Where Do You Get All Of Those Coupons?

Lately I have been getting this question often, "Where do you get all of those coupons?" I typically answer the basics...paper inserts and internet printables. However, the truth of the matter is that I get my coupons from everywhere and anywhere...they seem to seep out of the woodwork and take over my home at times. A blogger friend of mine, Coupon Katarina, compiled a great list recapping all of the different ways you can build your coupon library, I added some additions. Keep in mind, this list is not meant to overwhelm you, just to educate and keep you aware of the many resources out there. Anyone can shop smart and save but those that work the hardest at it will get the deepest discounts. :-) SO let's get started:

WEEKEND NEWSPAPER: This is (and always will be in my opinion) the #1 way to get coupons. In my area we receive our coupon inserts in the Saturday paper; however the majority of you will want to purchase the Sunday paper to receive all your coupons. ALWAYS CHECK to make sure the paper you are purchasing has the coupons inside. I’ve been burned a couple times…got home…no coupons! Ugh. That’s the worst. Usually on holiday weekends there are no coupon inserts (boo!), but sometimes they surprise you, so always check. The coupon inserts are as follows: RedPlum, Smartsource, General Mills and Proctor & Gamble.

INTERNET SITES LIKE: coupons.com, smartsource.com, redplum.com, etc. There is an insane amount of printable coupons these days – it is never ending.

MANUFACTUER WEBSITE: If I know that I am going to buy a particular brand and I don't see a coupon on an internet site and I don't have a paper coupon then I check that brands website. Most always there is a coupon on their website or on their facebook page (read below). Good examples are Betty Crocker, Kellogg's, International Delight, Right at Home -Windex, Scrubbing Bubbles, Glade. There could be an endless list of possabilities. If I can't find a coupon on their website then I will write and request one (listed below).

FACEBOOK: has become the new cool place to release HOT high value coupons and even FREEBIES. If you are leary of putting your info on the internet for all the world to see, I would still sign up with Facebook even if it is JUST to grab HOT coupons and freebies.

ASK FRIENDS and FAMILY: Chances are most of your friends and family are not using all of their coupons. Speak up and ask if you can save them from the trash! My mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law both give me their extra coupons and I repay them with some of the free stuff I got from using them! Seems like a fair deal to me.

BLINKIES and TEAR PADS: Blinkies are little machines that spit out coupons and tear pads have coupons attached to them. Be on the look out for these at all times!

PEELIES: These are coupons and offers attached to products. These are ONLY for the customer purchasing the item. It is NOT okay to peel off coupons from items you are not buying!

CATALINA MACHINE: This is the little machine that prints along with your receipt. It’s main purpose is to reward you for a specific purchase, but sometimes it has advertisements for upcoming Catalina deals and such, but many times it spits out extra coupons!

CHECK RECYCLE BINS: Now some of you might turn your nose up at this idea, but if you’re anything like my husband (fyi: this is Katarina talking)…you live for dumpster diving! Hey, don’t knock it. You can get lots of freebies! Our local paper recycling bin contains ONLY paper and mostly newspaper, so it’s actually pretty clean!

TRADE ON THE INTERNET: There are several coupon trading/clipping sites. There are several of these companies out there, but here are just a couple you can choose from: Coupon Dede, Ebay (Go through ShopAtHome to earn 1-3% cash back on Ebay purchases!). I purchase coupons from these sites once in awhile. For example, when Rite Aid has their Covergirl BOGO Free sale and there is a BOGO Free coupon…I stock up and get tons of FREE makeup a couple times a year.

MAGAZINES: Several magazines feature a few coupons per month…don’t let those get away! Even the ones you wouldn’t expect to have coupons will sometimes surprise you!

I cannot say enough about ALL You magazine, which features 40+ coupons within their monthly publication. You can also print coupons off of their website! I will make sure to give you a heads up when this subscription is offered at a great price! Check my Magazines category for the latest deal on this mag.

