5 Easy Strategies to Help Your Children Save Money

Most people can remember a time in their childhood when they truly wanted an item and had to save up for weeks or months in order to purchase it. Your children should be able to learn the same lesson by slowly saving up for important items they desire. For young children, this might be a new toy or a video game, while for teens this could be a new car or even savings for their college education. Although it can be a struggle at times to help children want to save rather than spend their money, it can help them to be more fiscally responsible later in life. Here are some easy strategies to help your children save money.

1. Start a Savings Account: It might seem unnecessary to start an account for young children or those who are only saving minimal amounts of money. However, this is an important step to understanding saving and also understanding personal finances. Most banks allow children and their parents to start a bank account with no fees and a minimum deposit of anywhere from $20 to $100.

2. Have a Goal: Saving just to save is not beneficial for children or enjoyable. Most will need some kind of goal to work towards. Carefully consider what might be a good thing to begin saving for. It doesn't need to be something big. In fact, it is a great idea to start with something that can be purchased after saving for just a few weeks. After realizing how helpful savings is in order to make a larger purchase, you can start suggesting more and more expensive items.

3. Visible Reminders to Save: The reason children struggle with saving is that they prefer instant gratification to something that is delayed and might take months or years. To help them deal with this, make some visual reminders to show them what they are saving for. You might clip out the ad for a new video game or bicycle they want, or for bigger items make a collage on their bedroom wall to remind them of what they are working towards.

4. Percentages of Allowance: Since most children don't have any jobs or way to make money outside of the home, money will come primarily from the parents. If you give them an allowance each week, set aside a certain amount for savings. This might be nonnegotiable or merely suggested, depending on your own personal parenting opinion. For example, if allowance is $10 per week, you might mandate that at least $1 goes into the savings account, but beyond that children will use their own discretion.

5. Track Spending: Have your children track their spending over the course of a month. Once they see how quickly money is spent on small items like comic books and candy, they may be more inclined to save up for more serious items.

By following these tips it will be easy to help children start saving and become more aware of their own personal finances.

Author Tanya Mitchell is a budget consultant and writes for Saving Up, a site which lets you compare savings accounts and get the highest possible interest for your hard earned money.

Extreme Couponing: Where to Start

I recently became interested in trying to figure out ways to cut back on our spending. With a house of nine people, we can sure rack up some weekly bills quick, for regular needs, like food, diapers and stuff like toilet paper - you wouldn't believe how much toilet paper we can use! And, who can't afford to save some money?

I was never one to spend time on clipping coupons...I figured it was a sheer waste of time, but I digress. I've recently shown myself that I can save money on items that I'm going to purchase anyways. Although I would normally "shop the in-store specials" and be proud of how much I saved, it simply isn't enough savings for me.

And, when I do research and find things that I think people might be interested in, I try to spread the information. TLC's show about extreme couponing makes going to the grocery store and snagging $1000 worth of groceries for less than $10 seem so easy! But, nobody starts up like that....

Where to Start

Here's where you need to start: The first thing you're going to have to do is start collecting coupons. Coupon.com, Smartsource.com, and Bettycrocker.com are some great places to start. They have online coupons that you can place a checkmark on and then print out (printer required). Also, purchase the Sunday paper in your area and scan through magazines in the grocery store for coupons that you would use. Some people will purchase several Sunday papers so that they have a bunch of coupons for the items that they normally purchase. Collect, collect, collect and then organize.

But, here's where the extreme couponer does things differently: they save EVERY coupon, even if it's for something they would practically never buy. Why? Because an in-store special of B1G1 free or 50-75% off could pop up, reducing the item to FREE or even an overage. Some stores will actually give you back the overage in your pocket (or apply it to the rest of your bill), while others will not allow overages. 

There are also some great blogs that do coupon and ad match-ups to help you figure out the best bang for your buck...simply Google "extreme couponing" or "(your grocery store) coupon match-ups". Thekrazycouponlady.com and jaimekirlewcouponing.com are just a couple of places to start.

