Thursday 12/31/09: The annual/semi-annual sales are coming!

I hope you have some money leftover from Christmas in your household/clothing budget, or some gift cards, because January is one of the best times of the year to buy certain things. The best examples to me are Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works. We buy enough hand soap at B&BW in January to last a whole year, and VS is the only place I like to buy bras, but I don't like to pay the $40+ price tag for them. I also know clothing stores like New York & Company offer significant discounts after Christmas is over. These places are gearing up for their spring lines when there are still two months of winter left, so take advantage of the slashed prices!

Wednesday 12/30/09: Don't buy more than you need

I have a relative who frequently finds things on sale (or not) and decides it's such a good price she'll buy 15 of them. Or, she goes to the store and sees cheese on sale. She doesn't have a plan for the cheese, doesn't remember she has 3 packages in the fridge, so she buys 3 more. And does the same thing 2 weeks later because cheese is a frequently discounted item. My point is to be aware of what you have and what you'll use. Because if you buy something just because it's 60% off, you've still spent 40% of the retail price, and still spent money you didn't need to, which is the manufacturer's point in the marketing. Know what goes on sale often. Know what is a good sale. Know what you have in your supplies. Know how often you go through something. Then you'll be buying quantities smart.

Tuesday 12/29/09: Buy your Christmas stuff now

Again, it's a post-holiday window where all the good stuff isn't quite gone yet and stores are slashing prices on everything. So if you're into keeping candy around the house, decorating all over for the holidays, making cookies, or any other Christmas-season type activity, stock up now while the prices are a fraction of what they'll be next fall when you think "Oh yeah, we wanted to get a pre-lit tree this year..."

My Review of Kolcraft Universal Infant Car Seat Carrier

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

The Universal 2 Infant Car Seat Carrier is the solution to bulky travel systems. This compact and lightweight Carrier is all you need during the time your child is in an infant car seat!

Kolcraft Universal Infant Car Seat Carrier

Skip the travel system & buy this

By Sarita la profesora from KY on 12/28/2009

 

5out of 5

Pros: Lightweight, Easy To Maneuver, Easy to Set Up, Easily Stowed, Smooth Ride

Best Uses: Newborn, Infants

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent

I waited a long time to review this product because when I bought it there were only 2 reviews and I wanted to add one that had some experience behind it. I've been using this stroller with my Graco carseat for almost 8 months. I walk my baby girl about 10-15 miles a week in our neighborhood in it, and our sidewalks are 40 years old. We go across grass, gravel, sticks, everything. Also it goes to the sitter's house three days a week. (I have a RAV4 but it also fits fine in the trunk of my husband's Civic.) It's been durable, a great stroller. I registered for a travel system and then deleted it from my registry and got this instead after reading reviews of the Graco version that said it was so much more convenient. I thought, I won't usually have my husband around when I'm using a stroller so I want the lightest, most convenient thing, and I'm SO glad I got this instead. It really does open and fold with one hand. The basket on this fixed the accessibility problem on the Graco at a lower price--I can pile it high and get anything out without messing with the seat. My only problem is the cupholder is too big to hold a standard bottle--a Dasani bottle topples over with any real bumps. But just a tip, a SOBE Lifewater bottle is exactly the diameter of the holder and will stay put no matter what bumps you go over. After almost 8 months of heavy use I'm a huge fan.

(legalese)

My Review of Playtex Breast Milk Storage Set

Originally submitted at Toys R Us

It's the most convenient way to store breast milk!

Guaranteed to be leak-free

Pump, store and feed in one liner

No pouring, no clean up

Freezer safe
What could be easier? There's no spilled breast milk or extra bottles to wash. Pl...

Playtex Breast Milk Storage Set

Great if you exclusively use PT bottles

By Sarita la profesora from KY on 12/28/2009

 

4out of 5

Pros: Easy To Use, Safe For Baby, Durable, Easy To Clean

Best Uses: Breastfeeding, Infants

Describe Yourself: First Time Parent

I've used this system to store breastmilk for 7 months and continue to use it. I bought 2 packages so I have 2 adapters that fit my Medela pump, and 12 storage caps that I reuse and reuse. The convenience of being able to pump directly into the liner was not a huge benefit to me, because I don't usually pump enough to store at one time--at the beginning because I was pumping after nursing so didn't pump much, and now because I store 6 oz at a time and almost never pump that much. The convenience is good if you're going to use Playtex bottles exclusively, but someone gave us Walmart bottles, and baby girl decided she also liked Gerber Nuk bottles. If you're using another bottle, don't bother with this--buy the Lansinoh bags. If you freeze the Lansinoh bags flat, they thaw in 3-4 minutes. These store with the milk in a cylinder, obviously, and they're a pain to thaw. They take forever to warm in my experience. But if you pump a lot and only use PT bottles, it's a good system.

