Couponing 101
If you have watched TLC’s Extreme Couponing, and you want to start shopping like that, you are in for a rude awakening.
These people have years of couponing and most of them purchase coupons on line. The Manufactures have very strict guidelines that prohibit selling or transferring coupons. Most people who sale coupons tell you that you are not buying the coupon, but the time and effort that it took to clip and send the coupon. Here in this forum, I will show you how to COUPON the LEGAL way and save money and start a stockpile on only $10.
If you get a Sunday newspaper, you know that each week you can find coupon insert booklets like the ones in the picture above. We usually see anywhere between 1 and 3 most weeks, with some weeks bringing 4 or more.
The inserts that I regularly find in my Sunday newspaper are:
* Smart Source
* Red Plum
* Proctor and Gamble
Occasionally companies such as General Mills or Kellogg’s will release special inserts as well.
You can find the name of your coupon inserts on the front page of the insert. For example, the three inserts in the picture above are Proctor and Gamble (P&G), Red Plum, and Smart Source.
No one method of coupon organizing works for everyone, but what I like to do is to clip only the coupons I am fairly certain I will use. I then file the rest of the (unclipped) coupon insert(s) in my coupon binder, just in case I decide to pull a coupon that I didn’t expect to use.
Speaking of newspapers, it is important to note that not all coupon inserts are created equal. It seems that the larger the newspaper, the better the coupon inserts. While you can view a coupon insert preview online, there is no way of knowing exactly which coupons will be in your paper until you have it in your hands.
Thankfully there is a growing number of printable coupon resources available online which help supplement the coupons that come in the Sunday newspaper, which is great for those who don’t subscribe, or who are looking for more coupons.
Coupons.com
bricks.coupons.com
Print a coupon. Com
SavingStar.com
Smartsource.com
Redplum.com
You always have the option of buying coupons online or subscribing to a larger newspaper if you would like to take advantage of the more robust coupon inserts, but here in our little area of Mohave County, We are limited as to what newspapers are sold here. If you purchase the Sunday paper only, then by all means don’t waste your money on a subscription just to get the coupon inserts. While some other newspapers offer a Sunday paper through the mail, you have to take in to consideration that you will not receive it until Wednesday, at the earliest.
And that is where Printable Coupons come in to play.
What is a Printable Coupon, anyway?
In a nutshell, printable coupons are manufacturer and store coupons that you can print off of the web. Most printable coupons can be printed twice (per computer) by either hitting “back” and “refresh” after printing the first one, or by returning to the initial page where you found your coupon and printing it again.
Sometimes you will be asked to load software on to your PC that will allow you to print coupons, but the process is typically quick and painless. Some sites require this software, so that the bar codes will print properly on the coupons. How can I use printable coupons?
Printable coupons can be used just like you use the coupons that you find in your newspaper inserts. It is important to note that not all stores accept printable coupons (this can vary widely even within the same metro area!), so be sure to check with your local stores to confirm that they do accept these coupons.
If you have ever printed a coupon off of the web, you may notice that some of them say, “Do not double”. It has been my experience that most stores *will* double these coupons if their store policy is to double coupons up to a certain amount. A trick that I like to use is to look at the bar code on my coupons to see if the first number (on the far left) is a 5 or a 9. Coupons with bar codes starting with 5 should double even if they state otherwise. Coupons with bar codes starting with 9 will not double. Most coupons that you come across will start with 5, with one common exception being the “blinkie” coupons that you find in the machines attached to your grocery store aisles/display cases from time to time (they almost always start with 9 and will not double).
Like the coupons found in inserts, some printable coupons are store coupons and others are manufacturer’s coupons. Most stores allow you to “STACK” or use a store AND a manufacturer’s coupon on one product. For example if you print a Target store coupon for Colgate toothpaste, and have a manufacturer’s coupon from either the web or a coupon insert, you should be able to use both coupons in on one product. Again, this policy varies by store, so be sure to check with your local stores to better understand their policy.
Finally, I have received questions in the past asking if you can use more than one manufacturer’s coupon on one product. Sadly, the answer is no. Meaning if you have 2 coupons for the same product (whether printable, from a coupon insert, or a combo of both), you cannot use more than one coupon per item. The only time I am aware that you can use more than one coupon on one item is the scenario I listed above (store & manufacturer) and in the case of e-Coupons, this is called STACKING.
Where do I find printable coupons?
Printable coupons are everywhere! There are coupon services that exist solely to provide printable coupons. Several manufacturers also post printable coupons on their websites. Here are a few of my favorite (and legit!) places to print coupons:
* Coupons.com
* Smartsource.com
* RedPlum.com
* Savingstar.com
* Couponnetwork.com
* Cellfire.com (loads coupons onto your Smith’s card)
And a few manufacturer’s coupon sites:
* EatBetterAmerica.com
* Pillsbury.com
* Betty Crocker.com
* Home Solution News
* Totallytarget.com. Target store coupons. (Target.com)
* Walgreens.com
* CVS.com
If you are looking for a specific printable coupon that you can’t find anywhere, always check out the manufacturer (or product) website. Most sites typically have a “special offers” or “promotions” page that sometimes contain great printable coupons!
