Showing posts with label Couponing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Couponing. Show all posts
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Free Organize In Style Coupon Booklet!
Go over here to get your free Organize In Style Coupon booklet. It comes with several free coupons on products such as Febreeze, Swiffer, Cascade and Lysol.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
My Take on TLC's Extreme Couponing
This show aired and profiled four people who coupon. The first woman coupons so much that it's overtaken her home and her husband has had to give up his own space for her. She admitted it is an obsession and that she often sacrifices time with her husband and family to go shopping. The second woman actually dives in recycling dumpsters just to get coupons. The third woman collects coupons and helps others. The final couponer was a man who has to pull a trailer behind his car just to bring his purchases home.
The thing that bothered me the most about this show is that it showed people who literally do nothing but coupon. Their habits have resulted in a stockpile that has taken over their homes. They spend tons of money on coupon clipping services and could probably be diagnosed as OCD. But there are people who have lost their jobs and are not sure how they are going to eat their next meal. There are people that are so overstretched because of the economy that buying groceries is nearly impossible. These people need to know that they can truly coupon without getting to the point of needing to visit the mental ward of the nearest hospital.
So to debunk a few myths; couponing does not have to consume your life. When you first get started, it does take some time to learn a system that works for you. You do not have to create such a stockpile that takes over your home.
The truth is that couponing can change your life. You can free up room in your budget to help you get out of debt, save for the future or just have some wiggle room. You can have a small stockpile that will allow your family to weather a crisis. You can feed hungry children without having to worry about having enough on hand for them when they want to snack.
Don't let this show stop you from couponing if you haven't started. There are plenty of sane individuals like myself who help their families by couponing. It can change your life for the positive if you just give it a try!
The thing that bothered me the most about this show is that it showed people who literally do nothing but coupon. Their habits have resulted in a stockpile that has taken over their homes. They spend tons of money on coupon clipping services and could probably be diagnosed as OCD. But there are people who have lost their jobs and are not sure how they are going to eat their next meal. There are people that are so overstretched because of the economy that buying groceries is nearly impossible. These people need to know that they can truly coupon without getting to the point of needing to visit the mental ward of the nearest hospital.
So to debunk a few myths; couponing does not have to consume your life. When you first get started, it does take some time to learn a system that works for you. You do not have to create such a stockpile that takes over your home.
The truth is that couponing can change your life. You can free up room in your budget to help you get out of debt, save for the future or just have some wiggle room. You can have a small stockpile that will allow your family to weather a crisis. You can feed hungry children without having to worry about having enough on hand for them when they want to snack.
Don't let this show stop you from couponing if you haven't started. There are plenty of sane individuals like myself who help their families by couponing. It can change your life for the positive if you just give it a try!
Out of our Abundance
I worry. I know, the Bible says not to worry. But in this case, I worry about my son. You see, we are blessed. My son doesn't have any idea what real hunger is. He has no idea what it is to want for a meal or to be without clothes or toys. He's never had to worry about having a roof over his head, and has been provided for well.
But there are kids in his own school who know all too well about those kinds of worries. There are people all around us everywhere we go that struggle in some way or another. I don't want my son to think that this is just how everyone has it. I want him to understand that he needs to be grateful and realize that he's blessed.
So how do you teach a five year old that he'd better be thankful there's something to eat, a roof over his head and he doesn't have to worry about his needs?
One of the things we do to help our son realize this is at Christmas Time. We intentionally set aside a certain amount of money based on what we feel we can sacrifice to go out and shop for presents for needy children. We usually choose a child or two to sponsor from an angel tree or from a list of needy children somewhere. We explain to Austin that these kids wouldn't have Christmas Presents if they weren't donated to them. Austin is involved in the shopping, wrapping and delivery of the presents.
A second thing I do is donate out of my stockpile. I could easily do this without Austin knowing. But he watches me and I tell him that we are giving this to people in need. We frequently remind him that not everyone has cabinets and shelves full of food like we do.
As my son gets older we will involve him more in helping others. But it's so important to teach him that he needs to be thankful for all that we have been blessed with. We may not have the fanciest house, or the nicest cars or go on lavish vacations, but we have a roof over our heads, a stockpile of groceries, he has more toys than I can physically count, he never misses a meal and he goes to the doctor when he needs to go. God has been good to us and it is our goal to help our son realize and appreciate that goodness.
But there are kids in his own school who know all too well about those kinds of worries. There are people all around us everywhere we go that struggle in some way or another. I don't want my son to think that this is just how everyone has it. I want him to understand that he needs to be grateful and realize that he's blessed.
So how do you teach a five year old that he'd better be thankful there's something to eat, a roof over his head and he doesn't have to worry about his needs?
One of the things we do to help our son realize this is at Christmas Time. We intentionally set aside a certain amount of money based on what we feel we can sacrifice to go out and shop for presents for needy children. We usually choose a child or two to sponsor from an angel tree or from a list of needy children somewhere. We explain to Austin that these kids wouldn't have Christmas Presents if they weren't donated to them. Austin is involved in the shopping, wrapping and delivery of the presents.
A second thing I do is donate out of my stockpile. I could easily do this without Austin knowing. But he watches me and I tell him that we are giving this to people in need. We frequently remind him that not everyone has cabinets and shelves full of food like we do.
As my son gets older we will involve him more in helping others. But it's so important to teach him that he needs to be thankful for all that we have been blessed with. We may not have the fanciest house, or the nicest cars or go on lavish vacations, but we have a roof over our heads, a stockpile of groceries, he has more toys than I can physically count, he never misses a meal and he goes to the doctor when he needs to go. God has been good to us and it is our goal to help our son realize and appreciate that goodness.
Extreme Couponing?
Tonight on TLC at 8PM, they are going to air a show called Extreme Couponing. Some of these folks allow couponing to literally rule their lives. But really, it's amazing to see some of the savings they are pulling off!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
More on Stockpiling and Brand Loyalty
First, let's discuss Stockpiling. You may be asking yourself why on earth you would want to stockpile. There are several sides of the issue to consider.
Maybe you don't have too many people to buy for. Maybe you are single. Maybe you have 8 kids, a husband and 3 dogs. Maybe you are an empty-nester and it's just you and your husband. Due to the varying sizes of families, I wrote my first post about newspapers and stockpiling to get you to think about what it consumed in your home. If you are single, you do not need to stockpile 20 or more bottles of detergent. Furthermore if you have 8 kids and do 40 loads of laundry a week, you would want more than 2 bottles stockpiled. Make sense? You stockpile according to your family's needs. I've gotten a deal before where I bought thirty boxes of pasta before because I got it for about 10 cents a box. A coworker explained to me that there's no way she could stockpile like that because she and her husband could never consume that much. Well, that's fine. But why couldn't you buy 2 boxes of pasta for 10 cents a box? It's about purchasing the amount you need for your family.
