Updated Target coupon policies

Target has changed several parts of their price matching policy in addition to their printable coupon policy. You can now only print 2 of Target's printable store coupons per computer and you must print from their website. So sad...gone are the days on multiple prints. But I can understand why. And maybe there will be something left on the shelves for everyone now! See the Target website for more details on that.

Go to Surviving the Stores for more detailed info on what you can do at Target when it comes to using coupons and price matching. This is a post you won't want to miss.

Updated Target coupon policies

Making the Most of your Coupons

If you are starting to accumulate lots of coupons you might be wondering the best way to use them. Just heading out to the grocery store and using your .35 cent coupon on tuna fish is not the best way to utilize your coupon. If you know how to use your coupons you can make your money stretch farther than you thought possible!

1. Wait to use your coupons. Don't use them right away. Wait closer to the expiration date for a good sale. For example, take a $1/1 Colgate toothpaste coupon. When Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, Albertson's or your local store has them on sale, THEN use the coupon on the sale price. many times these stores will have toothpaste on sale for $1, then you could get the toothpaste for free! Or when Walgreens offers Register Rewards on the toothpaste you can actually come out ahead when you use your coupon on the sale price, then get back a RR for the full purchase price!

2. Combine B1G1 free coupons with a similar sale. Let's say that Albertson's is having a sale on their Colgate toothpaste, B1G1 free. The sale price is $3.99 each. But let's say you also have a coupon for a B1G1 free tube of Colgate. Use that coupon you have with the sale of B1G1 free and you will come away with two free tubes! You pay for two and get four.

Or, like the sale at Rite Aid this week. The Herbal Essences shampoo/conditioners/stylers were B1G1 free. Use the following coupon with it and you will come away with getting both items free! Only pay sales tax.

Herbal Essences Styler FREE when you buy any Herbal Essences Shampoo, Conditioner or Styler(11-30-09) PG-10/11

Here is how it would work: Buy one shampoo or conditioner or styler. Get another free. But when you use the above mentioned coupon with it, the one you bought is also free! (as long as one was a styler). Make sense?

3. Combine your coupons with current rebates available. This is one of the main ways I have gotten ahead over the years. The Kraft rebate at Albertson's in August is a recent example. Kraft was offering a $20 rebate for purchasing certain items. I combined the sale prices at Albertson's on those items with current coupons I had, which was $7 worth. I spent $14 plus tax and got $20 back! I just received my rebate check a few days ago in fact.

4. Use manufacturer coupons with store coupons on the same product. Target, Fred Meyer & Walgreens are the stores in my area I do this at. These stores offer store coupons in their weekly ads or in their monthly coupon booklets. Many times there are manufacturer coupons (from the Sunday paper or printable coupons) that are for the same item. You can use these two coupons together!

For example, let's say that you want to purchase Garnier shampoo at Walgreens for $3.99. Walgreens has a store coupon for $2/1. You also have a manufacturer coupon from the Sunday paper for $1/1. Use them together to get the shampoo for .99 cents.

5. Use your cents-off coupons to get free items. Did you know you can get many free things with regular cent-off coupons? You can! One way to do this is by purchasing trial size items. If you have a $1/1 coupon for Tide, use it on the .99 trial size. Just make sure you read the coupon to make sure it doesn't mention that trial sizes are excluded. Many stores will apply the overage to your total as well! Walmart usually does. Target would adjust the coupon down to .99.

How do you make the most of your coupons?

Making the Most of your Coupons

Understanding Coupons

I have had several questions in regard to using coupons lately. I hope this answers your questions! Feel free to leave comments with questions too.

Coupons are incentives to buy products. Using coupons to your advantage doesn't mean always using every coupon out there. You have to be smart, combine the coupon with a sale or clearance price, rebates, and promotions. Coupons have expiration dates to watch. Some coupons can be doubled, which means if the coupon is $1/1 item, you would get $2/1 instead. That's one way you can get ahead! Always read the fine print on your coupons before you use them to make sure you are matching up the item and coupon correctly.

Manufacturer coupons: These are coupons put out by the companies to entice you to purchase their products. These kinds of coupons can be printable coupons, Sunday coupons, mailer coupons. It will say 'manufacturer coupon' at the top of the coupon. When you use these coupons on a product at the store, the store is reimbursed the value of the coupon plus 8 cents. You cannot combine two manufacturer coupons on the same product.

Store coupons: These coupons are store specific, usually in their weekly ads. Unless other stores accept competitor coupons, you can only use store coupons at the store specified. You CAN combine store coupons and manufacturer coupons on the same purchase. For example, let’s say Walgreens has Trident gum on sale for $2 per package. They also have a store coupon in their weekly ad you can use that is $1 off each package. BUT, you also have a manufacturer coupon from the newspaper for another $1 off. Use both coupons together and you will get free gum! All you will pay is sales tax.

