Levelling Up your Couponing Game!
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Sarah: Wow, look at this dress! It’s so pretty.
Violet: Yeah, it’s super pretty. How much is it?
Sarah: Who cares? I want it!
Violet: Oh my God, it says the dress is $250!
Have you ever been in this situation? Have you ever picked up a plain t-shirt and seen that it was $60? Crazy, right?
We tend to justify high prices with the brand name or quality of the product, but I am here to tell you today that you don’t have to sacrifice quality for a better price. Just find a coupon.
I know what you are thinking: my grandma uses coupons! I want to support my favourite retailers/brands.
Do you know that most stores overcharge to not only make back what the item is worth, but also to pay their employees? And when I say employees, I mean the floor grunts. The distributors, manufacturers and designers all get a set wage no matter what. But do you know that often, the extra charge for shipping or the extra $50 they charge for their brand name is given to those corporate CEO’s who make millions a year and often cheat on their taxes?
Don’t worry about using a coupon; keep your money in your pocket!
Where the hell can you find coupons?
Well, with the internet and social media being so popular, coupons are very easy to find. You no longer have to scan through hundreds of fliers and magazines, though it is still an option.
Today we can find coupons everywhere. Almost every store has a reward system – not necessarily a coupon, but still a source of saving money. Places like Tim Hortons, McDonald’s, Purdy’s Chocolatier… and now, even at Algonquin College for you lucky students, there’s a stamp system where loyalty can earn you a free purchase. Who doesn’t like chocolate or coffee?
Many clothing stores have point cards including Indigo, American Eagle, and Ardene. After collecting a certain amount of points, you can use them towards more in-store purchases. There are certain stores where their point card system is a yearly subscription, but unless you are buying from that store every month it’s not worth it. Examples of these types of programs include Suzy Shier and EBGames.
When online shopping, you can find coupons anywhere. Browser extensions like Honey are a great and easy way to find coupons. Honey is an online extension, funded by ads, find you coupons when you arrive at check out on certain websites. And no, Honey did not sponsor this blog.
Lastly, stores like Walmart, Value Village and Michael’s have a discount program attached to every receipt. Filling out a short survey can earn you at least 20 per cent off and sometimes up to 75 per cent off!
Finding coupons is not always this easy for all products. For example, phones and computers don’t tend to see huge discounts on a regular basis. The best thing to do is wait for these items to go on sale, buy during the back to school season (even if you are not going back to school!) or during Black Friday.
Don’t forget, websites like Amazon and Ebates have great deals. Ebates even has a money-back rewards system when buying your favourite items online through their service.
Let's end the stigma and start saving money!
KC
KC’s a very small carrot, who is a Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. KC is a bright student whose passions have led her to want to work in the film industry as a horror and thriller scriptwriter. She loves watching horror movies, writing, painting and baking in her spare time.
