3 Sneaky Ways Coupons Don’t Save You Money At The Stores

Sometimes coupons don’t save you money.  Not convinced? Coupons can be a big money saver when it comes to your budget.  If the store you shop at doubles those coupons, the savings can really add up.  However, coupons don’t save you money sometimes and actually end up costing you money.  Before you head out to the store with your coupon binder, check out these three sneaky ways that coupons don’t save you money.

3 Sneaky Ways Coupons Don’t Save You Money

Buy Now!

Coupons tend to create a sense of urgency when it comes to shopping.  Unless a coupon has no expiration date, you have a limited amount of time to use it.  You may already have plenty of that product on hand, but a discount on something you use regularly is often tempting.  Just make sure the savings are worth it.  Try and pair that coupon with a sale when possible.  If you don’t really need it before it expires, pass the coupon along to someone else.

Coupons Make You Spend More

Let’s say you have a coupon for $1 off two items.  If you only need one of the items, buying two just to save a dollar actually makes you spend more money.  Coupons off a single item work best in this case.  Unless you need more of one item, only buy one.  Coupons don’t save you money if they make you spend more money.

Buying Things You Don’t Need

Sometimes it’s tempting just to use a coupon on an item just because it will make the item really cheap.  However, if you don’t ever use that item, you are still wasting money.  For instance, if you had a coupon that made a tube of toothpaste 99 cents, buying that toothpaste you won’t use is pointless.  It will sit in your cabinet for months (maybe years!) and expire.  Those little expenses on things you don’t use can add up.

A better idea if the savings are really good is to purchase items to donate.  This costs money as well, but if you regularly donate to a shelter or another agency, this is a good time to buy.

As you can see,  sometimes coupons don’t save you money.  Be sure before you buy that you really need the item and the savings are good.  There are also other ways to save without using coupons.