When I re-read my posting on places to find coupons the other day, I rolled my eyes. There are TONS of places to find coupons, and I covered only a few of them. So, without exhausting you (or belaboring the point), here are some more ideas for coupon-hunters:
1. Be a concerned consumer. By emailing, snail mailing, or calling the toll-free number of a company, they are very likely to respond to you in a positive manner, whether or not you have anything positive to say. To give you a couple of examples, I have bragged on Calmoseptine ointment (for diaper rash), Breyers yogurt, and Land O'Lakes butter and found INCREDIBLE samples and coupons in my mailbox not long after.....but Kraft did right by me when I complained about the recent re-formulation of some of their salad dressings and sent me high-value coupons. Simply find a place on the website that says, "Contact Us", and do so.If t he task seems daunting, pick one or two companies whose products you are faithful to and email them; it will take five minutes .You might be pleasantly surprised about who will offer you something in return.
2. Surf. As stated in the previous post, most printable coupons can be found on one of three major sites, but there are many companies who provide one or a few coupons to be printed from their own website. For instance (don't judge me!), Little Debbie's website provided one or two coupons for chocolate cupcakes and the like on their web page.
3. Keep your eyes peeled. Other than blinkies, peelies, hangtags, and tearpads, also discussed in the previous post, one of my favorite Rite Aid stores in Bowdon, Georgia has displays set up with small manufacturer booklets that explain more about the product with coupons as well. They were on a lower shelf with only one specific product in the display; in the past, I have also seen some awesome allergy coupons in this format as well. Some small informational booklets are just that, but it always pays to check.
4. With free samples. Not that getting a little tiny sample in your mailbox (score!) is not enough, but....many times, there may be a coupon included with the sample. I have gotten Nivea, Pampers, All-Bran, and Garnier coupons this way.
5. In or on boxes. This is a tricky one, but again, it pays to pay attention. There may be a small graphic on the item to indicate that there are coupons inside the item, which is of course enticing you to purchase it--but if the item is on sale, who cares? Printed on the actual item boxes....Cheerios, Pampers, Betty Crocker Warm Delights, and Banquet Family Meals. Found inside the item (in a booklet, etc.).....Biore, Schick, and many, many packages of Pampers, where I have found coupons for Cheerios, Kandoo products, and Easy Ups.
6. Magazines. Hopefully, "all you" guys know about the All You magazine, which can be found in Wal-Mart only (or through a home subscription). This magazine is your average folksy women's rag with fashion, home, and beauty stories, but includes coupons that range from a total of $55 to $85 in savings!! But, there are many others in magazines for the taking. I have found them in Redbook, Glamour, Parents, Family Fun, Ladies' Home Journal, to name a few.
**Related savings news...Thanks to a great friend, Knowly, who pointed out that the photo websites, particularly Shutterfly and Walgreens, have super-duper deals on a regular basis! Walgreens even has a feature where you can ship photo items to ANY Walgreens....which means you can send new pics to your great-aunt and -uncle who don't get on "the email" (thanks, Haley!).
Also, one more observation.....I noticed that in this week's Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, a newspaper that I buy religiously every week, there was a line at the top proclaiming "Over $150 in savings". Pretty impressive, unless you also got the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which stated that it contained wayyyyyy more than that (perhaps twice or three times)....... Just goes to show you--if you can, be sure to purchase Sunday papers from the largest possible newspaper.
You, too, can save money! (clipart from MS Office, 2010)
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
55-cents off 2 Yoplait Whips: High Value Coupon
For all you Yoplait fans out there....
I am a member of a panel of consumers for General Mills, and these opinions are my own.
They recently sent me an email extolling the virtues of Yoplait Whips. They suggest that you put a container of this whipped yogurt in the freezer overnight and enjoy a low-calorie, low-fat frozen treat the next day....
