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Using the right coupons can save you hundreds of dollars each month on basic necessities, like groceries and household items.
There are tons of blogs online where couponers brag about getting stuff for steep discounts, or even for free.
So how do they do it? It all starts with knowing where to find the best coupons.
Table of Contents
A. Coupon Apps
Maybe you don’t have a printer or you want to save money without wasting ink and paper.
Coupon apps are bringing couponing into the 21st century.
They’re a great way to get all the benefits of couponing without the hassle of actually clipping coupons.
Coupon apps can also be combined with other coupons.
Say you have a print-out coupon for an item.
Most of the time, you can only use one coupon per item.
But with coupon apps, you can use your coupons, then submit your receipts for cash back when you’re done shopping.
This means huge savings.
While there are tons of coupon apps out there, these are our favorites.
1. Ibotta
Ibotta may be the best coupon app out there.
There are hundreds of dollars’ worth of savings to be found on Ibotta, and you don’t have to jump through hoops to get them.
The app is simple to use and has a ton of great deals, making it well worth downloading.
With Ibotta, you search through rebates on a variety of items.
Most of the deals are on grocery or household items.
Find what you want to buy and click the plus sign.
The app will show you a short video or ad, then the deal is added to your cart.
After adding all the deals you want, go shopping!
Pick up the items on your list and check out.
After you’ve checked out and have your receipt, you’ll scan your receipt with the Ibotta app.
Within 48 hours, the money you saved is added to your account.
Once you’ve saved , you can withdraw for free PayPal money or Venmo or redeem your balance for gift cards.
One of the best things about the Ibotta app is that you can often find deals on items that aren’t name brand.
Unlike with coupons in the newspaper or on other sites, Ibotta offers coupons that can be used on any brand.
These might be savings on things like bananas, bread, or milk.
Because you can use these coupons on store brand items or produce, you can end up getting certain items for an extremely low price.
2. Checkout 51
Checkout 51 doesn’t have as many deals as Ibotta, but it’s definitely an app worth downloading.
It’s incredibly easy to use and will certainly save you a few bucks each week at the grocery store.
Simply scroll through the deals offered and click the star next to the ones you want.
Once you have all your coupons selected, go shopping and save your receipt.
Take a picture of your receipt with the app, and you get money back.
Once you reach $20 in savings, you can cash out.
3. Flipp
The Flipp app combines grocery store’s weekly ads with great coupons.
It can be a little trickier to use, but it’s a good way to save for those who don’t get the Sunday paper.
With Flipp, you can see all the ads and coupon inserts you’d typically find in the paper.
When you see a coupon you like, click on it and you’ll have a few options.
Some coupons you’ll have to load onto your loyalty card at select stores.
This means you’ll have to have a card at the store you choose and connect it online.
When you use your card to buy the selected item, the discount will automatically be applied.
With this option, there’s no waiting to get your money back.
There’s also a rebate option with Flipp.
This works more like Ibotta or Checkout 51.
You choose the coupons you want, shop, then upload your receipt and get money back.
There are fewer discounts available this way, but they’re definitely worth checking out.
Still curious in other coupon apps? Check out our top 10 list.
B. Printable Online Coupons
One of the great things about couponing today is that it’s easy to find tons of great coupons online.
You can find coupons for just about anything and print them right from your home computer.
It’s basically like printing money!
There are a few sites that are reputable and regularly have plenty of coupons available to print.
4. Coupons.com
Coupons.com is like an online version of your Sunday paper’s coupon section. It has coupons for everyday items and groceries. You can find coupons for everything from toilet paper to breakfast cereal.
The site is fairly easy to use, too. Simply scroll through the massive list of coupons and find what you want. Then click the little blue box with the plus symbol to clip the coupon.
When you’ve clipped all the coupons you need, you’ll click the red “Print Coupons” button in the top right corner. All your coupons will print, and you’re ready to go shopping!
5. The Krazy Coupon Lady
The Krazy Coupon Lady’s website is sort of a how-to course on couponing. While it can get a little crazy, this site also has some great printable coupons. The best part of the site is how easy it is to find coupons for specific stores or items.
From the top bar, you can select “Coupons” or “Stores” to find what you’re looking for. Let’s say you like to do all your shopping at Target. Go to the Stores tab and pick Target, and voila! You have tons of coupons you can use at Target. Under the Coupons tab, you can search for specific brand names or just type in the item you want, like “shampoo”.
The site also has a “Deals” section. This section is great for finding ways to save even more money. Here, you’ll learn how to combine coupons with current sales or other coupons to get amazing deals. There are sections for deals under $1, free stuff, and even deals that will actually make you money.
6. RedPlum
RedPlum is best known for their Sunday paper coupon inserts. But did you know you can also print RedPlum coupons online? While their website doesn’t have all the same coupons you’ll find in the paper, it does have some great offers.
