Using coupons is a serious way to save money. Surprisingly however, only a small percentage of shoppers (about 1 percent) redeem coupons. My mother is the original “crazy coupon lady”. Being a single mom, with three kids, she was always looking for ways to cut costs and save money. As such, I grew up around coupons and learned many tricks of the trade.

Of course, to use coupons, you need to know where to find them. Some people may not realize there are multiple places to find coupons. One place to find coupons is the Sunday paper. There are three different inserts that come out on a regular basis: Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble.

Couponing websites are another valuable resource. From Coupons.com to Facebook to manufacturer websites, you can find coupons online. The best part about it is they’re free. I like to check The Krazy Coupon Lady because she breaks deals down according to each store’s weekly ad.  Of course you’ll need a computer and a printer. Don’t forget, you can use the computers here at the library. You can also print ten pages for free daily After your daily allocation, prints are just 10¢ each for black and white and 25¢ each for color.

Mobile coupons are now becoming popular. Programs and apps like Ibotta, Checkout 51, Cartwheel, Shopmium allow you to download coupons to your phone and redeem cash back savings after you’ve purchased a product.

Interested in learning more about how to get started saving money with coupons? Join us on Tuesday, October 11 at 7 pm for Intro to Couponing. Everyone is welcome to attend but we need to know how many people to expect, so we ask that you register. To register, stop by the library or call us at 631-654-4700 x220. You can also sign up online here.