They also provided me with this link for family and friends who might want to print a high-value yogurt coupon. Most yogurt coupons (printable or otherwise) are for purchases of 6-8 yogurts; this coupon is for two yogurts, which means if you find a sale, you are getting a great deal! Also, for you Bi-Lo shoppers out there (wherever you are....are there Bi-Lo Supermarkets in GA?), this coupon will double, since Bi-Lo doubles coupons up to 55 cents. In short, this is a must-print coupon.
What is your favorite flavor? I can remember first tasting this yogurt at my brother's wedding brunch....strawberry and oh so delicious. My son, who was the only lil' peach at the time, loved it also. Leave a comment telling your favorite flavor, and be sure to print the coupon. (It only uses a quarter of a page, for you paper-saving folks out there....be sure to use your "back" button.)
I am a member of a panel of consumers for General Mills, and these opinions are my own.
They recently sent me an email extolling the virtues of Yoplait Whips. They suggest that you put a container of this whipped yogurt in the freezer overnight and enjoy a low-calorie, low-fat frozen treat the next day....
They also provided me with this link for family and friends who might want to print a high-value yogurt coupon. Most yogurt coupons (printable or otherwise) are for purchases of 6-8 yogurts; this coupon is for two yogurts, which means if you find a sale, you are getting a great deal! Also, for you Bi-Lo shoppers out there (wherever you are....are there Bi-Lo Supermarkets in GA?), this coupon will double, since Bi-Lo doubles coupons up to 55 cents. In short, this is a must-print coupon.
What is your favorite flavor? I can remember first tasting this yogurt at my brother's wedding brunch....strawberry and oh so delicious. My son, who was the only lil' peach at the time, loved it also. Leave a comment telling your favorite flavor, and be sure to print the coupon. (It only uses a quarter of a page, for you paper-saving folks out there....be sure to use your "back" button.)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Where Can I Find Coupons?
One of the biggest perceived pitfalls of couponing comes when people say, "Well, I am not going to buy all of those newspapers. What a waste of money!" (I actually disagree here, citing this past week's insane P&G coupon insert, but....)
The truth is, you can find coupons in lots of places besides your lone subscription to a large city's newspaper (read: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer or AJC, and I'll give you three guesses on which paper is better for coupons....ahem, wish I lived in Hotlanta). I will list only a few here, and if you have any ideas, please feel free to share below! I am still learning, too!
1. Obviously, you can ask friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, etc. if you can have their unused inserts/coupons from the newspaper. This is especially juicy if you are in different places in life... if you need diaper coupons and they need coupons for cat food and Boost drinks, you can trade up and feel great about it!
2. Grocery store flyers and booklets (found in the store itself). Here is a link to my post on the coupon flyer in Piggly Wiggly, Manchester, Georgia; however, many booklets and flyers are entirely store specific. For instance, Publix booklets can be found at the ends of aisles or near special displays in the store....and store-specific grocery coupons can be used WITH manufacturer coupons (this is called "stacking", when you use two coupons on one item....it is permissible) in places like Publix. Walgreens also has coupon booklets on a monthly basis.
3. Blinkies (found in grocery/drug stores near the items). A "blinky" is a small machine that dispenses coupons one at a time. When you take one coupon, it dispenses another one quickly. However, after you take the second coupon, the machine hesitates. The reason here is that it is good coupon etiquette to take only TWO of any free coupon. Blinkies are telling you, "Walk away!" So, be an ethical couponer and thank the Lord that you found an awesome coupon (without taking every last coupon)! I frequently see these in major grocery stores in the cereal aisle and near the dairy section (whether for cheese, yogurt, or something else). However, be warned...some are creatively placed. I found an awesome blinky for Kraft cheese in the freezer section. Hmm....
