by Joe Owens

Created on: December 10, 2008

If you were walking down the street and saw a dollar bill lying on the pavement or sidewalk would you stoop down to pick it up? What about if open up the dryer at home to see change that has fallen from the pockets of your clothes during the laundering process? No, this isn't money laundering, but it is a way to add a little jingle to your pocket. Of course, we all would do these things. It is just common sense.

So is using coupons as a way to reduce your overall spending amount when you go to purchase the necessities of every day life. Coupons are a method in which product manufacturers seek to make their offerings more appealing. If you are satisfied with the quality of Brand A against Brand B and the only factor to make the difference is the price of each, you will surely choose the one with the lower price. So, let's pretend you have a coupon worth three quarters of a dollar. That is enough incentive to make you choose the lower overall cost.

Coupons are easily found in several places. The first and probably best known source for the jewels is in the inserts in your weekly Sunday paper. You have seen them mixed in with the plethora of sale papers each store sticks in to try to get you to spend your hard earned greenbacks in their stores. Granted, you may have advertisements for commemorative plates, coins, dolls or figurines, along with whatever new device that is making the rounds these days. But be sure to take the time to look for what you can use in the way of these offerings of free money.

Another source is in the midst of several magazines. Especially magazines targeted at women, such as Good Housekeeping, Better Homes and Gardens and the like. Many times the coupons will have a tie in with a recipe within the pages, but there are very good coupons to be clipped here.

An interesting variant with coupons that really ups the ante is when the coupon value is increased due to a particular store's promotion. Some times stores will offer a period in which they will double or even triple the value of the coupons you possess. Obviously, this makes the trouble of searching for and collecting coupons a whole different exercise.

The benefit to the store is the obvious increase in foot traffic theses deals promise. Contrary to your first impression this phenomena draws a healthy number of bargain shoppers to their local supermarket or retailer. The hardest part of retail is getting bodies in the door, since there are so many alternatives. Once the shoppers get inside, there are untold opportunities to catch their eyes with great deals.

My wife and I recently enjoyed the benefits of this deal when we visited a local store offering to double all coupons up to $2. We picked up $160 worth of items for $79. Many of these items were free after the doubling, but overall we saved half of what the full price would be. Several of the items were non-perishable, such as cleaning supplies, but those kind of things are always needed.

So in conclusion I would say coupons are definitely worth the trouble for the amount of money you can keep in your pocket. Not everyone will do this because it calls for a little effort. But, the thing is, if you do not avail yourself of this opportunity forwarded by the manufacturers you are throwing money in the trash.

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