(legalese)

Friday 12/25/09: Hold off on seasonal products

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Love Coffemate's Christmas flavors? Me too. I wish they'd sell peppermint mocha year-round. I loooove it. But I hold off and wait until the week after Christmas, and hoard coupons for it, and then the store will discount it at least 50%. I buy enough to last me at least through February. It does have a "best by..." date, but remember that there's not actually any dairy in it so it's good long after that date.

Thursday 12/24/09: Try new flavors

So you have a coupon that's for a specific flavor, and you're going to be careful you use it correctly, as per yesterday's tip. But I want to encourage you to be willing to try new products and new flavors, with those specific-kind coupons. Often, companies who only sell an item during a certain season (pumpkin egg nog) or are launching a new item (Crackerfuls, which fell flat and was soon removed) will publish high-value coupons and severely discount the price in hopes of creating brand loyalty that will pay off later when the product is regular price and you don't have a coupon. Don't buy into that part of it, but feel free to take advantage of their big marketing push at the beginning! You could end up with a special treat you'll love. :)

Wednesday 12/23/09: Watch coupon rules: Specific flavors, etc

When you're buying egg nog and using a coupon for it, make sure that the coupon doesn't say you have to get pumpkin egg nog in order to get the savings, unless of course, you like pumpkin egg nog! Just be sure you're getting the right item so you're not stopped when you get to the register and then you're tempted to say, "Oh well, just go ahead and put it in, I guess." On the other hand...

Tuesday 12/22/09: It might not be a sale tag

While you're checking sale tags, make sure it's actually a sale tag. At Kroger they put tags the same color yellow as a sale tag on some items, but the tag just says "Everyday Low Price." It's the price it's always been, but putting a yellow tag on it makes you think you're getting a good deal. Remember, it's all a ploy to get you to buy more, and it's all based on real marketing research, so you have to be very savvy to make it work for you. But you can do it!

Monday 12/21/09: Check the sale tag

At the store where I do most of my grocery shopping (Kroger), they have an advertisement about how you'll find "those yellow tags" down every aisle and on the items you buy most. And it's true. But make sure you check that yellow tag to see what your actual savings is. I've seen them advertise a sale, and then it turns out that you're saving 19 cents on a 6-dollar item. Really? 19 cents? You call this a sale? I don't.

Sunday 12/20/09: Beware coupons for multiple items

I'm on vacation so I've missed a few days but I'm going to take a minute now to schedule some posts to appear automatically so hopefully that won't happen too much while I'm on vacation.

Today's tip is to choose carefully whether to use a coupon for multiple items. I saw a coupon a couple of weeks ago that was for something like if you bought two of these boxes of cereal, plus this drink, plus this movie, you'll get $5 back. Also, in our paper I frequently see coupons for peanut butter + jelly, or pancake mix + syrup, or canned milk + baking item, and I rarely clip them. Think of all the factors that have to come together to make them useful: both brands have to be on sale or cheap enough to be a comparable price to other brands, the coupon needs to be a high enough value, and you have to actually need and be willing to use all the items on the coupon. This doesn't happen enough for me. Once I did need pancake mix and canned milk, and both were on sale, so I saved a small percentage per item, but that's pretty rare.

Thursday 12/17/09: Don't buy paper towels

Okay, so this isn't really a coupon or sale tip at all, but it is about saving money (and the environment). I do use paper towels, but at the rate of about 1 roll every 9 months. Kleenex Viva are my favorite so when they go on sale and I have a coupon, I'll buy a roll if I'm almost out, and then that lasts me many months. And I'm a mom with an infant playing with solid foods. I know people who go through one or two rolls a week because they use them for everything, but you really don't need them to clean up spills. A dishcloth will work just as well and you can wash it. Thus you're saving money and the environment. A couple things I do consistently use paper towels for are cooking hot dogs (I wet the paper towel and wrap the dog in it to make it plump up nice & moist in the microwave) and cleaning glass. I can't think of anything else you have to have them for. Think of how you can use reusable products instead of disposable products, and you'll save money every time.

