With April will come the launch of Free Webinars on both this website and my Writing Career Coach website. I’ve decided to limit each webinar to 10 people so there will be plenty of time to ask questions. If you want to be notified about upcoming webinars and topics FIRST please sign up for The Balance Sheet using the form on the right. If you are already signed up, you will receive word soon on how to register.

Each month I will cover the SAME topic each week so, if you can’t make the first one, you won’t miss out. I will schedule some during the day, some on weekends, and some in the evening.

But until then, what can you do to save money? What can you do to get in balance.

Today I want to address the issue of coupons. When should you use them, and when aren’t they helpful.

For years I was a huge coupon shopper. I used them for EVERYTHING. If there was a coupon, I bought it. I loved the feeling of seeing “You saved $50 on this order” at the bottom of my receipt.

But when we had to really cut back expenses I had to reevaluate the usefulness of coupons. Below are just a few tips on when to use coupons and when it may be better to leave them at home.

Use Coupons when:

-It is a product or brand you usually use [or is cheaper than your usual brand]

-Using the coupon will give you large savings on something you would normally buy [ex: buy 1 gallon of milk and get 1 dz eggs free]

-It can be combined with in-store savings to get a special treat for a low price. [Sometimes it's nice to treat the kids, or yourself, as long as it isn't a weekly habit.]

Watch out when:

-They require you to purchase 2 of an item for 75 cents off. Many stores double coupons these days so using a lower coupon on one item and getting it doubled will save you more money.

-It isn’t something you usually use AND it is not something you’d buy without a coupon.

-When it becomes a compulsion to see “amount saved” rather than actually saving money on your grocery bill.

The bottom line is to make coupons a means to savings, not a game where you try to save a percentage. If you save 30% on your grocery bill but end up paying $25 more than you would have without using coupons [by buying generic or not purchasing the product at all] then coupon-free is your best option.

So sign up to hear about the free webinars and I’ll see you soon!!

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Tiffany Colter is a passionate freelance writer whose credits include Today’s Christian, Charisma Magazine, Toledo Business Journal, and the Afictionado E-zine. Tenacious in her approach not only to create a great story, but also to mentor other writers, Tiffany can always be found in the presence of a book or laptop. A former world traveler who is fluent in three languages, she strives to reach those who are hurting around her.     She enjoys helping others build a strong business and writes a daily marketing blog for writers called the Writing Career Coach and a common-sense money management site, TheBalancedLife.com. Tiffany lives outside Toledo, OH with her husband, a recent cancer survivor, and their four girls.