STORES: Many stores, especially drugstores like Walgreens will put out their own monthly coupon booklets to be used exclusively in their stores. The great thing about these is that these are store coupons that can be stacked with a manufacturer coupon, which makes for some great deals! Another way they promote coupons is in their weekly ads, so don’t forget to check those out. I also like to check out Target and CVS.
Grocery stores, like Kroger will mail you coupons based on what you buy.

EMAIL YOUR FAVORITE COMPANIES DIRECTLY: Just ask! I try to email about 10-15 companies each month to compliment them on a quality product. In response they mail me coupons! It only takes a few minutes of your time and the majority will respond with coupons. These coupons are usually higher value than ones you find anywhere else. To avoid bombarding your inbox with junk mail, I would definitely open a separate email account through yahoo or hotmail just for this purpose.

FREEBIES: So I may sometimes look like a free sample junkie but there is a bigger reason besides getting something for free that I sign up for them. Not only will you get a freebie but most come with high value coupons. It's a win-win!

MAILERS: If you sign up with different companies they will usually mail or email you promotional offers and coupons periodically.

INSIDE PRODUCTS: Make sure to check inside the products you buy. Also sometimes manufacturers will put coupons on the box, so don’t throw away anything without checking for coupons first!

LOAD ELECTRONIC COUPONS TO YOUR STORE LOYALTY CARD:
 

Another great way to amp up your coupon savings is by loading them directly to your store’s loyalty card (example: Kroger Plus Card). It is very convenient…never forget your coupons again!

3 easy steps to instant clip-free savings

1. Register your store card on each electronic coupon website
2. Check the coupons you wish to load
3. Swipe your card at checkout and coupons are automatically deducted

(the coupon deduction does not show up at the end of your receipt with the other coupons…it shows up immediately after the item scan)

Here are the 5 websites I load coupons from each month:
Shortcuts, Cellfire, P&G e-Saver, Kroger and Upromise

Each month, I always print a list of what I’ve loaded to my shopper’s card and keep it with me so I can easily match up sales to coupons to clip-free coupons. This makes for some great deals on the spot!

Sometimes these coupons are stackable with a paper coupon. It depends on your store, which site you loaded it from – and sometimes it just depends on the weather! It is so inconsistent that I always consider it a bonus when a digital coupon comes off in addition to a paper coupon.

GET TO KNOW YOUR GROCERY STORE: For example, Publix will accept competitors coupons so it is certainly worth noting who the competition is in your area. Once you have an idea then make sure to periodically check these stores for their coupon booklets and/or the store coupons they have on their websites.

Thank you for the wonderful guest post Coupon Katarina with additions made by Mission Driven Mom

Lessons Learned From Extreme Couponing...

Today I made my first charitable donation out of our stockpile! Ahhhhh...did it feel SO good to see my hard work paying off!

You see there is a man at our church that has been without work for quite some time. He is a painter and he has done so much to contribute his talents to ministry without monetary expectations. In addition, he is the primary caretaker for his 11 year old grand-daughter. He truly has a servants heart.

So today it was on my heart to make a contribution into his home. So, I prepared a tote with some groceries...toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, deodorant, noodles, spaghetti sauce, cereal, jello and I made a tuna noodle casserole split into two meals that could be frozen if so desired.

Now I am not posting this to boast...I want to hopefully portray a very important point about the value of extreme couponing and stockpile shopping...(yes, that is what I am, what I do and what we are about here at MDM!) and it is...

JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT IT OR NEED DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOMEBODY ELSE COULDN'T USE IT OR WANT IT!

SO I WANT TO SHARE 'SOME' EXTREME COUPONING TIPS AND INSIGHT:

1. I don't throw away any coupons that I view as unnecessary to my household (until expired and I'll give them away to the Military). True that! I never know what sales or deals are coming up and sometimes the best ones that work in my buying strategies involve products I would have never considered buying prior to couponing. Also there are so many, that if used properly, get you the items for virutally nothing. I will get these items simply because they are so cheap or free or sometimes I have to get these items to make it work to get the items I really want for free or close to it. It becomes a wash.

