LOVE LOVE LOVE coupons!! :)

[ali2000]

I would love to know how this is done. I was just about to start couponing, and need to know your secrets!!!! LOL. We are a family of 6 and are now on 1 income.

The key to making couponing work to the max is combining your manufacturer coupons with store coupons when there is a sale on those items. That is how many items end up free!

To begin with, I would get a binder (one of the school ones that zips up) and some baseball trading card holders (each clear sheet has about 9 slots I think). If you are going to stick with it and are serious about it, you will have to have something that big to fit all your coupons in - mine is full!

I would then start by getting the manufacturer coupons from your local paper - ours comes in the Sunday paper. Clip all of those (it's usually 2-3 inserts), file them (I'll get to the sections later), and then look at the store's ad and see what's on sale. See what's on sale and if you have any corresponding coupons. This is how you can also start your stockpile.

In your binder, sort your coupons into sections:
dairy
meat
cleaning
personal hygiene
snacks
pet
beauty/makeup
baby
drinks
breakfast
frozen
paper products
pasta/quick meals
household maintenance
etc.

Then, when you go into the stores, look for their coupon booklets (probably at customer service counter, the turnabouts in the lobby, or various places throughout the store). These are the "store" coupons you can combine with manufacturer coupons to get the great deals.
In addition to these places to find coupons, there are also "peelies" on some product packaging, tear pads throughout stores, blinkie machines in stores, and websites that you can load e-coupons directly to your store cards.

Hope this beginning helps!

 

[~disneydiva~]

another great website is hotcouponworld.com

 

[mykidsand_i]

YES, another coupon crazy person here too. I love Coupons. i saved way more than I spent yesterday at the store (HyVee)...and that's always a fun challenge for me.

It's funny because I shop twice a month (then 1 extra trip for milk/fresh fruit ONLY). Every time I go into HyVee for one of the two shopping trips a month, a manager has to come over and key in their 'approval' because I save so much. I get a good laugh.

I LOOOOOVVVEEE Target. I go there once every other month. I think it's great that they stack their store coupons with other coupons! I love to hear what others save and spend there- a little over $8 for all the stuff you bought is great! I was excited to hear that you got the same good deals as I did on the new Tide stuff and bandages! We spend $14.50 and saved $83 at Target last time we went. that makes my day!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

as a couponer, you will appreciate this. I coupon and my kids know it. They asked to go to DISNEY this last time we went and I said we can't go right now, we have to continue saving money towards that. And my DD piped up and said "Mom - don't you have a coupon for that?"

ha!

 

[ali2000]

as a couponer, you will appreciate this. I coupon and my kids know it. They asked to go to DISNEY this last time we went and I said we can't go right now, we have to continue saving money towards that. And my DD piped up and said "Mom - don't you have a coupon for that?"

ha!

that is too funny. my son says things to me about my coupons all the time!

 

[java]

Today I was rushing through shopping. Wasn't expecting much - total was $161 (YIKES!) Then after coupons and sales went down to $91! A $70 savings!

 

[jennyf2]

I wish I knew how to post a pic Today was my BEST/most savings trip in the 2 + years I've been couponing

7 Airwick Ultra--REG price $13.49 SALE price $6
had 7 $5 q's/7 $1 TQ's

4 Dial Liquid hand soap--REG price $1.37
had 4 .35 q's/4 $1 TQ's

1 Tropicana---REG price $2.99
had 1 $1 q

SUBTOTAL (after q's)--$2.02
TAX--$2.81
TOTAL--$4.83 (PAID WITH a $5 GIFT CARD FROM A DEAL LAST WEEK)

SAVED $100.88

 

[Leshaface]

Wow everyones savings is outrageous!! That's so awesome!

So I have a question...manufa coupons are good anywhere right? Target, grocery store, rite aid, CVS, etc right?

 

[deerhart]

Wow, that is fantastic! So walk me through how you got all that stuff for $8?? I try to use coupons but never do that great. I did "save" $40 according to my receipt by combining about $6 of coupons w/sales at the store but I don't know how to really work the system.

here is a "rough" idea from my CVS trip yesterday.

I bought 6 bags of reeses candy on sale for $2.50 each (savings of like $1.00 each). I used a buy 2 g1 free coupon (saved $2.50) plus a $2.00 off the purchase of 3 for a total of $10.50 in savings. I bought 2 bags of jellybeans for $2.50 each and using a $1.00 of coupon total savings about $3.00. I bought herbal essences conditioner, on sale $2.99 used $1.00 coupon (total savings roughly $3.00). I bought 2 simply asia single serving meal kits, on sale for $1, used 2 $0.50 coupons, total savings like $3.00. I bought a glade lasting impressions kit on sale $6.00, $3.00 coupon and a refill $4.00 with $1.00 coupon (savings $7.00). I bought 2 lyson cleaners (2/$5) used 2 $0.50 coupons (savings of about $4.00).