And, don't forget to subscribe to the blogs that you like, so you can get daily emails. 

Also, pay attention to coupons that are posted in the store. Some are in those machines that you pull the coupon from, while others are right on the packages of the items that are being sold.

Create a System that Works for You

For me, at least, the best way to organize coupons is by the type of coupon (baking, frozen foods, drinks, etc), then organize them by expiration date, with the one that will expire first in the front. I'm sure that, once I get more into it, I might have to come up with a more intricate organizational strategy, but for now, this is what is working for me.

Extreme couponers use huge binders for their coupons, organized with an intricate system that works best for them.

Essentially, you will need to find a system that works well for you.

Doubling

I had no idea what coupon doubling meant until just this past week. Basically, if your grocery store honors doubling, they will double the coupons that fall under their requirements. For example, my local grocery store automatically doubles any coupon under $1. So, if I present a coupon for only $.50 off of an item, it will become $1 off at the register. I loved that! (I honestly thought that it meant that they allow people to present two like coupons for one item, but I happen to like this better.)

I recently had a coupon for $.85 off of a box of Cocoa Puffs. The in-store special had a sale: 2 for $4. So, with the box being $2 and $1.70 off, I only paid $.30 for the box!  I actually just found another coupon for $.75 off one box of Cocoa Puffs, so I'm going to do the same thing again!

Combining Coupons with In-Store Specials

Here is where you save more...grab the weekly ads for your local grocery stores and compare prices on items that you are likely to purchase. If you happen to only have one local grocery store, you're not out of luck. Watch the ad specials and compare them to the coupons in your coupon folder, envelope, (or whatever you use to organize your coupons in).

I was able to score a great deal on Pop-Tarts with $1 off of 2 boxes and an in-store sale of 2 for $4. So, I bought 8 boxes, got $4 off of $16 (8 boxes at $2 each) and ended up spending $12 on 8 boxes, which ended up only $1.50 per box. That's 50% off of the normal $2.99 per box price. I was proud!

The smartest couponers hang onto their coupons until there is a sale on the item and then make the purchase, which stacks the savings. They also pay close attention to how their store discounts products. There is usually a methodical way that discounts occur, whether it's weekly, monthly or every three months.

Learn and Understand Coupon Policies

As I mentioned above, I didn't even understand what coupon doubling meant. Now that I do, I can get some great savings with coupons under $1 at my local grocery stores. This leads me to my next point: you can look online or inquire at the service desk of your grocer about their coupon policy. Knowing the policies will help you get the best out of your couponing.

I'm only just starting out, so I don't know everything. I'm still working on strategies and perfecting how I save money. I haven't hit a FREE deal yet, but I can't wait to start! Everyone starts somewhere - you can't expect to perfect your system the first time that you shop, or the second, and probably not by the third. However, through your own trial-and-error, you will find better ways to manipulate coupons, in-store deals, and will eventually get better at putting them all together to create fabulous savings!

Don't give up on if you can't get the hang of the EXTREME couponing early in the game. Remember, a penny saved is a penny earned...if you are saving ANY money clipping coupons and are able to keep that money in your pocket, rather than spending it on the essentials of life, you're doing good.

Hey, if you have any cool tips to share with me, let me know!

Money-Saving Driving Habits that Can Save on Gas

Gas prices are so high that moms almost feel as if they are pouring their money into the tank. Traveling to soccer practice, dance lessons, field trips, and dental appointments can keep moms hopping, and the fuel necessary for these errands can quickly strain the family cash flow. However, you will be delighted to know that certain actions and driving habits can reduce the family’s gasoline consumption. If all drivers in the family were to practice the following tips, the money spent on fuel could be reduced by as much as 30%. This, in turn reduces harmful emissions that seriously impact the environment.

