How to Save Money on Food & Clothes Without Cutting Coupons

For quite some time I was an avid coupon clipper. However, as life got busier, clipping coupons became exceedingly tedious. Normally, I’d clip five to ten booklets of coupons, take the time to study the Sunday advertisements for the best deals and then match the coupons to those advertisements. Using coupons can be a great money saver, but it’s also a lot of work! Another complication is that most coupons are not free, so you have to purchase extra booklets to get the savings you are looking for. I still may do this from time to time, but when I just don’t have the energy or time, I use different methods to save money while shopping. Here are some easy ways to save money on food and clothes when you don’t want to clip hundreds of coupons.

Ibotta

Ibotta is a rather quick way to save money on food, although it will still require some app use. You have to download the Ibotta app, search through your preferred stores and find offers you like. You tap the plus sign to save your offers for redemption. The next step is shopping. You must buy the exact same item and quantity as noted in the offer to redeem it. Lastly, scan your receipt within 7 days to redeem your offers. You normally get your money deposited in your Ibotta account within 48 hours, although often it’s sooner.

This is a great money saving app for people who enjoy using their cellphone. I say this, because while you can log on to the Ibotta website, redeeming any offers will require a cellphone. While this is a great company, I must add that I have had several technical issues with Ibotta, some which were an easy fix and some that were never fixed.

It’s worth the effort to save some money, but this app can get a little tricky at times. Ibotta now offers online deals! If you are new and just wanting to try Ibotta, use my link  and after you scan your first receipt, they’ll reward us both with $10.00 cash back. Thanks for those who do!

Rakuten 

Rakuten is my favorite way to save money when shopping online! I recommend Rakuten, because it’s a simple way to save money on merchandise you were already going to buy. It’s also more user friendly than the Ibotta App. All you have to do is find an offer on the Rakuten website. There is a large selection of deals to choose from. Some stores that offer cash back is Target, Macys, Kohls, Groupon and Sam’s Club. There are many more stores to earn cashback, just check out Rakuten for yourself!

By clicking the link to the store, you allow Rakuten to create a shopping trip. From there, Rakuten does all the work. This includes tracking your purchase and crediting your account with cash back.

I’ve been using Rakuten for about five years. I always get my money back in a form of a check. The downside is that Rakuten only sends checks out every 90 days. However, its always a great surprise, because I normally forget about it. Who doesn’t like surprise money?

Their costumer service is very responsive and prompt. This website also has a helpful toolbar you can download. This toolbar will alert you to deals and offers when you are shopping online. This makes remembering to create a shopping trip easier than ever.

If you are new and just signing up, use my link  and after you spend your first $30.00, they’ll reward us both with $30.00 cash back. Thanks for those who do!

Digital Coupons

If you want the savings of coupons,  but you don’t want to buy a newspaper and clip coupons, this is a great method for you. And no, you don’t have to print and cut either. Digital coupons make it easy to save with only the click of your computer mouse. Many grocery stores now offer online coupons. All you have to do is go to their website and create an account. This will allow you to search their weekly coupons and offers. These can include manufacture coupon savings and store-specific coupons. You add wanted coupons to your account and you’re done. When you check out instore scan your club savings card or input your phone number and your coupons will immediately be used. Some stores include Shoprite, Dollar General, Fred Meyer, Acme and CVS.

Discount Stores

This is one of the easiest ways to shop without coupons, because there’s no apps involved. Food and clothing discount stores are a great way to save money without any coupons at all. For clothing and home goods try stores such as, TJMaxx, Marshalls, Home Goods and Burlington Coat Factory. While TJMaxx and Marshalls have online stores you will have to shop in-store for Home Goods and Burlington. These stores offer up to 60 percent off brand name merchandise. You can always find great deals at these discount stores. All of these stores have options for healthy and gourmet food.

The grocery market also has similar stores. I found that many are local to different regions, but look for grocery outlets,  liquidators or salvage in your area. These stores offer cheap prices on food that was overstocked or discontinued. It’s worth the research, as you can save at least 50% on your grocery bill compared to the average grocery store. Click here to look up stores in your state.

Sale Shopping

Another easy way to save is to shop for groceries and clothing on sale. Wait until an item you want is on sale and stock up. For example ketchup is something that can be overpriced at times, but something I use several times a week. So when I see ketchup on sale for ninety-nine cents I will buy several. This way I won’t need ketchup for a few months. By the time I need it, it will be on sale again. Buy clothing when a promotion is running. For example shop at Kohl’s when they’re offering 20% off. Shop for clothing on black Friday. Stores like JCPenny offers deals on leggings & shirts starting at five dollars.

Clearance Shopping

Always, always check for clearance. Most major stores have a rather large clearance section of items that they have not been able to sell at full price. I have scored many great deals this way. Even the previously mentioned discount stores have clearance. This makes their already discounted prices even cheaper. The best time to buy clearance is when items have become 50% to 90% off. Keep in mind by the time merchandise usually gets to 90% off it will be slim pickings. Many people will think clearance at 50% off is a great deal and snatch it up. Another great time to shop clearance is after the holidays. After each holiday is over, merchandise normally drops 50% so that the company can quickly move those items and prepare for bringing out merchandise for the next holiday.

Dollar Stores

Dollar stores that charge only one dollar for every product is the best way to save money fast! It involves no coupons and no searching for deals. It’s easy and inexpensive to pick up household essentials like soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, cleaning products and much more for just one dollar. Dollar tree is a good place for a large selection of items.  You can pick up food, school supplies, health and beauty, craft materials and home décor all for the unbeatable prices of one dollar. Don’t forget try a Google search in your local area. Often you can find stores that are only local.

There are so many ways to save money!

If you have some tips, I didn’t mention feel free to share them in the comments. I hope you enjoyed your visit!

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