Getting all of the household’s needs on a tight budget isn’t easy. Families often have to get creative just to make sure that there is always food on the table. The best ones even get to purchase a few luxury items without any guilt. For many, the secret to budgeting boils down to one thing: collecting coupons. These have helped families get through the toughest times for more than a century. They have become a standard marketing tool to attract customers as well. There are many different types being provided by companies. Here is a list of the most common ones by usage:

Discounts

Most of the coupons available are going to feature some sort of discount. By using these, shoppers will be able to buy their favorite products at a reduced rate. The cut can be in the form of a fixed dollar value or a percentage of the total cost. Some mix these two with the fixed value being the limit. For instance, you could get grocery coupons that provide 10% off on your cart up to $20. If your total bill is $300, then ten percent would be $30 but you are only entitled to up to $20 in savings. Therefore, you will have to pay $280 for all the products.

First-time Customer This is a special type of discount coupon that is geared towards first-time shoppers. It is often used in online settings where you can really monitor the frequency of purchase for each account. A lot of people sign up on these sites and apps without ever buying anything. They just go there to browse around, perhaps read reviews, and then go away. Some might be on the fence about a certain product. Others might be wary of security so they don’t use their credit cards for online transactions. By providing an irresistible discount, a lot of people might finally make their first purchase. Those who want to get glasses, for example, may want to look for Zenni Optical coupon codes.

Free Giveaways

There are also coupons that can be used to claim free giveaways. In fact, this is how the coupon craze started back in the day. The Coca-Cola Company was just starting and they wanted to promote their product to the masses. They were sure that people would love it if they just had a taste so they gave away coupons that could be used to redeem free samples. Millions of people were able to participate in this massive marketing campaign over a period of several years. It is still used by a lot of companies today as a way of creating awareness and getting the public hooked to their offerings.

Free Trials

This is similar to the giveaways mentioned above except that what’s being given is somewhat limited in different ways. A good example would be gym memberships. These places often provide free trials to interested parties through coupons or other means. People can sign up and schedule a free day, week or month depending on the promo. This provides the person a chance to check out the facilities and evaluate whether this is a good fit for him. If it is, then he or she can eventually become a paying member and enjoy full access.

Free Shipping

Some coupons entitle holders to free shipping. You can often see this online as it is one of the issues that often prevent people from pushing through with their orders. Many don’t like having to pay extra just to receive the items that they have already paid for in full. This is especially true for large or heavy items as these will cost a lot to send over. International orders are particularly difficult because of this massive concern. If you get a coupon for free shipping, then the problem completely disappears and you can push through with your purchase without any worries.

Buy One, Get One

Lastly, there are coupons that let you buy one item and get another for no extra cost. The freebie is usually the same as the item you paid for or at least has a lower dollar value for obvious reasons. This is great if you are planning to stock up on some products. You can also share the other one with friends.