Most Drug stores have there own type of register reward program. Rite-Aide offers Video rewards as coupons plus printable coupons too. Although the video coupons are registered on your card, which means you need to keep track of them so you can make sure you get the coupon deducted. An easy to do this is to print a copy of all your video rewards and take them to the store with you. This way, not only do you know which coupons you have, but also the expiration date. I highlight (color code) the expiration dates so I know which ones to use first.
CVS also has a register reward system they are called Extra Care Bucks (ECB).. They have the “Big Red Coupon Machine” at every CVS, which allows you to scan your CS card for extra coupons. You can scan your card twice a week. I know it sounds confusing, but once you start applying it, it all falls into place. And you will be saving more money than you ever thought possible.
Walgreen's also has REGISTER REWARDS.... Buy 2 and get anywhere between $1 to $10 off your next shopping trip. And this comes in handy... Register Rewards (RR's) are just like money. In fact they are a manufacture coupon. But I like to keep these RR's for my next week purchase. The more RR's I have, the less out of pocket I pay. The one and only rule with these RR's is that you CANNOT use them on the same product that you purchased. EXAMPLE: I bought 2 Schick razors, they offered a $3.00 RR when you buy 2 (WYB=when you buy) Now remember, they were B1G1 1/2 off, and I only paid 2.99 for both.... Now they have the same items on sale along with Noxzema razors for $2.99 with a RR.... WBY2. I can use the RR's to pay for the Noxzema razors that I got from the Schick razors, and vice versa, which means I would need to have, what they call filler, because RR's do not pay sales tax. So I usually get a small candy, or pencils to make up the difference. Now that you purchased both the Schick and Noxzema razors and you have your filler, a pencil...29 cents, you can use the RR's from the previous purchase and out of pocket will be $1.01, depending on sales tax. Not bad for 4 packs of razors.
Unfortunately if there are no B1G1 coupons in this weeks inserts. you are going to have to really look at the ads. Whenever there is a B1G1 ad.. Remember to use 2 coupons... One for each product. that also applies to the B1G1 1/2 off. This is a great way to stockpile the items on sale. If you have the room to store them. The way I stockpile is to start out slow. Set aside $10. every time you shop for these stockpile items (toilet paper, shampoo, rinse, toothpaste, paper towels, deodorant, etc..) Everyday items. When you find them on sale, you have the coupons and can get them at the better price.
These people have years of couponing and most of them purchase coupons on line. The Manufactures have very strict guidelines that prohibit selling or transferring coupons. Most people who sale coupons tell you that you are not buying the coupon, but the time and effort that it took to clip and send the coupon. Here in this forum, I will show you how to COUPON the LEGAL way and save money and start a stockpile on only $10.
If you get a Sunday newspaper, you know that each week you can find coupon insert booklets like the ones in the picture above. We usually see anywhere between 1 and 3 most weeks, with some weeks bringing 4 or more.
The inserts that I regularly find in my Sunday newspaper are:
* Smart Source
* Red Plum
* Proctor and Gamble
Occasionally companies such as General Mills or Kellogg’s will release special inserts as well.
You can find the name of your coupon inserts on the front page of the insert. For example, the three inserts in the picture above are Proctor and Gamble (P&G), Red Plum, and Smart Source.
No one method of coupon organizing works for everyone, but what I like to do is to clip only the coupons I am fairly certain I will use. I then file the rest of the (unclipped) coupon insert(s) in my coupon binder, just in case I decide to pull a coupon that I didn’t expect to use.
Speaking of newspapers, it is important to note that not all coupon inserts are created equal. It seems that the larger the newspaper, the better the coupon inserts. While you can view a coupon insert preview online, there is no way of knowing exactly which coupons will be in your paper until you have it in your hands.
Thankfully there is a growing number of printable coupon resources available online which help supplement the coupons that come in the Sunday newspaper, which is great for those who don’t subscribe, or who are looking for more coupons.
Coupons.com
bricks.coupons.com
Print a coupon. Com
SavingStar.com
Smartsource.com
Redplum.com
You always have the option of buying coupons online or subscribing to a larger newspaper if you would like to take advantage of the more robust coupon inserts, but here in our little area of Mohave County, We are limited as to what newspapers are sold here. If you purchase the Sunday paper only, then by all means don’t waste your money on a subscription just to get the coupon inserts. While some other newspapers offer a Sunday paper through the mail, you have to take in to consideration that you will not receive it until Wednesday, at the earliest.
And that is where Printable Coupons come in to play.
What is a Printable Coupon, anyway?
In a nutshell, printable coupons are manufacturer and store coupons that you can print off of the web. Most printable coupons can be printed twice (per computer) by either hitting “back” and “refresh” after printing the first one, or by returning to the initial page where you found your coupon and printing it again.
