Ok, so many of you are wondering how these Extreme Couponers are getting so much (and hoarding it all). What you have to pay attention to is that the people PURCHASE extra coupons or many times go "dumpster diving" which may include picking up inserts from friends, neighbors, and strangers trash. The show does not take into account the amount paid for the extra coupons. They only tell the story about the final POS amount. Although the cost of the coupons are minimal in comparison, don't get frustrated that you are not able to make the same amount of savings.
Now, on to the BIRTHDAY FREEBIES!! I had a wonderful birthday this year because I found out how many freebies I would be getting during the month of February. It was definitely a birthday MONTH of celebrations. Here is my list:
1. beautiful silver leaf tray free at Cost Plus World Market ($10 birthday gift card)
2. free breakfast at Denny's
3. free dozen donuts from Krispy Kreme
4. free coffee from Starbucks of the largest and WHATEVER I wanted in it!!!
5. beautiful rhinestone bracelet from South Bay Galleria ($10 birthday gift card) was on sale
6. free snowboarding at Big Bear Mountain
7. free lip gloss at Sally's Beauty plus 20% off purchase
8. free liquid soap/shampoo/conditioner at Sephora
9. free shirt at The Limited
10. free Aveda products
11. free bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes
12. free bag at Container Store
13. free lunch at Red Robin
14. free dinner at Silvio's
It was so much fun my hubby wanted to join in on helping me collect my birthday gifts!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Here are some of my recent savings...
As my readers, please let me know if you DO or DO NOT want me to post current savings that you may get daily. It is best to subscribe to the email notifications of my top favorite coupon posts though as I sometimes don't get to blog each day. Remember...only buy things you would normally buy and sometimes it is okay to settle for generics. Especially if it means it is free. I admit I am a brand whore but I don't care buying generic in food and health care products if it means I have the money to go buy something WITH CASH for a luxury item, RIGHT?!
Many of you know, I have a very thin little boy who doesn't eat much so when he does, I have to give him very weight gaining food. I say this because I purchase products that most moms probably do not for their family. Some of my purchases may not be relevant for you but the point of posting my savings is so that you know if you are patient and do a little bit of research, you can definitely save a lot of money.
Normally, Grands Biscuits are $2.99
Sale today at Ralphs for $1.29 with the Ralphs Card
If you buy 10 or more of participating products, each can is 99 cents
with a coupon for 30 cents if you buy 2
Ralphs doubles the coupons to 60 cents
I got the biscuits for 69 cents each
total of $6.90
would have cost $29.90
savings of $23
My husband loves A-1 sauce and I don't buy it because it can be about $6.99 per medium size bottle depending on the store
I have bought 5 bottles with coupons and paid 40 cents or less for each bottle.
Now you can use your money to buy that great savory looking steak!
I am in a mommy stage where I can't wear my maternity but not my regular clothes yet. I don't want to spend a lot of money on intermediate clothing, ya know. There is a coupon at http://www.target.com/ for $5 off all denim. Target currently has all their denim on clearance. You can print this coupon twice. Many women have gotten some jeggings for either free or $5. I am gonna go check it out!
KEY: don't get frustrated if you have coupons and the item is not on sale. Just be patient...I have had coupons that I thought I would have to throw away but two days before they expired the item goes on sale. It happens quite frequently because the manufacturer wants you to pay top price first. Buy things only on sale and with coupons!
Please forward this blog to your friends. Comment if you like!
Many of you know, I have a very thin little boy who doesn't eat much so when he does, I have to give him very weight gaining food. I say this because I purchase products that most moms probably do not for their family. Some of my purchases may not be relevant for you but the point of posting my savings is so that you know if you are patient and do a little bit of research, you can definitely save a lot of money.
