Rebates

As you follow the blogs I've mentioned in other posts you'll probably hear about rebates that are available. Often when there is a rebate there is a possibility of 'making money' off of the rebate. (See the example below.)

Here are some things to remember when you try to do a rebate:

1. Make sure that you are buying the exact items required on the rebate equal to the exact dollar amount or greater (I think it needs to be before tax?) that is required.

2. Buy the items within the stated dates on the rebate.

3. Keep your receipt (If possible, then try to buy the item separately if you don't want to send a super-long receipt. You also may need that receipt to return an item or for whatever reason.) --Many rebates will only accept the original receipt. Some will allow copies, though.

4. Fill out the info on the rebate form according to the instructions on the form. (Circle the items on the receipt(s), etc. if required.)

5. After everything is ready to be put in the envelope first make a copy of the rebate form and the receipt(s). (I try to copy it all onto one page--front and back if necessary.)

6. Mail it off to the Manufacturer and watch for the rebate check (or whatever the prize for the rebate) to come in the mail!
7. If you haven't received your rebate as soon as you think you should, then you may want to contact the manufacturer to move things along. 

Here is an example of an Olay rebate I submitted:

One Olay rebate was for the amount of $20 if you purchased $50 worth of Olay Facial Moisturizers, Facial Treatments and/or Facial Cleansers. The $50 worth of products was able be met BEFORE factoring in coupons. Some rebates require you to spend a total amount AFTER factoring in coupons, but often that is not the case and you just have to buy a certain dollar amount of products and then you can use coupons.

So, Target had a pretty great sale on Olay facial moisturizers and face wash. Target gave a $5 gift card for every two Olay facial moisturizers and/or face washes purchased. The Olay products were also on sale! There was a $2 coupon for Olay facial cleansers, and I had a $3 coupon for a facial moisturizer. Here's my transactions (This is also an example of 'rolling a deal'.):

Transaction #1:
6 Olay Face Washes at $3.69 each
Total before Tax: $22.14
6 $2/1 Coupons for any Olay Face Wash
Total after Coupons (before tax): $10.14
I used a $10 gift card I received from transferring a prescription to Target
What I paid after tax: $0.63 (And I received 3 $5 gift cards!)

Transaction #2:
I did the same transaction as #1 again and used two gift cards that I received from transaction #1.

Transaction #3:
Olay Face Wash $3.69
Olay Complete Face Lotion $7.69
Total before tax: $11.38
$3/1 Coupon for any Olay Face Lotion
$2/1 Coupon for any Olay Face Wash
Total after Coupons (before tax): $6.38
I used a $5 gift card from the previous transaction.
What I paid after tax: $1.96 (and I got a $5 gift card for purchasing two Olay items)

Total of all products before tax and before coupons: $55.66
So, I qualified for the rebate!
Total amount that I paid OOP: $3.22

AND I still had four $5 gift cards left to use (I received three from the first transaction, used two on the second transaction, got three more, used one on the third transaction, and received one more=4 gift cards)

AND I received $20 for qualifying for the rebate! So, I spent $3.22 and received $20 in the mail AND $20 in giftcards! Can you believe that? Couponing can be so much fun!! I've never been so giddy shopping before!!

*Note: Some of you may think that I am greedy for buying so much. FYI: The face wash coupons expired on the first day of Target's sale, so there was only one day available to really take advantage of this deal. I wasn't even able to make it to Target until about 3:30pm that day, so I was surprised that there was still so much stuff on the shelves. Also, there was still lots more available even after I bought what I bought! So, I felt okay taking that much. 

*Another note: I first went to a cashier to buy my stuff and some manager said that since the picture wasn't the same as the products I was buying they wouldn't accept the coupons. I wasn't surprised and politely asked for all the products and coupons back and for the cashier to delete my transaction. I then wheeled over to Guest Services and inquired about the coupon. The person behind the desk noted that the coupon said ANY facewash, so she happily rang me up, thankfully!

The Process of Filing Coupons

Filing is a tedious task for some, and I admit that at times it's the last thing I want to do, but I often find the process of filing relaxing--as long as I'm not in a hurry. Here's how I file my coupons:

I clear the kitchen table and grab the following things:

Scissors
Tape
Box or container big enough to hold a pile of coupons (ex. an adult sized shoebox works great)
A place to put the scraps

Idealy I have at least 4 of the same insert to cut (and possibly misc. coupons to cut from magazines, etc.). The more inserts you cut at a time the faster it will go (not only because the time you spend cutting is less, but because all the same coupons are together and don't need to be filed separately), but the higher the risk that you'll cut through a barcode. Tape can often repair a coupon...

One thing that drives me nuts is that sometimes the same insert from different papers have slightly different coupons from insert to insert, so before you cut make sure that each insert page has the same coupons in the same spot on each page!!! Sometimes there will be 'loner' pages that don't match any other pages' layout.

I like to set the inserts in a row so I can tear each page and put the same page from each insert in a separate pile one on top of the other (sorry if that's confusing--I'll try to get a picture up soon). Once I have them all in a pile I begin cutting the coupons. (NOTE: Not all coupon inserts are lined up exactly the same--meaning sometimes at the bottom or top of a page there is a 1/4 inch of space, and no space on the same page from a different insert. So you need to do your best to line them up so that you don't cut through a barcode!!!)

There are many ways to sort coupons before you actually file them away. Some couponers like to take 8x11 sheets of printer paper, divide them in threes, and label each section of the folded paper according to the categories of their notebook. That way all the coupons can be filed into the section in which they belong and you don't have to flip back and forth between the sections as you're filing the coupons away. For me that takes up the whole table, and with two kids I sometimes need to rush off and deal with something, and it's just way to easy for a fan to blow the coupons away, or a little hand to mix them all up again... So, I just put all the coupons in a box (one for each notebook, since I have two). It takes a bit more time having to flip through all the sections to find where the coupon belongs, but I can put up the box quickly, if needed.

Then I file each coupon away in my notebooks under the category it belongs. Sometimes a coupon can be used on more than one product, so I do my best to put it in the category that I think I'll look for it in later.  There is sometimes confusion as to where a coupon goes. For example, does a coupon for Eggo Waffles go in the frozen section or the breakfast section? You decide!! :)

While I'm filing the coupons away I try to find all the coupons that are expired. I recycle the coupons.  Some people like to send expired coupons overseas (where expired coupons are accepted) for families in the navy and such.

Gift Cards and Prescriptions

If you have a prescription to fill, then you'll want to take advantage of the gift cards available at certain stores. Several stores will give you a gift card for the store if you transfer your prescription to that store. Most stores will only give you a gift card if a new prescription is being filled, or an existing prescription is being transferred. Stores usually have an ad either at the store or in their weekly ad you receive in the mail, or they may send you an ad in the mail.

So, first watch for ads about getting a gift card with a new or transferred prescription. You can also call stores to see if they give gift cards with prescriptions, and see what is required, and how long they will be giving out the gift cards. (Ex. Ask if you need to bring a coupon in [which probably expires sometime], or if you just need to mention it at the prescription counter.) Once you've filled a prescription at one store, then transfer to another store that gives gift cards for transferred prescriptions. Then transfer back to the original store or to another one. This way you always get a gift card whenever you need to fill a prescription (as long as there is a gift card deal happening when you need the prescription refilled).

*Note--if you can get the smallest dose possible, then you'll make more money. For example, when we were living in Utah it is recommended that children have a prescription multivitamin with fluoride added. There were different sizes of prescriptions to choose from. There was a larger bottle that was $20 to fill, and smaller bottle that was $5 to fill. Yes you have to fill the smaller dose more often, but if you get the larger prescription, then you'll only get one gift card for every $20 you spend on refills (in my example). If you fill the smaller one, then you get a gift card for every $5 you spend.