Printable coupons: These coupons are found online. Printable coupons are manufacturer coupons. Generally you are allowed to print 2 copies of each coupon from printable coupon websites. It is illegal to photocopy coupons!! But you can print them in black and white.


Peelies: These are the coupons you find stuck to store items that you peel off. These are most of the time manufacturer coupons.

Blinkies: Coupons in the red boxes attached to store shelves. When you pull out the coupon, another one generates to be pulled out. These are also manufacturer coupons.

How do you use your coupons when purchasing items? Read your coupon. It will tell you how many items you need to buy to use it. It might say $1 off one item, or $1 off 2 items. There is also some common coupon terms and usage meanings that you need to understand.

"One coupon per purchase": This means that you can use one coupon per item, with the item considered to be the purchase. For example, if you had 5 identical packages of gum and 5 grocery coupons for that gum, you could use all 5 coupons for your order. You could not use 2 identical coupons if you were only buying one pack of gum because that would be more than "one coupon per purchase." Don't confuse this term with "one coupon per transaction." A transaction is your entire purchase order you are making, not individual items.

"One coupon per transaction": This means that you can only use that specific coupon once per order. If a shopper had more than one coupon, they could use one coupon per store visit, which would be one coupon per order.

"One coupon per household": This is the most restrictive coupon term. Some coupons are so generous that stores will limit their liability by making sure shoppers do not make multiple trips to the store to use several coupons.

Please remember that any store can make decisions on how they decide to interpret the coupons. Sometimes they don't understand the terms the way the manufacturer intended them to be interpreted. If you politely explain the terms to them, they are more likely to accept your coupon. GO HERE to see store coupon policies. When using coupons on Buy 1 Get 1 Free items, many times you can use 2 coupons...one for each item. The first coupon on the item you are buying, the second coupon for the item you are getting free. But this varies from store to store, so your mileage may vary.

Understanding Coupons

Expired Coupons

Did you know that the military can use expired coupons? If you want to do a random act of kindness, consider mailing your expired coupons to the proper place. My friend Faye from Smart Spending Resources has put this information together about where to send your expired coupons. Thanks Faye!

US military who are overseas can use manufacturer's coupons for up to 6 months after they expire. Help our troops and their families by sending your expired coupons to one of the addresses below. Postage to APO addresses is the same as sending a letter here in the States.

Overseas Coupon Program
http://www.ocpnet.org/
This site includes extensive information about donating your expired coupons to military and their families serving overseas. They list specific bases seeking coupons. You can adopt a base and help them stretch their very very hard earned money.

Here are the addresses for three smart spenders who are stationed overseas and can use expired coupons. They also share them with other military families.

Tami Grgas
PSC 73 BOX 929
APO, AE 09459

Lin Ritcher
CMR 454 Box 2382
APO Ae 09250

Michel Morgan
PSC 2 BOX 11436
APO AE 09012

Any Soldier.com
http://anysoldier.com/
This is an incredible site that offers addresses and names of soldiers you can send care packages to. They offer personal stories and the soldiers are able to request specific items they need and want.

If you are wondering what to do with all that extra toothpaste and cereal you have stockpiled since you began couponing, consider donating the products to others who can use them. Use these links to find shelters in your area.

Women's Shelter
Homeless Shelter
Food Bank

As a side note, I love donating many of my freebies and extra stockpile items to the Food Bank. Did you know they take more than just food? You can donate deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and more!

Expired Coupons

Store Coupon Policies UPDATED

Here is a list of store coupon policies. You might want to print these off and take them with you to the store in your coupon binder. Sometimes the cashiers just don't know their own store policy! Many cashiers or store managers just don't understand how coupons work. Keep in mind that store managers can still choose to deny coupon usage no matter what. Just remember to be kind and have a copy of the store policy with you when you shop in case of problems.

For example, Walmart's coupon policy states that they accept printable coupons, but my local Walmarts will no longer take printable coupons due to coupon fraud that has been happening. Please don't photocopy coupons!!

Thanks to A Thrifty Mom for helping put this current list together!