2. Not everyone knows how to extreme coupon and get things for free or close to it. This is a gift and a skill that can be used to not only help your family but bless others in need. I have learned that to me, an extreme couponer, I look at a tube of toothpaste as .16 cents but to most people it is $3.00.

3. Do you know that one of the reasons I started couponing so heavily is because my husband told me that we didn't have enough money for food!?! True that! Now this is getting personal but really...it is true. It is a very scary place to be...it is painful (and makes me uneasy to even speak about). However, this experience brings me to a place where I know how it feels to have no one to ask for help. We make far too much money to get any type of assistance and yet we still found ourselves in this situation...so then what? It is a silent pain...it goes unspoken. Since I am aware of this...I know the value of the small stuff. You know, that deodorant that doesn't really work on you...well,  if it was given to me during that period of struggle that would mean lunch for my four kids...SO I would have used it anyways. Means nothing to you but the world to someone else.

4. Lastly, I just want to add that just because you don't need it or want it NOW doesn't mean that someday you or someone close to you will. I think about the plethora of candles that I have acquired and the comments that I have received from family members..."I don't burn candles so I don't need to buy those...", "do you really need anymore candles..." ... the answer is "NOT NOW I DON'T but MAYBE SOMEDAY...they don't have an expiration date!" We live in tremulous times, I don't think you can have enough of the basic survival items (but that is just me thinking outside the box here).

You know, for me, extreme couponing started out as a means of survival (not a means of frugality, again for me that is)...it then turned into a hobby...AND is NOW not about me /us! That is the precedence of starting this blog to begin with. My husband says all the time, "now if we were only doing this from the beginning...think of all the money we would have saved!" Believe me when I say that the time to start is not during desperation!

So today, I say, hold onto those coupons and shop with a list derived from strategy vs. a list derived from personal desire. Here, on MDM, I talk strategy...math...stratego...planning...and it doesn't always make sense at first glance but it does in the big picture. It may take some trial and error...some learning and adjusting but ultimately your family will benefit, your budget will benefit and so will others as you will be able to sow into charity!

So today, I am blessed that I was able to make my first charitable donation with many more to come! Praise God!

Feel free to comment &/or add your own personal expreriences!

Decoding Coupon Lingo

I think it's time to decode the coupon lingo. I do abbreviate things a lot, so it's important that you know what I am actually talking about!






Here is a good list to start with...
•SS –Smart Source insert
•RP –Red Plum insert
•P&G –Procter & Gamble saver insert
•B1G1 -Buy one, get one free
•CAT- Catalina Coupon
•EX - Expires On
•GC- Gift Card
•MFR -Manufacturer Coupon
•MIR -Mail in Rebate
•MM- Money Maker
•OOP -Out Of Pocket
•Peelie- Coupon peeled off product itself
•RR- Register Rewards (Walgreens)
•SC –Store Coupon
•SCR- Single Check Rebates (Rite-Aid)
•WYB –When You Buy
•YMMV-Your Mileage May Vary (a generic term for "It worked for me, may not work for you")

What is a Register Reward?

Register Reward programs are being implemented at stores such as Walgreen's, CVS, KMart, Giant Eagle, Rite Aid, Target.

Register Rewards are Catalina coupons, Catalina coupons are those coupons that print up separately from your register receipt after you purchase qualifying items. The Register Rewards can be used like cash on your next purchase.

Catalina machines are generally programmed to print one Register Reward coupon for one qualifying item. If you purchase more than one of the same qualifying items per transaction, you will only receive one Register Reward coupon.

In order to get more than one Register Reward coupon when purchasing more than one of the same qualifying items, request that each item be rung up on separate transactions. If you purchase different qualifying items in the same transaction you will receive one register reward for each item.

Note: In some areas the request for separate transactions may be denied. I have found most cashiers to be helpful and 'couponin'g friendly. :-)

Register Rewards, being that they are same as cash, can roll over into big savings. There is some strategy that comes into play...the best scenarios are when you can combine store rebates (found in the circular), manufacturer coupons, sales and register rewards PLUS multiple transactions.