Wednesday 12/16/09: Some stores bonus coupons over $0.50

We traveled to Ohio for Thanksgiving and on our way there we stopped at a Kroger. I decided to get some Gerber juice for my baby since she had drunk the remainder of what we had. I had a coupon for 55 cents off of three, and they were on sale. Not a stellar buy, but still saving money on something I had to buy. When I got my receipt, behold, Kroger had added a 45-cent bonus "coupon" to make it equal a dollar. WHOA. I mean, that's the reason for 55-cent coupons--the store doesn't have to double it. So far I haven't found a store in my area that does this, but be aware that there are some that do, so you can look for one in your area. Ask your store if they're aware of any of their chain that will bonus any coupon to make it worth $1.

Tuesday 12/15/09: It's a marketing ploy: "Limit 3"

Hmm, missed a few days, didn't I?

Today's tip is another in the "It's a marketing ploy" series. Marketing research shows that people will walk by a table with a product on sale, but will stop and buy 3 if there's a big bright sign that says "Limit 3" or however many. The psychology is that you feel like if there's a limit on how many you can get, it must be a really good buy. Don't buy into it--unless it really is a good buy! Just make sure you're getting a good product at a good price... and as an added tip, if you don't need three, don't buy three.

Friday 12/11/09: It's a myth: "Buying bulk is cheaper"

Almost anyone will tell you that it's cheaper to buy in bulk. That is, after all, the thought behind "Value Packs" and Sam's Club and Costco, right? Well, it's not always true. Make sure you're scouting sales and figuring out the cost per item or unit.
Even cheapskates like me have certain things they just won't buy the cheapest version of. One of mine is hot dogs. I will only eat Hebrew National hot dogs. Another is pancake syrup. In our house Saturday morning is Pancake Day. I can't bring myself to buy that cheap syrup that is basically pure sugar with artificial flavorings and tastes like it. I want the pure maple syrup. Yes, I'm aware it's several dollars a bottle, but it's just that good, and we don't go through that much of it. I do buy the store brand, though. Would you believe that the larger size of Kroger pure maple syrup is more expensive per ounce than the smaller size, and has been since I've been buying it. So, I always by the smaller size.
Another example is soda. My husband loves to drink Mt. Dew. The cheapest place to get it, usually, is at Sam's. But occasionally Kroger will run it on sale, plus a buy-three/four/whatever-get-$$-off, and it turns out to be significantly cheaper than Sam's.
Just be sure you're looking to see how much it costs per item or per unit of measure to make sure you're getting a good deal.

Thursday 12/10/09: It's a marketing ploy: "30% more!"

This is the first of an ongoing series I'll have on marketing ploys that are designed to get you to buy items but don't necessarily save you money.

Marketing research as shown that people are more inclined to buy something that has a special label on it such as "50% more!" or the like. Sometimes this means that the product contains 12 ounces instead of 8 ounces and is sold at the 8-oz price, which is a good thing. However, make sure you read the small print on the label! The other day I saw on a product, "30% more!" in big happy letters, and underneath it said in tiny letters "than the 5-oz. size." No price difference, just more product. Beware of this scheme and make sure you're getting a good deal.

Wednesday 12/09/09: If you have $$ off purchase of $$...

So what about those $5 off purchase of $25 like the coupon you can get for Riteaid off of smartsource.com and redplum.com? Can you combine them with other coupons? Absolutely. Not only that, but you should make sure the price before coupons is $25, then hand the cashier the $5 coupon first. Then give the rest of the coupons and they'll come off the remaining cost. That's how I got $28 worth of merchandise (most already on a good sale) for $17 this week.

Tuesday 12/08/09: If you have $$ off purchase of $$...

Smartsource.com and Redplum.com are both offering coupons from RiteAid for $5 off $25. If you go to use that coupon, make sure the total price of your purchase is as close to $25 as possible (mine today was $28). If you need enough stuff to warrant it, go back later and use the second coupon to get it again. Then you've saved $10 off of $50 as opposed to $5 off if you'd purchased everything at the same time. Better yet, see if the cashier will ring the groups up separately and let you use the coupons at the same time.

Monday 12/07/09: Use redplum.com

Another online source of coupons is Redplum.com. They don't have as many grocery coupons as Smartsource, but they do have several categories of coupons, like restaurants and style.