Most stores give out $10 gift cards, but I've seen some give out $25 gift cards. 

Other Stores in Washington

QFC

QFC is a Kroger grocery store. They have some great sales and catalina deals here and there. If you shop at QFC, then you'll definitely want to get their Rewards card. When you use this card in-store you can earn points to go towards up to 15 cents off their gas prices and toward other things. (You'll have about a month to use the points before they expire, I think.) If you want to take advantage of some of the sales, then you'll need this card.

K-Mart

I don't care for K-Mart much. Their prices seem way overpriced, and they don't have very good promotions. They do have a double coupon promotion from time to time, but you can only double  up to five coupons in one transaction (sometimes they'll double coupons up to $0.99---why it couldn't be $1 I have no idea, and they'll double up to $2 coupons sometimes). In most cases you need to spend at least $25 before coupons, so it's rarely worth it for me to go to K-Mart. Sometimes I go to see if they have anything on clearance, but usually they won't let me use a coupon on clearance items. Honestly, I thought they'd be out of business years ago...

WinCo

WinCo seems pretty similar to Walmart. Some of their prices are lower than Walmart's prices, and some of Walmart's prices are lower than WinCo's. WinCo accepts coupons, but doesn't have a coupon policy that I know of. They periodically put out coupons in the mail for free items, so always look through your mail and price match at Walmart if you don't live close enough to a WinCo. WinCo doesn't price match.

*Note: You have to bag everything you buy.

Cash and Carry

Cash and Carry is like a mini Costco of bulk foods. Their prices for produce, frozen veggies, and other foods are worth it to me to make a trip over there every week or two.


Costco


I haven't had a Costco membership since 2007. I finally renewed it this year and am wondering if it was worth it. I can usually get everything I need cheaper with coupons, and I can get my produce (there aren't a whole lot of coupons for produce) at stores like Cash and Carry or Fred Meyer for around the same price or less than what I could get them for at Costco.

Fred Meyer

Fred Meyer is another Kroger store. They have some of the same sales as QFC (and all other Kroger stores). Some weeks their sales are pretty good, and other weeks they really seem to be lacking in good sales.

Walmart

One can generally find some pretty good deals at Walmart. Walmart price matches other store's prices, so if you live close to a Walmart, then in many cases you can just go to Walmart instead of a bunch of other stores. 

One can score some pretty sweat deals at Walmart--with regular prices and with Rollback prices.

There's a part of the coupon policy that many cashiers don't know about. If a couponer uses more than 40 coupons, then a manager has to come and put their key in the register and say that it is okay. Sometimes the manager comes over and puts their key in and leaves--they don't even tell the cashiers what they're doing sometimes! So, I try to fill the cashiers in on the scoop...

Walmart's coupon policy (also found on the right side of my blog):
Walmart's Coupon Policy

*Note: I find that I can spend a lot of money at Walmart--even with coupons. I have to exercise much self control and say no to many deals that seem awesome, cause otherwise I don't keep to my budget. Like I said before, if you spend $0.50 ten times, then you've spent $5, and when you're in a huge store with lots of deals that are under a dollar, then it's easy to get a little carried away!!

Target

Here is a great post about Target over at Hip2Save:
Target Store Guide

Here is the Target corporate phone number for guest relations (also located on the right side of my blog)

1-800-440-0680

Here's the website where you can print off Target coupons: Target Coupons I guess they used to all be Target store coupons, but now there are manufacturer coupons as well. Some of the manufacturer coupons have the Target logo on them, though, so other stores don't accept them sometimes.

Walgreens

Walgreens is a drugstore similar to Rite Aid. Some are open 24 hours, and some aren't. Walgreens has weekly sales from Sunday to Saturday. They have store coupons, which are called Register Rewards. Register Rewards (RR) are catalinas that print from a machine by the register. Register rewards can be used like money, but you can only use them in Walgreens (unless you have a store that will accept RR as competitor coupons). They also expire a week or two after they print out.

Many of their weekly deals involve RR. (Some weeks are better than others.) Here are some examples of RR deals from previous weeks:

Buy $25 of Vicks products and get $10 in RR

Buy one Ecotrin Asprin at $1.99 and get $2 in RR

Walgreens also puts out monthly booklets with Walgreens coupons that can be combined with manufacturer coupons. Walgreens also sometimes puts out a sheet or two of additional coupons. Sometimes you can print out Walgreens coupons online at walgreens.com. Combine all three (Manufacturer coupons, Walgreens Coupons, and RR) and you can score some great deals!

Fairly often Walgreens has RR deals that when combined with the other coupons will get you a 'freebie.' Sometimes no additional coupons are required to score a RR freebie. For example, the Ecotrin deal up above is considered a freebie because you get as much money back as the amount that you paid (not factoring in tax).

However, in my opinion, if you spend any money, it's not a freebie. Some people buy all the RR deals and then use the RR for the RR deals the following week and keep doing that week to week. That's another example of 'Rolling the deals' (see my misc. tips post). Sometimes some weeks aren't very good by way of RR, though, so that doesn't always work. The Ecotrin actually was a freebie deal because there was a $2 coupon for the Ecotrin, so you paid tax and got $2 in RR. I try to not spend more than $5 per week at Walgreens. The way I do this is by doing several transactions so I can roll the RR deals. (See my examples further on down this post.)

Here's the part that had me going in circles until I finally grasped it. At Walgreens there's this sort of rule that you need at least one item per coupon. So, lets say that you want to buy some shampoo and you have a coupon for it, but you also want to a RR coupon. You are trying to buy one item, but you are trying to use two coupons, so you will need to buy another item to make the amount of items that you are buying equal with the amount of coupons that you are using. Whew!! Hope that makes sense!! This extra item is often called a 'filler' item. It can be anything, so usually I go for the cheapest thing I can find.

One more tid bit about RR that can also get confusing. In most cases RR do not roll on the same item. Meaning if you buy some shampoo and get a RR for it you can use the RR on another bottle of the same shampoo, but another RR will not print out. Sometimes the machine goofs and allows the RR to roll, but that's usually fixed by the Tuesday of the week or sooner. You can buy the bottle of shampoo, get the RR, use the RR on another RR deal and then use the RR from the other deal to pay for another bottle of shampoo so you can get another RR. Whew!! It was so crazy trying to wrap my brain around that when I first started familiarizing myself with Walgreens. Hope that makes sense!! Let me know if I need to explain it better!! :) *See my examples below and it might make more sense.

*Note: RR cannot be used to pay for tax. Meaning, if you want to use RR then your total (after other coupons have been taken off the total) has to equal the amount of the RR before tax is factored in. For example, if I bought some shampoo for $3.95 and wanted to use a $4 RR, then I would need to buy something to get my total over $4.