Albertsons-

• Will take all MFR (manufacturer coupons) and you can stack it with an Albertsons in-store coupon
• Will take printed coupons
• As of 4/3/09 they no longer take any competitors ad coupons or catalinas
• Will not take Internet printable competitors coupons
• DO NOT match competitors ads or prices
  

Walgreens-

• will take all MFR coupons, and you can stack it with a Walgreens in-store coupon
• will take printable Internet coupons
• DOES NOT match competitors ads or prices
• DOES NOT take other stores in-store coupons
• DOES NOT take albertsons catalinas
  

Rite Aid-

• will take all MFR coupons, and you can stack it with a Rite Aid in-store coupon
• will take printable Internet coupons (depends on the store)
• DOES NOT match competitors ads or prices
• DOES NOT take other stores in-store coupons
• Print off the policy HERE to keep with you when you shop
  

Shopko-

• will take all MFR coupons, and you can stack it with a Shopko in-store coupon
• will take competitors coupons coupons, Like Fred Meyer, Walgreens...
• will price match, others ads ( as long as it states the price, no 50% off, no buy 1 get 1 free)
• The items must be in stock at the competitors ad price. Ad must be current, and bring Ad with you.
• will take printable Internet coupons
  

Walmart-

• will take all MFR coupons
• will take competitors coupons coupons, Like Fred Meyer, Walgreens...
• will price match, others ads ( as long as it states the price, no 50% off, no buy 1 get 1 free)
• Ad must be current, and bring Ad with you.
• will take printable Internet coupons (some stores have stopped or limited them)
• for an online copy click here to read , you might want to print it out and carry it with you.
  

Winco-

• Will take MRF coupons
• As of March 2009 they will now take printable coupons that will scan
• DOES NOT match competitors ads or prices
• DOES NOT take other stores in-store coupons

Fred Meyer-

• Will take MRF coupons
• will take printable Internet coupons, as long as it says Manufacturer coupon on it
• DOES NOT match competitors ads or prices
• DOES NOT take other stores in-store coupons
  

Target-

• will take all MFR coupons, and you can stack it with a Target in-store coupon.
• will take printable Internet coupons, as long as it says Manufacturer coupon on it and it must scan.
• DOES match competitors ads or prices GO HERE for details
• DOES NOT take other stores in-store coupons
• More on Target's policy HERE
  
• More updates HERE
  

Kmart-

• will take all MFR coupons
• Will now take printed coupons, See press release here
• DOES NOT match competitors ads or prices
• DOES NOT take other stores in-store coupons
• if you sign up at Kmart.com and join their email list they send specials like double or triple coupon sales.
  

Store Coupon Policies UPDATED

Couponing: Is it worth it?

I love deals. I love using coupons. I love rebates. And I love freebies.

When my oldest was a newborn, I would spend hours on the computer at home learning the ropes of freebies and deals. I learned a lot, made many friends online, and had fun getting freebies in the mail. I learned quickly how much your savings can add up!

I started couponing a couple of years later and the savings just got better! With a second child in our family, I needed to save more money. Now...six years later, 3 kids and a fourth on the way, I can safely say I am so happy that I know what I know! It has saved our budget more than once, and the amount of food, hygiene items, and household goods I have gotten for free are in the hundreds. My oldest is 8 1/2 now and already knows the ropes when it comes to coupons and deals.

Couponing takes some time at first...you have to get organized, understand how it works, and start to build up your stockpile. But it IS worth it! Here are some pictures to prove it. These are a few of my most recent shopping trips:

Total paid: overage of $2.06! I actually got paid to buy this stuff.

Total paid: $92 (that includes 5 pks of tp and 10 pks of diapers!)

Total paid: $2.49

I don't have a pictures of this one, but one of my best deals EVER was in 2004 at Fred Meyer. I got 40 boxes of Electrosol dishwasher detergent...FREE! I only paid sales tax.

**************************************************************

So how do YOU start couponing? Where do you even begin? Does the task seem daunting?

STEP 1: Understand what coupons are, what kinds of coupons there are, and how they work.

Coupons are incentives to buy products. Using coupons to your advantage doesn't mean always using every coupon out there. You have to be smart, combine the coupon with a sale or clearance price, rebates, and promotions. Coupons have expiration dates to watch. Some coupons can be doubled, which means if the coupon is $1/1 item, you would get $2/1 instead. Double coupons are special promotions run by the store. Ask stores in your area if they ever double coupons. That's one way you can get ahead! Always read the fine print on your coupons before you use them to make sure you are matching up the item and coupon correctly.

Manufacturer coupons: These are coupons put out by the companies to entice you to purchase their products. These kinds of coupons can be printable coupons, Sunday coupons, mailer coupons. It will say 'manufacturer coupon' at the top of the coupon. When you use these coupons on a product at the store, the store is reimbursed the value of the coupon plus 8 cents. You cannot combine two manufacturer coupons on the same product.