Normally, Grands Biscuits are $2.99
Sale today at Ralphs for $1.29 with the Ralphs Card
If you buy 10 or more of participating products, each can is 99 cents
with a coupon for 30 cents if you buy 2
Ralphs doubles the coupons to 60 cents
I got the biscuits for 69 cents each
total of $6.90
would have cost $29.90
savings of $23
My husband loves A-1 sauce and I don't buy it because it can be about $6.99 per medium size bottle depending on the store
I have bought 5 bottles with coupons and paid 40 cents or less for each bottle.
Now you can use your money to buy that great savory looking steak!
I am in a mommy stage where I can't wear my maternity but not my regular clothes yet. I don't want to spend a lot of money on intermediate clothing, ya know. There is a coupon at http://www.target.com/ for $5 off all denim. Target currently has all their denim on clearance. You can print this coupon twice. Many women have gotten some jeggings for either free or $5. I am gonna go check it out!
KEY: don't get frustrated if you have coupons and the item is not on sale. Just be patient...I have had coupons that I thought I would have to throw away but two days before they expired the item goes on sale. It happens quite frequently because the manufacturer wants you to pay top price first. Buy things only on sale and with coupons!
Please forward this blog to your friends. Comment if you like!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Saving Money for your kids college the EASY WAY
As soon as we found out we were pregnant, we immediately researched options of saving money for the baby's college fund. It is difficult enough to save for one child. And now two children. But with commitment to your children's future, there are ways to put a dime here and there that will create an nice college fund or nest egg for your kids in case something happens to you.
The important thing is to just GET STARTED!
1.
www.UPROMISE.com THE ONLY FREE WAY TO GET $$$ FOR COLLEGE FUND
This is an easy way to set up money for your child's college fund. It will take you about 1 hour to set up your account. You will need to register your credit cards (don't worry, it is all kept private and NOT used for anything else!) that you use regularly and the "reward" cards to stores you frequent. To really take advantage of this program, download the free Turbosaver toolbar and shop online (which I do anyways so why not make money for my kids?!). Upromise also has e-coupons that you may use at stores to save. Who else gives you free money AND saves you money while shopping??
The way it works is that you get a percentage of every qualified purchase you make or qualified restaurant that you dine in. So say you spend $100 at CVS of qualified products, then you get % put into the account. Or every time you eat out and pay with your registered credit/debit card...you just earned money for your child's college fund! [We have a 529 account for both kids] The money automatically gets transferred into the kids 529 account whenever the Upromise account hits a minimum amount. You also have the option of getting the money out when the kids go to college if you don't have a 529 account.
2.
529 ACCOUNT
You will have to do some research to decide which 529 account is best for your children. It will depend on what type of college or university you want them to attend and which state. If you have further questions on what we did, send me a personal email and I will give you details. A 529 account invests the money you put into it. We have already tripled our investment since our son was born 2 years ago....even in a bad economy! Our goals each year is to put in $500 minimum per child. We also match any money that is put in by family and friends. For Christmas and Birthdays, we put in 20% of whatever we have spent on gifts into each account. So if we spend $100 then each child gets $20.
3.
There is a type of mutual fund that if you invest $1000 the day your child is born, he/she could have $100,000 when he/she turns 21. It is a high risk fund and I am not a financial advisor so all I can recommend is research for yourself.
The important thing is to just GET STARTED!
1.
www.UPROMISE.com THE ONLY FREE WAY TO GET $$$ FOR COLLEGE FUND
This is an easy way to set up money for your child's college fund. It will take you about 1 hour to set up your account. You will need to register your credit cards (don't worry, it is all kept private and NOT used for anything else!) that you use regularly and the "reward" cards to stores you frequent. To really take advantage of this program, download the free Turbosaver toolbar and shop online (which I do anyways so why not make money for my kids?!). Upromise also has e-coupons that you may use at stores to save. Who else gives you free money AND saves you money while shopping??
The way it works is that you get a percentage of every qualified purchase you make or qualified restaurant that you dine in. So say you spend $100 at CVS of qualified products, then you get % put into the account. Or every time you eat out and pay with your registered credit/debit card...you just earned money for your child's college fund! [We have a 529 account for both kids] The money automatically gets transferred into the kids 529 account whenever the Upromise account hits a minimum amount. You also have the option of getting the money out when the kids go to college if you don't have a 529 account.
