Archive for the ‘extreme couponing 101’ Category

Now it’s time to get to know the policies for some of our favorite stores! Lets start with Walgreens!

Walgreens Incentives:

Register Rewards or RR: These are a coupon/catalina that will print at the register to use towards a different transaction.

In Store Coupons: These can be found on Walgreens Website or in the Ad located at the front of the store. (You can stack an in store coupon with a manufactures coupon).

Walgreens Coupon Booklet or IVC: These are issued monthly and are located at the front of the door near the store ads. (You can stack an in store coupon with a manufactures coupon).

Walgreens Coupon Policy:

First things first print the policy and add it to your Coupon Binder - so you will always have it available in the store if you need it.

Here are some of the most valuable points from the policy:

General information:

-Competitor coupons are not accepted at Walgreens.
-The number of manufacturer coupons, including Register Rewards manufacturer coupons, may not exceed the number of items in the transaction. The total value of the coupons may not exceed the value of the transaction. Sales tax must be paid, if required by state law.

Sale Items

-In the event that any item’s selling price is less than the value of the coupon, Walgreens will only accept the coupon in exchange for the selling price of the item. Coupon redemption can never exceed the selling price of an item and no cash back is ever provided in exchange for any coupons.

Multiple Coupons

-When purchasing a single item, Walgreens accepts one manufacturer coupon and applicable Walgreens coupon(s) for the purchase of a single item, unless prohibited by either coupon offer.
-The coupon amount must be reduced if it exceeds the value of the item after other discounts or coupons are applied. (For example, a $5.00 coupon for a $4.99 item will result in a $4.99 coupon value).
-When purchasing multiple items, Walgreens accepts multiple identical coupons for multiple qualifying items as long as there is sufficient stock to satisfy other customers, unless a limit is specified. Management reserves the right to limit the quantity of items purchased.

Buy One, Get One Free Coupons

-When items are featured in a Buy One, Get One Free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the items being purchased.

Register Rewards coupons:

-Register Rewards will only print for in-stock merchandise during the promotional period.
-There is a limit of one Register Rewards (RR) printed per offer per customer per transaction.
-Customers redeeming a Register Rewards against the same offer may not receive another RR.
-Customers redeeming a Register Rewards against the same offer may not receive another RR.
-The RR coupon value cannot exceed the total purchase amount. No cash back and no cash value for RR coupon.
-The number of manufacturer coupons, including RR manufacturer coupons, must not exceed the number of items in the transaction.

Here’s how to put this information into action:

You have two tubes of Crest Toothpaste listed at $1.50 each and you’ll receive a $1 RR (Register Reward).

Buy 2 Crest Toothpaste $1.50 Each
-use 3/6 PG Save $1/1 (use 2 coupons from the P&G Sunday coupon insert on March 6th)
Out of Pocket: You get 2 tubes of toothpaste for $1.00
Receive: $1 in Register Rewards when you buy 2
(Basically you receive FREE after the Register Reward)

What can you do with this Register Reward? As mentioned in the policy you can not turn around and do the same deal. The reason is because you can not use a Register Reward on a product in the same family (from the same manufacturer) that is offering a Register Reward. For example, if you turned around and did this same deal, it would cancel the $1 Register Reward and you would not receive one back. The same is true for any Register Reward and Proctor and Gamble deal. *As you will notice on your Register Reward it will state who provided the reward so you can easily determine what the Register Reward can and can not be used on in your next transaction.

Here are an additional example of how to complete your Register Reward transactions:

Will not work:  Buy 1 Reach Toothbrush, $1.50
-use 3/6 SS Save $1/1 (Smart Source Sunday coupon insert on March 6th)
-use $1 RR (Register Reward received from a different  transaction)
———————————–cash register will beep————————————————–
*a Register Reward (RR) counts as a coupon, so you have to have equal or greater amount of items in order to use coupons and Register Reward (RR)

Will work: Buy 1 Reach Toothbrush, $1.50
-use 3/6 SS Save $1/1 (Smart Source Sunday coupon insert on March 6th)
-use $1 RR (Register Reward received from a different transaction)
Grab a filler item that is $.50 or more
Final Price, FREE

Here is an example of how to use a Walgreens coupon in your transaction:

Buy 1 GUM Dental Floss $1.50 w/in store coupon
-use 3/6 SS Save $1/1 (Smart Source Sunday coupon insert on March 6th)
-use in store coupon
-use $1 RR (Register Reward received from a different transaction)
Grab 2 items that are $.50 or more
Final Price, FREE

Now here are a few of my own personal tips:

-Check out at the Beauty Counter! If you are purchasing items in their area they will receive a small commission so it’s nice to pay that forward. Many times it is less crowded and they are more tolerant of couponers.

