Couponing 101
Challenge:
Try this for 30 days and see how much your stewardship improves with the money
you save and what you can donate!
Statistics:
-
Average family of 4 spends $167 a week on
groceries
-
$330 billion out there in coupons, and only $8 billion
is redeemed
-
AVERAGE savings is 11.5% (When used
strategically, I’ve found closer to 50%)
How to
get Coupons:
-
Inserts in the Sunday paper (can only use 4 or 5
coupons a time at the store)
-
Other ways to get Inserts:
o
Monday morning:
gas station/ pharmacy/store may have leftover papers that they MAY let
you take the coupons out of, this really depends on the person, as they do have
to return them to the paper company.
o
Ask friends and family/local coffee shop etc…
who get the paper and don’t use them if you can have them each week
o
Buy them from ebay or someone else with a coupon
connection
o
Dumpster Dive in the paper recycling bin if you
are hardcore! ;)
-
Blinkie: blinking coupon machine in the stores
(if the UPC on the back starts with a “5”, it will automatically double, no
matter what the amount, but if it starts with a “9” it will never double)
-
Peelies/Tearpads: available on products or in
the store
-
Catalina coupons: the coupons that print at the
register when you buy certain participating items. The good ones are “off your
next shopping order” and can be triggered strategically if you know what the
current promotions are. (I usually just google Kroger Catalina deals to find
these out)
How to
get coupons to work for you:
-
Start collecting coupons and save them for a
sale!! Study the store ads when they come out, find the items that match up,
and when you combine the store sales and your coupons you will usually be
saving AT LEAST 50%.
-
Stock up when items are free or very cheap so
you buy low and have it when you need it, as opposed to running out and buying
it at full price when you need it. As a rule of thumb, sales go in 12 week
cycles, so you should have enough to last 12 weeks.
Awesome
Websites:
o
www.hip2save.com:
TONS of information on all sorts of money saving tips, free samples, and new
internet printable coupons. She also does matchups for nationwide stores
like Wallgreens, Walmart etc…
o
http://katycouponers.blogspot.com/:
This is a Texas local in Katy who does matchups for Kroger and Randall’s. It’s
great because if it is an internet printable coupon, she will have the link to
it right there.
o
www.couponsequalmoney.blogspot.com:
This is my personal blog and I don’t post a lot, but I will throw a good
matchup/trip/deal on there from time to time. So if you subscribe, you will get
an email every time I post.
Coupon
Policies:
-
Kroger no longer doubles coupons but will allow
you to use 4-5 of the same coupons (ex. Buy 4 boxes of pasta and use 4 of the
same coupon to save on each)
-
Randalls will double the FIRST coupon up to
$0.50 and triple the FIRST coupon up to $0.39, and take all the remaining at
face value (ex. If you have a coupon for $0.50 off pasta and it is on sale for
$1.00, you can buy four and use four of the same coupons, but only the first
box will be free with the doubled coupon, and the remaining will be $0.50 each).
Randalls also has their Just for U program where you get personalized deals and
online coupons. I ALWAYS load the Personalized Deals because you can combine
coupons with those, BUT some of the online coupons cannot be combined with
manufacturer coupons because they are manufacturer coupons. You CAN combine a
Randalls coupon with a Manufacturer coupon. If it is a clippable coupon in the
Randalls ad, it is a Randalls coupon.
-
Target does not double but also has their own
Target store coupons which can be used with manufacturer coupons as well. (ex.
Buy one box of pasta and use one Target coupon AND one manufacturer coupon on
that one box of pasta)
-
Wallgreens, CVS, Rite Aid do not double, but
some have their own coupons which can be used with manufacturer coupons, and
all of them have their own rewards system, which is a whole other class!
Tips:
-
Cut every coupon even if you don’t think you
like it, try it or give it away, it could be free or a moneymaker and you could
donate it!
-
To organize use a 3 ring binder w/ baseball card
sheets or currency pages
-
Match up store ads w/ coupons
-
Buy enough for 12 weeks, stores go in 12 week
cycles
-
When there is a buy one get one free item, you
can use a coupon for both of them. If it is B1G1 and you have a B1G1 coupon,
you get two items for free! (except Randalls)
-
If a product is out, get a rain check and save
it until there is a coupon for it
-
Smallest size is always the best deal
-
When you see a good deal, get as many as you can
10, 20, or more especially free items: it’s a great way to give to charity or
share with friends and neighbors
-
Always check the “Manager Special” area, you can
use coupons on these already discounted items to get some awesome deals!
-
Use your manners! If you planned to buy 12 of
something, and you get there and there is exactly 12, don’t clear the shelf!
Think about the next person who will be walking in planning to buy 12 and there
will be NOTHING! Share the love and get a raincheck! ;)
-
Always remember that couponing is a privilege,
not a right. Be grateful towards the cashier that you are able to use coupons,
do not treat them like it is owed to you. Help improve our reputation!
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Make sure to check the coupon carefully to be
sure you are using it correctly. If there is a size or type distinction, follow
it! Most coupons will beep if used incorrectly and its embarrassing!