Before You Get Behind the Wheel

Few people realize just how much money can be saved with proper car maintenance and planning. Taking a few minutes of time with the following checklist could make a tank of gas go a lot farther:

• Unload any unnecessary weight from the car or truck before running errands. This means that the trunk should not become a storage vehicle for sporting equipment, golf clubs, or bikes.

• Plan your route meticulously, taking into consideration the shortest distance, the number of stop signs or red lights, traffic congestion, and detours.

• Keep the car’s mechanical components in excellent condition by frequently checking filters, spark plugs, sensors, and tire pressure.

• Remove items from the vehicle, such as luggage or bike racks, that change its aerodynamics.

As You Control the Vehicle

The driver may have as much impact on mileage as the type and condition of the automobile. Use these suggestions to raise the number of miles that you get from each tank of fuel:

• Keep all starts and stops smooth and easy.

• Stay at a constant speed, using the cruise control when on the interstate or in open traffic.

• Always keep the pace around fifty miles per hour for optimum fuel efficiency.

• Use the air conditioner only when comfort makes it imperative.

• Rather than idling for long periods of time as you wait in line, turn off the engine to conserve fuel.

• Always use overdrive your car is equipped with it, unless the terrain is particularly hilly.

• Do not ride the bumper of the car in front of you; this makes you start and stop every time the other driver does and causes the car to guzzle gasoline.

Moms can have a great impact on the family budget by finding ways to save when purchasing fuel. Carpooling, public transport, walking, and biking may be options for some family activities. It may also be useful to check the internet for the cheapest fuel prices that are closest to home. It never makes sense to drive a long distance to fill up with fuel that is cheaper by just a few pennies per gallon. Instead, do the research without driving, and use the information wisely. By saving on fuel now, the family may eventually be able to afford a more cost effective vehicle which will do some of the saving for you.

Jane Simpson writes for an auto loan calculator site and loves learning new money-saving tricks. She tries to follow the advice in this post to cut her spending and enjoys the challenge of getting more miles out of each gallon of fuel.

How to Coupon Without Being Extreme

Imagine walking out of the grocery store with an overflowing cart for just a few dollars. There are people accomplishing this every day. Extreme couponers specialize in maximizing savings. Their methods are so amazing that TLC actually has a show dedicated to this lifestyle. Here are some tips on how the passionate couponers do it, and how you can use coupons without being extreme.

Get Organized

The coupons won’t do you any good if you don’t have them with you. Take some time every Sunday to sit down and clip the coupons you think you’ll use. Put them in a little binder. Shoppers in the extreme shows use 3-ring binders, but you can choose a more stylish option. Select awesome coupon organizers online that are attractive and easy to use. Every time you head to the store, take your coupon organizer along.

Clip Only What You Will Buy

There are extreme couponers who will clip any coupon that will save them money, even if they don't need the product. This is great if they are buying for a food pantry. However, it can prove to be a waste of money and storage space for the average family. Only take the coupons you believe you will use. Buying items just because they are cheap is wasteful.

Store Ads

One of the keys to couponing successfully is to stack the savings. Use your coupons on items that are on sale. Enjoy greater savings by frequenting stores that will double or even triple your coupons. Find the best deals by comparing ads against the coupons you have collected. If you don’t have a coupon for a sale item, visit the manufacturer’s website to see if they are offering printable coupons.

Finding Coupons

TLC shows people dumpster diving for discarded coupons and spending hours scouring the Internet for savings. This is a time-intensive undertaking, one that is a little too extreme for most people. There’s no need to dig through the neighbor's trash. You can find coupons in the Sunday paper and even on the shelves at the store. When you start looking, you will notice that coupons are actually everywhere. Look in magazines and in the mail. Visit the websites of your favorite manufacturers and sites that are designed specifically for coupons. Finally, work out a swap with friends so you can each get more of the coupons you are interested in.

