Save Money Using Coupons (NAPSA)—The good news about our economyis that you can still save and spend at the same time. Clipping coupons is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to save money. Coupons are Dm a great way to economize, stretch the budget and try new products for less than theretail price. Here are tips to help you be a savvy coupon clipper: Look for coupons everywhere —in this publication directly in manyretailers’ ads, in the store, magazines, in and on the package, the Internet, in your mailbox and on yourcell phone. * Visit your favorite brands’ Web sites and call manufacturers’ 800 numbers (often found on the product packages) to request coupons. Use coupons with shorter expiration dates first to stock up on necessary items. * Use coupons in conjunction with loyalty/frequent shopper cards from retailers. Shop on double or triple coupon days and use manufacturers’ rebates to get additional savings. Subscribe to a newspaper— nearly 90 percent of the more than $350 billion worth of coupon savings are in the freestanding inserts in Sunday papers. These are the second-most-read section after the front page. Register on rewards and coupon program Web sites to access exclusive “members-only” coupons. Maximize savings by using retailer coupons during big event sales (such as back-to-school or holidays). Clipping coupons is as easy as one, two, three. As little as 20 minutes a weekclipping and orga- nizing coupons can save you as much as $1,000 per year. In fact, according to the Promotion Marketing Association’s Coupon Council, 89 percent of the United States population uses coupons and saves an average of 7 percent on their grocery bills. Shoppers save approximately $2.6 billion a year just by using coupons. The average family that uses coupons saves between $5.20 and $9.60 per week. For more information about coupons and clipping tips, visit www.couponmonth.com.