Store coupons: These coupons are store specific, usually in their weekly ads. Unless other stores accept competitor coupons, you can only use store coupons at the store specified. You CAN combine store coupons and manufacturer coupons on the same purchase. For example, lets say Walgreens has Trident gum on sale for $2 per package. They also have a store coupon in their weekly ad you can use that is $1 off each package. BUT, you also have a manufacturer coupon from the newspaper for another $1off. Use both coupons together and you will get free gum! All you will pay is sales tax.

Printable coupons: These coupons are found online. Printable coupons are manufacturer coupons. Generally you are allowed to print 2 copies of each coupon from printable coupon websites. It is illegal to photocopy coupons!! But you can print them in black and white.

Peelies: These are the coupons you find stuck to store items that you peel off. These are manufacturer coupons.

Blinkies: Coupons in the red boxes attached to store shelves. When you pull out the coupon, another one generates to be pulled out. These are also manufacturer coupons.

How do you use your coupons when purchasing items? Read your coupon. It will tell you how many items you need to buy to use it. It might say $1 off one item, or $1 off 2 items. There is also some common coupon terms and usage meanings that you need to understand.

"One coupon per purchase": This means that you can use one coupon per item, with the item considered to be the purchase. For example, if you had 5 identical packages of gum and 5 grocery coupons for that gum, you could use all 5 coupons for your order. You could not use 2 identical coupons if you were only buying one pack of gum because that would be more than "one coupon per purchase." Don't confuse this term with "one coupon per transaction." A transaction is your entire purchase order you are making, not individual items.

"One coupon per order": This means that you can only use that specific coupon once per order. If a shopper had more than one coupon, they could use one coupon per store visit, which would be one coupon per order.

"One coupon per household": This is the most restrictive coupon term. Some coupons are so generous that stores will limit their liability by making sure shoppers do not make multiple trips to the store to use several coupons.

Please remember that any store can make decisions on how they decide to interpret the coupons. Sometimes they don't understand the terms the way the manufacturer intended them to be interpreted. If you politely explain the terms to them, they are more likely to accept your coupon.

STEP 2: Organize your coupons! There are many ways to do this, and no right or wrong way. But organization is KEY to your ability to maximize your savings!

Organizing Coupons

STEP 3: Begin using your coupons. Check out other posts on this subject:

Using coupons #1

Using coupons #2

Using coupons #3

When using coupons on Buy 1 Get 1 Free items, many times you can use 2 coupons...one for each item. The first coupon on the item you are buying, the second coupon for the item you are getting free. But this varies from store to store, so your mileage may vary.

Step #4 Begin to accumulate coupons! Sign up for free samples, promos, etc. Get multiple issues of the Sunday newspaper. When you get those coupons in the mail save them with your other coupons. Even if you think you might not use it, keep it. I can't tell you how many times I have benefited from having extra coupons, or coming upon an unexpected sale and having coupons that match up with an item.

Don't forget to also have an organized place at home for receipts! That is equally as important. One day I may do a post on how I organize my receipts. Anyone who knows me knows I am anal when it comes to our finances...and I keep all documentation!

You will also find this information helpful.

Coupon Insert Schedule (yes, there is a schedule! Amazing! Remember, there are no coupons on holiday weekends in the Sunday papers)

Coupon Lingo

General Coupon 'rules'

How stores get reimbursed for coupons

Printable coupon links

Couponing IS worth it! It might take some time to get going, but after you figure it out it's a breeze! When I can get double or triple the amount of food storage, hygiene items, or household goods for my family at such cheap prices....I say you are crazy to NOT coupon! Give it a try!

Couponing: Is it worth it?

Coupon Insert Schedule

Did you know there is a schedule for coupon inserts? Really! I had several people comment to me this past weekend about getting no coupons. I have posted before about this, but I figured I would post again since I have many new readers.

Print off this coupon schedule so you know when you will be getting coupons or no coupons. Generally, on holiday weekends there are no coupons issued. I am not sure the reason for this, but since I started couponing 6 years ago it has always been this way.

Remember, there are different inserts:

Smart Source
Red Plum (formerly Valassis)
Procter and Gamble

All inserts also have the dates on the spine, in small print. Make sure you keep all your inserts until all the coupons expire (unless you clip them all, of course). You never know when a good sale will come up!

TaylorTown Preview is also a favorite of many couponers. I used this schedule for years.

More info here on Coupon Lingo.

Coupon Insert Schedule

Coupon Lingo

Have you notices how couponing has it's own language? It can get a little confusing, so here are some basic answers to help you along your way.