Here's an example of a week at Walgreens (this was when I think my goal was to not spend more than $10 per week at Walgreens):

Transaction #1:
I bought:
Dentek Floss $2
Dove Shampoo $4
2 Hershey's PB Cups 2/$1.59 (filler items)
Total: $7.59

Coupons:
$1 Dentek Floss MC
in-ad coupon to make Hershey's $0.39 ea. (took $0.81 off total)
$1 RR (From the previous week)
$2 RR (From the previous week)
$2 Dove Shampoo MC
Total Coupon Amount: $6.81

Total after Tax and coupons: $1.21
Received $2 RR for buying the Dentek Floss, and Received $4 RR for buying the Dove Shampoo

Transaction #2:
Bought:
6-pack of water $2.49
Dulcolax Laxative Powder $10
2 Hershey's PB Cups $2/1.59 (filler items)
Total: $14.08

Coupons:
in-ad coupon to make Hershey's $0.39 ea. (took $0.81 off total)
$2 RR (from buying the Dentek in the previous transaction)
$4RR (from buying the Dove in the previous transaction)
$4 Dulcolax MC
Get free water with purchase of Dulcolax up to $1.99 MC
Total amount of coupons: $12.80

Total after tax and coupons: $2.05
Received $10 RR for buying the Dulcolax

Transaction #3:
Bought:
Tylenol Cough/Nose $4.99
Tylenol Cough/Nose $4.99
Dove Conditioner $4
Dentek Floss $2
Reeces PB Cup $0.89 (filler item)
Total: $16.87

Coupons:
in-ad coupon to make Hershey's $0.39 ea. (took $0.50 off total)
$1 Dentek MC
$2 Dove MC
$3 for buying two Tylenol Cold MC
$10 RR from buying Dulcolax
Total amount of coupons: $16

Total after tax and coupons: $1.47
Received $2 RR for buying Dentek, $4 RR for buying Dove, and $5 RR for buying two Tylenol Cold

It was a really great week to be at Walgreens, so I went back a couple of days later and did this transaction:

Transaction #4:
Bought:
Simply Saline Nasal Spray $7
Planner on clearance for $0.25 (filler item)
Total: 7.25

Coupons:
$1 Saline MC
$5 RR from buying the Tylenol
Total amount of coupons: $6

Total after tax and coupons: $1.75
Received $7 in RR for buying the saline spray

Then Saturday came around and I decided to see if they had any more RR deals in stock, so I did the following two transactions.

Transaction #5
Bought:
4 big jars of yummy planter dry roasted peanuts $0.87 each (found them on clearance)
Dulcolax $10
Arrowhead water $1.79
Total: $15.27

Coupons:
$4 Dulcolax MC
$1/2 Planters Peanuts MC
$1/2 Planters Peanuts MC
Free water for buying Dulcolax up to $1.99 (took $1.79 off total)
$7 RR for buying Saline Spray
Total amount of coupons: $14.79
Total after coupons and tax: $1.32
Received $10 RR for buying the Dulcolax

Transaction #6 (last transaction of the week--whew!!)
Bought:
Simply Saline Nose Spray $7
Dentek Floss $2
Dove Shampoo $4
Total: $13

Coupons:
$1 Dentek MC
$1.50 Dove MC
$10 RR for buying the Dulcolax
Total amount of coupons: $12.50

Total after tax and coupons: $1.39
Received $2 RR for the Dentek, $4 RR for the Dove, and $7 for the Simply Saline AND I still had a $2 RR (from the Dentek) and $4 RR (from the Dove) from transcation #3!!

The Grand Totals:

This is all that I bought:
2 Simply Saline Nasal Sprays
2 Dove Shampoos
1 Dove Conditioner
3 Dentek Floss
4 Big Jars of Planter Dry Roasted Peanuts
2 Dulcolax Laxative Powders
1 6-pack of water
1 large jug of water
2 Tylenol Cold medicines
1 Small Yearly Planner
5 Reeces Peanut Butter Cup Candy Bars

What I would have paid for all of those items had I not used any coupons: $74.06 (These items were also on sale, so the original prices are even higher. I just don't feel like digging to find the original prices!! :)

What I did pay for the week: $9.19 AND I still had $19 in RR to spend!!!!! Wowzers!!

Also, Dove Shampoo and Condioner is my favorite, I love the Dentek floss, I had been wanting to put some water in the car for times when we might need it, I LOVE planters dry roasted peanuts, I'm prepared if my husband or I get a cold, etc. Anyway, I've been asked before, "Do you even use the stuff you get with coupons?" The answer is "Yes!!" Or, I give it away to someone else who needs it.

*Note: Not all weeks are this great! And not all weeks am I motivated enough to work that hard to score the deals!

Another thing. Sometimes I buy things I don't use so I can take advantage of the RR. Then I find someone to give the item away to or keep it for a desparate situation. (Ex. the Dulcolax--I prefer to just use prune juice if ever we need a laxative, not that you wanted to know...)

Walgreens now has a coupon policy. Here's a link to it here. Also, if you have an issue, and the coupon policy doesn't clear it up with the cashier/manager, then call their corporate office and see what their view is of the situation. The phone number for Walgreen's corporate office is 1-800-WALGREENS (You can also find this number on the right side of my blog.)

Rite Aid

Before I began couponing I can't remember the last time I shopped at Rite Aid. I always thought they were way over priced. Now I actually score lots of great deals at Rite Aid with coupons and sales. 

Rite Aid has weekly sales (running from Sunday through the following Saturday). In addition to their weekly sales they have a "Single Check Rebate" program. Usually every month they have different rebate offers. Some rebate offers run into other months. They usually have a rebate booklet you can pick up in the store, or you can view the rebates online at https://riteaid.rebateplus.com/. Watch for rebate items to go on sale, cause then you save even more money, and can often get items for free after the rebate.

Submit your receipts online at the above mentioned website. You'll need to sign up for an account. Once you're signed in you should see a link toward the top of the page that says "Enter Your Receipts." Follow the instructions to enter your receipt.

Once you enter the receipts you'll be taken to a page that shows what rebates you've qualified for (note: it takes up to 2-5 days for the information you enter to show up on the site.). You'll also see a box that says "Request My Rebate - Click Here." Do not push this button until you are done submitting your receipts for the entire month!!! You can only push it once, so if you push it at the beginning of the month, then you won't be able to get anymore rebates that month. Rite Aid will then send you a check (it looks like a post card) that you can either cash in the bank, or bring to Rite Aid to use as cash. Or, sometimes the rebate is for a gift card and the gift card will be mailed to you. (Ex. Buy $50 worth of certain products and you'll receive a $25 Rite Aid gift card)

In addition to sales and single check rebates Rite Aid also has an online program called "Video Values." (VV) For this program you can go here and register to watch videos (commercials for products ranging from about 30 seconds to 2 minutes). For watching each video you will be able to print a Rite Aid coupon for the product in the video. These Rite Aid coupons can be paired with manufacturer coupons and can only be used at Rite Aid.

Click on the 'my rewards' tab at the top of the page (after you've watched some videos) to see what coupons are available for you to print. 

When you go to print the coupons first select the coupon, hit the 'print coupons' button, and then hit the 'print' coupon in the pop-up window. You'll then be able to print the coupon. You can select how many you want to print, but don't select more than one, because the store will now only accept one of each VV coupon per VV account. (You used to be able to use as many as you wanted.)

Some people have multiple VV accounts for themselves, but if you actually read the terms that you are agreeing to when you set up your account, then you'll read that there is only one VV account allowed per person. Also, when you agree to the terms, you agree that you won't use another person's VV account. So if you want to be honest, then no setting up accounts under other family members, unless they are willing to watch the videos and come to the store with you.

So, watch for sales--especially for the rebate items--pair the sale with a Rite Aid Video Values coupon and a manufacturer's coupon, and you'll find that you can save a lot of money at Rite Aid!!!

*Note: Pretty much all Rite Aid coupons say "Manufacturer's Coupon" on them, but as long as the letters RC are before the numbers of the bar code you can combine the coupons with manufacturer's coupons.

I don't shop on Sundays, so often by Monday morning many of the great deals have been snagged. I used to be so bummed, but I don't mind when they get out of stock anymore because they are usually very good at giving out rain checks. Also, if the store isn't restocked before the single check rebate period ends for the month, then you can still get the rebate when the item comes back in stock. Just tell an employee that you are purchasing items with a rain check for a previous month's rebate and they will fax in a special form with a copy of your receipt and you'll be able to get the rebate! (It should show up on your account 2-5 business days after the fax is received.)

