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.