Tuesday, April 12, 2011

How I Coupon


Most printable coupons can be printed twice per computer. Unless they are in pdf format, then you can print them as many times as you want. If you have more than one computer in the house you can use the other computer to print more. I use our computer and then hook my Aunts laptop up to our printer so I can always get four printable coupons.

For some reason our local Target only accepts color printed coupons. All the coupoing websites I have read have noted that their local Targets accept the black and whites... but ours is lame. I even printed out a copy of Targets coupon policy that the Corporate office emailed me... but they still only accept color. All the other stores in town accept the black and whites.

Sometimes printable coupons have a hard time scanning at registers, and depending on the register clerk -- you might not be allowed to use that coupon. "It has to be able to scan", they will say. I have found that younger male cashiers are more lenient, and will just manually type in the bar code (I cashier profile... it is bad I know!) Walmart is the worst for being rude to people that use coupons... even if I just use one coupon! What most cashiers don't know is that the coupon manufacture pays the store face value for the coupon plus an additional 8cents. And it isn't like I am getting 60 mustard bottles for free like that lady on the extreme couponing show... I just want $3 off a box of Huggies! ANYWAYS...

*I use Krazy Couponing Lady's blog to learn about good deals. She was mentioned on the Extreme Couponing show on TLC.

http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

She matches store ads to coupons that have been in the Sunday paper circulars, or in recent magazines, or that are available to print online. She will link the website where a coupon will be available to print and such.

*Red Plum is a Sunday Paper coupon circular, they will put many of the coupons that are in the paper, online so you can print them also.

http://www.redplum.com/coupons.aspx?t1id=1118&t2id=1118&t1=Grocery&t2=&view=all

*Smart Source is another Sunday Paper coupon circular that puts their coupons online to print. It is helpful to try inputting different zip codes to see if different coupons show up. I find that if I use a Redding zip code, the coupons listed are limited. But if I use a Arizona or LA zip code, I get more coupons available.

http://smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=5S2ZUA6PWPEPO

*Not all circulars have printables online, like the P&G doesn't do online printable... THEY DO, however, put out seasonal packages, you can sign up to receive it. It will have some samples and some coupons. Every few months the package changes and you can re-sign up for different coupons. They send them to you in the mail. A few months ago I was able to sign up for a coupon booklet that had coupons for every month of the year... like over $400 worth of coupons for products like Pampers, Luvs, Herbal Essences, Iams...

http://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/index.jsp

*I use swagbucks printable coupons. It is the SAME coupons as coupons.com, but you get 10 swagbucks per coupon used at a register. Just use 45 of their coupons and you can purchase a $5.00 Amazon.com gift card. You can read all about Swagbucks and Amazon gift cards here... and check it weekly for new coupons. It has various coupons... some are cool, and some are pointless. The coupons listed are good for about a month, but disappear within a week or so. This is another place to use various zip codes to find more coupons.


*Target is my favorite store! The coupons are at the bottom of Target.com, you can only print them twice... unless you have access to another computer. Not all the coupons on Target.com are store coupons. Some they have listed are manufacturers coupons... there is no way to tell if they are a mani coupon or store coupon till they have printed. It is annoying! AND, because or local Target is smaller than more cities, we don't have all the coupon products in our store. Target allows "stacking" meaning you can use a Target coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon per item.

I can purchase four Degree deodorants and use four Target coupons and four Manufacturers coupons.

I could have a Target coupon that says "buy one Dove deodorant get $1.00 off dove bar soap ", and I could stack it with a Dove deodorant manufacturers coupon AND a Dove bar soap manufactures coupon.

If is awesome to scan the perimeter of Target... the end caps always have the clearance... and when staking the coupons it makes for free items! That is how I got the free Gerber formula last night! I signed up on the Gerber website a few weeks ago and they sent me some Gerber checks... I staked it with the Gerber Target coupon that just came out in the "new mom" bags that Target has available at the service desk. If you had a Target baby registry you can get one! They have samples and coupons in it! The best was the coupon for a free 6pack of “ready to go” Enfamil!

Targets cash registers are really bad about giving you face value for your coupon. I have no idea why... and it is a wide spread complaint on many coupon blogs. You really have to watch and make sure the register gives you the right amount off. The clerks don't always watch, especially if they have a long line. I always tell the people behind me if I have a stack of coupons. AND I have found it is easier not to bring Eli with me... it makes it awful! If I have a stack of coupons I usually bring someone else with me and break it up. Especially if I have printed coupons from two different computers... I don't want the clerks to think I am a product hoarder...


*Most products have coupons on manufacturers website. You just have to Google for it. And for some reason the website will want your mailing address and for you to create a password just to print out their coupon. It is so lame! But worth it! Like last night Googled "Green Works dish soap coupon" and was brought to their company website. I had to register just to print out their coupon. I was able to print out two, and then I created an account for Daniel, used my Aunts computer and was able to print out two more. I used those four manufacturers’ coupons and staked it with the Target coupons, and was able to purchase four dish soaps that were on sale for $2.59 each… for under $2.00 total!

*If you have access to a Sunday paper, clip EVERY coupon… even if it isn’t a product you normally use, or you think “Well $1.00 off will still make the product more than I can afford”. You can never know what sales will come up in the next month… and you never know what kind of coupons Target.com will put up. For instance, Daniel doesn’t normally use Dove’s Men’s body and face wash, but I had a coupon for it… and Target.com had a coupon for it. The body wash was on clearance for $1.98 last night at Target… I stacked the mani coupon ($1 off) with the store coupon ($1 off) and was paid 2 cents to purchase the body wash. Well, Daniel is going to use Dove’s Men’s body and face wash till those two bottles are gone. You can always ask your co-workers, neighbors or other family members to save the Sunday inserts for you as well.

I don’t really do a lot of couponing at Walgreen’s or Rite Aide or CVS, the rewards cash is too confusing and I am too busy to keep track of it all… but if you are interested, I know that many people do coupon there and the Krazy Coupon Lady has information about it. I will coupon at Walgreen’s if an item is a steal of a deal… not because I get a rewards cash with the purchase, it has to be a good deal before the rewards cash… which isn’t usually the case, so Walgreen’s doesn’t get much of my time.

Couponing can seem daunting at first. Target is an EASY store to learn how to do it at. It is a great way to save money… and I find it fun!

2 comments:

  1. THANK YOU!!! I am so glad somebody finally posted something about couponing. It is a world that is unfamiliar and confusing to me. I watch that TLC show religiously, but I still can't understand how any of it works. I feel a lot like I'm reading Japanese when couponing, it just doesn't compute. I am so thankful for the links as well. I have been LOST when it comes to finding resources, and trust me I have looked. I want to be a coupon queen like you are, I guess I just have to be more diligent. Do you think ordering a Sunday paper is worth it for the coupons?

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  2. I have been told by several other couponers to get a San Fransisco Chronicle because they have more coupons. Some of the coupon websites will say use "this coupon from this insert that came out this date", but the Record Searchlight didn't have that insert or coupon.

    I do know that the dollar store sells Sunday papers. I didn't know till today... I am going to have to pick one or a few up if the coupon inserts are good!

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