SS - Smart Source insert
RP - Red Plum insert
PG - Proctor & Gamble insert
$1/2 - $1 off 2 items
.50/1 - .50¢ off 1 item
B1G1 - Buy One Get One
FAR- Free After Rebate
DND- Do Not Double
OOP- price paid out of pocket
YMMV- Your mileage may vary (sometimes coupons are different between stores)
RR - Register Rewards (Walgreens)
SCR - Single Check Rebate (Rite Aid)

For more detailed acronyms about couponing, go HERE and HERE.

Coupon Lingo

How Stores Get Reimbursed for Coupons

Ever wonder what happens to your coupons after you use them at the store? How do the stores get reimbursed? What is the process?

Southern Savers has a great article on this. Check it out.

How Stores Get Reimbursed for Coupons

Using Coupons #3

After you have your shopping list and you know what coupons you are going to use, I recommend you do the following:

1. Make sure you organize everything before you go. Don't think you can run to the store and remember where those coupons are in your folder. Get out all the coupons you are planning to use on that particular trip and clip them to your list. Know where they are! It will go much quicker at checkout. I do mine this way:

• As I am making my list, I put a star next to the name of the item. That is my 'code' to remind myself I have a coupon for that item.


• I count all the coupons I am using for that shopping trip. For example, if I have 10 coupons I am using, I double check before I get to the counter: the starred items on my list and the amount of coupons I have match up. Check! Just make sure you don't forget anything. It's really easy to do that, especially if the kids are with you.

2. The second part is to understand the deals you are getting. If something rings up wrong at the register, you need to know about the deal you are trying to get so you can explain it to the cashier. Speak up! If the item rings up at a different price, speak up. If the coupon doesn't ring up correctly, speak up.

It is important to know and understand the store's individual coupon policy. Know whether or not they accept printable coupons, competitor coupons, and such. I will tell you right now that you CAN combine manufacturer coupons (the ones from the newspaper and online...they say "manufacturer coupons" at the top) and store coupons together for double the savings. Store coupons are put out by the store, and are not reimbursed by manufacturers. Some cashiers just don't know you can do this. Don't be afraid to talk to a manager about it if the cashier gives you grief. You are doing nothing wrong!

3. Always take all your coupons with you to the store. I cannot emphasize this one enough. You will always run into unexpected clearance items and bargains. And it will kill you if you see shampoo on clearance for $1.25 and you know you have a $1/1 coupon at home. Ahhh! Always take your coupons with you! It has happened to me and I haven't made that mistake again! I keep my coupons in a large accordion folder that fits neatly into my large purse. I take it everywhere I go. I clip the coupons that I:

• know I will use
• think I might use (if an item is on sale or clearance)
• will only use if the item is on sale or clearance
• would like to have for stock up items if I get for a great price

I basically clip about 90% of the coupon inserts. Also, save, save, save EVERY coupon you get in the mail! You never know when a sale will come up and you can use it. Diaper coupons, shampoo coupons, all those mailers you throw away! Save those coupons. I can't even tell you how many of those coupons I have used on sales to get things free or nearly free. It pays to take 10 seconds to clip and file away.

The more you watch the sales and coupon, you will notice a pattern. Certain things always go on sale and clearance at particular stores. Some stores even have a schedule. I won't pay for some things at full price at Walmart (like my hubby's favorite deodorant) because I know every few months they go on sale at Walgreens and when I use a coupon with it I can get it much cheaper. Noticing these things also will be helpful knowing which coupons you want to clip.

Some people don't like to clip the coupons, they like to keep them in their inserts. Do what is best for you! I have found this other way is much more beneficial to me.

4. There are many other small tips. One good tip I have heard is to print off the store's coupon policy and take it with you in your purse in case you have problems. They can usually be found on their websites. Another good tip that I practice all the time is making sure you go at a good time of day. If you are shopping with a lot of coupons go at a time of day that is not as busy. Other shoppers will thank you!

As you coupon more and more, you will find what works for you the best. You might even find a favorite checker to help you! At the Albertson's store I shop at for deals, there is one particular checker I LOVE. I will wait in a long line just to have her check me out....sound crazy, but I know she loves helping me and she loves seeing me get a good deal!

5. There will always be another sale. Items always go on clearance, stores always have sales. If you miss a sale, can't get to a sale, or forget your coupons, don't fret. There will always be another sale! I can't make it to every sale or get every deal. I have a lot of family, church, and other responsibilities that I have to do. I do make an effort, but you just can't get to every one. So that's okay!

Here are some general coupon rules you need to know. And many more questions can be answered by reading this coupon 101 at Pinching Your Pennies.

If you have any more questions, please ask!

Using Coupons #3

Using Coupons #2

So when it come to starting your grocery list and you want to use coupons, where do you begin? It could take hours to go over all the ads, see if you have coupons that match up with the sales, etc. Who has time for that?