Now that we've talked about HOW MUCH you should stockpile, let's talk about why. We are in a state of the economy that stinks. I keep hearing on the news that it is going to continue to stink for a while. Even if your employment isn't in trouble now, it might be later. No matter your source of income, it could be reduced for a number of reasons. If you practice stockpiling and become a well versed, seasoned couponer you will have a stockpile on hand that would allow you to cut out grocery shopping for a while. You may even be able to only buy the items you can get for free for some time until you are able to increase your income again. Another side of stockpiling involves financial crisis. Maybe your income wasn't reduced, but any of us could experience some kind of financial woe. Maybe something in your home needs a repair that can't wait and it's going to cost a great deal of money. It could be possible that a large unexpected medical expense comes into your family. Well, if you are stockpiled then you can stick to just the free items for a month or two, have the groceries on hand that you need and shop from your stockpile. Wouldn't it be helpful to have the stockpile on hand?
On a side note, you might be thinking about your storage space at this point. I am going to discuss that in another post.
Let's talk about brand loyalty. Honestly, you will maximize your savings if you are not brand loyal. Generics are not always cheaper when it comes to couponing. So you may have to reprogram your thinking when it comes to brand loyalty. Now you may think, I love Tropicana Orange Juice. I don't care if another brand is free, I am going to buy Tropicana Orange Juice. Okay, fine. But are there other things that you can let go of brand loyalty with? Does it honestly matter what brand of shaving cream, or laundry detergent, or canned vegetables you purchase? You are going to be purchasing name brand items when you coupon anyway. If you are insistent about brand loyalty (my husband wants me to buy only Heinz Ketchup), you are going to have to become even more focused and wait for your brand of item to go on sale. It will, but you may miss out on other deals in the process. So it's time to re-program your thinking a little.
You might be thinking, I hate ____. I am not buying it because it's on sale. What's the point of keeping around food my family won't eat. This is not about just buying things because they are on sale. Your family might not eat junk food. Well, you don't have to buy a box of cookies because they are on sale. You look at the sales for the week and you only buy what your family will eat. This is not some kind of method to just buy things because they are cheap. I have tried some items because they were free. Sometimes my family enjoys them and other times we don't. However, I am not going out and purchasing diet Pepsi when my husband is a diet Coke drinker. I hope that clears up some doubts you may have in your mind about this process.
I wrote this post hoping that everyone would be able to clear their minds of some doubts you may have about the couponing process. Remember, you buy what you need for the size of your household, keep your mind open about brands, and purchase items that would actually be consumed in your household. Most importantly you stockpile to help your household's financial standing.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
BUT! I need dog food and it isn't on sale!! ARGH!
No need to be frustrated. There will be times that you need an item that is not on sale. This will happen more often while you are building a stockpile.
What you need to do is utilize the Coupon Database. Type in the item you need, for example Dog Food. You could even type in a brand name. For example, Alpo. If there are coupons available anywhere for that item, they will be listed in the forum. Then, at the VERY LEAST, you can purchase the item at full price and use a coupon on that item.
I am SUPER DUPER excited about this database. Sometimes there are things I forget to buy when I'm focusing on all these sales and I am happy to know that I have this database to help me out!
I should pay WHAT for that???!!??? Couponing Lesson #3
Did you know that there is a price you should try to stick to for several items? Did you know there are TEN things you should NEVA EVA pay for? Well, I didn't either until today.
Hop on over to Truecouponing.com to learn more.
Here is a link to their handy dandy price list right here.
Couponing Lesson Post #2:
Here are Kati's notes from today's Truecouponing.com workshop. This one discusses the basics of a deal:
Click here to download and print if you'd like.
Newspapers and Stockpiling
I attended a great workshop today given by three women who attend my church. Their website is www.truecouponing.com. I suggest that you visit their website and subscribe to it. You will have the weekly updates emailed out to you if you do.
I am a bit overwhelmed with a few things, so I am going to write several different posts on couponing instead of one long post.
The first thing I want to talk about is a sales cycle. I knew before today that they existed, but now I know how they work. Things usually go on sale every 12 weeks. Meaning ketchup is going to be on sale every 12 weeks. Laundry detergent is going to be on sale every 12 weeks. Insert the product and it will be on sale about every 12 weeks. Your job is to think about the size of your family. How much laundry detergent do you need for 12 weeks? Well, I do about 8 loads of laundry a week myself. If a bottle of detergent does 40 loads, then I will go through a bottle in about 5 weeks. I usually over-estimate my needs. Let's say I go through a bottle a month. Well, that would mean that for a 12 week period, I would need at least 3 bottles of detergent. Everything needs to be bought in multiples of two (more on that later), so when it's on sale and i have the coupons I would need to purchase 4 bottles of detergent. So think about how many of an item your family would need to get through 12 weeks. Do you have a large family? Then you might need 10 or more of an item.
Understanding how much you need allows you to determine how many newspapers you need to purchase each Sunday. At the very least, you need to get 2 because everything needs to be bought in multiples of 2 to increase your savings. Personally for my family of three plus one dog, I subscribe to my newspaper and as of today have 4 papers delivered every Sunday. It is cheaper to subscribe to the paper and get a deal on Sundays only than it is to buy them from the gas station every Sunday. UNLESS, you know a street hawker that will give you a deal if you buy multiple papers from them. If you live in the Tampa area, please email me and I can help you get a deal on your subscription. If you do not live in the Tampa area, call your newspaper's bulk delivery department and see what kind of deal they will give you.
You have to rethink the way that you shop. You are going to build a stockpile of items when they are at the rock bottom price. You are going to begin moving away from the idea of going shopping and buying everything you need for a week or two. Instead, you're going to learn to shop for free from your own pantry.
The first thing you need to do before you continue is begin thinking about how much your family needs. Then call your newspaper or make friends with a street hawker and order your papers. Please remember that you will save FAR MORE than you spend on newspapers if you do this correctly.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Email for free Coupons!
This is a list of companies that will send you free coupons if you send them a compliment email. Simply compose an email telling them that you love their product and request a coupon.
Thanks to Mama Cheaps!