-If your transaction does not work (for instance the Register Reward doesn’t print) ask for a manager. Many times they will over-ride the transaction and provide you with the Register Reward you should have received.

-Get to know the people who work in the store. I have found that most Walgreens employees are extremely easy to get to know and they enjoy getting to know their customers so strike up a conversation!

-Ask when their trucks come in.. If the items are out of Stock on Sunday most Walgreens have another truck that comes in on Tuesdays (however this may not be accurate for all stores) so ask!

-Get a rain check. It’s up to the managers discression what they will provide a rain check on however many times they will give you a rain check on an item you are looking for when it’s out of stock.

As Always – my motto is “Just Ask,” the only thing they can say is no…

  Did you miss the beginning of our Extreme Couponing 101 Series if so check out these articles:

-Extreme Couponing 101: What Are Coupons & Where Do I Find Them and Coupon Etiquette & Tips
-Extreme Couponing 101: Coupon Lingo What Does It Mean?
-Extreme Couponing 101- New Coupon Labels
-Extreme Couponing 101- How to Organize Coupons

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!

There are many ways to organize coupons, but the important thing is to have them organized. Planning out shopping trips is a much quicker process when you know exactly where your coupons are and can easily find the ones you want.

There’s no right or wrong way to organize, but here are my top picks:

1) Three-Ring Binder: This is a great way to organize whole coupon inserts. I keep all of my inserts intact until I am ready to use the coupon. This is perfect for those of you who follow the drugstore and grocery match ups which list coupons from specific inserts; keeping the coupons unclipped makes it easier to find a coupon listed in a match up.

There are a few ways to store your whole inserts in a binder. One easy way is to use a hole punch so that the binder rings can go directly through the inserts. However, this has the potential to damage coupons so my preferred method is to place the inserts in clear plastic sheet protectors. You can also keep clipped coupons (such as online coupons) in your binder by using trading/baseball card sheets.

To create your own coupon binder, you’ll need to organize the coupon inserts by date. You can find the date in very small print along the spine of the insert cover. I like to write the date across the front of the insert for easy reference later.

You can also use the 3 ring binder for your clipped coupons. You can quickly make your own binder by using a 3 ring binder I suggest 3inch rings, baseball card holders, and insertable tab dividers. Label your dividers by product category or store i.e. Baby, Baking, Frozen, Walgreens, CVS, etc. and you have your own coupon binder.

2) Accordion Folder: A large accordion folder is a good choice for those who clip all of their coupons in advance. You can use the various pockets to divide coupons up by category and keep them sorted by expiration date.

A small accordion folder is nice to use to actually bring into the store. It can also double as a great place to store ExtraCare Bucks and Register Rewards earned from CVS and Walgreens, as well as receipts.

Tip: look for accordion folders in the dollar section at Target toward the end of the summer.

3) The Couponizer: This is a fantastic organizer especially for the beginning couponer. The Couponizer is a complete set of tools designed to make saving money easy. It is made up of 18 category pockets for grocery coupons and other coupon and discount category pockets. The Couponizer includes a section for store loyalty cards, a shopping list, a CoupTracker (to keep track of your fabulous coupon savings!), and a pair of scissors. It also comes with a CoupStacker to store coupons that don’t fit into the Couponizer.

There are many options on how to keep your coupons separate and organized. I suggest that you do what feels and works best for you. Be sure to leave a comment below letting us know what you are currently using.

Did you miss the beginning of our Extreme Couponing 101 Series if so check out these articles:

-Extreme Couponing 101: What Are Coupons & Where Do I Find Them and Coupon Etiquette & Tips
-Extreme Couponing 101: Coupon Lingo What Does It Mean?
-Extreme Couponing 101- New Coupon Labels

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!

There are many ways to organize coupons, but the important thing is to have them organized. Planning out shopping trips is a much quicker process when you know exactly where your coupons are and can easily find the ones you want.

There’s no right or wrong way to organize, but here are my top picks:

1) Three-Ring Binder: This is a great way to organize whole coupon inserts. I keep all of my inserts intact until I am ready to use the coupon. This is perfect for those of you who follow the drugstore and grocery match ups which list coupons from specific inserts; keeping the coupons unclipped makes it easier to find a coupon listed in a match up.

There are a few ways to store your whole inserts in a binder. One easy way is to use a hole punch so that the binder rings can go directly through the inserts. However, this has the potential to damage coupons so my preferred method is to place the inserts in clear plastic sheet protectors. You can also keep clipped coupons (such as online coupons) in your binder by using trading/baseball card sheets.

To create your own coupon binder, you’ll need to organize the coupon inserts by date. You can find the date in very small print along the spine of the insert cover. I like to write the date across the front of the insert for easy reference later.

