If you’re passionate about saving money, chances are you’ve clipped a few (or few thousand) coupons.
While your fat stack of coupons may feel as good as cash, can it actually be exchanged for cash? The answer isn’t so simple.
The only way to get the full value of the coupon is to redeem it when you purchase the qualifying item. This is what coupons were made for, and it’s still the easiest and most financially impactful way to use them.
Technically speaking, however, some coupons do have a value beyond the printed savings. Many coupons have a cash value of a fraction of a cent. Why is this? Well, a few states have laws that coupons must have a cash value. National coupon distributors find it easier to just print a cash value on all coupons rather than targeting just a few states.
While theoretically you could exchange coupons for money, since each coupon’s cash value is a fraction of a cent, it really wouldn’t be worth anyone’s time or paper cuts to acquire all the coupons needed to make a few cents. Plus, the logistics of the trade-in process are undeniably vague. Do you need to send them to the coupon distributor? Is there a central office you need to go to? The world may never know.
Most coupon policies state that selling coupons voids the value of the coupon, so dedicated couponers know to stay clear of exchanging coupons for cash.
However, if you’re a passionate coupon clipper, there is money to be made selling your clipping services. Sites like eBay are full of coupons. To make much money, you’ll usually need to collect sets of similar coupons to group together for your listing, so casual clippers probably won’t make much money.
Another way to make great use of coupons you can’t use is to give them to strangers looking at qualifying products. Not only will you prevent good coupons from going to waste, you’ll also get warm fuzzies from helping someone else save money.
While coupons don’t really have a cash value on their own, couponing can still save you money and enrich your life.
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