There are some fabulous resources on the Internet that offer this very service! Some are free, some cost money. Many of these places have printable shopping lists that match up the item, the sale price, the coupon that goes with the item (and where to find it) and your final price at the register. Can't get much better than that!

Unfortunately, I live in an area that does not have double coupons. If you do utilize those sales! Doubling a coupon means that the face value of the coupon is doubled at checkout. For example, if you have a coupon for $1 off Skippy Peanut Butter, it would double to $2 off! See how your savings can add up? Since I don't have this luxury, I combine coupons with really good sales & clearance items to stock up. It's the best I can do. These websites can help you do just that!

Pinching Your Pennies
This is a website with hundreds of resources for the frugal shopper, and it's all FREE! Registering gives you optimal benefits. There are individual state forums with deals specific to each state. There are weekly printable shopping lists (like the ones I explained above) for many stores like Albertsons, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. Here is an example. There are many, many forums with different topics on saving money, living frugally, emergency preparedness, meal planning, and MORE!

Grocery Smarts
Grocery Smarts has many of the same resources as Pinching Your Pennies. Here is an example of what their shopping lists look like. This particular list is for Albertson's in Utah. See how they spell it all out for you? So easy! You can also print coupons from Grocery Smarts.

Notice on these shopping lists that the coupons are listed like this:

Fresh Express Salad Blend, any .55/1 DND (12-31-08) SS-12/7

Here is what it means. The coupon is for Fresh Express Salad Blends, any type. The value of the coupon is .55 off 1 bag. DND means the coupon is a Do Not Double. The expiration date is 12-31-08, and the coupon is found in the Smart Source insert from the 12/7/08 Sunday newspaper. Got it? As soon as you understand the lingo you can find your coupons VERY quickly.

The Grocery Game
This one finds local sales and deals in your area, but it does cost money. I recommend trying the free websites first, only because I am cheap and want to save every buck I can!

There are many, many blogs and websites out there that list the deals weekly for Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, and more! I cannot list every deal I find or know about. I do try to share as much as I can. I have listed some of my favorites on my sidebar under the category "Must Places to Visit."

Using Coupons #2

Frugal Living Friday: Using Coupons

Welcome to Frugal Living Friday! Each week I will feature a tip that can help us stretch our budget and live more frugally! If you have a tip that you want shared on Frugal Living Friday, let me know and you could become a guest blogger for a day.

Sometimes using coupons has a negative ring to it. Someone said to me once, "Using coupons to save .25 on tuna or .35 on crackers seems pointless to me. I don't have time for that."

What they said is true to a point. When using coupons, it is a waste of time (and money) if you are using coupons to purchase things just to use the coupon, or to buy things you wouldn't normally buy.

Using coupons on items you always buy anyway, going to double/triple coupon days at grocery stores AND combining coupons in conjunction with sales and clearance prices is where you will get ahead! Way ahead! I am talking getting stuff for free or really cheap! It sounds too good to be true, but it's really not. It takes time to learn the process, but once you get the idea of how sales work at certain stores it doesn't take long to get it down.

The first step to take if you have not been an avid couponer before is to get a subscription to the Sunday newspaper so you can get the coupons. Many areas offer 'subscription packages' so you can get multiple Sunday papers for a great price...if you want to have multiple coupons. You want multiple coupons if you live in an area that has double or triple coupon days periodically. Just ask your local newspaper what deals they have. Another way to get more coupons is to ask your friends and neighbors if you can have their coupons from their Sunday paper. Many people throw them away!

Once you begin getting coupons you need to organize them. Some people cut out every coupon in the weekly inserts and file them away. Other people only cut what they know they are going to use. I prefer doing a little of both. I cut all the coupons I will use, plus coupons I would use if I ran across a really great sale. I carry my file with me always when I shop and there have been countless time I have ran across an unexpected sale or clearance item (especially at Target) and because I had my coupons with me, I got the item for free or less than .25!

You also need to file the inserts themselves, even if you don't think you will use the rest of the coupons. Sometimes the coupon in the inserts don't expire for several months, and a sale just might come up. This happened with me and some Visine coupons. I did the KMart Super Double Coupon Days a few months ago and because I had kept older inserts, I was able to go back, get the Visine coupons, and I got 3 bottle of Visine for free!