Lastly, Rite Aid has one more program. It's called their "Wellness Program." You need to register to become a member at http://www.riteaidwellness.com/ or in any Rite Aid drugstore. With this program you will receive a wellness card. It's a free program, and if you would like to get the sale prices at Rite Aid then you need to have a card.

Along with this program comes 'Up Rewards.' These are pretty much the same thing as Register Rewards at Walgreens. When you buy a qualifying item you'll receive an up reward coupon for a certain dollar amount that you can use only at Rite Aid. These Up Reward coupons used to print out at the bottom of your receipt, but now they are automatically added to your card, and you can't use them at least until the following day at 6am. Something should print out on your receipt stating that an up was loaded to your card, and when the up will expire. Up rewards have restrictions and cannot be used to pay for tax. Read the fine print on your receipt.

As a wellness member you receive points for how much you spend in the store (before coupons). Once you reach 1000 points you become a gold member and receive 20% off almost everything in the store. You need to reach 1000 points every year to be a gold member the following year. You can read about the amount of points that give you a certain discount at the wellness site I mention above. A gold member is the highest level.

When I receive my rebate checks I like to take them to Rite Aid, and use them as gift cards, or I ask them to put the rebate checks on a gift card. Just ask a cashier to do this for you. I posted in another post about an awesome Rite Aid deal I got where I spent $40.42 on $150 worth of products and got back $40 in rebates. That was a wonderful day. Since then I've been using the rebate money and gift cards to buy more products at Rite Aid and then I receive more rebates and gift cards. If I'm real careful, then I often only pay tax at Rite Aid.

Does Rite Aid seem a bit overwhelming? Don't worry. Just follow the blogs I mentioned. They actually tell you what to buy and what coupons to use and stuff. I'm so grateful for those blogs!! They saved me a ton of work in the beginning!! (It was still work, but without those blogs I would not have been scoring the deals that I scored!!) I still follow them as I said, but now I'm also able to work out my own deals according to my family's needs and wants.

Here is a link to Rite Aid's coupon policy here. Sometimes cashiers don't even know the coupon policy, so showing them what the policy states can clear up issues sometimes.

Rain Checks

I used to wake up really early so I could get to a store when it opened so I could get the deals before everyone else bought all the items on sale!! I don't shop on Sundays, so even just by Monday morning the deals I was most excited about were sometimes gone. I hated that!!! Then I learned more about rain checks, and I now rarely wake up early.

Most stores offer rain checks. A rain check is a piece of paper the store gives you that you can bring back to the store at a later date when the items are back in stock and then get the items for the sale price.

Not all stores do rain checks the same way. Some rain checks have expiration dates. Some stores limit how many items you can buy with a rain check.

Some stores will actually call you and let you know when the items are back in stock. 

Here's a couple of tips when using rain checks:

If you are pairing the sale with a coupon, then make sure that the coupon won't expire before the store is restocked. 

When you go to redeem the rain check, tell the cashier BEFORE he/she starts ringing up the items because the rain check price needs to be entered in manually. If the cashier scans the product and then you show the rain check the cashier will have to go back and delete the item price that was scanned, which is a bit annoying, if you can understand...

What To Do If A Catalina Doesn't Print

Sometimes there's no way to tell when a catalina will print. Other times you will know in advance when a catalina is supposed to print. Sometimes when a catalina should print it doesn't. It's possible that the wrong item was purchased, or the wrong quantity or wrong dollar amount was purchased. It's possible that the machine isn't working properly and needs more paper or something. Let the cashier know that you were expecting a catalina, and see if he/she and or the managers can help you.

Also, if you're pretty sure that you should have gotten a catalina, then you can call the following number to request your catalina from the Catalina Marketing Corporation:

1-888-8COUPON (1-888-826-8766)

What Coupons Do I Toss?

When I first started couponing I threw out a lot of the coupons cause I thought the item would be too expensive even with the coupon, or I thought the coupon was low value, or whatever. Then I started learning about the sales and couldn't believe that I had thrown the coupons away!!

Here are some examples:

A few weeks ago a local store had a sort of doubling coupon deal for a couple of days. Any coupon for less than a dollar was adjusted up to a dollar. So, even coupons that were for $0.25 were adjusted up to a dollar. This made for some free items!!!

Another time there was a coupon for $1 off any Dentex floss valued at $2 or more. I thought, "I only buy floss if I can get it for free, or at least less than $0.50." I almost tossed it out but decided not to just in case. Soon after, Walgreens had a sale on Dentek floss for $2, and you'd get back a $2 coupon (Register Reward [RR] to use on anything in the store). So, I bought a Dentek floss, used a $1 coupon, payed $1 plus tax, and received a $2 RR. Pretty cool! 

You never know when a coupon will make a great deal! Some coupons that I've come really close to tossing scored me a great deal! (I've gotten many items for free with coupons I had almost tossed!)

So, when you're deciding what coupons to keep and what coupons to toss you gotta ask yourself, "If I could get this product for free would I still want it?" Most of the time the answer is yes. (That doesn't necessarily mean that you will get it for free, but it's a possibility.) However, even if you don't want whatever the coupon is for, there may be a good sale, and you may be able to get overage with the coupon (see my coupon lingo post). You can then donate the item to someone who needs it.

Fraudulent Coupons

There are actually people who make fraudulent coupons. Sometimes it's kind of hard to tell if a coupon is actually fraudulent. If you are following the blogs that I mentioned, then you're pretty safe to use the coupons they mention. The bloggers are pretty good at checking to make sure the coupons they are recommending aren't fake. If you are e-mailed a coupon and you don't know where exactly it came from, then it may be fraudulent. Leave a comment on one of those blog websites or e-mail the blogger directly and see if they can help you figure out if the coupon is legitimate or not. You can also contact the manufacturer directly.

Here's a few ways to recognize fraudulent coupons:

1. If a coupon is for a free item and the maximum value is unusually high, then it may be fraudulent. Again, you can ask the bloggers, or you can call the manufacturer to be sure (especially if you can't figure out where the coupon came from).

3. If the coupon is in PDF form (you can print as many coupons as you want when they are in PDF form), and especially if there is more than one of the same coupon on one page, then it may be fraudulent. (There are many legit PDF coupons out there, so again you can always call the manufacturer or ask the coupon bloggers.)

4. The following website may help you discover whether or not your coupon is fraudulent: http://www.snopes.com/ Type in the item the coupon is for (in the search box). For example, search for 'Doritos' and you should see a link about a fraudulent Doritos coupon that has been going around recently.

The Difference

One pretty common misunderstanding about coupons is the difference between the following two phrases: "One coupon per purchase" and "One coupon per transaction." They are NOT the same thing. Some cashiers are confused and think that they are.

Each item you buy is a purchase. All of the items you are purchasing combined is a transaction.

One coupon per purchase means that you can only use one manufacturer's coupon per item that you are buying. If you try to use two manufacturer's coupons on one item, then that is called coupon fraud and you actually can get into trouble for that. (You can only combine a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon if each coupon permits it.)

One coupon per transaction means that if you have multiple coupons that say "one per transaction" and you want to buy multiple items of that same product, then you will need to do separate transactions. You can do one transaction right after another (as long as the store lets you--I try to remember to ask before I even begin my first transaction), or you can run your first transaction out to your car and then come in and buy more, etc. If I'm doing several transactions, then I try to keep an eye on the line behind me, and if it's taking a long time, then I'll sometimes let the person behind me buy their stuff before I do my other transaction(s).