2.
529 ACCOUNT
You will have to do some research to decide which 529 account is best for your children. It will depend on what type of college or university you want them to attend and which state. If you have further questions on what we did, send me a personal email and I will give you details. A 529 account invests the money you put into it. We have already tripled our investment since our son was born 2 years ago....even in a bad economy! Our goals each year is to put in $500 minimum per child. We also match any money that is put in by family and friends. For Christmas and Birthdays, we put in 20% of whatever we have spent on gifts into each account. So if we spend $100 then each child gets $20.
3.
There is a type of mutual fund that if you invest $1000 the day your child is born, he/she could have $100,000 when he/she turns 21. It is a high risk fund and I am not a financial advisor so all I can recommend is research for yourself.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Kohls
Many of you have asked how I am walking out of Kohls with FREE or practically free items. So here is the info.....
The Kohls "trick" is to wait until the midnite madnes sales that occur on Fri & Sat nites from 9pm to midnite. You will need to sign up for email subscription online to receive notifications at http://www.kohls.com/ . You will also receive a 20% coupon sometimes to use rather than the 15% coupon in the newspaper (which you will sometimes receive the week before or on the last night of the sale).
I always ask or wait for a rebate for any of the appliances. Don't be impatient to make your purchases. Just because it isn't on sale this time it might be at the next midnite madness sale. These sales usually occur every 3 to 6 week cycles (as with most retail stores). You should also note the season...that will tell you the kind of products most likely to go on sale.
We dont use credit cards anymore except for emergencies or if we must then we pay it off immediately so we dont pay interest. You are not saving money if you end up paying interest.
Examples:
I got a $99.99 deep fryer for $19.99
$99 deep fryer on sale for $39.99 with 15% savings pass found in newspaper (takes care of tax) + $10 gift card (found in newspaper) + $10 rebate
= total is about $20 for $100 deep fryer
I also got a waffle maker FREE
$39.99 sale for $19.99 - 15% savings pass found in newspaper (takes care of tax)
$10 gift card sent to me via mail as Kohl's email subscriber
$10 mail in rebate
= FREE
My son got another Disney CARS "Red" and "Sheriff "for FREE
$19.99 on sale for $12.99 - 20% savings pass from email (takes care of tax)
- $10 gift card sent to me via email as Kohl's email subscriber
= FREE
My husband got TWO dress polo shirts for FREE
$39.99 each shirt on sale for $9.99 at the midnite madness sale
found 2 x $10 gift card (local newspaper and the LA Times)
**** anything $9.99 is FREE ****
$80 shirts were FREE
Yes, it is weird at first to walk out of the store without having to pay for all the great stuff we have gotten but it is also nice to know that Kohls is a store that doesn't rip off it's customers with high ridiculous retail prices.
You must do this in the store.
If there is something that is online only, go into the store. They have a kiosk located at the customer service registers. You can order the products and have them shipped FREE to the store and use your store coupons at the register to pay to get your stuff FREE!
www.nomorerack.com
Seriously, you can NOT miss this!
When I was sent an email about http://www.nomorerack.com/ ...I thought it was just another site luring you in with low priced items and then they would get you once you ordered something.
I actually think this site is great. You get to see great deals each day and for EXTREMELY low prices!
There are so many baby showers and birthday parties and special occassions, it used to be difficult to buy gifts all of the time. Now, I am able to stash away awesome gifts for 80% less than I was paying with coupons at retail stores!
Ok, so sign up at www.nomorerack.com and you will get an automatic $100 credit. On special occassions you will receive additional FREE credit. I just received a $5 Valentine credit.
Don't pay retail prices anymore. There are too many resources to get the same products but at lower prices.
When I was sent an email about http://www.nomorerack.com/ ...I thought it was just another site luring you in with low priced items and then they would get you once you ordered something.
I actually think this site is great. You get to see great deals each day and for EXTREMELY low prices!
