Don’t assume that it’s a better deal to purchase the bigger “value” size products. In many cases, buying two smaller items with two coupons is a much better deal that simply using one coupon on that larger item

I am definitely a frugal person. I have a Sam’s Club membership, and I used to buy many items in bulk until I realized all the money I was throwing away. Buying smaller is a very foreign concept to many of us. We often “supersize” our food and also buy the “value” pack to get a better unit price. This works great if you don’t use coupons. You can save a lot of money buying in bulk, but if you use coupons to buy things, you need to start learning that smaller is better.

The basic principal of buying smaller is this: you can only use one coupon per item. If the coupon specifies a specific size, then you must use it on that size product. If the coupon states “any sized product,” then you’ve just hit jackpot. Trial sizes are your friend! Which would you choose: 4 trial size deodorants you pay $0.00 for or 1 full size deodorant you pay $2.00 for? The answer should be obvious. Smaller items are generally cheaper and using a coupon on every single item you buy drives the unit price way down. Always look for smaller sizes. You’ll be surprised to find that many of the smaller sized products will be free if you use a coupon!

wow i didnt relize that, i always bought in bulk before i was into coupons now i buy whatever is free or cheap..if i dont use it i donate to familys in need

I was trying to explain this to DH the other day and could not get it to come out right - I just printed this for him - it's explained so well on this post!

When I first started couponing, I would have never believed this to be true. However I know it to be true now. My mom is the hardest person in the world to convince of these things though. Everytime I go to see her it is hard for me to watch her go through the store and buy the largest size of everything. Last time we visited I decided I had tried explaining multiple times, it was time to show her. So I followed her with a cart of my own, I bought multiple smalls for every large thing she bought. Coupons in toll of course, I added up my savings with the coupons and for just get multiples of the smaller size and it would have saved her nearly 25.00. $25.00 didn't sound like a lot of money to her but then I put it into the prospective that $25.00 every two weeks would be $650.00 in savings per year.

I know my mom has never done this before so I now clip coupons for her and mail them out. Things she use on a daily basis and thing my little 8 yr old brother can scarf down and it not be a big deal, since she paid so little for it. She lives in a small town and the only place to shop is Walmart. Why not save money if you can, especially with the economy the way it is these days.

Yes, i used to have a sam's club membership too.. but now i won't even go in there... no good deals,,,,

We did have a Sams Club membership, which I have since allowed to lapse. The only thing we buy there is fruit and veggies during the summer time months. The last time I was at Sams was during August for my husbands birthday party. I had to pick up the cake.

I totally agree with the OP. When I compared shopping at price clubs like, BJ's and Sam's I found that using coupons in the grocery store for smaller items was more worth it in the long run. I have become such a coupon guru I hesitate to buy something that I do not have a coupon for and only get items that on sale. I do not buy things just becasue I have a coupon for it. The exception is, if I can get the products for cents on a $ I weight my pros and cons. Pro-I need it Con-I want it becauce I can get it cheap.

When purchasing meats, I wait for the best deals and stock up and go to the store the day after the sale to see if they placed any of those magic manager special stickers on them to get them even cheaper. I was able to snag 6 packs of boneless ribs for no more than 1.15 a pack! I cleared their cooler and got so much meat for under $50 that I was so psyched!

In the long run grocery stores have been my best bet for the best best delas specialy when they triple and double.

That is so true. I have been teaching my DD this. Dog food. She wanted to get the big bag, But the smaller 20lb bag was cheaper per lb than the 40lb was. Doesn't make sense to me, guess it does to them.

I like buying the smaller items! Not only do I feel like I buy more, I save more too!

I figured out that buying smaller was better once I started couponing. I used to go to Sam's Club once a week and our bill was several hundred dollars each month. But, I haven't been to Sam's in a year and a half. I can get stuff so much cheaper (or free!) using coupons. And it's so nice not to have that bill every month!