Alexia www.alexiafoods.com
Amy’s www.amyskitchen.com
Apple & Eve www.appleandeve.com
Arrowhead Mills www.arrowheadmills.com
Born Free/Radlo Foods www.radlo.com
Clif www.clifbar.com
Coleman www.colemannatural.com
Country Choice www.countrychoicenaturals.com
Earth’s Best www.earthsbest.com
Earthbound Farm www.ebfarm.com
Eggland’s Best www.egglandsbest.com
Ians www.iansnaturalfoods.com
Kashi www.kashi.com
Lakewood www.lakewoodjuices.com
Lundberg www.lundberg.com
Mrs. Meyer’s www.mrsmeyers.com
Rachel’s www.rachelsdairy.com
R.W. Knudsen Family www.knudsenjuices.com
Rudi’s Organic Bakery www.rudisbakery.com
Santa Cruz Organics www.scojuice.com
Soy Dream www.tastethedream.com
Stonyfield Farm www.stonyfield.com
Sue Bee Honey www.suebee.com
Traditional Medicinals www.traditionalmedicinals.com
Vans International Foods www.vansfoods.com
Yogi www.yogiproducts.com
Other:
Amy’s Kitchen www.amyskitchen.com
Bar S www.bar-s.com
Barber Foods www.barberfoods.com
Bayer/Flintstones Vitamins www.flintstonesvitamins.com
Birds Eye Foods www.birdseyefoods.com
Carl Buddig & Company www.buddig.com
Chiquita/Fresh Express www.freshexpress.com
Citrus World/Florida’s Natural www.floridasnatural.com
Colgate-Palmolive www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/HomePage.cvsp
The Dannon Company www.dannon.com
Dean Foods/Garelick Farms www.garelickfarms.com and
www.deanfoods.com/brands.aspx
Frito-Lay/Tostitos www.tostitos.com
General Mills/Yoplait http://yoplait.com
George Weston Bakeries (Bimbo and Boboli) www.boboli.com
Grand Brands/True Lemon www.truelemon.com
The Hain Celestial Group www.celestialseasonings.com
The Hain Celestial Group/Terra Chips www.terrachips.com
H.J. Heinz Company www.heinz.com
H.J. Heinz Company/Lea & Perrins www.leaperrins.com
Interstate Bakeries Corporation/Wonderwww.wonderbread.com/#/home
Jasper Wyman & Son www.wymans.com
Johnson & Johnson www.jnj.com/connect
Johnson & Johnson/Viactiv www.viactiv.com/index.jhtml
Ken’s Foods/Sweet Baby Ray’s www.sweetbabyrays.com
Kimberly Clark/Kotex www.kotex.com/na/default.aspx
Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe www.martinspotatorolls.com/pages/about.asp
McCormick & Company www.mccormick.com
Mt. Olive Pickle Company www.mtolivepickles.com
Ocean Spray Cranberries http://oceanspray.com
Nestlé/Edy’s www.edys.com
Nestlé/Purina http://catchow.com
P&G http://pgpromotions.archway.com
P&G/Cheer www.cheer.com Click on Promotions link
P&G Febreze www.newfebreeze.com/coupon/MailRequest.php
Pepperidge Farm www.pepperidgefarm.com
Perdue www.perdue.com
Pillsbury/Smucker’s www.smuckers.com
Reckitt Benckiser/Electrasol http://electrasol.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Glade www.glade.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Pledge www.pledge.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Saran www.saranbrands.com
Tetley www.tetleyusa.com Turkey Hill Dairy http://turkeyhill.com
Tyson Foods www.tyson.com
Unilever/Ragú www.ragu.com
Zatarain’s http://zatarains.com
Companies That Mail Coupons in Response to an E-mail Request Via Their
Website
Amy’s Kitchen www.amyskitchen.com
Bar S www.bar-s.com
Barber Foods www.barberfoods.com
Bayer/Flintstones Vitamins www.flintstonesvitamins.com
Birds Eye Foods www.birdseyefoods.com
Carl Buddig & Company www.buddig.com
Chiquita/Fresh Express www.freshexpress.com
Citrus World/Florida’s Natural www.floridasnatural.com
Colgate-Palmolive www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/HomePage.cvsp
The Dannon Company www.dannon.com
Dean Foods/Garelick Farms www.garelickfarms.com and
www.deanfoods.com/brands.aspx
Frito-Lay/Tostitos www.tostitos.com
General Mills/Yoplait http://yoplait.com
George Weston Bakeries (Bimbo and Boboli) www.boboli.com
Grand Brands/True Lemon www.truelemon.com
The Hain Celestial Group www.celestialseasonings.com
The Hain Celestial Group/Terra Chips www.terrachips.com
H.J. Heinz Company www.heinz.com
H.J. Heinz Company/Lea & Perrins www.leaperrins.com
Interstate Bakeries Corporation/Wonderwww.wonderbread.com/#/home
Jasper Wyman & Son www.wymans.com
Johnson & Johnson www.jnj.com/connect
Johnson & Johnson/Viactiv www.viactiv.com/index.jhtml
Ken’s Foods/Sweet Baby Ray’s www.sweetbabyrays.com
Kimberly Clark/Kotex www.kotex.com/na/default.aspx
Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe www.martinspotatorolls.com/pages/about.asp
McCormick & Company www.mccormick.com
Mt. Olive Pickle Company www.mtolivepickles.com
Ocean Spray Cranberries http://oceanspray.com
Nestlé/Edy’s www.edys.com
Nestlé/Purina http://catchow.com
P&G http://pgpromotions.archway.com
P&G/Cheer www.cheer.com - Click on Promotions link
P&G Febreze www.newfebreeze.com/coupon/MailRequest.php
Pepperidge Farm www.pepperidgefarm.com
Perdue www.perdue.com
Pillsbury/Smucker’s www.smuckers.com
Reckitt Benckiser/Electrasol http://electrasol.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Glade www.glade.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Pledge www.pledge.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Saran www.saranbrands.com
Tetley www.tetleyusa.com
Turkey Hill Dairy http://turkeyhill.com
Tyson Foods www.tyson.com
Unilever/Ragú www.ragu.com
Zatarain’s http://zatarains.com
Amy’s www.amyskitchen.com
Apple & Eve www.appleandeve.com
Arrowhead Mills www.arrowheadmills.com
Born Free/Radlo Foods www.radlo.com
Clif www.clifbar.com
Coleman www.colemannatural.com
Country Choice www.countrychoicenaturals.com
Earth’s Best www.earthsbest.com
Earthbound Farm www.ebfarm.com
Eggland’s Best www.egglandsbest.com