There are so many baby showers and birthday parties and special occassions, it used to be difficult to buy gifts all of the time. Now, I am able to stash away awesome gifts for 80% less than I was paying with coupons at retail stores!
Ok, so sign up at www.nomorerack.com and you will get an automatic $100 credit. On special occassions you will receive additional FREE credit. I just received a $5 Valentine credit.
Don't pay retail prices anymore. There are too many resources to get the same products but at lower prices.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
SUBSCRIPTIONS to feeds
Getting a lot of email each day to read about coupons is sometimes overwhelming and exhausting. Subscribing to the following feeds will help you to eliminate junk emails and useless information. These are the top feeds that I have found to be useful, informative, and really save my family money on stores and items I would buy regardless. You should try to find several ways to save money on things you buy and places you shop!
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
http://printablecouponcode.com/
krazycouponlady@gmail.com
MommyLuvs2save you will have to google this one
http://www.grocerycouponfree.net/
http://www.freesnatcher.com/
The Freebie Site you will have to google this one
http://www.couponnetwork.com/
http://www.shortcuts.com/
These are feeds that are sent directly to your email. It's lke getting insider information before the sales and coupons come out.
One that pops up often is ShopAtHome but I have found this to be pretty useless.
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
http://printablecouponcode.com/
krazycouponlady@gmail.com
MommyLuvs2save you will have to google this one
http://www.grocerycouponfree.net/
http://www.freesnatcher.com/
The Freebie Site you will have to google this one
http://www.couponnetwork.com/
http://www.shortcuts.com/
These are feeds that are sent directly to your email. It's lke getting insider information before the sales and coupons come out.
One that pops up often is ShopAtHome but I have found this to be pretty useless.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
COUPON basic training
Forget what you think you know about coupons and how they work. I will give you answers to FAQ along with the basics on how to use coupons.
1. WHY USE COUPONS???
You can save from 75% to 100% with coupons. Wouldn't you like to use that money towards that vacation you have been dreaming of, or that new car you have needed, or a home that you couldn't buy before...or even be able pay for your kids college? Throwing away a coupon is like throwing away free money. Become debt free, be able to have your husband around more, and have time to have fun with your kids...maybe even quit your job!!
2. STACKING - means you can use a store coupon, manufacturer coupon, and any other coupon that is of different value
example:
you purchase 2 x Item A at $5.00
you have a store coupon for $1.00 off
you have a manufacturer coupon for $1.00 (so you can use 2 since you are buying 2) getting a total of $2 off
you have a manufacturer coupon for $1.00/2 (means you get $1 off for buying 2 of the same items)
you have a total of $4 off with coupons
3. DOUBLING - some stores offer doubling of coupons (unless noted directly on the coupon)
example:
Ralphs doubles all coupons up to $1 so if you have a coupon for 50 cents then you get $1 off
Albertsons and Kmart only double coupons at certain times
you just have to LOOK at the weekly ads
4. HOW DO I FIND COUPONS ?
Here are the MAJOR and most reliable sources:
http://www.smartsource.com/
http://www.coupon.com/
http://www.pgesaver.com/
http://www.redplum.com/
your Sunday local newspaper
nearest major city Sunday newspaper
go to a specific brand's website, subscribe to their e-newsletters and you will be sent coupons directly
go to a specific brand's facebook page and hit LIKE
5. HOW DO I GET MULTIPLE COUPONS?
First of all, you need to have a printer. If you don't have a printer you can go to HP and they have rebates on their printers right now (as of Feb 1, 2011).
Subscribe to multiple newspapers
Go to the sources listed above and "click to print" and print again and again until it tells you the "print limit has been reached". You will have to start again once you have printed to get another round of coupons.
I am not suggesting or condoning but you can also use common sense and take your printed coupons and....>>
6. HOW DO I GET THE BEST DEALS?
Don't be lazy. Even if you have children you can take 30 minutes out of your day to devote to save money for your family. What you do today could make all the difference later on whether or not your children go to college, you get to buy a car, a home, etc.