4. Tearpads (found in grocery/drug stores near the items). A tearpad is what it sounds like...a pad of coupons that is placed near the item in question. These are great because they draw your attention to that bag of Tostitos and encourage you to make a snap purchase. However, let me encourage you to demurely rip off your limit of two and walk away (unless there is a kickin' sale), retaining your coupons for another trip. Just using a coupon because you have it is sort of playing to the manufacturer. Using a coupon when you can get money off your next purchase, work toward a rebate, or buy things for less than $1 is going to help your family out instead. (Do make sure to check the expiration date before you get all excited....says the girl who thought she was going to make a purchase of Benefiber a huge moneymaker. Ha, ha! It was only free, oh well. :-)
5. Peelies (found on the item itself in sticker form) or hangtags (usually hanging from the neck of a bottle). These are great coupons. Really, they are! But, it is unethical to remove one from a product that you do not intend to purchase. The reason the manufacturer puts them on there is to entice you to purchase it; okay, I get that. But it is not okay for me to just pull the peelies/hangtags off and stuff them into my pocketbook when the next shopper could really need that item and the corresponding coupon. Not cool, folks. These are coupons that you also need to check the expiration date on. I have purchased several things in the past which said, "Try Me Free!" Well, I could have tried them for free....in 2009. So, buyer beware, and take a gentle look at expiration dates, if possible.
6. Home mailings. Publix comes to mind when I think AWESOME connections with the consumer. They have many different kinds of booklets to register online for; if you have babies, their Baby Club is wonderful and comes with all sorts of freebies. There is also a toddler club (called Preschool Pals), GreenWise Magazine, FamilyStyle magazine, and a magazine about wine. The link here will take you to the general page where you can sign up to receive these home mailings. It is enough to make you want to start shopping at Publix if you have never darkened their doors! The magazines come with a mix of articles, recipes, and coupons--both store and manufacturer. (So, this means that, even though Publix sent you the mailing, you may use the manufacturer coupons elsewhere.)
7. The internet (for printable coupons). This is the easiest way to do coupons, for some people. You simply go to one of the three major sites and start printing off coupons. SmartSource, Red Plum, and Coupons.com are the Big 3. These sites have two basic principles: 1) you may generally print TWO of each coupon, either by pressing your back button once (if a message pops up that says your computer will have to resend the information, say OK) or by looking for the coupon again, and 2) at the end of each month, the coupons reset. So, if you find a high-value coupon for Huggies (there is one this month, btw), you can print two of those coupons immediately. Then, you may print two more, if they are still available, next month (the coupons have even been known to reset the print limits within the same month; check your favorite blog). May I suggest something, though? Unless you KNOW you will get the product, wait until you plan your shopping trip. Otherwise, you will end up with lots of expired printable coupons and less printer ink to boot. Sorry to be a killjoy.
8. The internet (for electronic coupons). This is weird, but I know that with Kroger (don't know where else), you can register your Kroger Plus card number with three services that will allow you to upload a one-time coupon onto your card. The amount of the coupon will deduct itself automatically, with no fuss, and will show on your receipt. It will only do this one time. However, it can make for some really great savings. Say you buy a box of granola bars. Use a manufacturer coupon on them for 50 cents (it will double to 1.00 at most grocery stores); if you are at Kroger, you can usually upload a coupon for the granola bars onto your Kroger Plus card. So, you can save upwards of $1.50 on a single box! Try Cellfire, Shortcuts, and Procter and Gamble's electronic coupons (P & G makes for some great deals this week @ Kroger, btw!).
Okay, the husband is calling for me to hit the sack, so I better go. Hope these ideas help you out...I know I probably forgot something, so post it for the good of the group, folks! Happy couponing!
The truth is, you can find coupons in lots of places besides your lone subscription to a large city's newspaper (read: Columbus Ledger-Enquirer or AJC, and I'll give you three guesses on which paper is better for coupons....ahem, wish I lived in Hotlanta). I will list only a few here, and if you have any ideas, please feel free to share below! I am still learning, too!
1. Obviously, you can ask friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, etc. if you can have their unused inserts/coupons from the newspaper. This is especially juicy if you are in different places in life... if you need diaper coupons and they need coupons for cat food and Boost drinks, you can trade up and feel great about it!