I use a file folder for my inserts. I put the most current insert on top. If you look closely on the spine of the coupon insert, they are dated. You can find them easily that way. There are a few different inserts that come in the Sunday paper:

Smart Source (SS)
Red Plum (was Valassis) (RP)
Valassis (now Red Plum) (V)
Proctor and Gamble (PG)

TaylorTown Preview tells us the schedule of when coupons will come in the Sunday newspaper. Yes, there is a schedule! It really helps to know, especially if you buy your papers individually. There are weeks (usually by holidays) when there are no coupons. So watch the schedule! It also helps to know the schedule because certain coupons come out in certain inserts, for example, the Proctor and Gamble insert. If you purchase certain items with those coupons, you will know exactly when the coupons will be available again. The 2009 schedule is not up yet.

I will explain how to find deals that go with the coupons in your inserts. You DO NOT need to spend hours pouring over ads.....there are places online you can go that spell it all out for you! I will show you where you can go.

There is "coupon lingo" out there, and it can be confusing if you don't know it. HERE is a fabulous list of abbreviations you will find helpful to know.

You can also get hundreds of printable coupons online! Go HERE to find a list of many places you can go. Many times printable coupons are a higher value than the coupons from the Sunday newspaper. You are usually allowed to print 2 copies of each coupon. PLEASE never, never, NEVER photocopy printable coupons! It is illegal. There are many stores than no longer accept printable coupons for this reason. Shop honestly!

Also here is a post I made last year about some general coupon rules. Come back tomorrow for more on using coupons!

Frugal Living Friday: Using Coupons

Printable coupon links

Please remember it is illegal to photocopy printable coupons! It is okay to print them in black and white, but do not photocopy!

**Click HERE if you are having trouble printing coupons.**

Speaking of printable coupons (see my last post below on the cereal,) here is a list of websites that you can get printables from. You usually have to register to be a member of their site (which is free) before you can print.

Printable coupons sometimes have higher values than the ones from the newspaper, and usually have longer terms before the expiration date. You may also find many local coupons for stores you can use. Always check before you shop!

Betty Crocker
Pillsbury
Box Tops for Education
Boodle (powered by your local newspaper)
WOW coupons
Coupon Bug
Eclip
Nestle
Eversave
Procter and Gamble
Coupons.com (formerly save.com)
Cool Savings
Valpak
Coupon Mom
Coupon Cat
The Savings Depot
Target's store printable coupons

***Don't forget to use store coupons in conjunction with manufacturer coupons for additional savings!***

Some additional savings found here:
$1/1 Johnson's Buddies product (coupon prints immediately upon clicking) Can be found at Walmart or Target for around $1 usually
$1/1 Quaker True Delights
Eat Better America booklet with $10 in coupons
Pillsbury $10 coupon booklet
$2/1 Kashi Cereal Bars
$2/1 St. Ives any
$3/1 Iams cat food

Also, this thread on Pinching Your Pennies is always updated with new printable coupons!

Printable coupon links

Coupon Magic

The secret to coming ahead when using coupons is by utilizing the days when stores double or triple coupons.

The concept is simple. Doubling a coupon means that the store doubles the face value of the coupon. For instance, if you are purchasing a can of chili that costs $1.50, and you want to use a coupon for .50 cents off, then that can would cost you $1. However, if the store will double the face value of the coupon, then suddenly your coupon is worth $1 instead of .50. Then your out-of-pocket cost is only .50 for the can of chili. It is the same concept of tripling coupons. If that particular store where I was purchasing the chili tripled by .50 coupon, then it would be worth $1.50 and I would get my can of chili for free!

In a perfect world, all stores would do this, unfortunately, most do not. There are some areas of the country that have regular double and/or triple coupon days. I know that in my part of Idaho, the only store that doubles coupons is Paul's Market, and they are far enough from my home to not make the trip worth it. As for Utah, I have read on PYP that Smith's doubles coupons sometimes. Your best bet is to call several local stores to ask if they double coupons, and when. Combine doubling coupons with sales, and you will come out ahead like my friend Faye did (see my post below).

Click here to see what stores double coupons in your state.

Coupon Magic

Smart Spending

I won't be posting until next week, as my mom is coming into town for Time Out for Women and we are going to be having a fun girls weekend! Here are some fun things to see and think about in the meantime.

I don't know if you have clicked on the Smart Spending link on the right yet, but it is run by Faye Prosser, a lady I met online several years ago. We have done coupon trading amongst each other, and I have learned so much from her smart spending process! She has also written a fabulous book on smart spending. Here are some amazing deals she can get over in North Carolina by doubling and tripling coupons. Check it out! All of these examples are on her website. She is an amazing person!



Triple Coupon Promotion at Harris Teeter, Raleigh, NC July 26, 2007
The above groceries were purchased for a total of 14 cents by coupling sales, tripled coupons and rain checks.
Subtotal before sales and coupons: $130.55
Paid: 14 cents!
Savings 99%

The items I purchased included hummus, vegetarian soy "chicken" patties, vegetarian soy "sausage" links, crescent rolls, steamfresh corn, american cheese, light beef hotdogs, pasta sauce, pasta side, balance protein bars, mustard (like I really needed more mustard!), and a bag of candy to get me into the positive when my order ended up being negative 65 cents.

