How many do you get????

[mrsboz]

I was wondering what you guys think? When there is a coupon for a particular product that you love and you can get it free through coupons how many do you get? It doesn't have a limit on it it just say $1.00 and the product costs $1.00. How many do you "buy"?

 

[akenneson]

For me, it usually depends on a couple of things. One, how much room do I have to store them? Second, how many do I already have? And so, if I decide I can "buy" a bunch, I'll try and buy as many as I have coupons for. Or, I set a limit on how much of my grocery budget I am willing to spend on these particular items. $10, $20, more?

 

[alyssa810]

It also depends on if it's perishable or has an expiration date. I tend to load up on things like soap and shampoo when I can get them "free" with coupons, but I've also made the mistake of doing that with things like deodorant (which loses efficacy after a few years ) and certain food things. I'll buy as much as I have coupons for on things that don't go bad.

 

[Justsyd2]

I'll buy as many as I think I might need and use within the next 3 - 6 months. It really depends on what the item is. If it's shampoo -- I might buy 3 or 4. If it's toothpaste -- the same. If it's paper towels -- I might get 6.

 

[mrsboz]

it is macaroni and cheese. that is why i'm wondering. I didnt' know if they would say something if you gave them ten coupons for the same free item.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

it is macaroni and cheese. that is why i'm wondering. I didnt' know if they would say something if you gave them ten coupons for the same free item.

They shouldn't say anything - there is nothing wrong with that unless there is some type of limit on a sale item as to how many you can get. The stores are reiumbursed the coupon value plus a handling fee so they actually make MORE money off of an item if a coupon is used on it.

Hardcore couponers use sales like this to stock up on items. I try to get as many as I can within the limits of the sale that my family will use before the item goes bad. I was able to get our favorite brand of yogurt for .25 a pack after coupon so I got several of the packs but we didn't eat it as fast as I had hoped and 1 package expired and had to be tossed out. It was a great buy at .25 but not a bargain if I didn't get to use it.

I usually order 10 to 20 of a coupon at a time for free items from a clipping service. I've got a nice supply of tuna, spaghetti, granola bars, instant potatoes, kool-aid, cereal, salad dressing and other staples with a nice long shelf life in the pantry right now. I get tons of free toiletries at CVS but those are limited per household as to how many you can get for each sale period.

You may also consider getting a few extra boxes of your freebies for the food pantry in town. DD's school has a food drive every fall and I load them up with freebies I got from couponing. They are always VERY appreciative.

 

[mrsboz]

thanks everybody. it doesn't have a limit so I wasn't sure. Thanks for your help.

 

[PinkRhombus]

Today I took a bunch....15 actually...of coupons for those Betty Crocker Warm Delights to Meijer today. They all were free with the sale price and coupons.

 

[JeMarie6]

I used to buy wayyyy too much and ended up with things like Hamburger Helper well past its expiration date. Now even with food staples, I tend to buy enough to last about 6-8 weeks. Maybe a little more like 2-3 months for personal items like Shampoo, but tastes and circumstances change so I don't buy too much more than that even if its a good deal.

 

[akcire]

I do a lot of work with my local food pantry. Any time I can get free after sale price items, I split the products with the food pantry. If I can get 8, they get 4. Now for personal care products: shampoo, toothpaste, etc I will keep the brands my family is more likely to use and give the food pantry the least likely used. This keeps my "bulk buying" in check (so my house is not bursting) and helps others in need.

 

[runwad]

They shouldn't say anything - there is nothing wrong with that unless there is some type of limit on a sale item as to how many you can get. The stores are reiumbursed the coupon value plus a handling fee so they actually make MORE money off of an item if a coupon is used on it.

Hardcore couponers use sales like this to stock up on items. I try to get as many as I can within the limits of the sale that my family will use before the item goes bad. I was able to get our favorite brand of yogurt for .25 a pack after coupon so I got several of the packs but we didn't eat it as fast as I had hoped and 1 package expired and had to be tossed out. It was a great buy at .25 but not a bargain if I didn't get to use it.

I usually order 10 to 20 of a coupon at a time for free items from a clipping service. I've got a nice supply of tuna, spaghetti, granola bars, instant potatoes, kool-aid, cereal, salad dressing and other staples with a nice long shelf life in the pantry right now. I get tons of free toiletries at CVS but those are limited per household as to how many you can get for each sale period.