Buy in Bulk

Extreme couponers buy in bulk. They take advantage of the deals when they are available. While this is a great strategy, it should be done with care. You don’t want to stockpile so many paper towels that you lose living space in the house. Take care when buying perishable items. The coupons don’t present any kind of savings if the food winds up going bad.

You can save money by using coupons. Expect to spend a little time clipping and organizing them each week. You will also spend a little more time on grocery shopping as you find the best deals and select the coupons you will use. However, you don’t have to make couponing a full-time job. With these easy tips, you can use coupons to save money without going overboard.

Need a resource for online coupons in the UK? Check out the leader in online coupons Coupon Croc. It comes highly recommended by Tom Blanchard a couponer for over 20 years.

Unique Ways to Save Money this Holiday Season

The gift giving and decorating of the season can make the holidays expensive. Fortunately, there are ways you can save money without sacrificing any on style. Here are a few tips to help you make the season a little more joyful and a little less expensive.

Coupons are Great

Coupons are one of the easiest ways to save money this time of year. When flyers arrive in the mail from your local toy store, clip out the coupons and put them in a bag in the car. When you arrive at the store to make the purchase, you’ll already have the coupon in hand.

Online Coupon Codes

Bring coupons into the electronic age by looking for online coupon codes when making a purchase. Search for online coupon codes with your favorite retailers before making the final purchase.

Rewards

If you have a card that offers rewards, put it to good use during the holidays. Make your purchases on the card for the cash back savings. However, you should take care to make sure the charges are paid in full or interest will destroy your savings.

Group Gifts

You and your siblings can each buy your parents a small gift, or you can pool your resources and give them something really special and amazing. There are some ways to make this project more successful and less stressful. Be clear with the parties involved about what you are considering purchasing and what the cost per person will be. Be receptive to ideas for other gifts that might be a little more affordable. If someone wants to participate, but can’t chip in as much financially, consider having them contribute by actually picking up the gift and wrapping it.

There’s an App for That

Put shopping apps to work for you. Scan bar codes with ShopSavvy to make a wish list, compare prices and receive price alerts if items go on sale.  Use GasBuddy to help you find the lowest gas price around, a savings that can be enjoyed throughout the year. And KeyRing provides you with one convenient place to store all your store reward cards.

Budgets

Creating different budgets can help you keep things in perspective. Have one budget for the decorations, another for your holiday gatherings and another one for gifts. This will help you keep the expenses in line without sacrificing too much from any one area.

Buy Bulk

There are times when bulk buying pays off. Order Christmas cards in bulk and hit the buying clubs for the paper products you will use at your next gathering. This is also the best way to buy the sugar and supplies for your holiday baking.

Recycle and Get Creative

Don’t be too quick to give in to the urge to buy new decorations. Choose to reuse the ones that you already have in the attic. Let the kids put new life in plain glass balls by putting some paint inside them and creating gorgeous swirled patterns. Pull out the old Christmas cards that you have from previous years, cut off the backs and use them to wrap presents, decorate the house or string them on the tree.

There are many ways to save money during the holidays this year. Watch your budget, take advantage of reward programs and clip coupons to increase your savings. Recycling will also allow you spend your limited funds in other areas while apps will help you find the best deals available.

Author Thomas Hathaway is a financial consultant and suggests there are times when a payday loan may come in handy when you have financial urgency prior to your regular pay date.

Cash-Saving Tips when Buying Gifts

Guest blog post by Andrew

During special occasions, gift giving becomes somewhat obligatory. Whether it’s birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Easter Sunday, gifts are bought and given to please the people we love. More often than not, buying presents for holidays and special occasions tend to hurt the pocket.

Are you among the many consumers who have incurred debts because of buying expensive gifts? Are you now dreading the special occasions and holidays because that means you have to hurt your finances further when you need to purchase and give presents? Here are some helpful tips that would help make buying and giving gifts more practical.