Saturday 12/5/09: Use smartsource.com

You know about coupons you get in the paper, coupons you get in the mail, coupons you get in your email, but did you know you can also access coupons online? Smartsource.com is one that lets you print coupons (which personally I like better because 1) the store will still double it and 2) I don't have to remember what they are, as opposed to ones loaded electronically to my card). Yesterday I saw they had one that was $5 off a $25 purchase at Riteaid, which I really could have used two days earlier... oh well! Also I was able to print one for a package of coffee filters I was headed to the store to buy anyway, so with the coupon and the sale on them, I was able to save about 65% on that. Lots of stuff out there, just gotta look!

Friday 12/4/09: Like blizzards? Join the fan club.

As part of living healthy after being obese as a teenager, I cannot have ice cream in my house. But I'm not willing to give up ice cream forever. I know it's more expensive, but if I have ice cream, it's by getting it out somewhere. That way it has to be a special occasion as opposed to a pint of Ben & Jerry's calling my name every day in the freezer. So it only made sense for me to join Dairy Queen's Blizzard Fan Club (sign up on the bottom of the page). Once a month I get a coupon in my email to buy one, get one free of the blizzard of the month (the pumpkin one was to die for). One for me, one for my husband, $3.32. And the coupon rule is to be used only once so I get ice cream once a month, at a pretty good price, without overindulging! Everyone wins.

Thursday 12/3/09: Double up on rebates

Yesterday I wrote about the gift of savings from Riteaid, and I also want you to know that you can double up on these rebates. The gift of savings rebate is actually from Riteaid, but Riteaid is constantly offering rebates from manufacturers as well. For example, if you're a parent you go through lots of batteries like we do. Our seven-month-old has to sleep with a noise machine for which we don't have a power cord, so I'm always in the market for cheap AA batteries. This week Riteaid has an offer to purchase $15 in Duracell batteries and get a $5 rebate. They also have a coupon to get a 12-pk for $7.99 (btw, not an impressive deal unless you combine it). Lately the papers have been running 75-cent coupons for Duracell which you can combine with the Riteaid coupon. If there are other similar deals that get you to $25, you'll get the $5 from Duracell and the $5 from RiteAid so you really only spent $15, and better yet if you found another rebate you could use! I'm not a fan of Riteaid's normal prices but this is a way you can get super deals there.

Wednesday 12/2/09: Riteaid gift of savings

Riteaid is running a Christmas gift of savings now that their fall gift of savings program ended. Basically, if you spend $25, you get $5 back, $10 back on $50, and $20 back on $100. The fall program is one of the reasons I got the three packages of Huggies for $7 total. If they have things you need, and you're going to spend the money anyway, this could be a good way to get it back!

Tuesday 12/01/09: Use two coupons on the same item

Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid all tend to include store-specific coupons in their sale ads. What you may not realize, though, is that it's rare for these coupons to be restricted to be used alone. Usually a coupon you clip from the paper will say "not valid in conjunction with any other offer" or "limit one per item per customer" in order to prevent you from using multiple coupons to get an item for free. That's not usually the case with an in-ad coupon. Look at the fine print to make sure it doesn't contain one of those exclusions, and then use both. I did this a few weeks ago to get Softsoap body wash at Rite Aid for 25 cents.

Monday 11/30/09: An example of getting something for 'free'

Whenever I pull off an amazing deal, I'll post in on here as sort of a case study in how to stumble on or plan a great buy. Friday we were on the road to visit relatives and I needed to get Bonine (an anti-motion sickness medicine) so I could grade papers (I'm a teacher) in the car. So we stopped at Walgreens. It also happened that I'd forgotten my deoderant on the trip. I thought, well, I have some deoderant coupons, and I like to have a backup for when the other runs out because I hate running out of deoderant. So I stopped by the deoderant and was reminded by the sale tags that the new Dove Ultimate was priced at $3.99 with a $4 Register Reward. I have written about being careful with Register Rewards, but there are times when they do work well. I picked it up and went and got the Walgreens version of Bonine, which is about $6 a pack. So since what I really needed was more than the Register Rewards, this is how it worked: I took them both to the register, and said I wanted to pay for them separately. I bought the deoderant for $4.26 (tax) and received a coupon for $4 off my "next purchase." Then she scanned the medicine, I handed her the coupon, and I paid my $2 left over. So I got what I had gone in for, which I would have bought regardless of the price, and got Dove deoderant for $0.26.
(Incidentally, it would've been better if I'd had a coupon for Dove, but all I had was Secret and Suave.)