Miscelaneous Tips

1. If a coupon doesn't say something like, "Use only for item pictured," or "Excludes trial size," then you should be able to use the coupon on a trial sized item--often to get it for free. Especially if the coupon says 'any' item.

Some coupons say, "use only for items indicated," but the coupon also often says, for ANY item. Sometimes when I try to use a coupon like that on a trial sized item the store won't let me because when they read that phrase they think the coupon can only be used on the items in the picture. It seems to me that what is being indicated is that the coupon can be used on ANY item!!! I talked to Target Corporate about this, and the person I talked to said that I should be able to use the coupon on a trial size unless the coupon specifically says to not use it on a trial size.

Manufacturers have been putting out coupons for years. It seems to me that they don't just forget to not put 'no trial size' on the coupon. Sometimes they'd rather we tried the larger size of the product, so they exclude trial sizes, but sometimes maybe they don't mind us trying the smaller size either, hoping that we'll like it and go for the bigger size. That's just what I think...

2. If you have a buy one get one free coupon, and there is a buy one get one sale for the same item, then the store will hopefully let you get two for free (because they cancel each other out). Some stores allow for this, but other stores won't allow it. This is one case of YMMV (See coupon lingo post).

If the BOGO item for sale is $3, then how much money does the store receive if I give him cash? Yep! $3! If I give the store a BOGO coupon, then how much money does the store receive? The store will be reimbursed for the amount of the item, so they will receive $3. 

3. If stores offer their own store coupons, then you should be able to 'stack' the store coupon with a manufacturer's coupon to get an even greater deal. For example, Target has in-store coupons that you can print out online, and can sometimes find elsewhere. So, if I had a Target coupon for $1 off Band-aids and I also had a Manufacturer's coupon for $1 off Band-aids, then I could use them both on one item. Pretty fun, huh??

4. When printing coupons, print in black ink only to save ink. (You can set your printer to print only black ink in your printer's settings.)

Sometimes ads will print out before or after your coupon, thus wasting ink. If the ad prints before the coupon, then I don't think that there is anything you can do about it. If it prints after, and you have an inkjet printer, then you can cancel the printing job as soon as the coupon has printed and the ad after the coupon won't print. I learned how to recognize the sounds the printer made. The sound was usually constant while printing the coupon, and then there'd be a very short break before the printer moved on to print the ad. I'd hit 'cancel' as soon as I heard that break. (Now I have a laser printer, and it prints too fast for me to be able to cancel. With an inkjet I was paying about $60 a month for ink. With this laser printer I pay about $75 [less if I can get it at a discount--which usually I can] every 3-4 months.)

5. Sometimes the cashier will miss scanning a coupon (or two) when you hand a stack of coupons over to the cashier. Sometimes coupons get stuck together. I like the crisscross idea. (Stack each coupon at a different angle than the coupon underneath.) It seems less likely that the cashier will miss coupons this way, but they still do, so do your best to keep an eye one them. Also, always check your receipt (before you leave the store if you can since you're already there and can take care of a mistake instead of having to remember to come back and do it). Some people actually hand over the coupons one by one to the cashier.

Also, be careful where you set your coupons, and if the cashier has a fan on, then politely ask if he/she can turn the fan off (if they refuse, then I'd definitely hand over the coupons one by one). I set some coupons on the belt thing once, and almost lost a few when it started to move. I did lose a coupon that fell in a crack by the register (because a fan blew it), and there was no way to retreive it. Luckily I had another of the same coupon...

6. Your Top 20 Meals

A very helpful thing to do is to write down all the ingredients you would need for the top 20 meals most often consumed in your home. Stock up on these items when you can score a great deal and you will be able to make a meal without having to buy all the ingredients when they aren't on sale.

7. Clearance

When you're shopping try to look for clearanced items that you can pair with a coupon. Also, after a holiday is a great time to stock up for the following year. Post-holiday clearance items are sometimes marked down to 90% off!! Way cheaper than waiting to buy holiday items the following year.

8. In many cases pairing a coupon with the smallest size of the product that is allowed will save you the most money. For example, I had a tobasco coupon for $0.75 off any size tobasco sauce. The larger size of tobasco sauce was close to $2, if I remember correctly. The smallest size was $1. So, I got the smaller size and paid a quarter (plus tax) for it. (I actually bought several...) It takes two or three of the little bottles combined to equal the amount of the larger sized bottle. So, I saved at least $0.50 by buying the smaller size. ($0.50 doesn't seem like much, but spend $0.50 ten times and you've spent $5. The small amounts do add up!!)

The Sun Isn't Always Shining When You're Couponing

There is a surprisingly large amount of employees and store managers who don't understand couponing. Some seem to think that the store is being cheated when coupons are used. Therefore, some cashiers and managers try to not let you use your coupons, and though you're not doing anything wrong, they sometimes seem to treat you like you're a criminal. Some will flat out refuse to let you use your coupons. I've heard so many crazy stories. When I first began couponing I was too afraid to stand up for myself if a cashier put up a fuss about not wanting to accept a coupon, so I usually just said, "Okay, go ahead and give me back my coupon. I don't think I'll buy (the item the coupon is for) today." (unless I really needed it). After a while I started getting accustomed to it and began feeling confident enough to ask them why.

Sometimes cashiers will make up something because they are afraid they will get into trouble if they accept some coupons. I've heard so many rediculous excuses. Ask for a manager's help. If the manager gives you the same excuses, then you can tell them to void the whole transaction the move on over to customer service desk to sort it out if you have time.

In these cases it probably would be a good idea to call the store's corporate office (there from the store is probably best if you have time) and hopefully you can get the issue sorted out, or wait until you get home and call. Some corporate offices will call the stores and get it sorted out. They may even offer you a gift card or coupon for your trouble. 

Or, try your luck with another cashier at another time (try to find a cashier who is at least smiling). I've been told no before, and came back the same evening, went to a different cashier, and got the same deal I was trying to get earlier with no problem. 

Overall, just try to remember that the couponing world is still progressing and there is still confusion in many areas, so just do your best!!

Taking a Closer Look at Coupons and Their Life Cycle

Here is a link to a post by Colin over at Hip2Save about the life of a coupon and also about what the numbers and codes on a coupon mean: http://hip2save.com/2010/03/be-a-confident-shopper-by-understanding-coupons.html

Go on and take a look. I'll just summarize Colin's post a bit (the part about the life of a coupon) here:

Manufacturers design the coupon they want to put out, and decide where to put it (into the Sunday coupon inserts, in mazines, in the mail directly to customers, online for customers to print out, etc.).

A person then uses the coupons at a store, and the cashier puts the coupons in some special place so the coupons can be taken care of later. Probably at the end of the day the stores will add up the coupons as if they were cash and compare that total with the sum of the cash in the cash drawer to make sure there isn't a deficit.

Once a week stores send the manufacturer coupons to the store's corporate headquarters where someone processes the coupons. Then from there the coupons are sent to a third-party clearning house. They are  sorted through by hand or on a conveyer belt by machine. The coupons are then sent with an invoice to the manufacturer.

The manufacturer then reimburses the stores for the amount of the coupon plus (usually) an 8 cents (amount varys) for handling each properly redeemed coupon. Next the manufacturer either sends the amount on the invoice to the clearing house (then the clearing house would send a check to the store) or the manufacturer sends a check directly to the store and the store then sends a check back to the clearing house to pay them for sorting through the coupons.

What a process!! So, if you thought that you were costing the stores money by using coupons, then don't worry about it, cause they get reimbursed! Also, if the stores keep the overage, then they are making money with coupon usage. The handling fee does actually go toward shipping and other expenses for handling the coupons, I believe, so stores aren't 'making money' with the handling fee.