Ians www.iansnaturalfoods.com
Kashi www.kashi.com
Lakewood www.lakewoodjuices.com
Lundberg www.lundberg.com
Mrs. Meyer’s www.mrsmeyers.com
Rachel’s www.rachelsdairy.com
R.W. Knudsen Family www.knudsenjuices.com
Rudi’s Organic Bakery www.rudisbakery.com
Santa Cruz Organics www.scojuice.com
Soy Dream www.tastethedream.com
Stonyfield Farm www.stonyfield.com
Sue Bee Honey www.suebee.com
Traditional Medicinals www.traditionalmedicinals.com
Vans International Foods www.vansfoods.com
Yogi www.yogiproducts.com
Other:
Amy’s Kitchen www.amyskitchen.com
Bar S www.bar-s.com
Barber Foods www.barberfoods.com
Bayer/Flintstones Vitamins www.flintstonesvitamins.com
Birds Eye Foods www.birdseyefoods.com
Carl Buddig & Company www.buddig.com
Chiquita/Fresh Express www.freshexpress.com
Citrus World/Florida’s Natural www.floridasnatural.com
Colgate-Palmolive www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/
The Dannon Company www.dannon.com
Dean Foods/Garelick Farms www.garelickfarms.com and
www.deanfoods.com/brands.aspx
Frito-Lay/Tostitos www.tostitos.com
General Mills/Yoplait http://yoplait.com
George Weston Bakeries (Bimbo and Boboli) www.boboli.com
Grand Brands/True Lemon www.truelemon.com
The Hain Celestial Group www.celestialseasonings.com
The Hain Celestial Group/Terra Chips www.terrachips.com
H.J. Heinz Company www.heinz.com
H.J. Heinz Company/Lea & Perrins www.leaperrins.com
Interstate Bakeries Corporation/Wonderwww.wonderbread.com/#/home
Jasper Wyman & Son www.wymans.com
Johnson & Johnson www.jnj.com/connect
Johnson & Johnson/Viactiv www.viactiv.com/index.jhtml
Ken’s Foods/Sweet Baby Ray’s www.sweetbabyrays.com
Kimberly Clark/Kotex www.kotex.com/na/default.aspx
Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe www.martinspotatorolls.com/
McCormick & Company www.mccormick.com
Mt. Olive Pickle Company www.mtolivepickles.com
Ocean Spray Cranberries http://oceanspray.com
Nestlé/Edy’s www.edys.com
Nestlé/Purina http://catchow.com
P&G http://pgpromotions.archway.
P&G/Cheer www.cheer.com Click on Promotions link
P&G Febreze www.newfebreeze.com/coupon/
Pepperidge Farm www.pepperidgefarm.com
Perdue www.perdue.com
Pillsbury/Smucker’s www.smuckers.com
Reckitt Benckiser/Electrasol http://electrasol.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Glade www.glade.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Pledge www.pledge.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Saran www.saranbrands.com
Tetley www.tetleyusa.com Turkey Hill Dairy http://turkeyhill.com
Tyson Foods www.tyson.com
Unilever/Ragú www.ragu.com
Zatarain’s http://zatarains.com
Companies That Mail Coupons in Response to an E-mail Request Via Their
Website
Amy’s Kitchen www.amyskitchen.com
Bar S www.bar-s.com
Barber Foods www.barberfoods.com
Bayer/Flintstones Vitamins www.flintstonesvitamins.com
Birds Eye Foods www.birdseyefoods.com
Carl Buddig & Company www.buddig.com
Chiquita/Fresh Express www.freshexpress.com
Citrus World/Florida’s Natural www.floridasnatural.com
Colgate-Palmolive www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/
The Dannon Company www.dannon.com
Dean Foods/Garelick Farms www.garelickfarms.com and
www.deanfoods.com/brands.aspx
Frito-Lay/Tostitos www.tostitos.com
General Mills/Yoplait http://yoplait.com
George Weston Bakeries (Bimbo and Boboli) www.boboli.com
Grand Brands/True Lemon www.truelemon.com
The Hain Celestial Group www.celestialseasonings.com
The Hain Celestial Group/Terra Chips www.terrachips.com
H.J. Heinz Company www.heinz.com
H.J. Heinz Company/Lea & Perrins www.leaperrins.com
Interstate Bakeries Corporation/Wonderwww.wonderbread.com/#/home
Jasper Wyman & Son www.wymans.com
Johnson & Johnson www.jnj.com/connect
Johnson & Johnson/Viactiv www.viactiv.com/index.jhtml
Ken’s Foods/Sweet Baby Ray’s www.sweetbabyrays.com
Kimberly Clark/Kotex www.kotex.com/na/default.aspx
Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe www.martinspotatorolls.com/
McCormick & Company www.mccormick.com
Mt. Olive Pickle Company www.mtolivepickles.com
Ocean Spray Cranberries http://oceanspray.com
Nestlé/Edy’s www.edys.com
Nestlé/Purina http://catchow.com
P&G http://pgpromotions.archway.
P&G/Cheer www.cheer.com - Click on Promotions link
P&G Febreze www.newfebreeze.com/coupon/
Pepperidge Farm www.pepperidgefarm.com
Perdue www.perdue.com
Pillsbury/Smucker’s www.smuckers.com
Reckitt Benckiser/Electrasol http://electrasol.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Glade www.glade.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Pledge www.pledge.com
S.C. Johnson & Son/Saran www.saranbrands.com
Tetley www.tetleyusa.com
Turkey Hill Dairy http://turkeyhill.com
Tyson Foods www.tyson.com
Unilever/Ragú www.ragu.com
Zatarain’s http://zatarains.com
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Great Coupon Organization Tip
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Coupon Lingo
When reading coupon forums and groups, most avid and seasoned couponers use lingo that can leave those new to couponing feeling dumbfounded. Here is a guide to coupon lingo.
Coupon Lingo
ALA: As Low As
B1G1F or BOGO: literally "Buy 1, Get 1 Free". This is a special type of coupon that you cut out from the newspaper. When you buy one product, and use the coupon, you'll get another product just like it for free
at the check out.
B2G1F means: "Buy 2, Get 1 Free", which is not as good a deal as a B1G1F coupon.
BBW: Bath & Body Works
BTFE: Box Tops for Education, found on General Mills packages. They are each worth .10 for schools. Sometimes they are used for trading.
