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Coupons are a great way to save and try new products in the market. Many housewives and mothers who are utilizing them claim to benefit from these tickets. Some have even developed the habit of stocking up various grocery items in their homes for future use.

But although there are many sources from where to get these discount coupons, experts warn against fraudulent coupons or fake sites. As consumers, you have to learn to decipher between a real coupon and a fake one. It shouldn’t be hard if you’ve been using these tickets for a long time.

You have to understand that products are not given away for free. Only samples are given free of charge so if a coupon says you will get a free product, it might not be genuine. Coupons normally provide discounts or rebates when you purchase an item.

Be aware as well of the expiration date. Most coupons, notably those printed from the internet, can be used only up to a certain date so check this aspect.

Another way you can spot a fake coupon is when the discount provided is bigger than usual. Normally, discounts range from a dollar up to a maximum of $10 and anything higher than that should make you worry already.

The file format of the coupon is another thing you should be aware of. Coupons taken from other sites in PDF or JPG format can be altered and as such, they can be fake. Keep in mind, however, that those from a manufacturer’s website in the same file format are considered okay and genuine.

The way you obtained your coupons is yet another consideration. Those mailed to you after signing up for a newsletter, catalog or magazine subscription should be fine to use. Emails that direct you to a website or a manufacturer’s site where you can print the coupon are also okay as well as those belonging to a promotion you signed up for. What you should be suspicious of are emails that have attached coupons or sent to you from a friend of a friend. You can just move them to your trash straight away.

So as long as they’re legitimate and they have not yet expired, yes these discount coupons such as those from CheapSally.com are very helpful to families notably those who want to stick to their budget. It’s just important that you are aware of the fraudulent ones and know how to spot the real tickets.

Photo via grocerycoupons2012.com

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