Does the Deal Make Sense to You?

So you heard about some awesome deal through a friend.  They tell you exactly the coupons they used, the store they went to and the price they paid.  It's a friend so you take them at their word, right?  Now say you were on Facebook and you saw someone post a deal they did, you duplicate that said deal, right?

In both cases I say wrong.  Before you do any deal look at your coupons for that deal, look at the ad for the store, read all the fine print, read the stores couponing policy.  Make sure for yourself that the deal is a legit one.  That the coupon that you just printed from coupons.com or any other legit site didn't get something added to the fine print after your friend used theirs.  

You are the one heading to the store to do the shopping.  The money from your purchase is coming out of your pocket.  If you take someone at their word that this shopping trip is only going to cost you $5 and some of your coupons do not double that means more money out of your pocket and budget.  

No matter who tells you about a deal, make sure to check it out for yourself.  

The Art of Couponing

Couponing might be considered an art by some.  It takes time to figure out how to do it to maximize your savings.  It takes time to perfect.  People admire what you do, just like a good art piece.  However, once you think you have it all figured out you get your next batch of coupons and you notice the Manufacturer changed the fine print, what you can use it on, how you can use it, etc.  Back to the drawing board you go.  Back to tweaking your masterpiece.  Back to figuring out if the deal you heard about will still work.  Back to relearning.  Back to saving.