CATALINA: manufacturer coupons that print out from a little machine at the register, triggered by what you buy. They come out in long strips similar to a cash tape. The checker should hand them to you with your receipt. They used to be red and white, but some are now printing in color. Some catalinas are very valuable because they give the equivalent of cash on your next purchase. For example, you might receive a $1 catalina for buying 2 P&G products. The $1 catalina will be good on anything the next time you shop.
Catalinas are a big deal; Walgreens has lots of specials offering catalinas (which they have renamed Register Rewards')
C: coupon, also abbreviated as cpn or c/o
C/D: Complete Deal. A refund form with all the proofs of purchase needed to send for the refund. It might be a refund for cash, coupons or merchandise.
C/O: cents off coupon, or cash off coupon. This is a garden variety coupon that we've all seen a million times, the type you cut out of the Sunday paper or off the back of a cereal box. These are used at the checkout with an average value of about 65¢.
CPNS: Same as C/O above.
CRTC: cash register tape with the price of the product circled. Most refunds require a cash register tape, so save your tapes.
CODES: some refunds simply ask for a code number copied from the product, usually the UPC code number. Products like aerosol cans that can't be cut up sometimes require this type of proof.
DD: dear daughter
DH: dear husband
DND: 'does not double' referring to certain coupons which are bar coded not to double at checkout.
DS: dear son
DCRT: dated cash register tape. Must show the date of purchase on the tape.
ECB: Easy Care Bucks available from CVS drug store. They print out on your receipt after the qualifying purchase. They can be used to purchase anything at CVS.
ESC: Easy Saver Catalog available a Walgreens. A new one comes out each month.
ESR: Easy Saver rebate, found in the Walgreen Easy Saver catalog
EPOP: Each Pays Own Postage. This applies to trades with other couponers. Each person pays for the postage on her/his ownenvelope. No LSASE (see below) is required to trade.
FAR: Free After Rebate
HT: hang tag, found in the grocery store, hanging from the neck of a bottle. Offers a refund, or sometimes is an instant coupon, like a winetag that offers $1 off meat.
HTH: "hope that helps"
IMHO: In my humble opinion
IP & IPC: Internet printable coupon
IVC: Walgreens instant value coupon, found in the Easy Saver catalogs
ISO: In search of
LOL: "Laugh out loud" "lots of luck"
LSASE: long self addressed stamped envelope
XLSASE: extra large self addressed stamped envelope.
LSA(2)SE: long self addressed envelope with two stamps on it.
LTD: limited, found on refund forms in the fine print, when the offer is limited to certain states only.
MIL: mother-in-law
MIR: mail-in rebate
MONEY PLUS: any offer that looks like a refund, but is actually simply an offer to buy a product at a reduced price. For example, if you buy a beach towel for $6.99 plus two UPCs, that is not a refund. It is a money plus offer. These forms are found in the Sunday coupon supplements and on tear pads in the grocery store, and are mixed right in with the real refunds. Offers that ask for very small handling fees are considered refunds if the handling fee is clearly only to cover postage.
MF: refund form found in a MAGAZINE
NAZ: name, address, zip
NpF: refund form found in the NEWSPAPER
NECKBAND: label taken from the neck of a bottle
NB: national brand (as opposed to a local brand that is only available in limited areas)
NBPN: No beer purchase necessary. You see this wording on rebates from some beer companies. State law in select states prohibit a purchase requirement, so basically, you only have to send proofs of purchase from the non-beer items on the refund.
NWPN: No wine purchase necessary.
NBQ: National Brand Qualifier. A proof of purchase cut from a product that is available nationwide.
NED: No Expiration Date: refers to refunds that don't have dates of expiration, or coupons that never expire. These are rare, though they were popular a long time ago.
OAS: "one any size" Some coupons specifically state on them that they can be used on any size product.
For example, you might cut out a Tide coupon that says: $1 off one any size Tide. That's a great coupon. Most refunders will use that coupon on the smallest size box, so they can get it free.
OOP: out of pocket (the actual money you had to spend on a deal)
OYNO: "On your next order", usually Catalina coupons that print out at checkout giving money off, like $1, 'on your next order'.
1-4-1: literally "one for one". This means an even exchange of anything. If you trade forms one for one, you will get back the exact same number you send.
POP: Proof of Purchase. This is the valuable part of a package. 95% of the time it is the UPC, but sometimes it might be the boxtop, the net weight statement, proof of purchase seal, etc, etc. Whatever is required to get a refund is a proof of purchase. This is also called a qualifier, because it 'qualifies' you for the refund.
PROOF OF PURCHASE SEAL: a special seal on a package which usually states that it is the proof of purchase.
PP: purchase price, whatever you actually paid for a product. Some refunds will offer to send you your purchase price. The proof for this will include the cash tape.
P/H: postage and handling
Q: qualifier, same as POP above
(Q: also coupon -- some chat boards abbreviate coupon as Q, which is very confusing.)
QUALIFIER: same as POP above.
RAOK: Random Acts of Kindness
RC: RefundCents
RMC: "Refunding Makes Cents" (name of the print magazine until it was shortened in 2003)
RP: Red Plum, same as the Valassis Sunday coupon insert. The name was changed to Red Plum in 2008.
RR or REGISTER REWARDS: This is what Walgreens calls a catalina coupon (See Catalina above)
SAE: self addressed envelope
SASE: self addressed stamped envelope
SMP: specially marked package, meaning a package you find in the store that has been printed with a refund offer on it, or a coupon. Cereal packages are often specially marked with refunds or coupons.
Watch for these in the store, as they are hard to come by in trades.
S: SmartSource, publisher of the Sunday glossy coupon inserts.
SS: SmartSource, publisher of the Sunday glossy coupon inserts.
SWEEPS: sweepstakes form (not traded). These are forms that enter you in a sweepstakes, but are not for refunds. These are junk and generally no one wants them.
TMF: try me free. Some refunds give you back your purchase price if you'll try the item.
UPC: learn this one, you'll see it all the time! It stands for "Universal Product Code". It is that box of black lines that the checker passes over the scanner at the checkout. It measures about 1"x1". This is a very popular proof of purchase.
WAGS: Walgreens
WSL: while supply lasts. This is written on some refunds that offer gifts such as t-shirts. Send early because if they run out, you're out of luck.
WYB: when you buy
YMMV: Your mileage may vary, meaning the deal may or may not work in your store.
