15 Things You Should Never Buy Without Coupons
If you like cutting costs but have shied away from using coupons because it seems too time-consuming to track them down, you might be missing out on major savings.
“No matter what you buy, you can likely get it for cheaper by using a coupon,” said Linsay Thomas, a guest finance expert with deal and coupon website DealsPlus. “By using just a couple (of) coupons a week, you can save a few hundred dollars a year.”
Couponing isn’t nearly as complicated or time-consuming as you might think. You can easily find promotional codes and printable coupons online or on mobile apps while you’re shopping, and you should be using them to save on the following items.
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1. Clothing
Whether you’re shopping for women’s, men’s or children’s apparel, you can almost always find a coupon for a discount on clothes, said Howard Schaffer, the former general manager of Offers.com. The average discount ranges from 15% to 25%, but you can find coupons for 50% off or more during major shopping holidays, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, he said.
Retailers most likely to offer coupons for clothing include JCPenney, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Sears. “You can generally save more money when you shop online at these stores, as many of them have better deals or coupons for online shoppers,” said Schaffer.
In general, you can find coupons and coupon codes by visiting clothing retailers’ websites, signing up for retailers’ emails, visiting coupon sites — such as DealsPlus, Offers.com and Rather-Be-Shopping — and using mobile apps like Coupon Sherpa.
2. Shoes
By using coupons, you can avoid paying full price for shoes. For example, Finish Line and Kohl’s both offer coupons for brand discounts and certain percentages off entire purchases, said Schaffer.
Some shoe retailers offer special coupons for members of their loyalty programs. For example, DSW has a tier rewards program that lets members earn points that can be redeemed as cash toward future purchases and products. Plus, it offers members special deals and coupons.
“DSW already boasts discount prices on designer shoes, but I only shop there after I receive their coupon for $20 off $49 or more,” said Kendal Perez, a former savings expert with Coupon Sherpa. “Rewards members receive these coupons in the mail about twice per year.”
3. Jewelry
“Never buy jewelry without a coupon,” said Josh Elledge, founder of SavingsAngel. “Jewelry is already marked up quite a bit, so not only should you use a coupon, you should time your purchases to match amazing sales and clearance offers.”
You’ll find jewelry marked down during holiday sales events. Then, using a coupon, you can easily get more than 60% off the regular retail price, he said.To find coupons for jewelry stores and retailers that sell jewelry, Elledge recommends visiting RetailMeNot. If you shop online, you might even be able to earn cash back by making purchases with select retailers through Swagbucks, he said.
4. Restaurant Meals
Whether you dine out regularly or occasionally, you can keep costs down with coupons. Check your mail for offers from local restaurants, said Perez. Or, visit Valpak for local coupons and daily deal sites, such as Groupon, for restaurant discounts. You can also find coupons for chain restaurants on sites such as Coupon Sherpa.
For example, Perez said she takes advantage of a Coupon Sherpa coupon for $1 off a sandwich or salad at Quiznos on days when she doesn’t pack her lunch for work.
5. Pizza
“You should never pay full price for pizza,” Thomas said. “Pizza chains such as Round Table, Papa John’s, Domino’s and Pizza Hut always offer coupon deals.”
Even local pizza places offer coupons, she said. You can find pizza coupons throughout the year on sites such as DealsPlus, but you’ll find even more offers around holidays and the Super Bowl, said Thomas. Offers range from 15% off orders to free pizzas.
6. Car Washes
You can often find coupons for local services such as car washes in monthly mailers, Valpak mailers or through Coupon Sherpa’s app, which pulls in local coupons from various sources, Perez said. Groupon is another good source of coupons for local services.
Perez said that she uses Groupon to buy a six-pack of car washes to a local car wash place as a gift for her dad, who likes to use the service during the winter months.
7. Dry Cleaning
Because there aren’t many national or even regional dry-cleaning chains, there’s a lot of competition from local cleaners to attract customers, said Mike Catania, founder of PromotionCode.org. If you download the Yelp app, you can use the filter option to search for dry cleaners offering deals. Doing this will return lots of coupons for buy one, get one free or $1 per garment deals for first-time customers, he said.
“The real bounty, though, is after you pick up your first order,” Catania said. “The paper on the wire hanger will typically have printed coupons that rival or even exceed the first-time coupons to keep you coming back.”
Also, check the dry cleaners’ websites for coupons, said Perez. For example, she saved 25% at a local dry cleaner by showing a coupon from its website.
8. Oil Changes
“Never get an oil change without a coupon,” said Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping. “Not a huge savings, but it’ll add up over the life of your vehicle.”
This is especially true if you get your oil changed at Jiffy Lube, which regularly offers a $10 off coupon.
9. Rental Cars
Many car rental agencies and travel booking sites offer promotional codes on their own sites or on sites such as RetailMeNot or Groupon. Currently, RetailMeNot has a coupon for up to 25% off Budget and Avis rentals.
10. Ride-Sharing Services
It’s no secret that Uber fares tend to be cheaper than the average taxi, but the service can be even more economical if you use a coupon. If you haven’t used Lyft, you can score $15 off your first ride with a coupon from Offers.com.
11. Arts and Crafts Items
If you’re not shopping with a coupon at a craft store, you’re overspending, said James. Stores such as Hobby Lobby, Joann Fabric & Craft Stores and Michaels always have coupons for a minimum of 40% off any one regularly priced item, he said.
To find coupons, search online by the store’s name or ask an employee for a coupon because the stores typically have some available, said James. You can also download the stores’ apps to find their coupons and show them at checkout for discounts.
12. Houseware
Rather than pay full price for cookware, dinnerware, small kitchen appliances and home accents, look for coupons from home goods and department stores.
13. Flowers
Sending flowers to a loved one is a nice gesture, but it’s also pricey. Before picking a florist, check sites such as DealsPlus, Offers.com and RetailMeNot to see which one is offering the best coupon deal.
14. Diapers
Coupons are often available for diapers, said James, adding that an online search can yield printable coupons for savings of $2 to $5 per package for most popular brands.
“The coupon savings will typically get you under, or very near, the price of the store-brand diapers at Costco and Sam’s Club,” he said.
15. Baby Wipes
Coupons are also available for baby wipes. You can expect to save 50 cents to 75 cents if you check manufacturer and coupon websites, Thomas said.
He also recommends signing up for the rewards programs offered by companies such as Huggies and Pampers to earn discounts and freebies. You can sign up on the companies’ sites.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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