You can also use the 3 ring binder for your clipped coupons. You can quickly make your own binder by using a 3 ring binder I suggest 3inch rings, baseball card holders, and insertable tab dividers. Label your dividers by product category or store i.e. Baby, Baking, Frozen, Walgreens, CVS, etc. and you have your own coupon binder.

2) Accordion Folder: A large accordion folder is a good choice for those who clip all of their coupons in advance. You can use the various pockets to divide coupons up by category and keep them sorted by expiration date.

A small accordion folder is nice to use to actually bring into the store. It can also double as a great place to store ExtraCare Bucks and Register Rewards earned from CVS and Walgreens, as well as receipts.

Tip: look for accordion folders in the dollar section at Target toward the end of the summer.

3) The Couponizer: This is a fantastic organizer especially for the beginning couponer. The Couponizer is a complete set of tools designed to make saving money easy. It is made up of 18 category pockets for grocery coupons and other coupon and discount category pockets. The Couponizer includes a section for store loyalty cards, a shopping list, a CoupTracker (to keep track of your fabulous coupon savings!), and a pair of scissors. It also comes with a CoupStacker to store coupons that don’t fit into the Couponizer.

There are many options on how to keep your coupons separate and organized. I suggest that you do what feels and works best for you. Be sure to leave a comment below letting us know what you are currently using.

Did you miss the beginning of our Extreme Couponing 101 Series if so check out these articles:

-Extreme Couponing 101: What Are Coupons & Where Do I Find Them and Coupon Etiquette & Tips
-Extreme Couponing 101: Coupon Lingo What Does It Mean?
-Extreme Couponing 101- New Coupon Labels

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!

Just as you get used to something, it changes right? You might start seeing a little bit of a difference in your coupons because many coupons are now adopting the new GS1 DataBar Coupon Format. It’s because of technology! It’s a great heads up for all of us as I’m sure we’ll run into some cashiers who will doubt its validity until they get used to it.

The DataBar accommodates longer manufacturer identification numbers (MINs), addressing a major deficiency in the UPC code. Manufacturers will have the opportunity to develop more robust coupon offers, including values in any amount, as well as cross-promotions with one or two other brands.

Retailers that scan the DataBar will experience automatic expiration date checking, a reduced need for 992 bypass codes that don’t require product validation, reduced cashier intervention, improved scan rates and increased speed of checkout.

The DataBar also contains fewer human-readable elements — only the company prefix and the offer code — helping to reduce fraud and mis-redemption.

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!

Just as you get used to something, it changes right? You might start seeing a little bit of a difference in your coupons because many coupons are now adopting the new GS1 DataBar Coupon Format. It’s because of technology! It’s a great heads up for all of us as I’m sure we’ll run into some cashiers who will doubt its validity until they get used to it.

The DataBar accommodates longer manufacturer identification numbers (MINs), addressing a major deficiency in the UPC code. Manufacturers will have the opportunity to develop more robust coupon offers, including values in any amount, as well as cross-promotions with one or two other brands.

Retailers that scan the DataBar will experience automatic expiration date checking, a reduced need for 992 bypass codes that don’t require product validation, reduced cashier intervention, improved scan rates and increased speed of checkout.

The DataBar also contains fewer human-readable elements — only the company prefix and the offer code — helping to reduce fraud and mis-redemption.

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!

Before you can get your coupons organized and hurry off to the store you need to know what all of the crazy abbreviations, accronyms, and coupon lingo means!

Here’s an example of a scenerio that you may see in a Weekly Coupon Match Up for Walgreens.

(2) Gillette Custom Plus 3 Disposable Razors 4pk @ $6.99 = $13.98
(2) Gillette Fusion Shaving Cream @ $4.49 = $8.98
=$22.96
-B1G1 Custom Plus 3 Disposable Razors 6/19 RP insert, use one
-$1/1 Gillette ProGlide or Fusion Shave Prep 6/5 P&G insert, use two
Earn $5 RR when you spend $20 on Gillette Products
Final price: all four for $8.97

Here is what this means without the lingo:

Buy 2 Gillette Custom Plus 3 Disposable Razors 4pk at $6.99 each. Also purchase 2 Gillette Fusion Shaving Cream at $4.49 each. The coupons you are going to hand to the cashier when you check out are a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Custom Plus 3 Disposable Razor Coupon from your June 19th Red Plum newspaper insert. *You will find the date on the side of your newspaper inserts just as you do a magazine. You will also hand the cashier 2 $1.00 off of 1 Gillette ProGlide or Fusion Shave Prep coupons from the June 5th Proctor and Gamble newpaper insert. When you check out a Walgreens Register Reward will print out giving you $5 off of your next Walgreens purchase because the total price of your products before coupons was $20. Your final price for all 4 items is $8.97.