I'll probably miss Sundays fairly often

Sundays around our house is a pretty quiet, reflective day, and as a rule we don't turn on the TV or get on facebook or the like, so just warning you I should've named the blog "Coupon Tip of Most Days except Sunday."

Saturday 11/28/09: Buy for next Thanksgiving

The best time to buy anything for any holiday is within a week after the same holiday the previous year. So if you're into decorating for Thanksgiving, or you were thinking how nice it would be to have a pretty fall platter at this year's dinner, head out to Hobby Lobby, Michael's, AC Moore, drug stores, department stores, etc., and get at least 50% off Thanksgiving decor and supplies for next year. This is how I get all my Christmas decorations, and I'm developing quite a store of great stuff. After a week the items left aren't the best selection, but also after a few days the store will keep cutting the price, often up to 80% off within two weeks.

Friday, 11/27/09: Black Friday-power hours get extended

It's time to head out to shop! As you shop today and plan where you're going, consider that stores that are very busy will often extend their "power hours" or whatever they call them because of the volume of customers who arrived before the hours ended but haven't made it through the looooong line yet. I know for sure this happens at Kohl's. Also, if you get to a place right before their hours end, ask an associate if you can still get the sale price even though it will be after the power hours when you get to the register. They want to make the sale so I'm betting they'll acquiesce. How much money you save is often up to you and how assertive you're willing to be!

Thursday 11/26/09: Black Friday-file your rebates immediately

Rebates are great, and the reason that companies think they're great is that many people don't bother to file them. With more and more online filing of rebates (I've done Staples and RiteAid recently) it's so easy--DO IT. I mean as soon as you get home tomorrow, go online and file all your rebates. The way I do it, I put the item on my credit card and file the rebate immediately, so I get the money back before I pay my credit card bill. So I actually don't spend any of my own money and it functions exactly like a coupon.

Wednesday, 11/25/09: Black Friday tips-read the fine print

It's almost time for one of the biggest shopping days of the year! As you head out this Friday (which I will NOT be doing for the first time in a few years!) I have a few tips for you. First, read the fine print on all the sale papers with offers you're interested in. Check out how many items the store will have so you can plan where you need to be first. See if the computer comes with no software so you'll have to buy $500 of software to use it for anything. Look for quantity limits, and time limits (i.e. the deal is only 5-11 a.m. or whatever). Remember, all sales and advertising are designed to get you to spend money on specific products. That's not bad, because if you need a product you're going to buy it one way or another. Just be sure that you're spending the amount of money you planned (or less) on the products you want, without spending more because you missed the hidden rules.

Tuesday 11/24/09: Thanksgiving week-it's all on sale

Sorry I missed yesterday-family in town and all that!

In honor of Thanksgiving I want to make a few comments this week about Thanksgiving week shopping. First, understand that grocery stores are competing to sell you Thanksgiving food this week. So, everything you can think of eating for Thanksgiving is going to be on sale everywhere. Your task is to look at sale papers, look at your coupons, and look for the best sales. You'll be exceeding your typical food budget this week so it's worth the time to save extra!

Sunday 11/22/09: Throw away the coupon if the alternative's cheaper

If you're going to be a good couponer, that means you're not going to fall prey to the purpose of coupons--to get you to spend money you wouldn't otherwise have spent on a product you don't really need or want. To that end, marketers will do anything to convince you that you must have their product above all others. Even couponing itself becomes a ploy because you think you must be getting a good deal because you used a coupon. Don't believe it. Always look at all the alternative items before you decide on a purchase. If the generic store brand is cheaper even using the coupon, ditch the coupon and buy the store brand. This is especially true with medicine, to me. Almost any acetometaphin product is the same as Tylenol, so why pay three times the price for Tylenol? Seriously, I have seen Tylenol cost triple the generic, the exact same product.
On the other hand, if you don't like the generic or alternative, or have a particular affinity for the brand, feel free to buy it. I will not buy generic canned corn. I just don't like it as well. The point is to make an educated decision and be pleased with the savings you're getting.

Saturday 11/21: Watch coupon rules-Buy this, get that

Occasionally there will be a coupon that allows you to save off of two separate items, or to buy one and get a different one free or at a discount. I rarely cut these out because I rarely need both items, and if you stop to calculate the actual savings, it's not much. The odds that I'll need both items, find them both on sale, and have the coupon be high enough to be a significant savings are small. Also, one of the items is normally higher-priced than a similar brand (e.g. you have to get Carnation canned milk when Eagle is cheaper). However, if you know you'll buy both items, better to save some than nothing. Just make sure you get the right items at the right sizes to get the advertised savings.

