There is a bit of stigma attached to being a 'coupon clipper.' In some people's minds, the words evoke an image of someone hunched over stacks of flyers, laboriously cutting out those rectangular slips that may save them a few cents on cans of cat food one day.

But thanks to the influx of blogs and websites devoted to helping consumers save money with coupons, that stigma is slowly fading. Coupon clippers are now seen as being smart shoppers, and they're people we could learn a thing or two from.

Lina Zussino co-founded GroceryAlerts.ca, a website based in Victoria, B.C. that lists the weekly specials of major grocery chains across Canada. The website also features coupons that users can print off at home as well as other coupons that must be ordered online and mailed. (Depending on the manufacturer or store, some coupons policies may not allow web coupons as they can be counterfeited.) GroceryAlerts.ca also features an Extreme Couponing section that outlines how to get the best deals each week.

Zussino and husband Steven began the website in 2009 as a way to track their budget. "We're big coupon users," she explained. "When we put all this information together, we decided (to share it with people). If it's good for us, I'm sure it's good for a lot of other people. It kind of took off from there."

The site now sees 8,000 to 10,000 visitors from across the country every day, and Zussino said she has received a lot of positive feedback from users. "It's really rewarding to know that you're helping people save money."

For college students, knowing coupon policies is the first step towards saving big bucks on your bill. Manufacturers and grocery stores encourage people to shop with them or buy certain brands, using coupons as incentives, explained Zussino. "As a consumer, if we know what the coupon policies are, we can use those incentives." She published Couponing in Canada, an e-book to help consumers navigate the sometimes-murky world of coupon policies. The e-book can be downloaded for free at tinyurl.com/couponebook.

Zussino added that it's important to let go of the image of the coupon-crazed shopper. "Don't worry about the image people may have of you; at the end of the day, it's going to be your money and you're not giving it away."

Another helpful website coupon newbies can look to is Montreal-based webSaver.ca, a site that posts coupons for many popular brands. After signing up for an account, users select the coupons they would like to receive, and the team at webSaver.ca will mail the coupons to the user's home.

"One of the most important things that college students need to know about coupons is that coupons are for everybody," said Marcelle Trask, Director of Business Development for webSaver.ca. "The shift and the rise in using coupon in the age group of 18 to 25 is drastic."

An important part of being coupon-savvy is taking some time to organize, said Trask. "Spend a few minutes every week before doing your shopping to check out the flyers of a few different groceries stores in your area and see if you can pair up a coupon with the lowest price. Remember to keep your coupons with you. You don't want to be at the grocery store, about to pay for your purchases and realize that you left your coupons at home."

Couponing Sites
There are tons of websites devoted to helping consumers use coupons effectively — not just on groceries, but on electronics, toys, clothing, home improvement items and more. Here are just a few:

GroceryAlerts.ca
webSaver.ca
save.ca
smartcanucks.ca
thinkcoupons.ca
grocerysavings.ca

Coupon Jargon
BOGO/B1G1: Buy one, get one free

Inserts: Coupons flyers that come in Sunday newspapers

IP: A coupon that can be printed off the Internet

One per purchase: Shoppers may only use one coupon per item, but could use multiple coupons on multiple items — for example, three coupons on three cartons of milk

One per transaction: Shoppers may only use one of those coupons for the entire purchase — for example, only one milk coupon could be used on one carton of milk, and none of the other cartons in the transaction would be discounted

MIR: Mail-in rebate

Manufacturer coupon/ MFR/MFC: A coupon distributed by the manufacturer of a product in order to encourage shoppers to buy their product

NED: No expiration date

OAS: On any size — some coupons state they can only be used on a product of a certain size

Overage: When your coupon allows you to save more than the item costs; store policies vary on whether or not you get to "keep" your overage

Raincheck: A written slip that a store may give when a sale item is out of stock, so that a consumer may get the sale price or coupon discount on the item when it is back in stock even if the sale is over or the coupon has expired

Stacking coupons: Using a store coupon and manufacturer coupon on the same item

Store coupon: A coupon created by the store n order to encourage shoppers to make purchases there

WSL: While supplies last

WYB: When you buy