Set a budget

It is wise to set a budget before buying gifts. To make it more effective, you have to get the resolve to stick to it. Impulsive buying of presents would not do you any good. Thus, it would be ideal if you would make plans for it. Whenever you drop by the mall, try to look for possible gift items and take note of price tags. This way, you would have ideas about what items to buy using specific budgets.

Intend to buy gifts that you could comfortably afford. There is no sense spending too much on presents and resenting your spending at the end of the day. Try not to impress the recipient of the gift. After all, no one complains about the gifts they receive (at least out of ethics). These days, everyone would certainly understand if others get more practical when giving out gifts.


The combined gift

You may opt not to buy individual gifts for couples or families. It is practical to find and buy a present that they could logically share. For example, you could give a set of DVDs to a friend’s or relative’s family so you do not have to buy each of them a gift. For your nephews and nieces, why not buy them a trampoline or any item they could share?

At times, it may be less costly if you treat your family to a day out instead of to buy them presents. You would be surprised how much you could possibly save in doing so. On a special occasion, you may cook for the entire household and turn the celebration into a feast. That could be a perfect gift idea that everyone could surely appreciate.

Shop around

Of course, nothing would beat the value and advantages of shopping around. Before you buy any present for the holiday or for a special occasion, be sure you shop around to find the best items at the most reasonable price tags. Go out and shop when there are discount offers. Never mind the legwork and the crowd.

Compare prices. At times, different retailers could set different price tags for specific items. Find the shop that sells items at lower prices. You may also consider finding and buying other brands. Do not forget to bring discount coupons you find in newspapers and flyers.

As you buy and give gifts, always remember that it is the thought that would surely count. The presents need not be expensive. Those could be items that are truly useful, without being costly.

Andrew loves sharing his frugal tips online. When he is not writing, Andrew helps people to manage their debt with debt consolidation loan

Thanks, Andrew, for your ideas and tips on saving money on gifts! Dear readers: do you have any tips that you use to save money on all of those "obligatory" gifts???

Homemade Natural Skin Exfoliator - With Ingredients From Your Kitchen & Bathroom!

I've been searching high and low for ways to save money and keep the budget low...and it's not easy, with 6 kids in tow, to treat myself to special things. So, in my search for inexpensive skin exfoliators for both my face and my poor, rugged feet, I have found some awesome solutions to share!

You need to know this: If you want softer, smoother, more vibrant skin, you don't need to go to the most expensive store in the mall and purchase the high-dollar scrubs and exfoliators. All you need to do is spend some time in your kitchen with some of the very same ingredients that those expensive companies use in their costly scrubs.

These are tried and true "secrets" that I have spent time working on lately...and I love them, so I hope you do, too. Now, a lot of people will tell you to mix up some water and sugar to exfoliate with...and a bunch of other ingredients, like guava juice or pineapple juice, but the sugar is so sticky and gooey. It's really not fun washing it off of your feet, let alone your precious face.

The Magic Ingredient

So, the magic ingredient for a natural scrub of any type is: Sea salt. You can find it in your local grocery store or Wal-mart - and a little goes a long way. Sea salt is made of minerals that effectively remove those dead skin cells from your face. It also removes the excess oil and cleans your pores, so if you have "problem skin", you're going to love it!

http://acneomg.com/2010/12/15/sea-salt-%E2%80%9Ckill%E2%80%9D-acne/

If you're skippy to make something right now with the ingredients in your kitchen and don't want to wait to get sea salt at the store, you can also use wheat germ, brown sugar or oatmeal...all three have natural ingredients that are both soothing and exfoliating at the same time.

The Liquid Ingredient

What you do with the sea salt next is your choice, but you're definitely going to need a liquid base. You can make a simple mixture of sea salt and water, thick or thin, depending on your preference and how rugged your skin is, or you can use olive oil (it's skin-friendly! Not to mention, the most common liquid ingredient for homemade exfoliators), avocado oil, jojoba oil, vegetable oil or some apricot kernel oil. I've only used the water and the olive oil, so I can only personally vouch for them. The others, I have heard about from one source or another during my hunt for homemade exfoliators.

