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!

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.

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 11/10/09: 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.

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.