Shopping coupons are a great way to decrease your daily expenditures and buoy your family budget, but you have to pick and choose which purchases you make to maximize the savings.

Whenever you can buy exactly the same thing at a lower price, that must be considered a smart deal. One common way to achieve this is by collecting and redeeming shopping coupons that allow you to get as much as 50-70% off on selected items. In fact, some people are utilizing this savings mechanism in a systematic manner, shaving off a nice chunk of the price on almost every purchase.

Of course, the greatest benefits can be realized if the coupons are used strategically to buy stuff you intended to get anyway while avoiding unnecessary spending. That might take some practice, but once you master this skill you can spend less every month without decreasing your quality of life. Here are a few tips that might be useful for anyone looking to learn how to derive the greatest amount of value from this money-saving technique:

Traditionally, shopping coupons used to be published in daily newspapers and consumers could cut them out and present them at the store. This can still be done, but a majority of coupon deals has moved to the online platforms. There are numerous specialized websites and mobile apps offering a huge amount of discounts and you can use them to search for the type of coupons that fit your plans perfectly. Digital coupons are also easier to store and harder to lose, so it’s fair to say their introduction has opened a whole new spectrum of opportunities.

Coupons typically come with a set validity period and experienced shoppers are in no rush to use them right away. You never know when a need might arise and having a stash of discount offers could be a true difference maker in a tight situation. Impatient shoppers tend to turn in all their coupons as soon as they can, which often leads to overburdening the financial balance. On the other hand, some items might be significantly cheaper if you buy them in advance – for example, beach gear and bikinis are probably going to come with a huge price cut if you buy them during winter or spring months.

Sometimes, it pays off to switch the place where you shop if the coupon savings are large enough. We are all creatures of habit and don’t like to change our patterns, but that’s irrational behavior if the prices are significantly better at a competitor’s store. Having a coupon that lets you save a few dollars on top of the initial price difference could be the factor that tips the scales, providing you with the motive to go with a different supplier. Such a move can also help you discover other advantages offered in store, so the gains could be even fatter than you expected after finding the coupon.

The fact you can buy something at a discount doesn’t automatically justify the purchase. As with anything else, coupons are good in moderation but can actually hurt your finances if you lose control and start grabbing every item that comes with a price reduction. You need to stay grounded and never exceed the limit you set in advance, even if the theoretical savings are looking tremendous. If you don’t observe those rules, any benefits will be offset by the increased spending, leaving you in the same kind of financial crunch you started with.