Stretching a dollar has never been more important, and learning to use coupons is one good way to help with that.

Competition for customers and sales is fierce. Most stores, even those on the Internet, are regularly issuing coupons to encourage customer loyalty and attract new visitors. Many stores now offer printable coupons on their websites and offer coupon clubs and a coupon mailing list. Everyone who shops anywhere is now getting coupon booklets in the mail offering special deals and great savings.

If you’ve never used coupons before now is a good time to get started. Here are a couple of ways to dive into the world of coupons and start saving money:

• Do some research online and pick a couple of websites like Coupon Queens that focus on finding and using coupons and alerting you to good deals as they are offered.
• Bookmark one or two sites like http://www.offers.com/ that give coupon codes for you to use for discounts on all types of merchandise.
• Stay organized from the beginning by coming up with a method to date and store your coupons so they don’t expire before you can use them.
• Know when your favorite stores are offering double or triple coupon days and do most of your shopping on those days.
• Try to find a coupon for all the products you buy on a regular basis, but don’t buy something just because you have a coupon.
• Think about starting a coupon swapping club with your neighbors to combine your coupon collecting efforts.

Learning to use coupons is a good way to save money on anything you buy at regular price. Try it for one month and keep track of your coupon savings. You’ll be convinced.