How to Coupon: Expiration Dates and Shelf Life

No Comments | Written on December 23, 2011 at 9:00 am, by Rachel Achmad

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On Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), the holiday shopping rush will continue at retailers, as people wait in line to return the gifts that their family members waited in line to purchase. And just like Black Friday, this is a good day to coupon at grocery stores.

If you haven’t used your coupons to stockpile the December sale items, do so now. Many coupons expire on December 31, and stores will be trying to clear out holiday products, so you may encounter temporary price-cuts. You can contribute to your stockpile by getting items such as baking mixes, seasonal decorations, canned soups and gravies…and don’t forget to snag reduced-price gift boxes of chocolates to give to your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day (in less than eight weeks!)

Be realistic about how soon your family will use your purchases. With the exception of cookie decorations, which last forever as far as I can tell, most items have a shelf life of 3 – 12 months. Note the wording on the packaging: when something has a “best by” or “use by” date, it’s safe to consume past the listed date, but it won’t taste as good — flavors will start to fade. A product with an “expiration” date should be discarded past that date, since it is no longer safe to consume. When in doubt, consult this helpful chart of shelf lives!