Coupon Lingo

While following these blogs, you'll see a bunch of symbols and abbreviations and coupon terms. Here's what some of those symbols and abbreviations mean:

BOGO or B1G1 = Buy one get one free

Exp. = Expiration Date

MIR = Mail in Rebate

MFR = Manufacturer

MQ = Manufacturer Coupon

OOP = Out of Pocket

OYNO = On your next order (ex. Sometimes catalinas print out that you can use next time you shop)

YMMV = Your mileage may vary (unfortunately not all stores allow you to get a great deal [cause they’re uneducated, scared, or whatever], so when you see this abbreviation, it means get your hopes up a little, but be ready in case the store refuses to let you get use a coupon and they won't budge about it.)

RR = Register Rewards (a catalina that prints out at Walgreens—see the post about Walgreens.)

SCR = Single Check Rebate (A program at Rite Aid—see Rite Aid post to learn more)

WYB = When you buy (ex. Receive a catalina wyb 4 items…)

SS = Smart Source Coupon Insert
 
RP = Red Plum Coupon Insert
 
PG = Procter and Gamble Coupon Insert
 

Overage = The amount of a coupon that exceeds the price of the product. Here's an example of overage: I've used a  schick coupon for $2 off any disposable razor package. There is a disposable razor package at Walmart for $1.97, leaving $0.03 in overage when used with the coupon.

Rolling a Deal = (This usually only applies when receiving a catalina or gift card for purchasing certain items.) Rolling a deal means using rewards from previous transactions to pay for future transactions. For example, if there was a deal at Target where you'd get a $5 gift card for purchasing two juices, then you could buy two juices in one transaction, get the gift card, and use that gift card in another transaction to purchase two more juices, receive another gift card, and buy two more juices in a third transaction using the gift card from the previous transaction, etc. By doing this you can possibly pay very little out of pocket (OOP). Certain stores have issues/limits for rolling deals, so read each of my posts about specific stores.

Following Blogs

In the beginning I learned about the best deals mostly by following some blogs run by some experienced couponers. It took about 2-3 months, I think, before I finally felt confident that I could start recognizing great deals on my own. I still follow the blogs and check pretty much every day, but the bloggers don't always catch every sale, and they may not know what might be on clearance or on sale in your local stores. See the right side of my blog to see a list of couponing blogs that I follow regularly. If you want to find more blogs then do a google search like "couponing blog Texas". Note where the couponer is located as sales vary from place to place. For example, a sale the coupon blogger finds in his/her Walmart  may be different than the sale at your local Walmart.

No offense to all the other blogs I follow, but Hip2Save.com is my favorite couponing blog to follow. I have learned so much from following this blog. Browse around this blog and find videos from how to organize your coupons to videos of Collin actually shopping in stores. I try to check this blog at least once a day (more often if I can).

As you follow these blogs you'll come across great coupon deals, and also deals that involve no coupons. Even if you don't want to fuss with coupons I still recommend checking couponing blogs daily, and even several times a day. You'll find deals on toys, magazines, clothes, etc. that may or may not involve using coupons. I've found so many great birthday, Christmas, etc. gifts just by following the blogs.

Deals are often only available for a limited time, so that's why it's good to check several times a day, if you can. Sometimes a great deal will be posted, and so many people try to take advantage of the deal that the manufacturer will become overwhelmed and may even cancel orders, but this doesn't always happen. I have taken advantage of many great deals.

For example, a couple of years ago there was a Halloween costume clearance sale (and it happened at the beginning of October). I bought a darling mermaid costume for my daughter for around $3 including shipping. It was normally well over $20 and I got it for $3! I've come across many deals such as this, so start following some couponing blogs!

There are facebook pages for many couponing blogs, as well. 

How Much You Spend Is More Important Than How Much You Save

At the end of a week of shopping I decided to add up all of my savings. I was amazed that I had spent about $80 on a little over $300 worth of groceries! That is impressive, but then I thought, "But I still spent $80." My goal has been to spend about $50 a week for our family of four. I said 'no' to some deals that I didn't necessarily need (easier said than done, sometimes). I was able to shop like this for over a year. I spent around $80 once every month or two, but every other week I was able to keep my grocery spending to around $50, and even less some weeks. I was able to stock up on so many things that I was even able to 'take a break' from shopping and lived on the supply of food and goods that we had at home for a time. 

Some people actually pull cash out of the bank each week, and they say it really helps them think about what they're going to spend because they are holding in their hand the amount of money they want to spend that week. I've never tried it cause I'm afraid I'd lose the money somewhere, but I am curious to see if it encourages me to be more careful than I am when I swipe my card and justify that the $3 I just spent was a great deal. The little deals add up!!

A word of warning: as you start getting better at scoring great deals, you might become what I call, "Coupon Happy." You'll want to snag every deal you can get your hands on, and before you know it, you've spent way more than you intended. Sure it was a great deal, but one skill that definitely is important to master if you want to actually save money is to stay within your budget and learn to say no to some deals in order to make that happen.

So How Do You Know It's A Great Deal?

Before I began couponing we usually bought things only when we ran out. Sometimes by chance I'd find a sale and buy an extra, but usually we'd run out of something and my heart would sink cause I'd have to take another $5 or whatever out of our weekly budget so I could buy more Toilet paper and shampoo. I especially hated it when we'd run out of several items in one week. I was spending $400-$500 a month on groceries ($100-$125 a week) and I really felt like I needed to take a class or something, cause I was not feeling like a thrifty shopper, and I felt like I could spend more if I didn't limit myself to a maximum $125. I must have been buying pretty much everything when it wasn't on sale...

I didn't really know what the regular prices were to begin with. I knew that I didn't want to pay more than $3 for shampoo or more than $5 for toilet paper, but other than that, I pretty much didn't pay attention to the price of things I bought. Isn't that awful??

So how do you know that it's a good deal or not? I didn't always know for sure. After you've been couponing for a while you'll begin to notice what kinds of deals you can get for certain items. For example, since I've begun couponing, I haven't ever had to pay more than a quarter for toothpaste. I actually usually get toothpaste for free with a coupon and sale. Generally, if you see that you can get an item for 70% or more off the original price with a coupon and/or sale, then it's a good idea to get several of those items.

Stores typically have a cycle of sales. About every few months they will have a similar sale on an item. For example, every three months Albertsons may have a good dove deoderant sale. If you have enough coupons, and the store is well enough in stock, then you hopefully can buy enough to last you through the next sale. 

When you need an item and you can't find it for a good deal (with or without a coupon), then only buy one  until you can stock up on more during a sale.

Use your math skills! Before I began couponing I thought that buying in bigger quantities was the way to save, but often you save more if you use your coupon on the smallest size that the coupon will allow.

I talk about following blogs in another post. Many blogs often post deals and highlight which deals are better than others. At first I mostly found out about good deals from these bloggers and then later I learned how to find deals myself. 

What to Expect In the Beginning

When you first start you might think that you really aren't saving much. First of all, you need to watch for sales and clearance items to pair the coupon with to maximize your savings. Also, it takes about 3ish months to have a full 'inventory' of coupons. It also takes some experience to know what deals are actually great deals.

I remember in the beginning when I saved $1. Then a week or two later I saved $10. Then I noticed that while I wasn't actually spending a whole lot less than before I began couponing, I was bringing home a lot more.  Then I started getting used to pairing coupons with sales. I happened upon a toothbrush sale. The toothbrushes were on sale for $0.88 and I had several coupons for $0.75 off one. I bought $25 worth of toothbrushes for about $0.80 total--including tax! Then I saved $40 at Walmart and was aghast! Then I was able to do a deal at Rite Aid where I spent $40.42 on $150 worth of products, and got back $40 in rebates! I couldn't believe it!