Aren’t you glad we use lingo…

Now here is the language you need to know so you can become a Extreme Couponer:

General Lingo:

-BOGOF or B1G1 – is a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Sale or Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupon

-Peelie – these are coupons or rebates that peel off of a package.

-WYB – means when you buy. You will often see scenarios that state wyb a certain amount of products you will get a reward via coupon or rebate.

-OOP – is your cash out of pocket.

-MIR – is a mail in rebate that you mail in to receive a specific amount of cash back on an item that you purchased.

-$1/2 – $1 off of 2 items, keep in mind that the first number is always the amount that you get off of the product the second number is the amount you have to purchase to receive the discount.

-SC – is a store coupon. These coupons can come in mailers directly to your mailbox, in weekly advertisements within the store or in the newspaper or directly into your email inbox. Store coupons can often be stacked (or used together) with a manufacturers coupon.

-MFC or MQ- is the manufacturers coupon. These can be found in all of the various ways that we find coupons as listed in our “How to Find Coupons, Extreme Couponing 101 article.”

-GC – is a gift card. These are cards much like a credit card that give you money off of your purchase at select retailers.

-MM – is a money maker. These are often indicated at the end of our coupon scenarios and are one of an Extreme Couponers best friends.

-DND – means do not double because the manufacturer does not want the store to double the coupon even if it is in the stores coupon policy to do so. These coupons will not exceed the value printed on the coupon at any time.

-Ea. – means each, this is often reflected at the end of a coupon scenario when you are purchasing more than 1 item because we want you to know the bottom line price that you are paying for each product.

-YMMV – means your mileage may vary. This is often used for stores that may not have the same items on clearance or for a store that does not have the same prices on their products nationwide.

-IP- is an Internet printable coupon. These can come from various resources as mentioned in our “How to Find Coupons, Extreme Couponing 101 article.”

-Blinkie – coupons you get from the little machines in the aisle in the store, typically they blink or have a light on them which is how they got the name Blinkie.

-WSL – means while supplies last

-UPC – is the Universal Product Code. This is a Twelve-digit barcode printed or affixed on virtually everything sold in supermarkets or retail stores, including books, magazines, candy, etc., for automatic checking-out at the cashier counter. These are most often mentioned if there is a specific item within the store that is ringing up for a discounted price while other items of the same type and manufacturer are priced at a higher amount.

-Catalina or CAT-is a coupon for an amount off your next purchase or for a free item on your next purchase-these print out of a small box located next to the register owned by the Catalina company.

-FAR – means Free After Rebate. If there is an item that is $2 and you get a $2 Rebate with the purchase your item is FREE.

-OYNO – means a dollar amount off of your next order. This could be specified in the weekly match ups along with CVS Extra Care Bucks, Walgreen’s Register Rewards or Catalina’s at your local stores.

-PSA – means prices starting at. We often put this into our deal scenarios if the price isn’t listed in the advertisement but we can find a price online for the product at the same store.

-Overage – is another one of the Extreme Couponers favorite words because this means you get money back for purchasing an item. One of our favorite stores for this is Walmart because they will now hand you the overage or cash-back if your coupon exceeds the value of the product.

-Stacking – is when you use a manufacturers coupon along with a store coupon or rebate to increase your savings on a product you are purchasing.

-Rain Check – is a piece of paper that the manager or an employee with give you if they are out of a product that is on sale so you can come back when the item is back in stock and pick up the item at the sale price.

-Rolling – means that you can purchase a product for a coupon or a rebate and then use that on the purchase of the same item over and over. This seldom happens at stores but when it does you want to hurry off to the store because you will store an Extreme Deal.

-Tear Pad – is a pad of coupons that you often see on the shelves at the store or even at gas stations. These are manufacturers coupons that can be used in any store.

-One coupon per purchase – This means that you can use 1 coupon per item with the item being considered your purchase. For example if you had 5 identical cans of green beans and 5 coupons for that product you could use all 5 of your coupons on your order becuase that equals 5 purchases.

-One coupon per order – This means that you can only use that specific coupon once per visit.

-One coupon per household – means only 1 person in your household is allowed to use this coupon. This typically is listed on high value or free coupons only.

Specific Store Coupons

-ECB or EB – these are CVS Pharmacy’s Extra Care Bucks. These print out at the bottom of your receipt and are good on your next purchase at CVS. Never fear if you loose your Extra Care Bucks because you can now log into your CVS Extracare account online and retrieve and print your CVS Extra Care Bucks if you misplace them.

