Combining trends and tips

Stephanie Rosenbloom of The New York Times offers a strong trend story on coupon clipping.

Thanks to the miserable economy, coupons — like board games and family dinners around the kitchen table — have made a comeback. The recession has even made coupon clippers out of some groups that once avoided them, including well-to-do and young shoppers.

The story offers examples of the hard-working coupon clippers who pay pennies on the dollars for their groceries while also offering consumer tips and a wealth of data on who’s clipping these days.

Today’s Tip: Integrate consumer stories and trend pieces to create interesting and useful reads.

Readers want tips, and they want to be in the know. By integrating the two concepts, as Stephanie has done, you can offer an appealing story that includes a “you can do it, too” element.