Couponing takes time, and a LOT of thinking, but if you stick with it, then you for sure will save yourself a lot of money!

Also, there is a lot to know about couponing, so if you're like me, then you'll probably feel incredibly overwhelmed by it all, but just absorb what you can, then when you get used to what you've learned, then you'll learn more and you'll get better at it!!

After a while you may feel like you need a 'break' from couponing. Give yourself a vacation for a week or two. After all--this is really like a small part time job--and you are the boss. :)

How I Organize My Coupons

I use the binder method. It's the most convenient for me. I actually have two binders. A 3" and a 2" and I carry them around in a big black bag. I organize the coupons with those baseball card holders. The coupons are organized in sections and divided with sheet protectors. The sheet protectors stick out further than the baseball cards, so it works well for me, and I happened to have a million sheet protectors left over from my college years. Most people use actual dividers (the plastic ones work the best, I hear. The paper ones fall apart.). I have a piece of paper in every sheet protector with the name of the section printed on it. Ready for all of my sections? I have many. Some people like to keep 10-20 sections for everything, but at least for now I'm finding that I'm wanting to be more specific. Also, I file some things according to where they are found in the store. For example, Pillsbury items are often by the dairy products in the refrigerated section, so I file Pillsbury coupons in the dairy section. So, here are my sections, examples of what coupons I put in them (for what types of products--some sections are pretty self-explanatory), and how many baseball sheet card protectors I have in each section:

(The 2" Binder)
Dairy (6 baseball card holder sheets) Pillsbury, Milk, Butter, Eggs, Cheese
Yogurt (3) Yogurt...
Baking (5) Cake/muffin/cookie/etc. Mixes, Spices, Flour, Sugar, Oil, etc.
Cereal (Hot and Cold) (5)
Breakfast Items (4) Shakes, Granola Bars, Pop Tarts, etc.
Candy, Chocolate, Sweets, and Gum (3)
Snacks (4)
Packaged Foods (4) Rice, Boxed meals, Noodles, Packged potatoes
Canned Foods (5) Soup, Canned Fruit and Veggies, Canned meat
Beverages (5) Pretty much anything you drink, except for fiber drinks and baby/kids drinks
Condiments and Sauces (5) Syrup, Peanut Butter, Jam, Pickles, Ice Cream Toppings
Produce (3) Bread, Fresh Fruits and Veggies, Dips found by the fresh produce
Meats (5) Any Raw Meat, Lunchmeat, Hot dogs, Frozen cooked meat (ex. Chicken Nuggets)
Frozen Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) (5) Pizza, Burritos, Bagged/Boxed Meals
Frozen Fruits, Veggies, and Appetizers (2)
Frozen Desserts (3)

(The 3" Binder)
Paper/Plastic (4) TP, Paper Towels, Foil, Ziploc
Laundry (5) Detergent, Fabric Softeners, Stain Removers
Dishwashing/Air Fresheners (4)
Cleaning Supplies (6) Cleaning tools and cleaning products
Medicine (4) Pain Relief, Sickness relief
Vitamins and Supplements (4)
Digestive Health (4) Laxatives, Acid Relief, Fiber Drink Mixes, Cleanses
First Aid, Eye and Itch Relief (4) Bandaids, Contact Solution, Anti-itch
Free (2) Any coupon that is for a free item (ex. "Good for one Butterfinger Bar up to $1")
Cosmetics (4) Chapstick, Nail products, Make-up
Oral Care (4) Toothpaste, Floss, Whitening, Mouthwash
Facial Care and Lotion (6) Face Wash, Body lotion, Acne Care
Soap and Bodywash (4) Handsoap, Bar soap, and Bodywash
Hair Care (4)
Shaving and Deoderant (5) Shaving Cream, Razors, and Deoderant
Feminine Hygiene (3) Pads, Tampons, Depends, Pregnancy Tests
Baby, Kids, and Toys (5)
Office Supplies and Batteries (2)
Misc. (6) Automotive, Pet, Insect Killers and Repellants, and anything that doesn't fit in the above categories!!
Invidual Store Sections (for stores that offer store coupons, ex. Target)
Store Coupon Policies (Stored in sheet protectors)
Mail-In Rebates (I keep the ones--in sheet protectors--that I haven't bought all the required items for yet so I know the exact items required)

*I put the coupons that are too big for the baseball card slots (I'd say at least 97% of coupons can be folded to fit into the slot.) into the sheet protectors that are dividing the sections. Some people buy photo pages for the big coupons.

Between the notebooks I have a folder with a large manilla envelope. I keep 5x7 manilla envelopes inside the big one--one for each store that I shop at. As I'm shopping I take the coupons out of my binder and put them into a manilla envelop. I also keep rain checks in the manilla envelopes according to what store I got the rain check at. I also keep my lists and the ads in that folder in case I need to show someone the price or in case I decide to price-match at Walmart.

I keep a calculater, pair of scissors, and a pen in the pockets.

I didn't begin with this binder. I mostly used what I had on hand. I bought a binder that zips closed (for $2 at a used store). I was only getting one newspaper at the beginning, so I just put the coupons in a pile for each section and stored them in the sheet protectors (that I had leftover from my college days). Once I started getting more newspapers I used some of my birthday money to upgrade to the baseball card protectors. Then I used some of the money I saved to buy more sheet protectors. etc. It didn't take too long for me to bust out of the binder, so I bought a 3" Binder at the same used store for $2-3. Then every week or two I bought a few more baseball card holders from a local card shop. I ran out of room in the 3" binder, so I bought an additional 2" binder that also came with the baseball card protectors. I bought the big black bag at the used store for $2-3 so I could have my notebooks side by side.

For some reason the majority of other couponers I see aren't carrying around as many coupons. I don't know why my bag is so big, so if yours isn't that big, then don't worry!! Just do what works best for you!

See what you can find around your house, at the dollar store, or at a used store. There are many inexpensive ways to store your coupons.

-Recipe Box
-Shoebox (use like a big Recipe box divided into sections)
-Accordian Style notebook things
-You can make your own accordian style notebook with some envelopes and tape...
-Picture Album
-etc.

Finding a method to store coupons takes some trial and error. Only you can decide what works best for you!! :)

Where Can I Get Some Coupons?

1. The coupon inserts that come in the newspaper.

-The coupon inserts come in the Sunday newspaper.

-Smart Source (SS), Redplum (RP) and Proctor and Gamble (PG) are three separate inserts available through newspaper subscriptions. General Mills will occasionally put out a small coupon insert in the paper, as well, and there are other coupon pages or coupon booklets in the paper occasionally. The Parade and USA magazines that come in the paper also have some coupons in them occasionally.

-In the Seattle area The Daily Herald no longer carries the Redplum insert. 

-Other Local Newspapers may also put out one, two, or all three available inserts (or none...). The Tacoma News Tribune still puts out the Red Plum insert, but you'll have to check with them to see if they deliver in your area. Here is their website: http://www.thenewstribune.com If they deliver in their area, then ask them if they have a 'couponers deal' subscription, cause you're going to want more than one paper. They probably allow you to get up to 4-6 papers.

-Each week there almost always is at least a Smart Source coupon insert, but not on holiday weekends (unless they decide to put one out anyway...). Not always as often, but still fairly often there is a Redplum coupon insert (if you're getting the Tacoma News Tribune). Procter and Gamble usually puts an insert in the paper the first Sunday of each month, and any other time they feel like it… 

-If you don't get the RP coupon insert in your Sunday newspaper, then you can request an insert to come in your mail (with the ads--my ads and RP insert normally come in the mail on Tuesdays). Go to redplum.com, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on 'contact us.' You can sign up for the weekly insert through a link on that page, or you can call them directly via the number on that page. 

