Personal Budget Planning

Coupons are a great way to save money, however they aren’t always convenient. This week I’m offering three easy tips to help you start utilizing them.

#1 Keep a few impulse coupons at hand

I carry a shoulder bag, so I keep a few coupons in an envelope. You can also just throw them in your wallet. What coupons do I keep in there? Coupons I might want to use on impulse. What’s in there now?

• Buy one get one meal for a wine bar downtown
• $5 off $15 at baja fresh
• Buy one get one coldstone ice cream
• Buy one get one pizza lunch
• $3 off movie tickets
• Buy one get one mcgriddle

That’s an easy $25 right there.

#2 Schedule coupons

If you have a series of coupons that are only good for a given period (like dry cleaners or store coupons), schedule them. I use GTD so I have a tickler file. In each month folder I throw a dry cleaning coupon to use. If you just use a calendar, tape the coupon to that month. Don’t go overboard. Just schedule one or two coupons. If you’re not using any, just a couple good coupons can save you $10-$15 a month.

#3 Make a date

There are a lot of restaurant coupons to collect. Who doesn’t have a friend that wants to save money or try a new restaurant? Pick out a place you have a coupon for, tell a friend about it, and meet for dinner. What’s a free dinner worth? I’ld say about $10-$15.

If you are looking for coupons, I recommend the newspaper, mailers, websites, or buying a reasonably priced coupon book. Last week I listed out why the entertainment book is a good deal.

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