How To Mix It

For your face, I would definitely recommend that you start with a thinner solution. For feet like mine...you're going to need to make it thick and rough. :) A good rule of thumb, though, is the 2:1 solid to liquid ratio. That means that if you are using, for instance, sea salt and oil only, 8 Tbsp of seas salt to 4 Tbsp of your choice of oil would be ideal.

But, if you're looking for more than just a sea salt paste to rub on your face, you're going to want to add an ingredient or two to the sea salt and water/oil mixture. And, of course, if you're going to make a more intricate mixture with the ingredients below, you will have to figure out how to make it the right ratio, but playing with the ingredients is half of the fun, isn't it?

Also, if you get one of these handy-dandy small mixing bowls with the little ladle-spoon, it will work perfectly for all of your future exfoliating mixture endeavors:

http://www.miniaturesonline.co.uk/mixing-bowl-and-spoon-371-p.asp

Add A Touch of Honey

Yes, just the honey from the grocery store! Did you know that honey will not only help to clear up acne with its antibacterial properties, it also has healing properties to eliminate scarring? Honey also has glycolic acid and is semi-acid on the pH scale, so it's perfect for problematic skin...and it will make your skin GLOW, without the oiliness. (Yes, you can use honey as a face wash by itself - again, this is a very sticky process, so I would recommend using the honey in the shower for a less messy removal process.)

Add Some Pureed Fruit/Veggies

Yes, pureed fruits and veggies! I know that you've noticed all of the face washes, body washes, shampoos, conditioners, etc. that are labeled "Cucumber & Melon" or "Sweet Pumpkin"...it's not just because these companies think that consumers will love the smell....they have wised up to the fact that the fruits and vegetables are also healing and enriching for the skin and hair.

Pumpkins, cucumbers, kiwi fruit, avocados, papayas, bananas and many many more fruits and veggies have emollient and enzymatic properties and vitamins and minerals that are just as great for the body on the outside as they are for the inside! They will also add a yummy fragrance to your exfoliator for added essence.

Add Some Girly-ness

Now, if you have a favorite natural (or not natural - your choice) face wash, body wash or lotion, you can add the sea salt to the and - voila! - your very own homemade exfoliating face/body wash/lotion. I will mention that if you are planning to use a lotion and have sensitive skin, be careful how your face will react to the lotion, because it might have fragrance or other ingredients that won't jive with your sensitive face. I would recommend using you homemade exfoliating lotion on your feet, elbows and knees.


Add A Drop of Essential Oil

http://medicinegardenwellness.com/shoppe/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=10

Essential oils are the boost for the girly-ness factor. Don't forget that essential oils bring to the mixture a new quality (beyond the aromas). These oils are derived from trees and plants that have been used for centuries by ancient healers, when "medicine" was made with natural ingredients.

They can be quite pricey, so do your research and pick out the essential oil that will work best for all of your needs...that little vial could last you a year or more, even if you are mixing up exfoliators on a weekly basis. Every essential oil has a benefit - and some have many benefits - so, it all depends on which properties you are interested in beyond the fragrance.

Anti-Inflammatory Essential Oils

There are anti-inflammatory essential oils, like the thyme essential oil (this is said to be the strongest and also great for respiratory issues), rose essential oil (also good for reducing depression, grief, nervousness and insomnia), clove essential oil (also pain relieving and great for digestion issues, hence it is used often in Mexican cuisine), eucalyptus essential oil (and this is also wonderful for relieving a cold or congestion and headaches), bergamot essential oil (light and fresh - will also relieve emotional distress and fatigue) and fennel essential oil (calms indigestion, too).

