By Daniel Smith
If someone were to hand you a ten dollar bill, would you tell them that you didn't want it? Of course not! Yet Americans throw away free money everyday when they choose not to use coupons. Last year alone, manufacturers across America offered more than two hundred and fifty billion dollars in coupon savings and yet American shoppers saved only $3 billion dollars in that same time period, by using coupons. That is two hundred and forty-seven billion dollars in savings going to waste! If you are serious about wanting to save money using coupons, you can't just rely on the Sunday paper to supply you with the coupons you need. You have to get creative in finding coupons that will help you to lower your bills.
1. Gather a group of 12 friends (including you) and give them at least a months warning so that they can begin rounding up their coupons. Make sure to invite people that represent a wide variety of shopping needs, so that you will have lots of different types of coupons to choose from. Try not to invite 11 people that all have newborn babies or a pet, or no one will want to trade diaper and cat treat coupons.
2. Pick a time that is convenient for everyone (lunch or dinner) and send out reminder invites that include the location one week before your club meeting. You can also send out e-mail reminders the night before the club meets. Just to get things started, you can include a few online coupon codes in your e-mail. At the first meeting have everyone sign up to host one meeting over the next year. That means they will be in charge of the reminder, invitation, food, and door prizes, as well as hosting the event at their house. Because you have 12 members, each one will only have to host one time a year.
3. Plan your menu. You could even do a pot-luck or have a fun theme like a luau. Make a theme night in which everyone brings a dish that was made using only products that were purchased with coupons. Give a prize for the dish that represents the most money in coupon savings. Don't forget to make it a splurge night and serve a really gooey, calorie laden dessert.
4. Get some door prizes together. You can plan games to give these away or just have a drawing. Put a dollar sign on one of the napkins and give a prize to the member who gets that particular napkin. Give a prize to the person that brings the coupon for the largest amount of money off an item. Good door prizes are coupon wallets, gift certificates, scissors, and of course coupons!
5. Plan out how you are going to swap coupons. You could play games where each member starts with five coupons and each time she is caught saying a certain agreed upon word by another member, she has to give one of her coupons to that member. You could have each member put 25 coupons in an envelope and then place them on a table and take turns picking an envelope. Or you could just have a coupon free for all where members simply swap coupons without the benefit of organization.
The most important thing to remember when planning a coupon club is to use your imagination and have lots of fun.
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Daniel Smith writes about
Coupon Saving
Coupon Club - How to Start One