You may also consider getting a few extra boxes of your freebies for the food pantry in town. DD's school has a food drive every fall and I load them up with freebies I got from couponing. They are always VERY appreciative.

Hey ClarabelleCowFan..next time your yogurts are getting close to the expiry date throw them in the freezer. Thats what we do and it's like eating sherbert. The kids love to freeze go-gurts its like a pudding pop. And then if you don't like it throw it away but maybe you will and it will be money saved

 

[JerseyMamaBear]

i wish i could figure out this whole coupon thing you you guys do. Im still new at it

 

[C.Ann]

If there was no limit - and I had obtained the coupons legally - and it was for something I needed every week (Breathe Right Strips; Digestive Advantage Gas Defense Formula; Boost; etc.), I would get as many as I had coupons for..

The exception would be if there was someone standing right there next to me with coupons wanting to get some too and there wasn't a ton available.. In that case I would share..

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Hey ClarabelleCowFan..next time your yogurts are getting close to the expiry date throw them in the freezer. Thats what we do and it's like eating sherbert. The kids love to freeze go-gurts its like a pudding pop. And then if you don't like it throw it away but maybe you will and it will be money saved

I actually thought about that but these were 6 days past expiration by the time we pulled that pack out to eat so I just tossed them. Now I check all the dates at the store and get the latest ones they have and then make sure I put the first to expire at the front of the fridge so those get eaten first.

I'll put some in the freezer though and see if we like them. The Fiber One strawberry flavor tastes SO yummy anyway and I'm not a big yogurt fan.

If there was no limit - and I had obtained the coupons legally - and it was for something I needed every week (Breathe Right Strips; Digestive Advantage Gas Defense Formula; Boost; etc.), I would get as many as I had coupons for..

The exception would be if there was someone standing right there next to me with coupons wanting to get some too and there wasn't a ton available.. In that case I would share..

And exactly how do you acquire coupons ILLEGALLY?

 

[C.Ann]

And exactly how do you acquire coupons ILLEGALLY?

People sell large batches of them to others - which I have read is illegal - and I believe there have been cases of counterfiet rings (coupons not actually issued by the manufacturer, but they look like they are)..

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

People sell large batches of them to others - which I have read is illegal - and I believe there have been cases of counterfiet rings (coupons not actually issued by the manufacturer, but they look like they are)..

The clipping services are selling their "service" which is basically their time to clip the coupons. They send you the coupons for free as a gift for purchasing their "service". All legal.

There have been some counterfeit coupons out there but those are few and far between. I haven't seen any lately but usually those are Internet Printables and that is the reason that some stores won't take any IPs at all.

 

[Blue.Fairy2]

i wish i could figure out this whole coupon thing you you guys do. Im still new at it

ditto

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

If you want to learn to coupon then visit afullcup.com and hotcouponworld.com and read, read, read. There is a coupon database on Hot Coupon World that lists where you can get coupons.

Subscribe to the Sunday paper and ask your friends and family to save their coupon inserts for you.

Couponing is a whole different way of shopping but once you get used to it then it is easy. You learn to combine sale prices with coupons to get the best deal. If something is going to be on sale and there is a great coupon to match up with it then order extra copies of coupons from a clipping service and stock up!

Be realistic and start small until you learn the ropes.

Join us on the CVS threads and learn how to get shampoo, toothpaste, paper products, otc medicines and more for FREE or nearly free.

 

[plummer925]

I usually get as many as I possibly can and give away almost all of it.

When Marcel Small Steps had the free TP a few months ago I "bought" 3 CASES (80 rolls per case!!!) - cost me only about $14 in sales tax and the 'cost' of the coupons...a total cost of under $30 for 240 rolls of TP.

I immediately took a case into my church to share - have another whole case to take in as well - did not want to overwhelm anyone with TOO much! And keeping a case for me and my exended family.

I love 'buying' things and taking them in to my church to share - we have big families (average of 6 children per family) with only the husband working (wives are moms and keepers at home...homeschoolers too!), so money is tight for all. But we all love each other and help each other out immensely...couponing for freebies is my way of helping many of them out at once!

 

[LizinSTL]

it is macaroni and cheese. that is why i'm wondering. I didnt' know if they would say something if you gave them ten coupons for the same free item.

Depends on the store policy. We have 4 places to buy groceries here. 2 have a limit of 3 like coupons. The other 2 are unlimited use. If I buy 20 mac n cheeses and have 20 coupons that make them free, I can get them all.