Another WEEKLY Theme will be TELL ME HOW Tuesdays. It will begin with all beginner couponing issues and then morph into whatever.
Many readers have been asking HOW to start couponing.
Get a Sunday paper subscription or 2 or 3! You can get some limited time discounted ones from Discountednewspapers.com There are various inserts in each Sunday paper – the inserts are named for the companies that publish them – Smartsource (SS), RedPlum(RP), Procter & Gamble (PG) and sometimes GM or others. Taylortown preview has a schedule for the year of when inserts are coming out.
Get multiple copies, if you can, from friends, family or neighbors. Some weeks you may even want to BUY extra copies. I would suggest aiming to someday get 3-4 sets of inserts (even if you cannot, you can have HUGE savings with just ONE Sunday paper!!)
There are a lot of sites on the internet to print coupons. If you have a favorite products, or are brand-loyal to something, try their website and look for “offers and promotions.” Often you’ll see offers of coupons right on the front page. The following is a list of sites I have found that have printable coupons. (click on the link) Some of the sites require you to install a coupon printer. IT IS OK…that is so they can track the number of times you print a coupon – typically you are allowed 2 times. Once you have printed it the allowed times, you cannot print it again SO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH INK before you print. You can print in B&W (unless you have trouble w/ cashiers – I have not) and if your draft/quick print option on your printer is clear enough, you can save ink that way.
- Coupons.com you can print right from the “widget” (computer speak for that box thingy) on the right side of my blog or go to Coupons.com (prints 3/page so try to optimize paper usage)
- Red Plum
- Smart Source
- Betty Crocker
- Box Tops 4 Education
- Eat Better America
- Pillsbury
- Johnson’s BabyMambo Sprouts (organic food coupons)
- Shortcuts (e-coupons to load onto your grocery store card)
- Slickdeals’ Printable Menu Coupons
- Stonyfield (more organics!)
- Wyeth
There are coupons in many magazines from Women’s Day to Parent’s magazine and many others. The one with the most coupons I have ever seen is ALL YOU. Septembers issue has over $84 worth in it! You can pick it up at Walmart, but there are always bloggers running deals for better subscription prices. Right now you can get 1 year for $19.95 thru Amazon. Not great, but not too bad. If you are interested in subscribing – which I would recommend, I will scan other bloggers to find a better deal!!OTHER SOURCES – EVERYWHERE!!!
- In Packages/Out of Packages – Always check inside every package including printed on the inside of the actual box.
- In the mail – When you sign up for samples, newsletters for a product, many times they will send up a coupon with it.
- Email or write your favorite companies and inquire about coupons! They will usually send some in the mail – sometimes for free product!
- In Store Brochures – There are many “in-ad” coupons in store flyers.
- Blinkies – many grocery stores & drug stores have “blinkies” – little boxes attached to the shelf near a product that “blink”. They are usually mfg. coupons (that can be used at any store) that cannot be found anywhere else.
- Tearpads – these are pads of coupons, you can tear off, near a product. These are usually manufacturer’s coupons that can be used at any store.
- Peelies – These are coupons right on the outside of the package that you “PEEL” off to use right now.
You are not paying for the coupons (that is illegal as they are non-transferrable yada, yada, yada) You are paying for their time clipping/sorting /mailing them. Make sure you undertand what you are buying, the expiration date, and whether they can get to you when you need them. I have purchased a few times through Ebay and from couponclippers. A few other popular clipper services are The Coupon Master and Coupons & Things by Dede.
For example – right now on Ebay, there is that FREE Glade candle coupon out there ($3.49 value). There are various auctions on Ebay – you can get 5 right now for $2.50 w/ free shipping. Pretty good deal if you like these candles. There are also lots of 20 coupons for more money!
Hope you enjoyed the 1st installment. Any questions, do not hesitate to ask as other readers probably have the same questions!! Stay tuned next week for TELL ME HOW TO UNDERSTAND ALL THAT COUPON LINGO!!!
