Written on December 20th, 2019
Entertainment coupon books are ubiquitous. They are often sold as fundraisers for youth groups or civic organizations, chock full of two-for-one deals and money-saving offers on everything from coffee and fast food to miniature golf, pedicures, and oil changes. Many offer savings totaling thousands of dollars! The nominal investment—often no more than $20 or $30—seems like a no-brainer, yet some people are reluctant to open their wallets.
Reasons for this hesitancy vary. For some, paper coupon books can feel quaint or downright old-fashioned in this digital age, where we have come to rely more and more on our smartphones (and increasingly, smartwatches) for everyday transactions. Others feel they won't be able to recoup their initial investment, or they'll forget about (or misplace) their coupon book. Some are afraid they'll end up making purchases at places they wouldn't normally frequent—in other words, they'll spend money in order to save money, which of course is counter-productive.
We're not saying some of these concerns aren't valid, but there is no doubt that coupon books are absolutely worth the purchase price...as long as you know how to use them correctly!
Here are some tips to help you get the most from your entertainment coupon book.
Browse the Coupons
Take a few minutes to thumb through the coupon book. You'll want to make sure the available coupons are ones you'll actually use. See a BOGO offer on an entree from your regular Friday night hangout? A discount on dog grooming services from the place you normally bring Fido for a trim? Half off the admission price at the paintball arcade where you frequently spatter your friends with every color of the rainbow? Your coupon book is likely to pay for itself in no time! If, on the other hand, the book is full of discounts on gutter cleaning and chimney sweeping services and you're living in a college dorm, you'll probably want to take a pass.
Calculate Your Savings
You don't have to bust out a calculator when the Boy Scout who lives down the street is standing on your front porch in the pouring rain, but a quick skim through the book and a few mental calculations should give you a pretty good idea whether the coupon book is worth the price. If your only concern is supporting a fundraiser, great—you'll accomplish that even if you fail to use a single coupon. But if you're genuinely interested in saving money, the math is simple: if the discounts you believe you'll take advantage of are greater than the cost of the book, by all means pick one up. Or two!
Clip Coupons Immediately
There's nothing worse than buying a coupon book and then forgetting all about it. Often, it's a spur-of-the-moment purchase—there's a knock on the door, you pause your TV show, fall for the sales pitch, and toss your coupon book on the kitchen table...where it gets buried beneath stacks of junk mail, newspapers, and other clutter. Or it slips beneath the sofa cushions. Or the dog eats it. To avoid these worst-case scenarios, clip the coupons you know you'll be using right away and stick them in your wallet or purse. That way, they'll be easily accessible when it comes time to pay the bill.
Remove Temptation
Once you've collected all the coupons you plan to use over the coming year, get rid of your coupon book. You don't have to trash it; instead, consider donating it to a neighbor, friend, or coworker. This prevents you from spending money on products or services you wouldn't normally use simply because you have the coupons and they're such great deals! Keep this in mind: regardless of a coupon's value, it isn't a good deal if you wouldn't otherwise patronize the business.
Following these simple strategies will help ensure your coupon book is a wise investment, one in which you'll easily recoup your savings—and will have you eagerly awaiting next year's book!
Purchase your Coupon Book here: BLACK HILLS COUPON BOOK
Browse this year's offers here: 2020 COUPONS
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