It Worked For Me: Stop Throwing Money in the Garbage!

It's the weekend which me means COUPON time in my house! I have been able to save SO much money couponing and matching them with the stores deals that when I share the savings with my family they think I am crazy! I am talking toothpaste and lotions for free, Kotex pads for .50 cents, coffee creamer for .50 cents and the list can go on. My sister has been begging me to teach her...well, really just tell her where to go as she claims she can't map it all out the way that I do.

So first things first...where do I find all these coupons on this little adventure/hobby of mine?

Here's what I've found so far.....

NEWSPAPER ~ I just signed up to receive our local newspaper on Sundays only. It's fairly inexpensive to do it this way, especially considering the savings I will be getting. Each Sunday there are 1, 2 or sometimes even 3 coupon inserts. In my research so far, I've heard that you should buy a newspaper for every member in your family. So, I have 6 in my family, so I should get 6 papers because that's SIX times the savings. I'm going to start out with one and ask around there may be a friend or family member who will give you their inserts if they aren't going to use them.

I also found a place where you can get a discount on your newspaper subscription, CLICK HERE to check it out. For me it is quite a bit of savings for the first 6 months and then it bumps up to normal price. Not bad!

ONLINE ~ I have found many websites that offer FREE printable coupons, but these are the ones that I've found, so far, to be the best. There are plenty more sites, but I'm trying to save myself time by going to the best ones. I will definitely be adding to this list more as I do more research.

www.coupons.com
www.redplum.com
www.smartsource.com
www.boxtops4education.com
www.retailmenot.com (Great for online promo codes)
www.upromise.com (And you save for college)

MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITES ~ This is a biggie! If there are some specific brand names that you like, go to their website and sometimes you might be surprised to find a coupon right there. Try International Delight Creamer to get a .55 cent coupon (that doubles at most grocery stores!). Also, FREE SAMPLES! Like the one that you can get from Pearl Tampax.

EBAY ~ Yes, I just said EBAY! There are tons of grocery coupons for sale there. Now, it is against the law for people to actually sell coupons, but they can charge a fee for their time to clip them. I was able to get 20- $3 off diaper coupons for $1. Also, most coupon Ebay sellers will ship for free or cheaply. This is a great way to get coupons for a specific item that you want to stock pile on, use on a regular basis or the store is having a mega deal and you want to match it a coupon you don't have. Look for coupons under .99 cents, so that they double! Make sure to check expiration, you don't want to only have 2 days to use them. Make sure you check the sellers details, do they ship asap and are they reputable.

STORE ADVERTISEMENTS ~ Lots of times there are coupons in the different advertisements for different stores (ie. Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc.). You would find these in the mail, in the newspaper or at the actual store. Also, a few places post coupons online!! Such as Target, Walgreens, CVS.

THE MAIL ~ I was pleasantly surprised to find a bunch of grocery coupons in my mail just this weekend! In the past, I've considered these junk and would have tossed them, but now how could I? It's like money in my pocket that I would be throwing in the trash!

PRODUCT PACKAGING ~ I was amazed to find coupons already in my pantry! Some companies put coupons right on the packaging of the food items that you already use.

MAGAZINES ~ I'm not talking about coupon magazines. I'm talking about regular ole magazines (ie. Everyday w/ Rachael Ray, Family Fun, Country Living, etc.). I love ALL YOU magazine, they also have coupons on their website.

Wow, that is a lot of places to find coupons! Just think, that I've been throwing away all of these things all these years! I am seeing coupons in a whole new light these days. They are like free money. I now save my receipts to calculate my savings at the end of the month. What to do with the extra money? For us, right now that is, I can just get more with the money budgeted for groceries BUT this could be a great way to start a savings account. Take the "savings" listed on each receipt and move it over to savings, you can collect enough for a family vacation or add to a college fund.

Do you have any coupon resources that I haven't already mentioned here? I would love to hear 'em!