Post by GibsonGirl128 on May 13, 2012 11:37:25 GMT -5
Since I've been really getting into couponing in 2012, I thought I'd share some of my how-to's and tips to help you get the biggest bang for your buck. Where do I get coupons?
-www.coupons.com (you can print these through your swagbucks account and get swagbucks for every one redeemed) -www.target.com -www.ebook.redplum.com -www.makinglifebetter.com -"Like" the product page on FB -Keep an eye out in the stores for products with peelie sticker coupons and Try Me Free labels, and shelves that have coupon machines attached -your Sunday newspaper-RedPlum, SmartSource, and Proctor&Gamble inserts It's all so confusing and time consuming!
You want someone else to do the majority of the work for you. The blog at www.thekrazycouponlady.com and the ladies at the forums at www.afullcup.com will post links to future weeks' sales ads and coupon previews, match up what's on sale with coupons that are still valid from various sources, and give you scenarios to help you save the most.
There are so many rules!
You should familiarize yourself with each store's coupon policy. Go to their website and print it out and keep it with you in your coupon container. Sometimes even the cashiers don't even know their own store policies! For example, Meijer now takes competitor's coupons, and you can stack one competitor coupon with one manufacturer's coupon, AND Meijer doubles coupons up to .99 in certain areas. Also familiarize yourself with general coupon policies, i.e. stacking. You can generally print 2 of the same coupon from one computer, so if you have 2 home computers and a work computer, you can print 6 of the same coupon! (FB coupons excluded.) How can I stay organized?
You must have a routine for clipping/printing coupons and trolling the websites to find the hot deals, because they disappear fast. Some people do it a little every day, some people devote several hours at a time once a week, you have to figure out what's best for you. Keeping a coupon binder or wallet is essential. To make finding coupons easier, make categories such as "Food" "Drinks" "Household" "Toiletries" "Makeup/Hair" "Pets". Go through your binder periodically and toss the expired coupons so current ones don't get lost in the shuffle.
How many stores do I need to go to?
In the beginning, it's always good to go to each of the stores in your area and price check general items that you would use. Keep a log book of what the item is and how much it costs at each store, and you'll start to see which stores are generally cheaper on certain items. (And you'll also learn over time how much things usually cost, so when you're out and about and see Minute Maid OJ for $2.25, you'll know it's a great deal!) But don't always expect that the cheapest store is going to give you the best deal. If PopTarts are $2.29 at Kroger and $1.99 at Walmart, and Kroger will double that .50 coupon you have, you'll get your PopTarts for $1.29 at Kroger but $1.49 at Walmart. (AND get gas rewards at Kroger, saving you a little bit more!) Every little bit adds up! Don't discredit stores like CVS just because their prices are generally higher than everywhere else. With register rewards and coupons, you can sometimes walk away with items for free! For example, Tampax is on sale for $2.99 at Walmart and $3.99 at CVS. You have a $1 coupon. CVS will give you $3 in ExtraCareBucks for your next purchase. So instead of paying $1.99 at Walmart, you've paid $2.99 at CVS but gotten a $3 coupon to use at your next visit. (Even if your next visit is in 5 minutes for the other items you want to purchase!) I have to buy HOW many?!?
Don't be afraid to buy in bulk, and don't wait to buy until you need something. It's how you'll save the most money in the long run. You can run to Walmart and buy a bottle Garnier shampoo when you're almost out, and pay $3.99 and use a $1 coupon, but then not have a coupon the next time you're out so you pay $3.99. That's $6.98 for 2 bottles of shampoo, or $3.49 each. Or, you can see a good sale for 3 bottles for $10 at CVS, have coupons for $1 off, and take advantage of the "spend $15 in Garnier products and get $3 in ExtraCareBucks". Buy 5 bottles at $3.33 each, use 5 $1 off coupons, and get $3 ECB for your next purchase. $16.65-$5 in coupons -$3ECB for next time = $8.65, or essentially $1.73 each.
What about brand loyalty?
The cardinal rule of couponing is, "you can't be afraid to try something different, but don't buy something different just because you have a coupon." I typically use Arm&Hammer laundry detergent, 150oz for $8.99. I'm not going to buy Tide 150oz for $11.99 just because I have a $1 off coupon. But I will try Wisk that's on sale $4.99 for 75oz if I have 2 coupons for $1 off each, making 150oz total $7.98. If you normally buy store brand just because it's cheaper, keep your eye out for coupons for the name brand, because sometimes you can get the name brand cheaper with coupons than the store brand. My suggestion is to clip coupons for things you wouldn't normally buy just in case there happens to be a great deal on Wisk, etc. Sometimes things will even surprise you and you'll come up with a new favorite. I had a combination of ECB and coupons to use at CVS and didn't quite have enough merchandise to put my total over $0 (if you have $5 in ECB and only spend $3, you don't get to keep that other $2, so you have to spend it on something!) I picked up a store brand body wash for $2.37, even though I usually use Dove/Dial/Caress for $5-7. I LOVED it! So now I'm spending way less on body wash.
Don't forget the rebates!
Sometimes you'll find a product on the shelves that has a "Try Me Free" tag on it. And the www.afullcup.com forum has a subboard for "Rebates". Even if it's not a product you'd normally buy, it's FREE! (Eventually, lol) I found a rebate for Physician's Formula concealer, and that week, CVS happened to be running a "Get $7 ECB when you buy any Physician's Formula product". So I bought the concealer for $12.99, submitted the rebate form to get back my $12.99, and got $7 ECB for my next shopping trip! That means I actually MADE $7 off of this purchase! (Which was great, considering the product was crap!)
Other tips and tricks -sign up for rewards programs. Ex: Loreal has a beauty club where if you enter codes from inside 6 haircolor boxes, you'll get a coupon for a free box. -Don't print your coupons in color. It's a waste of your ink. -If you live at an apartment complex, most of them have a business center where you can print your coupons there instead of wasting your ink and paper at home. -You don't get actual coupons at www.savingstar.com, but if you register your store loyalty cards with them and choose the products on their site, when you buy that item at that store, the site will credit your SavingStar account and you can cash out when you hit $5 savings. Sign up for Viggle and Swagbucks to earn points to cash in for giftcards for things you normally do like surf the web and watch TV. -Trade coupons with your friends, co-workers, neighbors, and local nesties.
This is all I can think of for now, but I'll come back and update as I think of things. (It would be great if someone would make this a sticky!). Just since January 1st, I've spent $218 for $654 worth of items, from food to toiletries to cat litter and more. Couponing may take a little time, but it's so worth it!