Sometimes you will be asked to load software on to your PC that will allow you to print coupons, but the process is typically quick and painless. Some sites require this software, so that the bar codes will print properly on the coupons. How can I use printable coupons?
Printable coupons can be used just like you use the coupons that you find in your newspaper inserts. It is important to note that not all stores accept printable coupons (this can vary widely even within the same metro area!), so be sure to check with your local stores to confirm that they do accept these coupons.
If you have ever printed a coupon off of the web, you may notice that some of them say, “Do not double”. It has been my experience that most stores *will* double these coupons if their store policy is to double coupons up to a certain amount. A trick that I like to use is to look at the bar code on my coupons to see if the first number (on the far left) is a 5 or a 9. Coupons with bar codes starting with 5 should double even if they state otherwise. Coupons with bar codes starting with 9 will not double. Most coupons that you come across will start with 5, with one common exception being the “blinkie” coupons that you find in the machines attached to your grocery store aisles/display cases from time to time (they almost always start with 9 and will not double).
Like the coupons found in inserts, some printable coupons are store coupons and others are manufacturer’s coupons. Most stores allow you to “STACK” or use a store AND a manufacturer’s coupon on one product. For example if you print a Target store coupon for Colgate toothpaste, and have a manufacturer’s coupon from either the web or a coupon insert, you should be able to use both coupons in on one product. Again, this policy varies by store, so be sure to check with your local stores to better understand their policy.
Finally, I have received questions in the past asking if you can use more than one manufacturer’s coupon on one product. Sadly, the answer is no. Meaning if you have 2 coupons for the same product (whether printable, from a coupon insert, or a combo of both), you cannot use more than one coupon per item. The only time I am aware that you can use more than one coupon on one item is the scenario I listed above (store & manufacturer) and in the case of e-Coupons, this is called STACKING.
Where do I find printable coupons?
Printable coupons are everywhere! There are coupon services that exist solely to provide printable coupons. Several manufacturers also post printable coupons on their websites. Here are a few of my favorite (and legit!) places to print coupons:
* Coupons.com
* Smartsource.com
* RedPlum.com
* Savingstar.com
* Couponnetwork.com
* Cellfire.com (loads coupons onto your Smith’s card)
And a few manufacturer’s coupon sites:
* EatBetterAmerica.com
* Pillsbury.com
* Betty Crocker.com
* Home Solution News
* Totallytarget.com. Target store coupons. (Target.com)
* Walgreens.com
* CVS.com
If you are looking for a specific printable coupon that you can’t find anywhere, always check out the manufacturer (or product) website. Most sites typically have a “special offers” or “promotions” page that sometimes contain great printable coupons!
Most Drug stores have there own type of register reward program. Rite-Aide offers Video rewards as coupons plus printable coupons too. Although the video coupons are registered on your card, which means you need to keep track of them so you can make sure you get the coupon deducted. An easy to do this is to print a copy of all your video rewards and take them to the store with you. This way, not only do you know which coupons you have, but also the expiration date. I highlight (color code) the expiration dates so I know which ones to use first.
CVS also has a register reward system they are called Extra Care Bucks (ECB).. They have the “Big Red Coupon Machine” at every CVS, which allows you to scan your CS card for extra coupons. You can scan your card twice a week. I know it sounds confusing, but once you start applying it, it all falls into place. And you will be saving more money than you ever thought possible.
Walgreen's also has REGISTER REWARDS.... Buy 2 and get anywhere between $1 to $10 off your next shopping trip. And this comes in handy... Register Rewards (RR's) are just like money. In fact they are a manufacture coupon. But I like to keep these RR's for my next week purchase. The more RR's I have, the less out of pocket I pay. The one and only rule with these RR's is that you CANNOT use them on the same product that you purchased. EXAMPLE: I bought 2 Schick razors, they offered a $3.00 RR when you buy 2 (WYB=when you buy) Now remember, they were B1G1 1/2 off, and I only paid 2.99 for both.... Now they have the same items on sale along with Noxzema razors for $2.99 with a RR.... WBY2. I can use the RR's to pay for the Noxzema razors that I got from the Schick razors, and vice versa, which means I would need to have, what they call filler, because RR's do not pay sales tax. So I usually get a small candy, or pencils to make up the difference. Now that you purchased both the Schick and Noxzema razors and you have your filler, a pencil...29 cents, you can use the RR's from the previous purchase and out of pocket will be $1.01, depending on sales tax. Not bad for 4 packs of razors.
Unfortunately if there are no B1G1 coupons in this weeks inserts. you are going to have to really look at the ads. Whenever there is a B1G1 ad.. Remember to use 2 coupons... One for each product. that also applies to the B1G1 1/2 off. This is a great way to stockpile the items on sale. If you have the room to store them. The way I stockpile is to start out slow. Set aside $10. every time you shop for these stockpile items (toilet paper, shampoo, rinse, toothpaste, paper towels, deodorant, etc..) Everyday items. When you find them on sale, you have the coupons and can get them at the better price.