-There are several holiday weekends throughout the year when there will most likely be no coupon inserts. (ex. Christmas, New Years, Easter, and I think a couple of others), but sometimes we still get a really small insert, or PG will put out one, so always look before you toss your holiday Sunday papers!

-Look through each page of the actual newspaper, too, because sometimes there are coupons or information about in-store promotions througout the pages.

-See if your newspaper offers any deals where you can get multiple papers each week--possibly for a discounted price.

*Note: Not all areas receive the same coupons, and not all of them are the same value. (For example, one area might get a coupon for $1/2 Ziploc bags. Another area might get $.55/1 Ziploc bags. Another area might not get any Ziploc coupons in that week's insert.)

-I get my newspapers at The Dollar Tree. You can sign up for a subscription, but you can't get the Herald in Seattle, and the Seattle Times costs over $1 per paper. I might decide to just pay the extra few cents and get a subscription, cause it's kind of a pain to try to remember to swing by the dollar store every week (and I worry that the papers will be gone before I get there). Some Dollar Tree stores allow you to buy the Sunday paper on Saturday, and some stores may limit how many papers you can buy.

2. Online

Coupon websites
    
http://www.coupons.com/
http://www.redplum.com/
http://www.smartsource.com/

    
Product Websites

-Many Manufacturer websites have coupons on their websites. (ex. http://www.pillsbury.com/,     http://www.bettycrocker.com/)

-If you want to see if a coupon is available for a product, then you can search for their website and see if they offer a coupon through google or another search engine. Or, if you go to A Full Cup, then you can search for a coupon and you'll see a list of available coupons for that product below the search (if anything is available). They aren't 100% accurate, and sometimes there are printable coupons listed that aren't available to print anymore, but for the most part they are pretty accurate and helpful.

FYI's about online coupons:

-In order to print coupons, you need to install the printer software. The first time you click on ‘print coupon’ or whatever a wizard will take you through the steps.

-You can usually only print two coupons per computer, but sometimes you can print more, and sometimes you can only print one.

-Printable coupons that aren't PDF coupons each have a unique bar code.

-Copying of coupons is illegal, and if you get caught you can get into trouble with the law. I've even heard that the coupon can be traced back to the printer that printed it and the coupon police? can make it so that printer can’t print coupons anymore. DON’T COPY COUPONS!!!!!

-Most stores accept internet coupons, but some don’t.

-Some coupons are PDF coupons (meaning you can print as many as you want). If the coupon comes directly from a legit website, then it should be okay to use. There are counterfeit coupons out there, though, so be careful. Here’s a website that you can go to and search to find out if a coupon you printed out is legit: http://www.snopes.com/ . (For example, when you click on the link, find the 'search' box toward the top of the page. Search for 'Doritos Coupon.' You'll be taken to a page where you should see a link that says something like, "Free Doritos Coupons." Click on the link and you'll see a picture of the fake Doritos coupon. [Scroll down until you see it]) If ever you come across a coupon that looks different, and you're unsure about it, then search for it on snopes.com to see if they have reported that the coupon is fraudulent.)

-If you are following the blogs that I have listed, (See my links under 'Some Great Coupon Blogs' on the right side of my blog.) and are printing the coupons that they post, then you shouldn't have to worry. These bloggers research every coupon they post, and if they find that a coupon they've posted is fraudulent, then they post and let their readers know. If you get a random coupon in an e-mail or come across a coupon while you're surfing the internet (that's not directly from the manufacturer or a trusted website), then I'd look it up on snopes.com, or even leave a comment on one of those blogs asking if anyone knows if it's legitimate or not.

3. Catalinas

A Catalina machine is located near the register (usually next to where the receipt prints out). It is triggered by certain products you buy. Sometimes you can find out ahead of time when a catalina will print, other times it's a surprise, and often none print at all. Sometimes the coupons are manufacturer coupons, and sometimes they are store coupons. Not all stores have catalina machines.

4. Blinky Machine

Some stores have little machines throughout the store that spit out coupons. They often have a blinking light, hence the name.

5. Tear Pad

Some stores also have tear pads throughout the store with coupons or rebate offers.

6. Peelies

These coupons are attached to a product. Cashiers are not responsible for seeing and taking off the peelie themselves. If I am going to buy a product with a peelie, then I try to remember to take it off myself. Often cashiers don’t even see them. Also, sometimes I buy items with a peelie, but I have a better coupon for it, so if that’s the case, then I try to remember to tell the cashier to leave the peelie on the product, or before I purchase it I’ll take it off to save it for later.

*I've heard that a cashier can refuse to accept a peelie you have personally removed. I've never run into that problem, but if you're worried about it, then try to remember to have the cashier take off the peelie.

7. All You Magazine

This magazine is only sold at Walmart, but you can buy it online through http://www.amazon.com/ and other online magazine websites. There are a lot of high value coupons in this magazine. (Some months are better than others...) They retail at Walmart for about $2.50. One month there was a coupon for free mascara (up to $5). If you can get it online, the cost per issue will be less. Also, some higher value coupons come with the magazine that comes in the mail that sometimes don't come with the magazine you buy in Walmart.

8. Other Magazines

Many magazines have coupons in them. So, while you're waiting at the doctor's office, ask if they would mind if you took the coupons from the magazines. (Sometimes they say yes and sometimes they say no.) Ask your friends/neighbors if they are going to be using the coupons in their magazines.

http://www.magazines.com/ sometimes has magazine subscriptions for very cheap and even free from time to time.

Coupon bloggers post about free magazine deals as they come around. (See my post about following coupon blogs.)

9. Facebook

Search for your favorite product's facebook page and see if they have a coupon available.

10. E-bay

Some people sell coupons through E-bay for a cheap price. Beware of fraudulent coupons!!

11. Miscellaneous Places

-Grocery/Drug/Other Stores where newspapers are sold. Some stores that sell papers don’t sell all their Sunday newspapers during the week, so they throw them out!!!! If you ask, you might be able to take the inserts out of the ones they recycled, but you may still be required to pay.

-I’ve heard of some people taking inserts out of the garbage after someone is done reading the paper, making boxes at café restaurants for people to put their newspapers in when they’re finished, etc.

-Neighbors, Friends, and Relatives who get the paper but don't use the coupons may be willing to give you their coupons.

Ask around, keep your eyes and ears open, and see where you can find coupons!!!!

Reasons To Coupon

There are three main reasons to become a couponer:

1. To help you and your family save some (or a lot) of that hard earned money!!!

2. Food Storage (*In many cases it has taken days or even weeks for help to arrive to areas torn apart by natural disasters. Also, a job could be lost to anyone anywhere, so a food storage would be incredibly helpful to one who is without income.)

3. To help others in need. It's hard to believe, but with coupons a person can get food and goods for free or close to free, and sometimes there is a lot available--more than a person needs!!

This Blog

I began couponing at the beginning of this year, and quickly found that there are many little tidbits and things to know about couponing. Lots of little things and ways of doing things that I'm still learning about, and it's been several months!! This blog isn't one of those blogs that are up to date on all the current deals and things. I decided to begin this blog when I was asked to teach a class about couponing. I wanted all of my thoughts to be in one spot, and I wanted to have easy access to my thoughts in the future in case I was asked to teach a class again. A blog is perfect! The focus of this blog is to hopefully create a fairly solid foundation--mostly for those who are new to couponing.