Take all your store ads and put them in one pile. Put your coupon inserts in another pile. Cut your coupons. Organize them however it works best for you! Organizing them will help you familiarize yourself with the ones you have and the ones you need. < I personally only clip the coupons that I actually use or would like to use but usually too expensive to buy without coupons>
Then you take each ad and circle the items you need or want. I take a sheet of paper and WRITE OUT my list for that store. If it has a coupon then I put a circled C next to item on list. I write the total of what the final price SHOULD be. I staple the list to the ad (in case there is a different price on the shelf at the store). Some stores will honor or give you a cheaper discount if you have another store's ad with the same product.
If the store doesn't have that item in the ad, always get a rain check!!!
If the store has the item but in a different quantity and you want to use a coupon, tell them and they will usually honor it.
Set your budget. Stick to it.
I only purchase items that are at least 50% discount on sale, but usually go for the 75% off sale. I also found out that "manager special" prices does not mean that the product is about to expire or discontinued...it is just the special of the day. It is also very limited in quatities.
example:
Jan 31, 2011 Ralphs
I love to buy Pillsbury refridgerated pie crust but it is always so expensive ($4.49 each). The manager put his special stickers on only NINE boxes with a price cut to 49 cents. I grabbed up 8. I had 4 x 50 cent coupons that could be doubled for $1. 8 boxes of pie crusts = FREE
Be familiar with the store. Get to know the products on the shelves and the regular price. Sales usually occur every 3 months on a particular item. Understand how and when the store decides to have sales.
example:
Ralphs changes their prices on Sunday evenings to make room for new product on Mondays.
7. WHY and WHAT DOES "BUYING IN BULK" MEAN?
You will need to buy in bulk. No, I don't mean buy the big 20 consolidated package of cereal. "Bulk" in coupon terms means buy small or regular sized products (like you would normally buy) but in large quantities. So buy 20 boxes of cereal separately so that you can use 2 or more coupons for each item. That is how you will save money. Costco is actually harmful for you because they do not take coupons other than their own. Only buy Costco type bulk items if there is no other way of obtaining the products and/or the products do not have coupons.
example:
If you purchase one A-1 sauce for 19 cents today but then A-1 sauce next month and pay $4 ... you are not doing yourself any favors. You need to stock up for several months to make it until the next sale. You need to STOP paying full retail prices in order to save money and use your money to pay off your debt.
8. WHAT IF THE GENERIC IS CHEAPER THAN THE BRAND NAME WITH COUPONS?
Then buy the generic brand!!!!!!
If you MUST have the brand name, make sure it is on sale and you have stackable coupons. Otherwise, you need to learn to live without it.
If there are coupons for products you don't usually use...give them to someone who does! Do NOT purchase items just because there are coupons for them.
9. DOES THIS COUPON-ing WORK FOR RETAIL?
YES! YES! YES! Retailers also work their sales in cycles. They often have coupon codes and/or printable coupons.
10. IS IT BETTER TO PRINT THE COUPONS OR LOAD THEM TO MY REWARDS CARD?
I personally believe it is better to print the coupons and carry them with you. You cannot prove that the store did not use a coupon on the loaded rewards card. It is more time consuming and work but you will know the exact amount of money you should save during a purchase with printed coupons.
You should also wait to give your rewards card to the cashier until the end of the purchase. Let the cashier scan products so that you can make sure the product price is correct. Then give the cashier your coupons and make sure they are input correctly. <I get so irked when I assume the cashier has rung up each coupon only to find out when I get home that they missed a few. A few dollars here and a few there really adds up!!> Then lastly, give the cashier your rewards card for the final amount due. This way you can really make sure you get every discount applied.
It's also really cool to watch people in line and the cashier go ohhh and ahhhh when the screen goes from $900 to $0 amount due!
11. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF A "STORE COUPON" AND A "MANUFACTURER COUPON"
STORE COUPON: Coupon that may ONLY BE USED AT THAT STORE
(some stores like Ralphs actually print up coupons that have their logo on it but at the top the coupon, it has "manufacturer coupon" on it...this means it is NOT a store coupon and can be used at any store. I have had issues with this at different stores but you must not be afraid to speak out and make them take it!!!)
MANUFACTURER COUPON: Coupon that may be used at any store that accepts coupons.
12. WHAT ABOUT REBATES VS COUPONS?
You can use both coupons and receive rebates on one item. That is icing on the cake!
Please help others and save your expired and/or UNUSED coupons. I will post the information on where to mail your expired and unused coupons that will help military families overseas to buy food & other products. If you "stockpile" by using my little couponing program and find that you begin to have more items in inventory than you can use, please send it to me and I will donate to several charities in the Los Angeles area, including those in need at Mothers & Others (my lovely mommy group at church).
If you have any questions feel free to email me and I will post the answer on this page.
Good luck ladies!
1. WHY USE COUPONS???
You can save from 75% to 100% with coupons. Wouldn't you like to use that money towards that vacation you have been dreaming of, or that new car you have needed, or a home that you couldn't buy before...or even be able pay for your kids college? Throwing away a coupon is like throwing away free money. Become debt free, be able to have your husband around more, and have time to have fun with your kids...maybe even quit your job!!
2. STACKING - means you can use a store coupon, manufacturer coupon, and any other coupon that is of different value
example:
you purchase 2 x Item A at $5.00
you have a store coupon for $1.00 off
you have a manufacturer coupon for $1.00 (so you can use 2 since you are buying 2) getting a total of $2 off
you have a manufacturer coupon for $1.00/2 (means you get $1 off for buying 2 of the same items)
you have a total of $4 off with coupons
3. DOUBLING - some stores offer doubling of coupons (unless noted directly on the coupon)
example:
Ralphs doubles all coupons up to $1 so if you have a coupon for 50 cents then you get $1 off
Albertsons and Kmart only double coupons at certain times
you just have to LOOK at the weekly ads
4. HOW DO I FIND COUPONS ?
Here are the MAJOR and most reliable sources:
http://www.smartsource.com/
http://www.coupon.com/
http://www.pgesaver.com/
http://www.redplum.com/
your Sunday local newspaper
nearest major city Sunday newspaper
go to a specific brand's website, subscribe to their e-newsletters and you will be sent coupons directly
go to a specific brand's facebook page and hit LIKE
5. HOW DO I GET MULTIPLE COUPONS?
First of all, you need to have a printer. If you don't have a printer you can go to HP and they have rebates on their printers right now (as of Feb 1, 2011).
Subscribe to multiple newspapers
Go to the sources listed above and "click to print" and print again and again until it tells you the "print limit has been reached". You will have to start again once you have printed to get another round of coupons.
I am not suggesting or condoning but you can also use common sense and take your printed coupons and....>>
6. HOW DO I GET THE BEST DEALS?
Don't be lazy. Even if you have children you can take 30 minutes out of your day to devote to save money for your family. What you do today could make all the difference later on whether or not your children go to college, you get to buy a car, a home, etc.
Take all your store ads and put them in one pile. Put your coupon inserts in another pile. Cut your coupons. Organize them however it works best for you! Organizing them will help you familiarize yourself with the ones you have and the ones you need. < I personally only clip the coupons that I actually use or would like to use but usually too expensive to buy without coupons>
Then you take each ad and circle the items you need or want. I take a sheet of paper and WRITE OUT my list for that store. If it has a coupon then I put a circled C next to item on list. I write the total of what the final price SHOULD be. I staple the list to the ad (in case there is a different price on the shelf at the store). Some stores will honor or give you a cheaper discount if you have another store's ad with the same product.
If the store doesn't have that item in the ad, always get a rain check!!!
If the store has the item but in a different quantity and you want to use a coupon, tell them and they will usually honor it.
Set your budget. Stick to it.
