Economy sparks coupon comeback

Rising costs are making coupons attractive again.

Nine in 10 consumers say they have used coupons when shopping for grocery, household and health care items in supermarkets, according to the Promotion Marketing Association's Coupon Council. Rising food and transportation costs have made discount coupons more attractive recently. They help stretch the grocery budget and encourage consumers to try new products for less than their retail prices.

$350 billion in coupons: Following 15 years of declining coupon redemption in the U.S., the council has recently seen an increase. American shoppers saved $2.6 billion last year, even though $350 billion worth of packaged-goods coupons have been offered annually. The average value is $1.25 per coupon.

Get organized: Sort coupons in a coupon organizer and keep it with you in case of an unplanned shopping trip. Organize your coupons in an order based on how you shop at a store.

Budgeting lesson: Make the coupon-clipping ritual a family project as it teaches math, budgeting and saving skills — especially for the kids. Involve them in the process by letting them earn coupon-savings instead of giving them allowances.

Nights out (or in): Plan evenings out using restaurant, movie or special-event coupons or save gasoline by ordering pizza delivered or by using other delivery-style restaurant coupons.

Menu planning: Plan weekly menus based on the coupons with closest expiration dates.

Doubles & triples: Shop on "double-" or "triple-coupon days" and use manufacturers' rebates to realize additional savings. Plan your family vacation — including transportation, hotels, dining and entertainment — using coupons.

Rewards: Register on rewards and coupon program Web sites to get exclusive, "members-only" coupons. Maximize savings by using retailer coupons during big event sales (i.e. back-to-school, holiday and seasonal).

Food pantries: Use coupons to buy products to donate to local food pantries or to put the savings toward other charities.

Newspaper still best source for savings

Lots of cash-off coupons are appearing in the Tulsa World on Sundays, some in news sections and many others in color inserts — discounted groceries, services and hard goods of all types. The Promotion Marketing Association's Coupon Council says 90 percent of manufacturer coupons are delivered in Sunday newspapers.

Stores: Other sources include the stores where the coupons are redeemed. You can find them attached directly to products, on store shelves, at kiosks and even at check-out counters.

Floor samples: Accept the free samples offered in store aisles and you'll often be offered a coupon to take home a package of the tasty products.

Packaging: Check all around product packaging — there is usually a coupon somewhere among the nutritional content lists and recipes. Your favorite brands want you to keep buying them, so you'll find coupons on their packages, or even inside the packages.

Coupon books: Many are sold by schools and community groups to raise funds for their causes, but some larger community books are overprinted and the merchants whose coupons are included stop taking them when they fail to increase revenue.

Money saver

Save 7 percent: The average savings achieved with coupons, according to an association survey, is $7 per week, and most consumers spend less than 10 minutes per week clipping and organizing them. The typical family saves $5.20 to $9.60 per week with coupons. Consumers who spend 20 minutes per week couponclipping save $1,000 per year (the average annual family grocery bill is $5,000) —a 20 percent savings with coupons.

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Tulsa World consumer writer Phil Mulkins wants to know which topics interest you most. Call 699-8888 or e-mail your interest to phil.mulkins@TulsaWorld.com or mail it to Tulsa World Consumer, P.O. Box 1770, Tulsa OK 74102-1770.

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Economy sparks coupon comeback

Rising costs are making coupons attractive again.

Rising costs are making coupons attractive again.

Newspaper still best source for savings

Money saver

Consumer Page topics

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