The first handwritten coupon was distributed in 1887 by the Coca Cola Company.  It was to market the tonic and coupons for complimentary beverages were sent to potential customers and printed in magazines.  The Coca Cola Company gave soda fountains free syrup to cover the cost of the free drinks.  It was a brilliant way to market the new tonic and between 1894 and 1913 an estimated total of 8,500,000 free drinks had been redeemed.

In 1998 September was officially deemed as National Coupon Month and, to date, coupon distribution and redemption is at it’s highest.  The results from a recent poll are astounding.  96% of you said that you would still use coupons if you won the lottery.  91% of you would give up purchasing a piece of clothing if it wasn’t on sale.  And, 92% of shoppers are most interested in finding deals and coupons for grocery items.  Those numbers are high!  We are a coupon based society and more than ever people are taking coupon clipping very seriously.

The amount of time that people spend clipping coupons varies.  You have those that spend anywhere up to an hour skimming the coupon pages and cutting out a few.  On the other end of the stick you have extreme coupon enthusiasts who devote a great deal of time to this art.  Their stories usually make headlines.  They are the men and women that can walk out of a grocery store with $300 worth of groceries for under $50.

On average, if you can devote 20 minutes to an hour a week clipping coupons, you could save over $1,000 a year.  You don’t have to be a genius to spend less and get more.

*Grocery stores are always moving prices up and down on products.  Get familiar with the pricing on things that you typically buy and when price changes go into effect.  When the price drops then whip out those coupons.

*Invest in a cheap coupon organizer and use it!  Organize coupons by product and date.  Once a week check for expired coupons and pull out the ones that you are going to use that week to keep up front.  Nothing is more aggravating than having to search for a coupon or realizing the one you want to use is expired.

*Make a list and check it twice.  Plan out your meals for a week or two, make a list to accommodate the menu and pull out any coupons that you’ll use to purchase these items.  If you’re on a budget and sticking to the list is a must, leave the rest of your coupons at home to resist impulse purchases.

*Be selective when you receive a coupon to try a new product.  Often times the price on that particular brand is higher than generic or older brands even when you factor in the savings from the coupon.  Bring a calculator and do the math.

*Although it’s the most popular, the Sunday paper isn’t the only place to find coupons.  The internet is also a great source for printable grocery coupons.  Other places to find stashes are coupon machines on grocery store shelves, the checkout area (I spotted 4 shelves of bins filled with coupons the other day.  It’s a coupon sharing program that our local grocery store offers), the strips of coupons that are included with your receipt and on the pages of your favorite magazine.

*If you’re in the mood to haggle, ask for discounts on products that are damaged or close to expiration dates.  It doesn’t hurt to ask.

*If you’ve got the time, send out emails to various companies to let them know how much you love their product.  Most of the time companies are bombarded by emails filled with complaints.  They love to get letters praising their products and they often will send you an envelope stuffed with coupons for future purchases.  I’ve done this a few times and it’s been a success.

*Clipping coupons can become tiresome.  When these moments hit make it into a game.  Keep track of how much you saved with coupons the week before and try to exceed that.  Make it a challenge to be one of those that walk out of the grocery store paying only $50 for $300 worth of groceries.  With enough practice it’s possible!

Well, we heard you, DealTakers! We are proud to announce that DealTaker.com now has a printable Grocery Coupons page! From here you’ll be able to search among a huge collection of grocery coupons. Just find and check the ones you want, then print them up from the convenience of home!

Best of all it’s free.

Now you can save even more money with DealTaker than you did before!