Fabulous Frugal Finds

Coupon Myths Debunked #SimpleSavings

November 4, 2015
306 Comments

I’ve been a frugalista for many years now. While I enjoyed saving money when my husband and I were newleyweds (I was planning my wedding 15 years ago without Pinterest, can you imagine?!) it wasn’t until I had kids and we became a single-income family that I jumped in big-time to the world of couponing and saving money. It became a hobby of mine, and I would then share my discoveries with my friends and family in emails. I realized I was copying and pasting a lot of the same content in multiple emails, and that’s how the blog began! I needed a place to share all my deals and tips in an easy to access spot – and feistyfrugalandfabulous.blogspot.com was formed. I’ve since purchased my own domain (I like being the Queen of my own domain), business name and license, and have been knocking out my business goals year after year. All because a girl just wanted to tell her friends about her coupon finds.

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In recent years, the use of coupons has become very trendy with US TV shows like Extreme Couponing and Canadian money-saving strategy TV shows like Til Debt Do Us Part. Whether it be with coupons, discount codes, or shopping for the best rates on your mortgage saving money shouldn’t be trendy, it should be a part of life in Canadian households. Frequently I’m told that people just don’t know where to start, and I get that. It can seem daunting, but it really is easy and takes very little time.

Sandra Hanna of Smart Cookies is a money-saving frugal shopper like myself and she frequently offers tips on using coupons and saving money. She recently shared 5 coupon myths that have been debunked:

Myth 1: Couponing takes too much time
Today, all you need is your smart phone and 15 seconds, and you can save instantly almost every time you make a purchase both online and in-store.

Myth 2: You can’t get a coupon on a premium item
Consumers are becoming savvy to promo codes and high-end retailers are listening, with brands like Club Monaco and Sephora offering discounts in this fashion. Using RetailMeNot.ca, we recently found a promo code for $10 off the entire order and free shipping for high-quality organic and natural items at Well.ca, which carries brands like Honest Company and Method.

Myth 3: Doubling up on savings is against Canadian laws and regulations
Certain retailers will allow you to stack your savings in Canada by adding promo codes or coupons on top of sale prices. We recently found a promo code on RetailMeNot.ca for an extra 25 per cent off of sale items at Kate Spade!

Myth 4: Couponing isn’t worth the time invested
If you knew that a 15 second search for a coupon code each time you were able to make a purchase could add up to more than $1,500 at the end of the year, would you do it? Of course you would! In fact, RetailMeNot users report an average savings of $20 per transaction, which easily adds to big savings if you shop twice a week or more (who doesn’t)?

Myth 5: Online shopping costs more in Canada than the in the U.S
Once you factor in the exchange rate, duty, taxes and shipping, those supposed “savings” disappear quickly – meaning there has never been a better time to shop on Canadian-based sites.

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I shop online weekly for sure, if not a few times a week (it depends on the kind of week I’m having, both good and bad, ha!) I simply will not click the checkout button on my online shopping cart without first checking for online coupons and discount codes, and RetailMeNot.ca is a one-stop place to do it! Simply visit the site, search for a retailer, and BOOM – coupon codes (if available) are waiting for you. They also have printable coupons should you want to actually leave your house and be among the public (during the holidays, hmm, not here.)

My current top finds at RetailMeNot.ca include:

  1. Michaels – 40% off one item printable coupon. This is the time of the year when husbands simply wave goodbye while their spouse disappears in to a Michael’s store and comes out four hours later with rosy cheeks, bags, and glitter in her hair.
  2. Bath & Body Works – $10 off when you spend $30 online code. I still have the holiday scented antibacterial soap I bought there last year, but that won’t stop me from buying more. As I tell my husband, don’t ask me to explain. It just is.
  3. Footlocker – 10% off online orders of $50+. Perfect for holiday shopping for my husband and son (me? Uh, not unless I get some super cute yoga pants!)
  4. Carters Oshkosh – $10 off when you spend $50 online code. I was actually annoyed at myself when I purchased items last week in store and realized I could have saved money had I just shopped from home! Whoops! Shipping is free when you spend over $75, but even if you don’t you still come out $2 ahead as shipping is $10. Ugh, math!
  5. Ricki’s – $2 shipping code. True story, my girlfriend and I both shop online at Rickis.com and often end up buying the same items. I told her recently that my order had arrived so hers would probably be there when she got home from work, and she said she opted to pick it up at the store location. She had no idea that Ricki’s crazy-low shipping codes existed until I told her, and thought she was ahead of the game driving to the store to pick up. Thankfully she has me. For this and also, sangria. I’m a good friend.

What about you? Are you a frugal coupon user like me or new to it all? Have you ventured to RetailMeNot.ca yet while shopping online or do you like spending more than you should? OK, that last part wasn’t fair but still – lesson one in couponing for you today, check for discount codes first, then checkout. Gold star for you!

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I love saving money because it means more for me in the end and here’s more money for you –> One of our readers is going to win a $200 Visa Gift Card this holiday season to help with your shopping! Using coupons and codes I’m positive you can stretch that $200 even further too! To be eligible to win, just enter your name and email address below to sign up for the Retail Me Not newsletter.

Disclosure: I am participating in the #SimpleSavings campaign with RetailMeNot.ca and have received special perks. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

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tenille-lafontaine

Feisty Things

https://feistyfrugalandfabulous.com/feisty-things/

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