I only purchase items that are at least 50% discount on sale, but usually go for the 75% off sale. I also found out that "manager special" prices does not mean that the product is about to expire or discontinued...it is just the special of the day. It is also very limited in quatities.
example:
Jan 31, 2011 Ralphs
I love to buy Pillsbury refridgerated pie crust but it is always so expensive ($4.49 each). The manager put his special stickers on only NINE boxes with a price cut to 49 cents. I grabbed up 8. I had 4 x 50 cent coupons that could be doubled for $1. 8 boxes of pie crusts = FREE
Be familiar with the store. Get to know the products on the shelves and the regular price. Sales usually occur every 3 months on a particular item. Understand how and when the store decides to have sales.
example:
Ralphs changes their prices on Sunday evenings to make room for new product on Mondays.
7. WHY and WHAT DOES "BUYING IN BULK" MEAN?
You will need to buy in bulk. No, I don't mean buy the big 20 consolidated package of cereal. "Bulk" in coupon terms means buy small or regular sized products (like you would normally buy) but in large quantities. So buy 20 boxes of cereal separately so that you can use 2 or more coupons for each item. That is how you will save money. Costco is actually harmful for you because they do not take coupons other than their own. Only buy Costco type bulk items if there is no other way of obtaining the products and/or the products do not have coupons.
example:
If you purchase one A-1 sauce for 19 cents today but then A-1 sauce next month and pay $4 ... you are not doing yourself any favors. You need to stock up for several months to make it until the next sale. You need to STOP paying full retail prices in order to save money and use your money to pay off your debt.
8. WHAT IF THE GENERIC IS CHEAPER THAN THE BRAND NAME WITH COUPONS?
Then buy the generic brand!!!!!!
If you MUST have the brand name, make sure it is on sale and you have stackable coupons. Otherwise, you need to learn to live without it.
If there are coupons for products you don't usually use...give them to someone who does! Do NOT purchase items just because there are coupons for them.
9. DOES THIS COUPON-ing WORK FOR RETAIL?
YES! YES! YES! Retailers also work their sales in cycles. They often have coupon codes and/or printable coupons.
10. IS IT BETTER TO PRINT THE COUPONS OR LOAD THEM TO MY REWARDS CARD?
I personally believe it is better to print the coupons and carry them with you. You cannot prove that the store did not use a coupon on the loaded rewards card. It is more time consuming and work but you will know the exact amount of money you should save during a purchase with printed coupons.
You should also wait to give your rewards card to the cashier until the end of the purchase. Let the cashier scan products so that you can make sure the product price is correct. Then give the cashier your coupons and make sure they are input correctly. <I get so irked when I assume the cashier has rung up each coupon only to find out when I get home that they missed a few. A few dollars here and a few there really adds up!!> Then lastly, give the cashier your rewards card for the final amount due. This way you can really make sure you get every discount applied.
It's also really cool to watch people in line and the cashier go ohhh and ahhhh when the screen goes from $900 to $0 amount due!
11. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF A "STORE COUPON" AND A "MANUFACTURER COUPON"
STORE COUPON: Coupon that may ONLY BE USED AT THAT STORE
(some stores like Ralphs actually print up coupons that have their logo on it but at the top the coupon, it has "manufacturer coupon" on it...this means it is NOT a store coupon and can be used at any store. I have had issues with this at different stores but you must not be afraid to speak out and make them take it!!!)
MANUFACTURER COUPON: Coupon that may be used at any store that accepts coupons.
12. WHAT ABOUT REBATES VS COUPONS?
You can use both coupons and receive rebates on one item. That is icing on the cake!
Please help others and save your expired and/or UNUSED coupons. I will post the information on where to mail your expired and unused coupons that will help military families overseas to buy food & other products. If you "stockpile" by using my little couponing program and find that you begin to have more items in inventory than you can use, please send it to me and I will donate to several charities in the Los Angeles area, including those in need at Mothers & Others (my lovely mommy group at church).
If you have any questions feel free to email me and I will post the answer on this page.
Good luck ladies!
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