Anti-Aging

Rosewood essential oil is raved about for its anti-aging properties, as well as its ability to cure acne and diminish scars. Lavendar, neroli and carrot seed essential oils are also raved about for anti-aging. Myrrh and frankincense are said to have been used to preserve Egyptian mummies...so what does that tell you? Rose hip seed oil has great moisturizing properties and is also known to assist with healing skin issues like psoriasis and reduce scarring.

Be Careful!

Now, with essential oils, a little goes a LONG way.

Be sure to only add a drop or two of the essential oil to your exfoliator mixture and be really careful about direct contact with your skin when using essential oils. Some carry serious warnings about irritation to skin, so you may want to try a small portion of your homemade exfoliating concoction on an indiscreet spot on your arm before applying it to your face or whole body. Also, when mixing, do not confuse your liquid base with your essential oil....just remember, essential oil = 1-2 drops! :)

It seems like I could write a whole new post on essential oils and their benefits (I'll do that in the future!), but, for now, I hope this list is a good start for your homemade natural skin exfoliator.



If you have any questions or suggestions of your own, feel free to post a comment or send me an email! Have fun trying out the different mixtures that you can come up with! And, if you happen to try any of my suggestions, please come back and share your experience!

CouponSense Makes It Easy To Coupon-Shop!

Coupon-clipper, I am not. Thrift store shopper, check, bargain shopper, check, bulk shopper, check, but you will rarely see me clipping coupons. Don't ask me why I don't pull out those scissors and start clipping if I have to feed six kids...because I don't have an answer for you. I will shop by the sales in the fliers and use the store-issued savings cards every time I shop to save on the in-store deals. I just never "got into" clipping coupons, searching for them on the Internet and printing them out, or grabbing the Sunday paper to scoop up on the coupons that come inside. I'm the stop, drop and roll shopper. When I have a spare moment (if it can even be called that), I run to the store.

I Might Have to Change My Ways...

I was offered a one month trial with CouponSense.com and this is for all of you die-hard coupon clippers (or printers): you have to try it!

It has a ton of coupons and deals (definitely hundreds) and is organized in a way that a newbie coupon clipper can really appreciate. Coupons and deals are organized by category, price, store, and can be rearranged and filtered as you choose. Each coupon includes the store that it is categorized under, when the ad expires, the regular price and savings price (see below). In addition, there are double coupons and the system will only allow you to choose the correct amount of coupons for each deal. And, need I even mention that Coupon Sense shows you the in-store ads, too? It's a very smart and innovative system!

Categories and Stores

Some of the initial categories that you can choose from are: Store Promos, Buy 1, Get 1, Under $1, Restaurant, Meat Produce, Dairy. And the offers/coupons are good at Walgreens, CVS, Target, JC Penney, Rite Aid, Save More, and many others. 

Software For Dummies

For those of you who are computer software-challenged, there is also a Tour that you can elect to go through before you start coupon sifting, searching and sorting. You have your own login and dashboard to work on. When you see a coupon you need, simply click on it and if there are any specifications, the system will automatically tell you. They even provide online help (a Coupon Coach!), right there on your dashboard, if you ever get stuck or have any problems or questions.

My honest opinion is that, if you are already used to clipping coupons and searching deals and fliers, this is yet another avenue that you can try. It's definitely going to save you time. And, it's easy enough, even for the computer software challenged.

Cost vs. Savings

Your first month is only $4, but I can see a savings of far more than that on just one shopping trip...I can almost promise you, from what I have seen with my own eyes, Coupon Sense will multiply your savings far beyond that $4. On my dashboard, the site announces that Coupon Sense members have experienced savings totaling $65,638 in Jan 2011 alone (as you can see, above).

BUT..wait!

If you are a Mommy Rantings follower, CouponSense has offered to extend a one month trial for only $2. I'm sure that you can find a coupon or two (or more) to justify the expenditure! Just use the promo code: MommyRantings. 

Thanks for helping us save, CouponSense.com!

I was provided a free one month trial to evaluate the service and write a review. I was not compensated monetarily for this post.