Friday, 11/20/09: Watch coupon rules-sizes and weights

Another reason a store might reject your coupon is if you haven't purchased the right size or weight of the product. For example, right now I have a coupon for Reynolds foil because I may need some soon. But, it's only good for certain sizes (the larger ones, actually, which is typical). Now, at my grocery store they won't usually catch or refuse a coupon because of the size. They're in too much of a hurry and they remember seeing the item, so they override it and move on. But to me that's dishonest so I try not to do it, and at your store they might be a little more careful about it. Again, you may end up in a situation where you're tempted to say, "Oh go ahead and get it anyway," in which case you've paid more than you wanted to and the coupon failed your purpose.

Thursday 11/19/09: Watch coupon rules-expiration dates

I don't know if all stores are like this, but the grocery store where I shop will catch via computer when a coupon is expired and won't allow you to use it (which makes sense). So make sure all your coupons are valid, if the store cares. Otherwise you'll be tempted to say, "oh, just put it in anyway," in which case another marketing aspect of coupons has worked on you--you've bought the product without a discount. I go through all of my coupons shortly after the 1st of the month to throw out all the ones I haven't used that have expired. And I look at them and think, "all those coupons represent money I didn't spend." So throwing them out is not a bad thing!

Wednesday 11/18/09: BOGO plus 2 coupons

You might think that if you need/want two of something, and they're buy-one-get-one, you can only use one coupon because the other is "free." Well, it's not really free, you're paying half-price for each, and you can certainly use two coupons. Think about say, a side dish from Country Crock. If they're typically $5, and they're on sale as a BOGO, and you have two coupons for $1 each, you're getting $10 worth of side dishes for $3- 70% off. That's smart couponing!

Tuesday 11/17/09: Shop where BOGO means 50% off

The most annoying thing to me about Walgreens, my favorite drugstore, is that when something is "two for $__" or "buy one get one," you actually have to buy two in order to get that price. Check out your local store to see if "buy one get one free" really means 50% off. At Kroger, it does. Don't be tricked into buying two when you only need one. If they're $4, and it's BOGO, it rings up as $2 each. Even better if you have a coupon, or two... but that's for tomorrow!

Monday 11/16/09: Know what's a sale

Off the top of my head, the stores that make a whole lot of money on this type of gimmick are Hobby Lobby and Kohl's. Their "regular retail" price is outrageous, but any given week almost everything in the store is 33-50% "off". And just to make you really think you're getting a deal, every so often it's actually full price. Part of smart shopping is knowing what a real sale is, and knowing what a good price is, not necessarily believing what the store is telling you. They're playing off of research that says people will buy things "on sale" no matter what the price, just because it's a "sale."
At the grocery store, my best example of this is Tyson Anytizers. My husband and I like to use the boneless buffalo wings to make buffalo chicken salad, so we occasionally buy them, and I can tell you I have never seen them NOT "on sale." My coupon gets me a good price, but I'm not fooled--I know I'm not really saving as much as Kroger says I am.

Sunday 11/15/09: "Do not double" doesn't mean anything

As I wrote yesterday, you should shop at a store that will double your coupons. But what about a coupon for 50 cents that says "Do not double" on the top? Doesn't mean anything. A store that doubles coupons will still give you the bonus amount. I *think* the difference is that in one, the manufacturer pays the doubling, and in the other case, the store does, but regardless of the reason, be assured that your store will still double a coupon 50 cents or lower if it says "Do not double" on the top.

Saturday 11/14/09: Shop where they'll double your coupons

This seems almost intuitive, but you should always shop at a place that will double your coupons, IF your coupon is for 50 cents or less. Every once in a blue moon Kmart will double coupons up to $2.00 but that's the only time I know of a place that doubles coupons over 50 cents. Where I used to live a store would sometimes have a special triple coupon day.

Find out who doubles coupons and go there!

Friday, 11/13/09: sign up for special offers

Are you one of those people who always clicks "decline" "no, thanks" "skip this" on websites asking for your email and/or mailing address. So was I. Not anymore. If you regularly use a particular kind of item, check out the company's (companies') website(s) to see if they have a "club" for savings offers--most do. Huggies, for example, typically puts coupons up to $1.50 off of diapers periodically in the newspaper insert. In their mailings, however, their coupons are often $3 off one package. That's how I got the great deal on Huggies I talked about earlier this week. You just won't get coupons with that high a value in the paper. Pampers also has a club and they sent me coupons just a couple of days ago. This morning I checked my email to discover a coupon for $5 in Borders Bucks in my email (and unlike Barnes & Noble, the Borders Rewards program is free). Even Kellogg's has an e-newsletter for promotions and special offers.
Think about where you shop and what you spend money on, and start surfing!