You can go to the Printable Coupons section of the site to find tons of coupons ready to print. Click on what you want and it gets added to your print queue. When you’re done, hit print and go to the store.
7. SmartSource
Like RedPlum, SmartSource puts out an insert in the Sunday paper each week, but they also offer printable online coupons. Scroll through the offerings on their site and check the box next to “Clip” on the coupons you want. When you’re done, click the “Print Coupons” button in the top right. Your coupons will download as a PDF document which you can then print.
8. Hopster
You won’t find as many coupons on Hopster as some other sites, but it’s worth checking out for some of the unique deals. Hopster is simple to use and often has coupons you can’t find anywhere else. The site’s homepage has a selection of coupons good on various household items and groceries. Simply click on the coupons you want. When you’re done, click the printer icon in the top right corner to print all your coupons at once.
C. Newspaper Coupons
Newspaper coupons are the old-fashioned way of couponing, but they still work. Your local Sunday paper has coupons that you can’t get anywhere else, and that can mean big savings on tons of items. Here’s how to find and use the best newspaper coupons.
First, you’ll need to pick up a copy of your local newspaper every Sunday. Some papers offer weekend-only or Sunday-only delivery. This is a great option, as you’ll never have to worry about forgetting to get the paper on Sunday.
If you want to really save big and stock up on items when they’re cheapest, you may want to get more than one copy of the paper each week. This way, when you find a great coupon you’ll have several of them to use. Many couponers use this method and stockpile items when they’re cheapest. You can also keep a stash of coupons to use when items go on sale, allowing you to get extra savings.
There are three big coupon inserts that come in the paper on a regular basis: SmartSource, RedPlum, and P&G BrandSaver.
9. SmartSource
The SmartSource coupon insert usually comes in the Sunday paper every week. It contains coupons for a variety of items, including grocery and household items. There are all kinds of brand names included in the SmartSource insert, so you never know exactly what you’ll get.
10. RedPlum
Like SmartSource, the RedPlum coupon insert is typically delivered with the Sunday paper every week. It also has different products and name brands each week. You can find savings on everything from diapers to shampoo, and most of the coupons are pretty good deals.
11. P&G BrandSaver
The P&G BrandSaver insert comes less frequently. Rather than every week, you’ll find these coupons in your Sunday paper about once a month. It also differs from SmartSource or RedPlum in content. The P&G BrandSaver only includes coupons for Proctor & Gamble brands.
Luckily, P&G owns tons of brands that are household names. You can snag coupons for brands like Downy, Crest, Pantene, Tide, Swiffer, Gillette, and more. Often, using the coupons in the P&G BrandSaver insert makes these name brands just as cheap (or cheaper) than generic stores brands. So if name brand quality is important to you, this coupon insert is perfect.
D. Other Coupons
Although the internet, apps, and Sunday paper are the most common places people find coupons, there are a few other ways to get your hands on the best coupons. Couponers know how to look out for these special coupons. Keep an eye out for them and you can save big.
12. Blinkies
Known in the couponing community as “blinkies”, these coupons can be found right in the store. You’ve probably seen them before and walked right by without realizing you could be saving money. Blinkies are found in little black boxes with a blinking light (hence the name). They’re usually attached to the shelf at grocery stores and dispense coupons for items on that shelf.
While you can’t always count on these being there, it’s smart to grab them when you see them. Plus, you can get a few extras for your next shopping trip—after all, they’re free!
13. Peelies
Another cutesy term coined by the couponing community is “peelies”. This refers to coupons attached to products in the store. These are like little stickers slapped onto the product, and they can get you some great deals.
If you see a peelie, be sure to check it out and read the fine print. Sometimes, these coupons are good for more than just the product they’re attached to. You may be able to peel it off and use it on a cheaper variety made by the same brand. Other peelies must be used with the product they’re stuck on, but they can still get you good discounts.
14. Catalina Coupons
Lots of grocery stores give away Catalina coupons nearly every time you shop. Pay attention next time you check out at the store. These coupons print out when you get your receipt. You may get a long strip of coupons or just a few.
Catalina coupons vary based on your store and what you purchase. If you have a rewards card at your grocery store, they may keep track of the things you buy frequently, then give you Catalina coupons for similar items. So if you buy coffee each week, you’ll get Catalina coupons for coffee beans.
Like peelies or blinkies, these coupons are a bit unpredictable. You may get a great deal one time and nothing at all on your next shopping trip. However, because Catalina coupons are customized based on your shopping habits, you’re likely to get at least a few coupons you can use next time you’re at the store.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has helped you navigate your way to finding more coupons. See something that’s not on the list and should be? Let us know down in the comments below. Thanks for reading and happy frugaling!
