Off to School – Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and… Coupon-Clipping?

Each September marks the beginning of the new school year, but it also honors one of the best ways for consumers to save money—Coupons. September is National Coupon Month, and this year the Promotion Marketing Association (PMA) Coupon Council is highlighting ways that coupons can be used as teaching aides.

Each year, Americans save nearly $3 billion dollars on grocery, healthcare, and household items by using coupons; the PMA reports that “coupon clippers” represent 76 percent of the overall U.S. population. Even better, coupons are now being offered as teaching aides in the home and in the classroom to teach and strengthen fundamental reading, math, memory, organizational and personal finance skills. Many of these learning tools, for parents and teachers alike, are now available at www.couponmonth.com.

“It’s never too early to start teaching children about the value of money and importance of saving,” says Charles Brown, Co-Chair of the PMA Coupon Council. “I’ve used coupons to turn everyday shopping trips with my twins into great learning experiences and quality time spent together.”

PMA Coupon Council Co-Chair Matthew Tilley adds, “National Coupon Month reminds us of the savings that can be realized with coupons every day. Coupon users report saving an average of 11.5 percent on their grocery bills with coupons.”

See some of the tips in the sidebar you can use to make your next trip to the grocery store, department store, restaurant, etc. an educational one that fosters:

Mathematical Skills: Look for and learn to recognize numbers, first single digits, then combinations (a two and a five make twenty-five). Practice counting and basic math functions. Introduce percentages and working with decimals. Talk about double/triple couponing and practice multiplication. Do price comparisons.
Memory Reinforcement: Point out and name familiar things when flipping through circulars, and then play games to encourage your child to spot those items first. For example, look for colors, numbers, toys (balls, doll), people (baby, boy, daddy), grocery items (juice box, milk, toothpaste) etc. When in the store, show them a coupon for an item and ask your child to find it on the shelf.
Organizational Skills: Ask them to file the coupons by category in your organizer. Shoppers who spend 20 minutes clipping and organizing per week can easily save 20 percent or about $1,000 per year.
Calendar Familiarization: Find the expiration date written on a coupon, and then find it on the calendar. Count how many months, weeks and days the coupon can be used.
Computer Learning: While nearly 90 percent of all grocery coupons are issued in the Sunday newspaper inserts, retailers and manufacturers are increasing coupon distribution through online channels via Web sites and e-mail. Use computers and search engines with your child to find online coupons and promotions.
Value of Money: Have your child earn their own money by doing special chores for you, discuss how they would like to spend their earnings, and then have them hunt for coupons for those items. Show them how they will be able to purchase additional items with the money they save.
Transaction Learning: Let children participate by holding coupons and handing the money to the cashier.
Savings Comprehension: Offer to split the savings you obtain on your register receipts by allowing your child to purchase something with the savings and see the tangible result.
Goal Setting: Allow children to help plan family meals by searching through circulars and making a list of items that need to be purchased. This will also limit impulse buying when you arrive at the grocery store.
Budgeting: Teach the value of budgeting by using coupons on your next dining trip. Let children decide which restaurant to visit by searching through circulars and coupon books. Decide upon a specific budget and let the child decide what to order off the menu using the coupons they found.

See the “Parents Guide to Using Coupons with Children” at www.couponmonth.com for more tips and interactive lesson plans for teachers.