Thursday 11/12/09: Use internet offers

Don't forget to take advantage of internet offers! For example, for the next three days you can get a $25 gift certificate to a restaurant on Restaurant.com for $2 by entering the code 'ENTREE' before checking out. Now, you do have to spend $35 to use the certificate, and you do need to remember to tip 18%, but still in the end you're getting a $35 dinner out for about half that. Then, after you've bought one coupon, Restaurant.com will email you when they run new sales. Remember, the newspaper isn't the only place for good coupons!

Wednesday 11/11/09: Undo your brand loyalty

Brand loyalty is the term advertisers use to describe the situation where a certain brand has won you over, so you keep buying that brand. It's especially common with cars and clothes. Once a Toyota owner, always a Toyota owner, and so forth.
If you're serious about saving money, you've got to get out of the mindset that you have to have a certain brand of everything. Now, for some things I really do. I love my Schick Quattro Pro razor. Generic canned corn tastes weird to me. But as much as you can, resolve that you will get whatever offers you the best deal. I promise, regardless of ad campaigns, Crest is every bit as effective as Colgate--if you doubt it, read the endorsement by the ADA on the box. I prefer Coffeemate, but when International Delight is having a good sale and I have a coupon, I switch because saving money is more important that exercising my brand loyalty. And don't invent brand loyalty out of what the advertisers say. Ignore Swanson broth commercials and look on the Progresso and even store brand broth cans to see that no, they do not have MSG either, and work just as well in recipes.
As you're clipping coupons, this plays out by clipping several coupons of similar items. Clip both Progresso and Campbells. Clip both Colgate and Crest. You never know which one will be the closest to free next time you need it.

Tuesday 11/10/09: Give it time

Today's tip is to give yourself time to 1) collect the right amount of the right coupons and 2) improve your coupon-using skills. I estimate it will take you about three months to build up a good collection of coupons. Remember you want a variety of coupons for the things you typically use. I categorize things largely as food, household items, or extras. (Actually I have a fourth category--baby stuff.) Extras are things like portrait package coupons (I do have a baby!) and restaurant coupons (we like to hit Cold Stone once in a blue moon).

Keep getting those papers, clipping, organizing, and you'll have the collection of a pro in no time!

Monday 11/9/09: Beware of Extra Bucks & Register Rewards

Or, how Rite-Aid beats Walgreens and CVS.

Don't get me wrong, I love Walgreens. I think it's my brand loyalty. I get this warm fuzzy feeling when I go in. But Walgreens and CVS each have this 'rewards' program where you buy a certain amount of stuff and get "money" to spend on your next purchase. But lately I've seen two news stories, like this one, where women have claimed that by using these rewards (and similar ones at grocery stores) you can get stuff for 'free.' Not true. These programs, like anything else, are designed to get you to spend money and think you're getting stuff for free. In fact, CVS will tell you in their ad "$5.95-$5.95 in Extra Bucks, like getting it for free!"

Not true. The fact is that you paid $6 (plus tax) for whatever it is you bought, and IF you use it immediately (recommended) or come back before the ECB or RR expire, you'll get that much off your next purchase. Which means you didn't get anything for free, you paid $3 for each thing. Now, if you really need all the things you bought, then this is a good deal. My experience, though, is that these rewards are on things I don't need or want in the amount offered, or that there isn't enough more that I need that I can spend them on within the allotted time. I don't need $25 worth of Garnier products, but that's how much they want me to spend in order to get $5 in ECB. So I'm not getting $5 off, I'm spending $20 on stuff I don't need.

Rite-Aid is better because their offer is an actual rebate. The only thing is you need to be sure to file it, as soon as you get home. This way, I get the money back usually before I even have to pay for the stuff on my credit card. That's how last month Rite-Aid paid me $1 for a tube of toothpaste. They had a rebate for the entire amount, and I had a $1 coupon. Also I got 3 packages of Huggies, normally $11 each, for $5 TOTAL. Huggies offered a $10 rebate, I had $9 in coupons, and Rite-Aid had their Fall Gift of Savings program (and accidentally sent me two $5 rebates).

