on. It can also be easy to lose track of how much you've spent and then go over the limit.

You'll be glad to know that there are many free finance programs that make it simple to keep track of your money.


Sell Your Structured Settlement

If you've won a legal case, then you might have gotten a structured settlement. It can be frustrating waiting for those payments to come in, especially if it's a lot of money being spread out over a large period of time.

Rather than waiting, you can sell your structured settlement for an instant lump sum of cash. This money can go a long way toward helping you to live debt-free with no mortgage, for instance.

You can even sell your lottery payments if you're lucky enough to have won.


Spend Less Than You Earn

Just like you need to burn more calories than you eat, you need to spend less money than you make so that you can put that leftover money toward your debts.

Every penny that you put toward your debt counts, especially if your debt is accruing interest. The faster you can pay it off and be debt-free, the better.

You might be asking yourself, "Is living debt-free worth it?" It can be a lot of work, but after you've learned all the tips and tricks, it will become second nature to you. That way, you won't have a huge and stressful weight of debt on your shoulders ever again.


Ready to Enjoy Debt-Free Living?

Now that you've learned all about how to enjoy debt-free living, you can feel that weight lift from your shoulders. Say goodbye to debt forever!

Did you want to learn more amazing tips and tricks when it comes to finances, business products, and more? Bookmark our website so that you never miss out on frugal money saving tips.

Are Coupons Worth It? 10 Tips to Save With Coupons

Whether you're part of the 85% of Americans who already use coupons or you're just getting started, you may wonder, "Are coupons worth it?"

Saving money is a good thing, but when it's a time-consuming process, that saved money isn't as valuable. Your time is worth something, so spending hours figuring out how to coupon can cut into the savings.

Anyone can save money with coupons, even if you just use them for certain things. You don't have to do extreme couponing to make it worth your time.

If you're not sure how to make couponing worth your time, check out these 10 tips. 


1. Use Multiple Sources

Do you only think of clipping coupons from the Sunday paper at the mention of couponing? The paper is still a good source of coupons, but you can find them in many other places, too.

Online coupon sites let you print coupons at home to take to the store. You can add the coupons that you want and only print those ones to save ink and paper.

Digital coupons are also an option. Many retailers send coupons directly to email subscribers. Sign up for email lists to your favorite stores and brands to get those coupons sent directly to you.

Once you're at the store, look for physical coupons there. Some manufacturers stick peel-off coupons onto their products. Check the packaging of your favorite products to look for those coupons.

Some stores position coupon dispensers near items. Watch for those dispensers as you shop.

You may also find store coupons in the ads for specific supermarkets. If you don't get the ads mailed to your home, look for extra copies in the store.


2. Know the Price Points

Being aware of the typical prices for the items you use the most helps you spot a deal. It's best to use your coupons when products are at their lowest price point. This saves you even more money.

If you have a coupon for $1 off toothpaste and it's normally $3.50, you'll pay $2.50 for it with the coupon at regular price. But if you find the same toothpaste for $2.75 at a different store, you'll only pay $1.75. You maximize your savings by applying coupons at the lowest price of the item.

Start paying attention to the prices of your staple items. Compare prices at different stores, so you can use the coupons at the stores with the lowest prices.


3. Apply Coupons to Sale Items

A similar trick is to use coupons when items are on sale. When the new grocery ads come out, sit down with your coupons. Match up the deals in the ads with the coupons you have on hand to get more savings.


4. Combine Savings

You can also maximize savings by using coupons with other deals. Your favorite store may have a loyalty program that offers discounts, credit, gift cards, or money back when you buy certain items.

Check those offers to see if they match up with the coupons you have. It's even better if the item is on sale and has another discount offer.

Store coupons are another source of savings. They're offered directly through the store rather than being manufacturer's coupons like you find in the paper.

Most stores allow one type of discount per item. That means you can't use two manufacturer's coupons on a single item, but you can use a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon on a single item. Or you can use a coupon and get cash back through the loyalty program.


5. Download Apps

Several apps offer coupons or cashback for purchases at the grocery store. Ibotta and Checkout 51 are examples.

Some stores have their own apps with coupon offers. The Target Circle app offers deals on many items in the store, and you can use manufacturer's coupons in addition to those deals.


6. Save Online With Coupon Codes

Think you can't use coupons when you shop online? Most online retailers offer coupon codes to help you save money.

You simply enter the code when you check out online. The discount gets taken off of your total, so you save that money instantly.

Coupon codes may be for a percentage off or a certain dollar amount with a minimum purchase. Other coupon codes give you free shipping, which cuts your overall cost of shopping online.


7. Don't Buy Things Just to Use a Coupon

It's tough to pass up a good deal, so you may be tempted to use any coupon that saves you a lot of money.

But you're not really saving money if you're buying something just to use the coupon. You're spending money you wouldn't otherwise spend since you wouldn't have purchased the item normally.

Coupons are only good deals when you use them to buy things you'll actually use.


8. Be Flexible With Brands

You'll have the best chance of saving money if you're flexible with the brands you purchase.

Say you need peanut butter and you normally by Jif, but you have a great coupon for Skippy. The coupon makes the Skippy peanut butter significantly cheaper than Jif. Going with a different peanut butter brand allows you to save more money through couponing cost-cutting.

Be open to using different brands if you find a coupon for something you need.


9. Get Multiple Copies of Coupons

When you find a really great coupon on something you use regularly, snag as many copies of the coupon as possible. Ask everyone who gets the newspaper to save the coupon for you.

If it's an online coupon, print as many copies as the site will allow. You can also ask other people you know to print copies of coupons on their computers for you, or use your public library.

Never photocopy coupons, as that's illegal. 


10. Check on Store Policies

Each store sets its own coupon policies, so it's a good idea to brush up on the rules at your favorite stores. Find out if your favorite store price-matches other stores in the area. This allows you to get the lowest price possible when using your coupons without running to multiple stores.

Some stores accept competitor's coupons. If another grocery store has an in-store coupon, a different store may honor it.

Ask about rainchecks, too. If an item is on sale but out of stock, you may be able to get a raincheck for that price. When it comes back in stock, you can use the raincheck and your coupon to get the best deal.

Are Coupons Worth It?

The answer to, "Are coupons worth it?" depends on how much effort you want to put into couponing. Anyone can save a little money even with casual coupon use, but you'll save even more when you use these coupon tips. Check out the rest of the blog for more coupon and financial tips that can help you live better on a frugal budget.