Though very few had doubts about efficiency of coupons, modern researches show us this problem in a little different manner. Marketing analysts and consumer rights experts believe there are some disadvantages of discount coupons.

First of all, coupons cannot be considered as an effective marketing tool, as no more than 2 % of them are redeemed.

Secondly, coupons have very poor capabilities for targeting potential customers. Chance you’ll see the coupon you need among many others you don’t is ridiculously slim.

Thirdly, all coupons have expiration date, and savings usually are rather small.

Next, usually there exists a limit: one coupon per customer.

Also, customer still has to pay sales tax no matter what discount.

As you see, coupons have some drawbacks for both sellers and buyers. However, after Internet entered our lives, coupons more and more become virtual, and thus satisfy both parties: they easier target their customers, and lack disadvantages of printable coupons which customers may despise.

Here you’ll find 10 simple tips on family budgeting.

Tip 1. Know your enemy. Start collecting all your pay checks, credit card and checking account statements, all cash receipts, charity contributions etc. – to know where money comes from and where it goes.

Tip 2. Visualize the whole picture. Using all the paperwork from above, calculate how much your family spent last year, and how much you earned last year.

Tip 3. Divide both lines by 12 to know your average monthly expenses and pays. Compare your monthly expenses and income. Many people discover they spend more than earn, adding to their credit card debts every month.

Tip 4. Review your spending and find excessive spending, if any. Think if you can avoid such expenses.

Tip 5. Think if any spending (taxes, home and vehicle maintenance, insurance) may increase next year.

Tip 6. Allot a little over than minimum payment on your credit card debts to avoid overdrafts.

Tip 7. Keep a ‘rainy day’ saving balance that equals to half a year of your net income.

Tip 8. After all the calculations you’ll see what amount you will be able to use for investing and buying. Determine priorities to know what you can save on. Never try to save on health!

Tip 9. Try to pay cash where possible to avoid charges on your credit cards.

Tip 10. Though arguable – no matter how bad things are, keep few bucks for donations. Believe or not, what you give comes back to you tenfold.

Family Budget
Modern gadgets help us a lot, and your favorite iPhone can help you saving in numerous ways. One of them is to use special apps, such as the Family Budget. This application enables members of your family to plan family budget, add family members, set financial data, edit budget categories, enter daily expenses, create cash/credit/debit accounts, and synchronize family data with the web service. Seeing is believing, and seeing your expenses will definitely help you to analyze and reduce them!

Budget Planner
Another useful application is the Budget Planner, which is different due to its unique system for budget balance forecasting. Stop paying overdrafts – using your iPhone for family budgeting you will see all payments due on its calendar. Enter all fixed payments, such as utilities, mortgage etc. in your Budget Planner, and it will tell your balance for any given day of the month. The app supports multitasking and sync, manages accounts, schedules transactions, and much more. And don’t forget 24/7 customer support!