Things to consider: Coupon basics pt. 1

I'm a coupon nerd.
I carry my overflowing, bulging, bright pink, 3 inch coupon binder with me into every store I go to.
I peruse every aisle and every endcap.
Every time I check out, the person behind me says, "Wow, how do you do that."
My reply? "It's easy!"

Couponing can seem overwhelming and confusing, but it's actually pretty darn easy. There are some things that need to be learned, but it comes quickly, and it doesn't take much time at all for the savings to come rolling in.
I've been thinking about how to blog about all the couponing basics, but it's hard to know where to start. I'm going to blog about the basics in a series, but I want everyone to know that there are a lot of blogs that already have this information. My favorite, and I believe it to be the best, is hip2save.com.
There's a lot of great information over there if you don't want to wait for me to hash it all out!

Today I am starting with some basic information that might bust some common couponing myths.

1. Couponing does take time, but not as much as you might think. The great thing about couponing is that you can clip and store however you'd like.

2. There are more coupons out there, beyond the inserts. Sunday inserts are where a great number of coupons come from, but there are other options. These days, numerous coupons can be printed from the internet. Some good sites to go to are:
smartsource.com
redplum.com
coupons.com
The blogs I visit also post additional printable coupon lists; my two favorite are:
hip2save.com
thekrazycouponlady.com
Free samples are another way to score coupons (usually with far-off expiration dates!) The above blogs also post links to receive free samples, and the Walmart website frequently puts out a few samples every few weeks.

If there is a certain product that you must just have, then it never hurts to e-mail or phone the company and ask if they have any coupons. A majority of companies do not put coupons in the paper inserts, but they are very willing to send coupons upon request. Last week, Target was having a really good Kashi promotion. I didn't have any coupons for Kashi, so I e-mailed them and told them how much I love their pumpkin flax bars. Two days later, I got an e-mail back with a link to print off two $1/1 coupons for any Kashi product!

3. It is very valuable to keep coupons, even if you think they are low-value. The key to couponing is to combine coupons with store deals. On Sundays (and Wednesdays), go through store ads and look for price cuts, special deals, buy-one-get-one free (BOGO) sales, etc. Store ads also contain store coupons, which CAN be combined with manufacturer coupons.
A $3/1 infusium coupon might not seem that great when the infusium sells for $7, BUT when a store has it on price cut for $5.99, an in-store coupon for $2/1, and you use that $3/1 coupon, then it's only $.99!

4. Store coupons can be used with manufacturer coupons! I know I said this in the last one, but it's so vital to couponing. Every store puts out their own store coupons in their ads; these coupons will clearly say the name of the store on top. Even if you use a store coupon on an item, you can still use a manufacturer coupon for even more savings.
This past Sunday, I found a Fred Meyer coupon in their ad to get Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce for only $1. There was also a $1/2 (one dollar off two) manufacturer coupon in the Sunday insert, so I got the BBQ sauce for only $.50 each.

5. The words "ANY" and "No size exclusion" are a couponer's best friend. Always read coupons carefully to see if there are any size restrictions. Many coupons will say "excludes trial/travel size," but not all. These coupons are great to have to score travel sie items for free. Now you might say, "But, it's just a travel size." Yes, it is just a travel sie, but it's FREE!
Yesterday, I went to Walmart with 10 $1/1 any size Herbal Essences shampoo/conditioner coupon. Well, this particular Walmart carried Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner in the travel size for $.97...So, I ended up getting 10 little bottles for...free.
But wait! How could I use a $1/1 coupon on something that was $.97?

Most stores will adjust the coupon down to the amount of the coupon. Some cashiers will even just push the coupon through, allowing overage for other items in the transaction. It all depends on the store's coupon policy. thekrazycouponlady has links to corporate coupon policies for numerous stores, and I highly advise printing them and bringing them shopping with you. If a cashier is unwilling to take the coupon, you can always ask to speak to a supervisor regarding the policy. Sometimes cashiers just are unsure of their store's policy, and they are nervous about doing something wrong.

6. Sometimes people will sneer at you, you will get dirty looks, and cashiers will roll their eyes. Just be prepared for all the coupon haters out there! Here are some of the things I do to keep the peace as much as I can while checking out.
1. I always double check my coupons to make sure they are all current and match the
items I have.
2. I let people go in front of me, assuring them that my transaction will probably take
a little longer.
3. I organize my coupons, putting any for a free item at the top, and I hand them to
the cashier at the beginning of the transaction.
4. If people get behind me in line, I quickly scan their items to see if I have any
coupons to give to them. This works WONDERFULLY!
5. If a cashier doesn't want to push a coupon through, I remain calm and explain the
policy.
Even though people can have bad attitudes toward couponers, I have found that many people think it's awesome how much I save. I use the extra time it takes to scan coupons to give out coupons or couponing tips to cashiers and other customers.

Well, these are a few basic basics! My next post will contain some more technical coupon information, as well as a glossary of couponing terms. Couponing is a relatively easy way to save a minimum of 50% of every grocery bill. Just devoting half an hour a day is really all it takes to score free items and stockpile prices! Yesterday at Walmart, I nabbed 15 12-packs of Schick disposable razors for the Union Gospel Mission for FREE! All I had to do was clip 15 $2/1 coupons from the Sunday insert, and voila! (They were priced at $1.97 each, so I even made $.03 overage toward my Vitamin Water that I also got a great deal on)

So, if you're interested in the world of extreme couponing, hang in there! Oh, and if you are wondering how in the world I was able to get 15 coupon inserts... I buy multiple copies of the paper (usually using register rewards at Walgreens, which I'll talk about later), AND I stalk people I see buying papers. ;) Yes, I go up to people and ask if they are going to use their coupon inserts- I explain I'm using coupons to buy items for the mission, and most are more than happy to give them to me.

Generate Kindness <3