How to Get Over the Anxiety of Using Coupons

You’ve found a great coupon that you’re eager to use, but you’re nervous. What if you hold up the line? What if the cashier is annoyed with you? What if using it makes you look cheap?

While contemplating these what-if scenarios is natural, it could be stopping you from enjoying great deals. But couponing anxiety doesn’t have to prevent you from saving. Here’s what you can do to overcome your anxiety.

Don’t Shop During Peak Hours

Shopping at peak hours, like just after work lets out, will mean there will be more people, which increases the pressure to hurry the line along. Shopping when stores are less busy, like right after open, can mean lines may be shorter and cashiers may be friendlier, making it much less intimidating to use your coupons.

Know the Store’s Coupon Policies

A lot of coupon anxiety can be caused by uncertainty. How many coupons does the store allow? Does the store accept coupons you printed at home from websites like Coupons.com? Knowing the policies ahead of time can help show you what you and can’t do.

Download the Store’s App

A lot of stores now offer apps with coupons you can “clip” digitally. Rather than handing over a pile of clipped paper coupons, you can just ask the cashier to scan your custom barcode. This quick way to use coupons won’t slow down the line, and other customers might not even know you used coupons at all.

Use Self-Checkout

Most self-checkouts allow you to use coupons, and you may not even have to interact with a human to do it. Just purchase qualifying items, scan your coupons at the end of your transaction, and the savings should appear. Note that some self-checkouts do require a person to check the coupons, while others ask you to insert used paper coupons for collection.

Stay Organized

Scrambling for the right coupons while the line behind you grows might annoy other customers and the cashier. However, if you have the paper coupons you plan to use in a neat pile and your app ready to scan, the process is quick, painless, and much less awkward.

Your confidence in couponing will likely grow as you use more and more coupons. Over time, your couponing anxiety may vanish entirely!