(A): Arrived (as in, the train has arrived)
(D): Departed (as in, the train has departed)
non-SS: Non Sunday supplement (coupons from other sources other than the Sunday paper)
Potluck: A collection of assorted coupons - not specifically pet or food, etc.
STE: Soon To Expire
IDSO: In Desperate Search Of
GDA: Good Deal Alert
ALA: As Low As
B1G1F or BOGO: literally "Buy 1, Get 1 Free". This is a special type of coupon that you cut out from the newspaper. When you buy one product, and use the coupon, you'll get another product just like it for free
at the check out.
B2G1F means: "Buy 2, Get 1 Free", which is not as good a deal as a B1G1F coupon.
BBW: Bath & Body Works
BTFE: Box Tops for Education, found on General Mills packages. They are each worth .10 for schools. Sometimes they are used for trading.
CATALINA: manufacturer coupons that print out from a little machine at the register, triggered by what you buy. They come out in long strips similar to a cash tape. The checker should hand them to you with your receipt. They used to be red and white, but some are now printing in color. Some catalinas are very valuable because they give the equivalent of cash on your next purchase. For example, you might receive a $1 catalina for buying 2 P&G products. The $1 catalina will be good on anything the next time you shop.
Catalinas are a big deal; Walgreens has lots of specials offering catalinas (which they have renamed Register Rewards')
C: coupon, also abbreviated as cpn or c/o
C/D: Complete Deal. A refund form with all the proofs of purchase needed to send for the refund. It might be a refund for cash, coupons or merchandise.
C/O: cents off coupon, or cash off coupon. This is a garden variety coupon that we've all seen a million times, the type you cut out of the Sunday paper or off the back of a cereal box. These are used at the checkout with an average value of about 65¢.
CPNS: Same as C/O above.
CRTC: cash register tape with the price of the product circled. Most refunds require a cash register tape, so save your tapes.
CODES: some refunds simply ask for a code number copied from the product, usually the UPC code number. Products like aerosol cans that can't be cut up sometimes require this type of proof.
DD: dear daughter
DH: dear husband
DND: 'does not double' referring to certain coupons which are bar coded not to double at checkout.
DS: dear son
DCRT: dated cash register tape. Must show the date of purchase on the tape.
ECB: Easy Care Bucks available from CVS drug store. They print out on your receipt after the qualifying purchase. They can be used to purchase anything at CVS.
ESC: Easy Saver Catalog available a Walgreens. A new one comes out each month.
ESR: Easy Saver rebate, found in the Walgreen Easy Saver catalog
EPOP: Each Pays Own Postage. This applies to trades with other couponers. Each person pays for the postage on her/his ownenvelope. No LSASE (see below) is required to trade.
FAR: Free After Rebate
HT: hang tag, found in the grocery store, hanging from the neck of a bottle. Offers a refund, or sometimes is an instant coupon, like a winetag that offers $1 off meat.
HTH: "hope that helps"
IMHO: In my humble opinion
IP & IPC: Internet printable coupon
IVC: Walgreens instant value coupon, found in the Easy Saver catalogs
ISO: In search of
LOL: "Laugh out loud" "lots of luck"
LSASE: long self addressed stamped envelope
XLSASE: extra large self addressed stamped envelope.
LSA(2)SE: long self addressed envelope with two stamps on it.
LTD: limited, found on refund forms in the fine print, when the offer is limited to certain states only.
MIL: mother-in-law
MIR: mail-in rebate
MONEY PLUS: any offer that looks like a refund, but is actually simply an offer to buy a product at a reduced price. For example, if you buy a beach towel for $6.99 plus two UPCs, that is not a refund. It is a money plus offer. These forms are found in the Sunday coupon supplements and on tear pads in the grocery store, and are mixed right in with the real refunds. Offers that ask for very small handling fees are considered refunds if the handling fee is clearly only to cover postage.
MF: refund form found in a MAGAZINE
NAZ: name, address, zip
NpF: refund form found in the NEWSPAPER
NECKBAND: label taken from the neck of a bottle
NB: national brand (as opposed to a local brand that is only available in limited areas)
NBPN: No beer purchase necessary. You see this wording on rebates from some beer companies. State law in select states prohibit a purchase requirement, so basically, you only have to send proofs of purchase from the non-beer items on the refund.
NWPN: No wine purchase necessary.
NBQ: National Brand Qualifier. A proof of purchase cut from a product that is available nationwide.
NED: No Expiration Date: refers to refunds that don't have dates of expiration, or coupons that never expire. These are rare, though they were popular a long time ago.
OAS: "one any size" Some coupons specifically state on them that they can be used on any size product.
For example, you might cut out a Tide coupon that says: $1 off one any size Tide. That's a great coupon. Most refunders will use that coupon on the smallest size box, so they can get it free.
OOP: out of pocket (the actual money you had to spend on a deal)
OYNO: "On your next order", usually Catalina coupons that print out at checkout giving money off, like $1, 'on your next order'.
1-4-1: literally "one for one". This means an even exchange of anything. If you trade forms one for one, you will get back the exact same number you send.
POP: Proof of Purchase. This is the valuable part of a package. 95% of the time it is the UPC, but sometimes it might be the boxtop, the net weight statement, proof of purchase seal, etc, etc. Whatever is required to get a refund is a proof of purchase. This is also called a qualifier, because it 'qualifies' you for the refund.
PROOF OF PURCHASE SEAL: a special seal on a package which usually states that it is the proof of purchase.
PP: purchase price, whatever you actually paid for a product. Some refunds will offer to send you your purchase price. The proof for this will include the cash tape.
P/H: postage and handling
Q: qualifier, same as POP above
(Q: also coupon -- some chat boards abbreviate coupon as Q, which is very confusing.)
QUALIFIER: same as POP above.
RAOK: Random Acts of Kindness
RC: RefundCents
RMC: "Refunding Makes Cents" (name of the print magazine until it was shortened in 2003)
RP: Red Plum, same as the Valassis Sunday coupon insert. The name was changed to Red Plum in 2008.
RR or REGISTER REWARDS: This is what Walgreens calls a catalina coupon (See Catalina above)
SAE: self addressed envelope
SASE: self addressed stamped envelope
SMP: specially marked package, meaning a package you find in the store that has been printed with a refund offer on it, or a coupon. Cereal packages are often specially marked with refunds or coupons.
Watch for these in the store, as they are hard to come by in trades.
S: SmartSource, publisher of the Sunday glossy coupon inserts.
SS: SmartSource, publisher of the Sunday glossy coupon inserts.