-Wags – is short for Walgreens

-RR – is Walgreens Register Rewards. These are dollar off coupons that print from a box much like the Catalina boxes beside the register. They are good on your next purchase.

IVC – is an Instant Value Coupon. These are the coupons in the Walgreens Monthly Coupon Books and also found in the weekly advertisements.

Newspaper Inserts

-PG – Proctor & Gamble
-SS – Smartsource
-RP – Red Plum
-GM – General Mills
-K – Kelloggs
-UN – Unilever

Stop back by tomorrow for more tools to help you become an Extreme Couponer in your stores!

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!

Before you can get your coupons organized and hurry off to the store you need to know what all of the crazy abbreviations, accronyms, and coupon lingo means!

Here’s an example of a scenerio that you may see in a Weekly Coupon Match Up for Walgreens.

(2) Gillette Custom Plus 3 Disposable Razors 4pk @ $6.99 = $13.98
(2) Gillette Fusion Shaving Cream @ $4.49 = $8.98
=$22.96
-B1G1 Custom Plus 3 Disposable Razors 6/19 RP insert, use one
-$1/1 Gillette ProGlide or Fusion Shave Prep 6/5 P&G insert, use two
Earn $5 RR when you spend $20 on Gillette Products
Final price: all four for $8.97

Here is what this means without the lingo:

Buy 2 Gillette Custom Plus 3 Disposable Razors 4pk at $6.99 each. Also purchase 2 Gillette Fusion Shaving Cream at $4.49 each. The coupons you are going to hand to the cashier when you check out are a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Custom Plus 3 Disposable Razor Coupon from your June 19th Red Plum newspaper insert. *You will find the date on the side of your newspaper inserts just as you do a magazine. You will also hand the cashier 2 $1.00 off of 1 Gillette ProGlide or Fusion Shave Prep coupons from the June 5th Proctor and Gamble newpaper insert. When you check out a Walgreens Register Reward will print out giving you $5 off of your next Walgreens purchase because the total price of your products before coupons was $20. Your final price for all 4 items is $8.97.

Aren’t you glad we use lingo…

Now here is the language you need to know so you can become a Extreme Couponer:

General Lingo:

-BOGOF or B1G1 – is a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Sale or Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupon

-Peelie – these are coupons or rebates that peel off of a package.

-WYB – means when you buy. You will often see scenarios that state wyb a certain amount of products you will get a reward via coupon or rebate.

-OOP – is your cash out of pocket.

-MIR – is a mail in rebate that you mail in to receive a specific amount of cash back on an item that you purchased.

-$1/2 – $1 off of 2 items, keep in mind that the first number is always the amount that you get off of the product the second number is the amount you have to purchase to receive the discount.

-SC – is a store coupon. These coupons can come in mailers directly to your mailbox, in weekly advertisements within the store or in the newspaper or directly into your email inbox. Store coupons can often be stacked (or used together) with a manufacturers coupon.

-MFC or MQ- is the manufacturers coupon. These can be found in all of the various ways that we find coupons as listed in our “How to Find Coupons, Extreme Couponing 101 article.”

-GC – is a gift card. These are cards much like a credit card that give you money off of your purchase at select retailers.

-MM – is a money maker. These are often indicated at the end of our coupon scenarios and are one of an Extreme Couponers best friends.

-DND – means do not double because the manufacturer does not want the store to double the coupon even if it is in the stores coupon policy to do so. These coupons will not exceed the value printed on the coupon at any time.

-Ea. – means each, this is often reflected at the end of a coupon scenario when you are purchasing more than 1 item because we want you to know the bottom line price that you are paying for each product.

-YMMV – means your mileage may vary. This is often used for stores that may not have the same items on clearance or for a store that does not have the same prices on their products nationwide.

-IP- is an Internet printable coupon. These can come from various resources as mentioned in our “How to Find Coupons, Extreme Couponing 101 article.”

-Blinkie – coupons you get from the little machines in the aisle in the store, typically they blink or have a light on them which is how they got the name Blinkie.

-WSL – means while supplies last

-UPC – is the Universal Product Code. This is a Twelve-digit barcode printed or affixed on virtually everything sold in supermarkets or retail stores, including books, magazines, candy, etc., for automatic checking-out at the cashier counter. These are most often mentioned if there is a specific item within the store that is ringing up for a discounted price while other items of the same type and manufacturer are priced at a higher amount.

-Catalina or CAT-is a coupon for an amount off your next purchase or for a free item on your next purchase-these print out of a small box located next to the register owned by the Catalina company.

-FAR – means Free After Rebate. If there is an item that is $2 and you get a $2 Rebate with the purchase your item is FREE.

-OYNO – means a dollar amount off of your next order. This could be specified in the weekly match ups along with CVS Extra Care Bucks, Walgreen’s Register Rewards or Catalina’s at your local stores.