Shop rebates before ECB or RR, and if you do use the ECB and RR, make sure that BOTH purchases are items you'll actually use, combine with manufacturer's coupons (this is allowed!), and use the rewards immediately.

Sunday 11/8/09: Beware of "buy one get one"

As I look through the paper today, my tip is about looking through sale papers. I know it's hard to believe (lol) but sale papers are designed to get you to spend money. Everything is a ploy for companies to make money. They're counting on you not being one of the few who knows how to turn everything to your financial advantage... which I know you can do! So on the front page of the CVS insert, I find out that Loreal lip color is buy one, get one. Plus there are coupons for $1. I have two because I bought two papers. So I can get 2 lipsticks for $3.99 ($5.99, plus one free, - $2 in coupons). This is a really good deal for Loreal lipstick. If you wear lipstick. I have to admit I'm very tempted by this deal, but I wear lipstick perhaps once a month, and anything I need, my lipstick-addict mom can supply me with. So if I take advantage of this great deal, I've just spent $4 I didn't need to spend.

Don't get sucked in to the marketing ploys!

Saturday 11/7/09: Clip what you'll use

Ok, so you've got your papers, you've taken out the grocery & drug store sale ads and coupon inserts (and hopefully recycled the rest), now what?

As you go through, it takes some discipline and time to cut the right coupons. Refuse to clip coupons for things you know you won't need or want. I do not use disposable razors. I can't stand them. So, even though you can get them for free sometimes, I never clip those coupons. My husband doesn't use shaving gel. I have a migraine sensitivity to anything strongly-scented, so I don't use candles or continual air fresheners. I don't like to keep desserts in the house, so unless it's a special occasion I don't buy cookie mixes or frozen pies.

Remember, as great as coupons can be, they're still a marketing ploy to get you to buy something. Saving 40% still means you spent 60%.

Shared post: Ten things you should never pay for

Be sure to check out this post over on Saving Your Cents. Once you get really into this you will be surprised at the things you're getting for free or almost free! E.g. in my shopping trip this week I got Land o'lakes butter for free and paid $0.17 for pancake mix.

Friday, 11/06/09: First newspaper of the month

Have you noticed that the first Saturday of the month is the biggest one for yardsales? Well, the same is true for coupons. The first weekend of the month, unless there's a holiday (like Labor Day), is typically the biggest one for coupons. Occasionally there are as many as five coupon inserts that Sunday, but the norm is three for us here, one RedPlum, one SmartSource, and one P&G brandsaver. So on the first Sunday you'll definitely want to buy two unless it's a holiday. The coupon value that day is usually well over $300.

Thursday 11/5/09: Don't buy two newspapers

Does your newspaper tell you how many coupons are inside?

On the outside of our newspaper, the Louisville Courier-Journal, in the top right corner, there's a red box that says "$145 in coupons inside!" or something to that effect. When there are no coupons, no box.

In this tip I'm amending the previous one to buy two newspapers. If there is less than $200 worth of coupons inside the paper, I only buy one, because I can be pretty sure there aren't enough coupons I'll actually use to justify the cost of two papers. If there are over $200, I'll buy two.

Wednesday 11/4/09: Buy two newspapers

Today's tip:

Almost every Sunday, you should buy two of the largest local newspaper. This will get you two of each coupon inside.

Exception:
There are usually no coupons released on holiday weekends, so don't buy a paper. You can view sale papers online so the newspaper isn't worth it for that.

Welcome! (to myself)

I've been asked by a lot of friends to start sharing information about how I use coupons and sales to save lots of money in this difficult economy.

A little bit about me: I'm an almost-30 mom of a 6-month-old baby girl, wife to the best husband on the planet, making our way through life here in Kentucky. My husband and I are both working part-time now since the baby was born, and things are really tight. So, we tightened with them. I'm on a quest to get the most I can for the least amount of money.

I'm a realistic person. You aren't going to find too much here about getting $200 worth of groceries for five cents, or how to get paid to shop. I always look at those stories and think, I want to know more. What kind of food did they get? Are they eating beans with chocolate bars? Canned meat with no spices? I mean, if you're going to get pancake mix, you're usually going to want some syrup, right? I want to feed my family well, but at the best price, and that's what this is about. As an example, earlier this week I went to the store and got $240 worth of groceries for $132, a savings of 40%, real food including meat, sides, vegetables, and even desserts, to feed us for at least 3 weeks.

Anyway, welcome and here we go!