SWEEPS: sweepstakes form (not traded). These are forms that enter you in a sweepstakes, but are not for refunds. These are junk and generally no one wants them.
TMF: try me free. Some refunds give you back your purchase price if you'll try the item.
UPC: learn this one, you'll see it all the time! It stands for "Universal Product Code". It is that box of black lines that the checker passes over the scanner at the checkout. It measures about 1"x1". This is a very popular proof of purchase.
WAGS: Walgreens
WSL: while supply lasts. This is written on some refunds that offer gifts such as t-shirts. Send early because if they run out, you're out of luck.
WYB: when you buy
YMMV: Your mileage may vary, meaning the deal may or may not work in your store.
(A): Arrived (as in, the train has arrived)
(D): Departed (as in, the train has departed)
non-SS: Non Sunday supplement (coupons from other sources other than the Sunday paper)
Potluck: A collection of assorted coupons - not specifically pet or food, etc.
STE: Soon To Expire
IDSO: In Desperate Search Of
GDA: Good Deal Alert
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
When Couponing Gets Exhausting
Right now, I am fortunate. I happen to be a teacher, so I have extra time on my hands for researching deals and planning out shopping trips. After school starts, my "extra time" becomes null and void. When school starts, I will be rolling out of the bed between 4:45 and 5:00 AM, will pack lunches, Austin's breakfast and head out the door by 6:30 AM, with the purpose of dropping Austin off at school by 7:00, so I can make it to work by 7:25 AM. I get off at 3:30, will make the treck home and hope that I can be home between 4:00 and 4:30 PM. Homework, dinner, dishes, baths, and bedtime leave little time for much of anything. Does that mean that my savings will go out the window? Absolutely NOT! Why? Well, I am absolutely committed to making an efficient system so that my savings can continue in spite of my lack of personal time.
I will share with you how I do it--how I manage to get it all together and head to the grocery store and save some serious dough. But before I do, remember that my system isn't the one that will work for everyone. You need to come up with your own. You can head on over to my post, Couponing 101, if you need more information about organization systems for coupons. So this is how I make it all work during the school year...
Sunday: We always stop at 7-11 on the way to church. I pick up the newspapers, and my husband has his giant soda. After we get home from church (I usually have lunch in the crock pot), we eat lunch and most of the time we all take a nap. When I wake up, I clip my coupons. I talk about my stacking, stapling and cutting method in my Couponing 101 post. I try to file them. I am being very honest here. Sometimes I do NOT have time to file them. It gets put off to another night.
Monday-Thursday: I get the coupons filed, and search out the sales I want. I am fortunate that I know where to get all of the information regarding the stores I want, and I put it all on my blog. The coupon matchups on my blog are just as much for me as they are for you. In fact, I have my blog as an icon on my iPhone so I can access it in the store in case I forgot about a sale I posted. I usually make a list by store. I will write down the item, what it's on sale for and what the coupon will save me. I also write the final price. I actually add up the final prices on my list to make sure I'm staying within my budget.
When I shop: Many times I shop on the way home from work. I go to work prepared with my coupons and list and stop on the way home. I usually only shop every 2 weeks. Die hard couponers will tell you that my method is bad and I should budget myself so I can do it once a week at all my stores. They are right... I could be doing it every week, and I may even save more. But I'm being honest here--that's not easy. So I do everything I can to maximize my savings every 2 weeks. I often challenge myself to stay within a budget I set for myself, and I strive to stockpile as much as I can.
I encourage all of my readers (and I don't have many yet!) to do everything YOU can to save money. Don't beat yourself up because someone on the forum at Hot Coupon World got all of her groceries this week for $2.79 and she bought so much her husband had to rent a UHaul to get it all home. Did you save money? Then celebrate your savings. Set small goals and do what you can to reach them. If you are reading this and you are absolutely strapped right now, for whatever reason...you are probably overwhelmed with whatever your situation is. That's okay. Don't stress yourself that you have to become an avid couponer like never before right now. Tell yourself you CAN do it and do everything you can to save money. Happy Savings!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Printable Coupon Sources
Thanks to www.iheartpublix.com:
July is here–which means many of the sites have reset their coupons so you will be able to print many of them again. Since I get many emails about where to find coupons–here is a list of my favorite printable sites.
Coupons.com
Smartsource
Redplum
Pillsbury
BTFE
Eat Better America
Everday Eating
Very Best Baking
Unilever
Home Solutions
Healthy Seasons
Organic Valley
Delicious Living
Mambo Sprouts
Often it is matter of luck and good timing when it comes to printing. Coupons on Redplum, Coupons.com, Smartsource and the GM sites may disappear at any time…so if you see something you KNOW you will use–it is best to print it now rather than run the risk of it reaching the print limit!
Don’t forget to go to load the new Upromise eCoupons HERE . Remember these are tied to your store loyalty cards and although you can’t print and use them at the store–if you buy the specified products you will get money in your Upromise account. If you haven’t signed up for Upromise yet–click HERE to sign up!
Couponing 101
Couponing 101
The Basic Concept:
- An item is on sale at the store Buy One Get One Free. You have at least 2 coupons on that item. You buy 2 of that item and use 2 coupons, therefore getting it at a rock bottom price.
- Example: Frosted Flakes normally cost $4 a box. They are BOGO at Publix. You have 2 $1 off coupons. You buy 2 boxes of Frosted Flakes for $4 and then have your coupons $2 total, and you just bought 2 boxes of cereal for $2.
Newspapers:
It is absolutely essential to buy multiple newspapers every Sunday. At the very least you must buy 2 to take advantage of the BOGO sales. However, most people buy more. For a family of 4, I would recommend purchasing at minimum 6 newspapers per week. The St. Pete Times is 50 cents on the side of the rd and at most 7-Elevens. Sometimes, people buying 10 or more newspapers are able to strike a deal with the street vendors, like 12 newspapers for $5.
WHY would you buy so many newspapers-- the answer is to create a stockpile of items you buy on sale, so you do not buy that item again until it is on sale again.