-PSA – means prices starting at. We often put this into our deal scenarios if the price isn’t listed in the advertisement but we can find a price online for the product at the same store.

-Overage – is another one of the Extreme Couponers favorite words because this means you get money back for purchasing an item. One of our favorite stores for this is Walmart because they will now hand you the overage or cash-back if your coupon exceeds the value of the product.

-Stacking – is when you use a manufacturers coupon along with a store coupon or rebate to increase your savings on a product you are purchasing.

-Rain Check – is a piece of paper that the manager or an employee with give you if they are out of a product that is on sale so you can come back when the item is back in stock and pick up the item at the sale price.

-Rolling – means that you can purchase a product for a coupon or a rebate and then use that on the purchase of the same item over and over. This seldom happens at stores but when it does you want to hurry off to the store because you will store an Extreme Deal.

-Tear Pad – is a pad of coupons that you often see on the shelves at the store or even at gas stations. These are manufacturers coupons that can be used in any store.

-One coupon per purchase – This means that you can use 1 coupon per item with the item being considered your purchase. For example if you had 5 identical cans of green beans and 5 coupons for that product you could use all 5 of your coupons on your order becuase that equals 5 purchases.

-One coupon per order – This means that you can only use that specific coupon once per visit.

-One coupon per household – means only 1 person in your household is allowed to use this coupon. This typically is listed on high value or free coupons only.

Specific Store Coupons

-ECB or EB – these are CVS Pharmacy’s Extra Care Bucks. These print out at the bottom of your receipt and are good on your next purchase at CVS. Never fear if you loose your Extra Care Bucks because you can now log into your CVS Extracare account online and retrieve and print your CVS Extra Care Bucks if you misplace them.

-Wags – is short for Walgreens

-RR – is Walgreens Register Rewards. These are dollar off coupons that print from a box much like the Catalina boxes beside the register. They are good on your next purchase.

IVC – is an Instant Value Coupon. These are the coupons in the Walgreens Monthly Coupon Books and also found in the weekly advertisements.

Newspaper Inserts

-PG – Proctor & Gamble
-SS – Smartsource
-RP – Red Plum
-GM – General Mills
-K – Kelloggs
-UN – Unilever

Stop back by tomorrow for more tools to help you become an Extreme Couponer in your stores!

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!

First things, first: What Are Coupons & Where Do I Find Them?

I believe that the Dictionary sums up coupons to a tee – however to me they are free money. What’s better then free money? Not much!

1.Newspaper-

For extras (for free) check libraries, restaurants and fast food places, doctor’s offices, your next door neighbor, some newspaper offices have places for leftover ads, post offices (same thing), recycle places.

2. Printable Coupon Websites-

Coupons.com
Coupon Network
Red Plum
Smart Source
Bricks

Coupon Database – you can use this to see if any product that you want to purchase has a coupon available ‘right now.’

3. Store Website Printable Coupons -

Same as above, may only be for this particular store so pay attention to type of coupon and if they are good to use for stacking with a manufacture coupon.

Target
Save-a-Lot
Kroger
Tom Thumb

4. Mobile Coupons -

5. Mobile/Card Coupons-

Text a code to the store and they will put the coupons on your loyalty card or use a site to do the same thing, for some stores you will probably have to sign up for their e-mails to get the code.

Upromise
Shortcuts
Softcoin

6. Manufacture Websites-

Get it straight from the horse’s mouth. Sometimes you have to sign up for a newsletter, they change each month so print your favorites when you see them.

Betty Crocker
Pillsbury

7. In stores-
Look around! You can find lots of coupons on the items (peelies), next to the price, on the shelves, in the little coupon machines in front of the items. Keep your eyes open! Take a sales flyer when you come in the door! At CVS, use your card to check their coupon machine.

8. On/with your receipt-
Check all that stuff that prints out with your receipt and check the back of your receipt. Lots of good coupons come with that because lots of times it’s based on what you have bought and many times they are instore coupons so they are stackable!

9. Facebook-
Become a fan (or “like”) your favorite brands. I will always post these coupons as they become available.

10. Magazines -
I haven’t seen a magazine with more coupons than All You. But, look through your favorite magazine, you’d be surprised to see coupons hiding among the ads!

11. Samples-
Most of the free sample offers that you sign up for will come with a coupon for the product, especially those from name brands.

12. Email or Call-
Your favorite companies and ask for coupons – many times they will send you coupons and often even free products!

I believe the most important thing when looking for coupons is to find coupons on products you will use…

 Now let’s learn how to become a savvy couponer.