2. Grocery store flyers and booklets (found in the store itself). Here is a link to my post on the coupon flyer in Piggly Wiggly, Manchester, Georgia; however, many booklets and flyers are entirely store specific. For instance, Publix booklets can be found at the ends of aisles or near special displays in the store....and store-specific grocery coupons can be used WITH manufacturer coupons (this is called "stacking", when you use two coupons on one item....it is permissible) in places like Publix. Walgreens also has coupon booklets on a monthly basis.
3. Blinkies (found in grocery/drug stores near the items). A "blinky" is a small machine that dispenses coupons one at a time. When you take one coupon, it dispenses another one quickly. However, after you take the second coupon, the machine hesitates. The reason here is that it is good coupon etiquette to take only TWO of any free coupon. Blinkies are telling you, "Walk away!" So, be an ethical couponer and thank the Lord that you found an awesome coupon (without taking every last coupon)! I frequently see these in major grocery stores in the cereal aisle and near the dairy section (whether for cheese, yogurt, or something else). However, be warned...some are creatively placed. I found an awesome blinky for Kraft cheese in the freezer section. Hmm....
4. Tearpads (found in grocery/drug stores near the items). A tearpad is what it sounds like...a pad of coupons that is placed near the item in question. These are great because they draw your attention to that bag of Tostitos and encourage you to make a snap purchase. However, let me encourage you to demurely rip off your limit of two and walk away (unless there is a kickin' sale), retaining your coupons for another trip. Just using a coupon because you have it is sort of playing to the manufacturer. Using a coupon when you can get money off your next purchase, work toward a rebate, or buy things for less than $1 is going to help your family out instead. (Do make sure to check the expiration date before you get all excited....says the girl who thought she was going to make a purchase of Benefiber a huge moneymaker. Ha, ha! It was only free, oh well. :-)
5. Peelies (found on the item itself in sticker form) or hangtags (usually hanging from the neck of a bottle). These are great coupons. Really, they are! But, it is unethical to remove one from a product that you do not intend to purchase. The reason the manufacturer puts them on there is to entice you to purchase it; okay, I get that. But it is not okay for me to just pull the peelies/hangtags off and stuff them into my pocketbook when the next shopper could really need that item and the corresponding coupon. Not cool, folks. These are coupons that you also need to check the expiration date on. I have purchased several things in the past which said, "Try Me Free!" Well, I could have tried them for free....in 2009. So, buyer beware, and take a gentle look at expiration dates, if possible.
6. Home mailings. Publix comes to mind when I think AWESOME connections with the consumer. They have many different kinds of booklets to register online for; if you have babies, their Baby Club is wonderful and comes with all sorts of freebies. There is also a toddler club (called Preschool Pals), GreenWise Magazine, FamilyStyle magazine, and a magazine about wine. The link here will take you to the general page where you can sign up to receive these home mailings. It is enough to make you want to start shopping at Publix if you have never darkened their doors! The magazines come with a mix of articles, recipes, and coupons--both store and manufacturer. (So, this means that, even though Publix sent you the mailing, you may use the manufacturer coupons elsewhere.)
7. The internet (for printable coupons). This is the easiest way to do coupons, for some people. You simply go to one of the three major sites and start printing off coupons. SmartSource, Red Plum, and Coupons.com are the Big 3. These sites have two basic principles: 1) you may generally print TWO of each coupon, either by pressing your back button once (if a message pops up that says your computer will have to resend the information, say OK) or by looking for the coupon again, and 2) at the end of each month, the coupons reset. So, if you find a high-value coupon for Huggies (there is one this month, btw), you can print two of those coupons immediately. Then, you may print two more, if they are still available, next month (the coupons have even been known to reset the print limits within the same month; check your favorite blog). May I suggest something, though? Unless you KNOW you will get the product, wait until you plan your shopping trip. Otherwise, you will end up with lots of expired printable coupons and less printer ink to boot. Sorry to be a killjoy.
