by Veena Krishnan

Created on: March 19, 2010   Last Updated: March 24, 2010

I believe that coupons are meant to save money. But it works best for people who are organised. Those who shop and buy things for the sake of shopping or do not organise their shopping to make full use of the coupons might end up buying more than they otherwise would have.

When I have a coupon I check if it is for a product that I buy regularly. If it is for something I never buy, I bin it immediately. If it is a coupon I can use I check the validity date. If the validity date on the coupon is expiring soon then I will jot it down in my shopping list so that I remember to pick up the product when I go shopping. I will also keep it with my bank card so that when I pay for my purchases I will remember to present it at the till and avail of the saving. 

Regularly leafing through the coupons collected and checking the expiry dates is helpful. Some products may not be needed immediately but would be required soon. If the product is not something that won't keep there is no harm in buying it sooner than later and get the advantage of the coupon. In a well run household there will always be extra cans of food for a rainy day and space to store an extra pack of toilet roll or washing liquid. And these are the products I wouldn't hesitate to buy if I receive a discount coupon for their purchase.  

Sometimes discount coupons may save you less than an in-store discount. Obviously it will be foolish to use the coupon instead of the discount. A little bit of calculation by the customer is required to avoid getting conned into spending more than required. After all we are living in a society where private enterprise is encouraged and no private company is going to give something without it being profitable to them. Free enterprise allows companies to offer ridiculous discount deals such as a free teaspoon with the purchase of a car! It is for the customer to be vigilant and not be taken for a ride in this age of consumerism.

Coupons for holidays and travel deals have to be carefully looked into before using them. Time constraints, facilities provided and the basic cost of the tour itself have to be considered. The tour could be organised by a company known to be expensive and the cost with the coupon might be more than what other companies are offering.  You may be someone who is quite happy traveling in 3 star comforts and paying less than someone who is traveling in 5 star comfort but has paid an arm and a leg because the coupon allows you to use it only on the costliest tours.  

Coupons are not all bad. Using them judiciously and being organised while shopping can prevent one from spending unnecessarily. 

Learn more about this author, Veena Krishnan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.