Coupon Etiquette:

*Don’t photocopy coupons- it’s illegal and hurts the retailers and all using coupons
*Use only one manufacturer coupon and store coupon per item
*Don’t try to use a coupon for which it is not intended for- it’s unethical
*All coupons must have expiration dates or stores will not accept them
*Don’t clean the shelf off on a good deal- share the wealth

Coupon Techniques:

*Price Match at Walmart and Target
*Take advantage of stores that double and triple coupons (i.e. Tom Thumb, Kroger, Albertson’s)
*Take advantage of rain check offers
*Buy only when an item is on sale
*Use a Coupon Database so you aren’t always clipping coupons- find your coupons when you’re ready to shop and then clip
*Stack Coupons- i.e. manufacturers coupon, store coupon and $X off $XX
*Take advantage of store loyalty programs, register promotions, gas rewards

Coupons to the Extreme-

Now that have a general knowledge of coupon techniques, here are some additional techniques to save you even more money when you buy.

*Stacking Coupons-Did you know you can stack a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon?  That’s two coupons per one item.  You use this technique when items are on sale and are maximizing your savings efforts.

*Double Coupons- Many stores still double and triple coupons.  This is a store sponsored event and a great way to maximize the savings of a coupon.  Become familiar with your store coupon policies and what they will double and triple.  When a coupon is doubled, the store pays for half of the value of a discount.

*Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupons (aka BOGO coupons or B1G1 coupons) allow you to purchase one item and get a second item of equal or lesser value for free! You’ll want to pay special attention to the fine print on the coupon as there is usually a maximum value stated on the coupon (this maximum value is the most that the manufacturer is willing to reimburse the store for the “free” item). With a B1G1 store sale, you are purchasing 2 like items and then automatically getting one item for free when you checkout. Since you are still essentially purchasing 2 items, you can use a B1G1 coupon in conjunction with the B1G1 store sale to get the both items for free (one is free after the store sale and one is free after the coupon).  *Important Note: Read your store’s coupon policy very carefully as some stores (most recently Rite Aid ) may prohibit the use of a B1G1 coupon in conjunction with a B1G1 store sale.  You will also note that many are considering this usage of B1G1 unethical.  You have to use your own judgement on this one.

*Overage- Overage happens when the value of a coupon exceeds the price of the item.  Many stores will allow you to apply the exceeding value to the rest of your shopping order.

*Price Match- Walmart and Target will offer a price match guarantee.  The items will have to be identical and you will have to bring the print ad to show to the cashier.

*Rebates- Mail-in-rebates are an added way to save and often honored based on the price of an item or an amount you will spend.

*Rain Checks-  When there are good sales, often stores will run out of items. Don’t forget the power of a rain check where a store will honor the sale price of an item at a future time.

Stay tuned in because tomorrow we will contine our Extreme Couponing 101!

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money?
Subscribe NOW it’s free!

First things, first: What Are Coupons & Where Do I Find Them?

I believe that the Dictionary sums up coupons to a tee – however to me they are free money. What’s better then free money? Not much!

1.Newspaper-

For extras (for free) check libraries, restaurants and fast food places, doctor’s offices, your next door neighbor, some newspaper offices have places for leftover ads, post offices (same thing), recycle places.

2. Printable Coupon Websites-

Coupons.com
Coupon Network
Red Plum
Smart Source
Bricks

Coupon Database – you can use this to see if any product that you want to purchase has a coupon available ‘right now.’

3. Store Website Printable Coupons -

Same as above, may only be for this particular store so pay attention to type of coupon and if they are good to use for stacking with a manufacture coupon.

Target
Save-a-Lot
Kroger
Tom Thumb

4. Mobile Coupons -

5. Mobile/Card Coupons-

Text a code to the store and they will put the coupons on your loyalty card or use a site to do the same thing, for some stores you will probably have to sign up for their e-mails to get the code.

Upromise
Shortcuts
Softcoin

6. Manufacture Websites-

Get it straight from the horse’s mouth. Sometimes you have to sign up for a newsletter, they change each month so print your favorites when you see them.

Betty Crocker
Pillsbury

7. In stores-
Look around! You can find lots of coupons on the items (peelies), next to the price, on the shelves, in the little coupon machines in front of the items. Keep your eyes open! Take a sales flyer when you come in the door! At CVS, use your card to check their coupon machine.

8. On/with your receipt-
Check all that stuff that prints out with your receipt and check the back of your receipt. Lots of good coupons come with that because lots of times it’s based on what you have bought and many times they are instore coupons so they are stackable!

9. Facebook-
Become a fan (or “like”) your favorite brands. I will always post these coupons as they become available.

10. Magazines -
I haven’t seen a magazine with more coupons than All You. But, look through your favorite magazine, you’d be surprised to see coupons hiding among the ads!