Stockpiling:
This is where you need to think creatively a little. It may seem a little nuts to buy 18 boxes of cereal at a time for example. But most dry and non perishable items will not go bad. Be careful about cake mixes and pancake mixes however, as they can spoil and become toxic. It is recommended to freeze those items if you are stockpiling them. You can freeze just about anything. I freeze milk, orange juice, lunch meat, raw meat, bread, bacon, cheese… you name it, I have frozen it. Just be careful about freezing things like bread that comes in tubes…it won’t rise as much. If you don’t have a chest freezer or upright freezer, you may want to look into getting one if you are serious about creating a stockpile. Also, if you are serious about stockpiling, after your normal food pantry is overflowing, you will probably need to find an alternate place to store your non perishables. Many people have an extra cheap shelf in their garage. Do not rush out this weekend and buy shelving for your garage and a brand new chest freezer. Get those things as time goes… and always on sale or used first. J
Organization:
There are several ways to organize your coupons. I recommend doing it the cheapest way possible that won’t drive you insane when finding your coupons before your shopping trip. I will outline three ways below:
1. Shoe box organizer: This is the method I use most often. There are 90+ categories in my box. I stack coupons together, staple them and then cut them out. Then I file each stack of coupons under the appropriate category. This is good for me because I am a visual person and if I cut it out, I can usually picture it when I go to find it.
2. File folders or Whole Insert Method: This is probably the least time consuming. It is good for those of us who have a lot going on and just have the time to get the coupons we needs for our trips. Simply stack all of the like inserts together, write the date on the front, and file that weeks coupons in a file folder. Some people have drop files in a crate that they keep the file folders in. Most importantly, do not spend a lot of money on an organization system. Use what you have.
3. Baseball Card Page Method: This is by far the most expensive and in my opinion, the most time consuming. You get a 5 inch binder, a ton of baseball card pages, tabs for the sides with categories and then file your coupons so you can see them. This can be very expensive, as 12 baseball card pages run about $4 or more, and you would need at least 90 to have all the categories.
How to Organize Your Shopping Trip:
1. Utilize one of the many websites listed below to get the coupons that are matched up to the sales at the stores. Make your list from those websites.
2. Pull the coupons from your organized collection of coupons.
3. Put your list and coupons into an envelope.
4. Go to the store, find the items on your list and put coupons in a separate envelope or place as you have the items.
5. Group the items together in your basket and place them that way on the conveyor belt when you check out.
6. Let the cashier know you have a lot of coupons. Sometimes they will want them in advance. If the store is busy, let people behind you know you have coupons, often people get aggravated with couponers b/c it takes longer.
Websites
1. www.thegrocerygame.com This is the ONLY pay website listed here. It costs $4 for the first month and then $10 every 2 months thereafter. I subscribe to this only for Publix. The more stores you subscribe to, the higher the cost. This saves me a lot of time as it lists the sales and the coupons to go with it. It lists EVERY item on sale at Publix, even if there are no coupons available for that item.
2. Coupon Group: groups.yahoo.com Find the group: Florida Couponers. Follow the direction to sign up. This is a message based group of people in the area that coupon big time. They list deals they have found as well as other couponing tips. The owner of this site has been in the paper for her savings. This is where I have learned the majority of what I do.
3. www.couponmom.com This is good to match up coupons to sales at Walmart. Walmart isn’t the easiest place to shop with coupons, however. I have found that the Gibsonton Walmart is most cooperative with coupons.
4. http://thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot.com/ This is a teacher’s blog. She gives links to internet coupons matched up to sales at Publix. She also mentions many other sales and explains how she saves money each week.
5. www.afullcup.com An online forum for sales at various stores. Helps you find the best deals. There is also a Target Coupon Generator that allows you to print unlimited numbers of Target coupons.
6. http://www.fiddledeedeemom.com/ Another blog that helps you find lots of savings. She also lists a more comprehensive list of Publix sales and links them to coupons online.
7. www.iheartcvs.com This helps you find great deals at CVS.
Coupon Sources
1. The newspaper every Sunday: Research the papers available in your area. Sometimes street vendors will cut you a deal on multiple newspapers, and you may even be able to get multiple Sunday papers delivered to you at a discounted subscription rate. There are usually several inserts of coupons in each paper on Sunday. The websites listed above will often list the coupons to be expected ahead of time. Then you can plan accordingly. When there are more inserts and the coupons are good, I buy more newspapers that week. The coupon inserts are generally named as follows: Smart Source (SS) Valsasis (V), Proctor and Gamble (P&G) and then there may be one or two others named something else to promote a sale in a category… such as “Healthy Eating”.
2. Internet: Many manufacturers have coupons on the internet that you can print. The rule of thumb is that you can print 2 coupons per month per computer on that item. These must be printed in color or the stores will not take them. Walmart and Target are known to give customers a hard time about Internet Printable Coupons (IPCs). The only place I’ve had a problem is Walmart in New Tampa.
3. Coupon Clipping services: There are coupon clipping services on the internet. You simply order the coupons, pay online and they arrive to you clipped. I do not recommend this unless you know you are going to reap massive savings. This can get expensive.
4. Ebay: You can bid on specific coupons or lots of coupons.
5. Blinkies: These are the coupon dispensers in the stores on the shelves. Pull lots of them out and then file them. You can use these at ANY store, unless the store name is written on it.
6. Store ads: Often times store ads will have coupons such as “Save $10 of a purchase of $50 or more”. It is important to note that Publix will honor these coupons from Winn Dixie and Sweetbay.
Meat
I purpose to only buy meat that is on sale or is less than $2.00 a pound. I often find a roast (such as London Broil) that is on sale for less than I would pay per pound for lean ground beef and I ask the butcher at the grocery store to grind it up for me. Then I take it home, separate it into portions and freeze it. I find meat at Publix, Winn Dixie, Sams, and The Land and Sea Market. The Land and Sea Market has a weekly special that provides quite a bit of meat for $25.99 www.landandseamarket.com Their specials run Wednesday through Tuesday. I haven’t been there, but a friend recommends Land O Lakes Meat Market and says you can get phenomenal deals there.
Other Important Tips
1. Most stores will take a manufacturers coupon (found in the paper) as well as a store coupon on one item. This maximizes savings.
2. Kmart sometimes has double coupons. However, you must be careful as they often have higher prices and you really don’t save anything. Kmart is really difficult when couponing because it seems that the cashiers aren’t trained to handle multiple coupons in one purchase.
3. Do everything you can to avoid coupon fraud. Do not try to use multiple coupons on one item and do your best to follow the store policies.
4. At first, it will be slow going as you begin to become an avid couponer. It will take a least a month to build a good stockpile of coupons and then you can begin saving more. Keep working at it. The woman who owns Florida Couponers feeds her family of 6 for less than $200 a month. It took her a year to get to that point, but she does it and she has a stockpile to last nearly a year.
5. Go to the store prepared and with a list. It will save you anguish and time.
6. Don’t become discouraged… even a little saved is better than none at all.
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