Change 4 Dollars

Many people live paycheck to paycheck or on a very tight budget. CHANGE 4 DOLLARS offers tips on ways to save money when there is no spare money to save. Because of illness, homelessness, a world-wide pandemic or financial difficulties, saving money seems to be impossible. From The Corner Office presents CHANGE 4 DOLLARS several times a year with suggestions enabling readers with ways to save that work.

The suggestion this month is COUPONING. People often use coupons to discount what they pay where they shop. When a customer presents their items, the clerk totals the purchases and deducts the value of the coupons. If this is where couponing stops, you have spent less but you have not saved. It is important to understand the difference and to realize how this can improve your financial life.

Three common types of coupons:

• FLAT PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL BILL
• CENTS OFF SPECIFIC ITEMS
• BUY ONE ITEM, GET ANOTHER FREE

As an example, suppose the purchase total was $61.50.
In the first type, the discount would be $6.15. (10% off)
In the second example, the coupons totaled $3.40.(various coupons)
The third example would be an item that cost $2.89.(2nd one free)

When paying the reduced amount of the purchases, the amount saved needs to be put away: in an envelope, a jar, a cash box, anywhere removed from the bank account where regular bills are paid. This allows these small amounts to accumulate and turn into dollars. In this manner, a substantial amount of money will be available at year-end.

In my personal case, when my children were young and things were very
tight, this money became available to help buy holiday presents for the children or airfare to visit my parents in the midwest. Neither of these fit into our budget at the time.

Frequent places coupons are used:

• GROCERY STORES
• DEPARTMENT STORES
• RESTAURANTS
• SHOE STORES

By getting into the coupon habit, money can be available for special purchases, presents or travel. When the savings is actually used for something that could not have been possible, a great sense of accomplishment is achieved.

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