11. Samples-
Most of the free sample offers that you sign up for will come with a coupon for the product, especially those from name brands.

12. Email or Call-
Your favorite companies and ask for coupons – many times they will send you coupons and often even free products!

I believe the most important thing when looking for coupons is to find coupons on products you will use…

 Now let’s learn how to become a savvy couponer.

Coupon Etiquette:

*Don’t photocopy coupons- it’s illegal and hurts the retailers and all using coupons
*Use only one manufacturer coupon and store coupon per item
*Don’t try to use a coupon for which it is not intended for- it’s unethical
*All coupons must have expiration dates or stores will not accept them
*Don’t clean the shelf off on a good deal- share the wealth

Coupon Techniques:

*Price Match at Walmart and Target
*Take advantage of stores that double and triple coupons (i.e. Tom Thumb, Kroger, Albertson’s)
*Take advantage of rain check offers
*Buy only when an item is on sale
*Use a Coupon Database so you aren’t always clipping coupons- find your coupons when you’re ready to shop and then clip
*Stack Coupons- i.e. manufacturers coupon, store coupon and $X off $XX
*Take advantage of store loyalty programs, register promotions, gas rewards

Coupons to the Extreme-

Now that have a general knowledge of coupon techniques, here are some additional techniques to save you even more money when you buy.

*Stacking Coupons-Did you know you can stack a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon?  That’s two coupons per one item.  You use this technique when items are on sale and are maximizing your savings efforts.

*Double Coupons- Many stores still double and triple coupons.  This is a store sponsored event and a great way to maximize the savings of a coupon.  Become familiar with your store coupon policies and what they will double and triple.  When a coupon is doubled, the store pays for half of the value of a discount.

*Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupons (aka BOGO coupons or B1G1 coupons) allow you to purchase one item and get a second item of equal or lesser value for free! You’ll want to pay special attention to the fine print on the coupon as there is usually a maximum value stated on the coupon (this maximum value is the most that the manufacturer is willing to reimburse the store for the “free” item). With a B1G1 store sale, you are purchasing 2 like items and then automatically getting one item for free when you checkout. Since you are still essentially purchasing 2 items, you can use a B1G1 coupon in conjunction with the B1G1 store sale to get the both items for free (one is free after the store sale and one is free after the coupon).  *Important Note: Read your store’s coupon policy very carefully as some stores (most recently Rite Aid ) may prohibit the use of a B1G1 coupon in conjunction with a B1G1 store sale.  You will also note that many are considering this usage of B1G1 unethical.  You have to use your own judgement on this one.

*Overage- Overage happens when the value of a coupon exceeds the price of the item.  Many stores will allow you to apply the exceeding value to the rest of your shopping order.

*Price Match- Walmart and Target will offer a price match guarantee.  The items will have to be identical and you will have to bring the print ad to show to the cashier.

*Rebates- Mail-in-rebates are an added way to save and often honored based on the price of an item or an amount you will spend.

*Rain Checks-  When there are good sales, often stores will run out of items. Don’t forget the power of a rain check where a store will honor the sale price of an item at a future time.

Stay tuned in because tomorrow we will contine our Extreme Couponing 101!

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money?
Subscribe NOW it’s free!

I know a lot of you are new to MyDFWMommy and have questions about couponing.  A lot have also requested classes on how to get started.  Well, here is our answer to all of you wanting to get started!
 Beginning tomorrow we are starting the Extreme Couponing 101 Series which will bring you answers to some of these questions:

-Where do I find coupons?

-How do I organize coupons?

-How do I maximize my savings at Drug Stores & Local Stores?

-What are Stock Up Prices?

-How do I shop at each store?

-How do I save on Organics

& Tons MORE!

So keep an eye out for our Extreme Couponing Series topics and discussions for the next few weeks and have your questions answered!

Want to make sure you don’t miss it? Then Subscribe to the once daily e-mail and/or follow along on Facebook!

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!

I know a lot of you are new to MyDFWMommy and have questions about couponing.  A lot have also requested classes on how to get started.  Well, here is our answer to all of you wanting to get started!
 Beginning tomorrow we are starting the Extreme Couponing 101 Series which will bring you answers to some of these questions:

-Where do I find coupons?

-How do I organize coupons?

-How do I maximize my savings at Drug Stores & Local Stores?

-What are Stock Up Prices?

-How do I shop at each store?

-How do I save on Organics

& Tons MORE!

So keep an eye out for our Extreme Couponing Series topics and discussions for the next few weeks and have your questions answered!

Want to make sure you don’t miss it? Then Subscribe to the once daily e-mail and/or follow along on Facebook!

Want to keep up with the free stuff, coupons, and ways to save money? Subscribe NOW it’s free!