*******************************************


On August 18, 2006, I purchased the groceries shown above at a Harris Teeter grocery store. They were tripling coupons with a face value up to 99 cents. I stocked up on Mott's 100% juice, Jif peanut butter, canned Tyson chicken, Lipton tea, bottled ice water (especially good during hurricane season!), Dole fruit bowls, Sargento cheese slices, Trix yogurt, Ziploc sandwich and snack bags, ice cream, brownie mix, pop tarts, Skippy and Reese's snack bars, and toaster struedel. We also bought some California roll sushi, but we ate it before I took the picture! Yum!

Subtotal before sales prices & coupons: $188.88
Total Paid: 5 cents ! ($.05)
Savings: 99.99%

Smart Spending

Some General Coupon Rules

Rule #1
You can use manufacturer coupons in conjunction with store coupons. You can never combine manufacturer's coupons on the same item, though. What is the difference? Store coupons will say 'store coupon' on it, where manufacturer coupons say 'manufacturer coupon' at the top. Those coupons are reimbursed to the store by the manufacturer, where store coupons are given out by the store as a promotion, and they do not get reimbursed. Albertson's, Walgreens and Fred Meyer are a few local stores that have their own store coupons on a regular basis. Here is an example scenario: Smuckers jelly is on sale at Albertson's for $1.99. I have a store coupon for .75 off one bottle, and I also have a manufacturer's coupon for .99 off one bottle. I CAN use both coupons for the same bottle! So my final payment for the bottle of jelly after coupons is only .25! FYI: It is also important to check out your stores to see if they take competitor's coupons. Albertson's WILL take Walgreens store coupons. So use them...you will end up saving more money than you think.

Rule #2
Never, Never, Never, Never photocopy coupons! This includes internet printable coupons (IP's) especially. I know many people who think it is okay to copy them, but it is committing fraud, and you can get in legal trouble. Besides, it makes couponing much harder for the rest of us honest people, because then stores are wary of accepting any printables at all. So do it the right way....print off what you can and call it good!

Rule #3
Regardless of what some cashiers say, it is legal to get things for free by using a coupon. Ignorance is really to blame here. Most people have no idea how coupons work and the good they can do. When some cashiers see that I am buying an item for $1.99 and I have a coupon for that item for $2 off, they think I am committing a crime. It is perfectly legal. What differs from store to store is getting overage for that purchase. Some stores will actually give you the penny back, and other's won't. That is up to them to decide. What is important to remember that as long as you are using the correct coupon for the correct item, you are doing no wrong. Most times they are just jealous!

Rule #4
Watch the expiration dates! Some stores will accept coupons after the expiration, but those are few and far between. Plus, it is embarrassing to try to use an expired one. Save yourself time and stress by planning ahead. Always know before you go into the store what you are purchasing and approximately how much you are going to spend. Nothing is more frustrating than having a cashier miss a coupon or not getting the amount deducted which you should get.

Rule #5
Organization! The most important thing about using coupons on a regular basis is organizing them! The most popular are the binder method and accordion folder method, but be creative and organize your coupons in the way suits you best. Organize by expiration dates, and when the coupons have expired, throw them away or you can send them to military bases. They can use them at the commissary for up to six months after expiration dates. Here is some info on that.

Rule #6
Don't be embarrassed to use coupons. Who cares what other people think. You are saving money. I have been in the checkout line before and have amazed shoppers in line behind me ask me where I get all my coupons and how I shopped like that. It really isn't difficult. If you want to, you can do it.

Rule #7
Always keep every coupon you get, even if you don't think you will use it. This might seem extreme, but it is a must do! I can't even tell you how many times I have come across an unexpected sale at the store and I have a coupon with me for a product on sale or on clearance that I didn't plan on buying, but since I had a coupon for it I got it for free or less than .25! This is especially true with hygiene items at Target. They ALWAYS have that stuff on clearance and if you keep all your hygiene item coupons you can come away with some great stuff for free or really cheap. For example, I have gotten Dr. Scholls lavender foot massage creme for .88 (regularly $4.50) and Jergens facial moisturizer with a slight self-tanner tint for .50 (regularly $6 something). Both items were on clearance, plus I have high value coupons I used on them to save even more.

Check out the link to Coupon 101 on the right side of the blog. It will also answer many other questions you may have.

Happy couponing!

Some General Coupon Rules