8. The internet (for electronic coupons). This is weird, but I know that with Kroger (don't know where else), you can register your Kroger Plus card number with three services that will allow you to upload a one-time coupon onto your card. The amount of the coupon will deduct itself automatically, with no fuss, and will show on your receipt. It will only do this one time. However, it can make for some really great savings. Say you buy a box of granola bars. Use a manufacturer coupon on them for 50 cents (it will double to 1.00 at most grocery stores); if you are at Kroger, you can usually upload a coupon for the granola bars onto your Kroger Plus card. So, you can save upwards of $1.50 on a single box! Try Cellfire, Shortcuts, and Procter and Gamble's electronic coupons (P & G makes for some great deals this week @ Kroger, btw!).
Okay, the husband is calling for me to hit the sack, so I better go. Hope these ideas help you out...I know I probably forgot something, so post it for the good of the group, folks! Happy couponing!
Comments Welcome!
At least, they are now. I changed the permissions so that you can actually post comments and ideas for deals, like I have asked for.... Thank you for being patient as I learn more about this craft!
I will post again later with some ideas for how to find coupons, for those of you who are just going to start building up your coupon stash. I went to Piggly Wiggly today and scored two coupon fliers (see July posting) as well as a coupon for $2.00 off milk wyb (when you buy) 5 Kellogg's cereals. Now, why didn't I find that silly coupon before I went to Rite Aid the other day? Ah, regret..... :-)
Anyway, thanks for following me, and we'll talk again soon.
I will post again later with some ideas for how to find coupons, for those of you who are just going to start building up your coupon stash. I went to Piggly Wiggly today and scored two coupon fliers (see July posting) as well as a coupon for $2.00 off milk wyb (when you buy) 5 Kellogg's cereals. Now, why didn't I find that silly coupon before I went to Rite Aid the other day? Ah, regret..... :-)
Anyway, thanks for following me, and we'll talk again soon.
Monday, August 2, 2010
An Ode to Rite Aid
Oh, Rite Aid, how do I love thee?
Thou art more organized than I could ever be....
(although Nivea Lip Care was hard to find that one week)
Your cashiers are endlessly polite,
About coupons you never fight.
Okay, so my poetry needs a bit of work, daahlings, but here is the point:
I have seen bloggers post pictures of their "steals and deals" from stores, and sometimes, it irritates me. What, are they just trying to brag? Make me feel like less of a woman 'cause I paid full price for four rolls of toilet paper the other day?
I think I have the answer. Yes, they are bragging, a little. But the primary reason why I am going to post a picture of my deal is that I want people to understand that you, too, can do this. I am not a smart person, by any account, but I skim my favorite blogs using Google Reader, buy the newspaper, and print off coupons as needed. And, that is what I did for the following deal:
6 boxes Kellogg's Cereal @ 2 for $4
4 boxes Kellogg's Pop-Tarts @ 2 for $4
4 tubs Pampers wipes @ 2.49 (I used a raincheck for these babies)
Then, I used:
2 - $1 off Apple Jacks or Froot Loops (found on back of mini boxes of cereal @ bread store)
2 - $1 off wyb 2 Kellogg's Cereals (printed)
2 - $1 off wyb 2 Kellogg's Pop Tarts (one printed, one from newspaper)
4 - $2 off Pampers wipes (from newspaper, but I bought some from Ebay)
1 - $5 off Rite Aid purchase over $25 (printed from Rite Aid "Video Rewards" online)
1 - $2 +UP Reward (was going to expire...prints on end of receipts at Rite Aid)
My total was $10.91. However, each Kellogg's item caused $1 in "+UP Rewards" (aka Rite Aid money that works like CVS ExtraCare Bucks, if you know that system) to print: $5 worth. Then, I will get back a $5 rebate from Rite Aid for purchasing at least $15 in Kellogg's items.
Final cost: $0.91 for 14 items, or about 7 cents an item!!
Let me repeat: I am not a genius. I also do not run from store to store, scooping up every cheap or free deal possible. If I did that, I would be broke and with a house full of junk I don't need. But, the few things I do happen to work for me.
Let me encourage you to buy a newspaper, or to ask your friends, neighbors, and co-workers if they have coupon inserts that they don't use. You can do it!
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