1. Stick to coupons for things you really use. Trying another brand is fine. Buying something you know you won't or shouldn't eat is a waste.
Americans tend to throw out about 27 percent of consumable food, according to the most recent numbers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While this includes grocery stores and restaurants, the family refrigerator is also a culprit. One quick way to slice into your food bill is to buy only what you need.
2. Pick a couple of favorite coupon sites and hit them regularly. Issuers offer "10 times the coupons available on manufacturers' Web sites," says Stephanie Nelson, who runs CouponMom.com.
Be sure to hit them early in the month, because sometimes manufacturers instruct the issuers to cap the number of coupons they distribute, says Steven Boal, CEO and founder of Coupons.com. Get there early and you get first pick. And don't be afraid to check back several times a week to see if any new coupons are added. "New offers come in and out almost every day," Boal says.
3. Target the manufacturer sites of your favorite brands. It takes a little more time than just visiting several coupon issuers. But this is a great way to find coupons for the products that you regularly use.
And if you're willing to provide your e-mail and/or snail mail addresses, you can often receive additional coupons, Nelson says.
4. Layer coupons with store specials and sales. "Combine every possible savings opportunity," says Nelson, whose site summarizes weekly specials in the local grocery stores. "That's strategic shopping," she says. And it helps to know which stores sell various items at the cheapest base price.
It's also a good idea to find out if any of your favorite stores will match their competitors' offers.
5. Visit store sites. "A lot of people don't realize that all supermarkets have Web sites," says Lisa Lee Freeman, editor in chief of ShopSmart magazine. Shoppers can use these sites to find out about weekly specials, as well as store coupons.