I also used a $5 off $40 CVS coupon and about $23 in ecbs. I paid a little over $7 oop and got $11 in ecbs back. Total savings was over $60.00. My ytd CVS savings is pushing over $500, with an oop total of about $240.00

 

[MEM]

I would love to know how this is done. I was just about to start couponing, and need to know your secrets!!!! LOL. We are a family of 6 and are now on 1 income.

try lurking on coupon forums like http://slickdeals.net/, http://www.afullcup.com/forums/ and blogs
http://www.wickedcooldeals.com/
and http://thecoupongoddess.blogspot.com/
http://www.couponingtodisney.com/2010/

 

[deerhart]

just wondering to the successful "couponers"...

Do you do a lot of price matching at the register? I am really limited to where I can shop. My options are Meijer, Walmart, Aldi and small town markets. I live rural with no CLOSE chains. I price match at the register a lot but often feel like I am putting the cashier WAY out of her way. Walmart has started asking to see prices in ads, so I always write down page numbers, and Meijer won't even match a price unless you give them the ad to keep - no they won't give it back.

Wondering if you have trouble with online coupons. Do the stores accept them without much hassle? I don't enjoy bartering with an impatient line behind me, a baby crying in the cart and a cashier rolling her eyes... how do you do this as a smooth operation. I always have my notepad and coupons in hand, but I know I can do better!

nope I don't price match because usually around here the stores have already done it or the store with the price is a hop skip and jump away.

I have no problems with internet coupons and never have. But that is the difference between the big city and rural America. My mom, in rural america, has had tons of problems and even a few they have rejected as fake, even though my mom printed it directly from the manf. website She usually has to go over the cashier's head.

 

[MRDUCKIE07]

I"ve tried printing the Target coupons from their website and nothings printing. Downloaded everything to, do they put a restriction on how many Target coupons can print per person?...Are you still able to print instore at kiosks or was that removed?..

 

[StephMK]

Thanks so much for explaining that, I really appreciate the tips! My project this year is to get better at using them. That is fantastic you're able to save so much!

 

[QVCshopper]

I love coupons, too, until I find myself buying more than I need. Does anyone else have this problem? I'm doing the no-buy month, so that's helping me stop buying stuff I don't need. But I recently bought 30 soaps for .10 at Pier One. Great deal, but that will take me years to use up... Same with cheap cereal, shampoo, etc. For me, not buying anything is even better than coupons sometimes. And I'm just not into stockpiling anymore. I'm trying to live a much simpler life.

Oh, but my best coupon deal recently was at the mall: DH and I went and got 2 chickfila milkshakes, 1 taco, 1 chickfila sandwhich, and 1 Starbucks oatmeal all for free; plus we found $1.60 in change. And today, I got 3 8-piece chickfila nuggets and 1 6-piece kids meal for free as well. So, don't forget about eating out coupons. Good luck! I may get into the CVS thing when the new one opens in my town.

 

[kimberlyr]

Can someone tell me about target coupons?? How do you get them? Do you need to be on a mailing list or are they somewhere in the store??

 

[dawson5]

Can someone tell me about target coupons?? How do you get them? Do you need to be on a mailing list or are they somewhere in the store??

I used to get them from here:

http://www.organicgrocerydeals.com/forums/view.php?pg=coupon_generator

I hadn't been back in a while, I thought someone posted that they were doing away with the coupons. I know there was a way to get them on the target site also. I just googled target coupons and it pulled up the on-site ones, again, I thought they did away with it so I haven't checked in a while.

Quick question: If I print these, I can use them along with a mfr coupon also?

 

[jennyf2]

I used to get them from here:

http://www.organicgrocerydeals.com/forums/view.php?pg=coupon_generator

I hadn't been back in a while, I thought someone posted that they were doing away with the coupons. I know there was a way to get them on the target site also. I just googled target coupons and it pulled up the on-site ones, again, I thought they did away with it so I haven't checked in a while.

Quick question: If I print these, I can use them along with a mfr coupon also?

Yes, you can use a Target q & a "regular" q on each item you buy Thats where I save quite a bit of my $$

 

[ali2000]

You can get Target coupons on their website at the very bottom. They have gray links and I think it either says "grocery coupons" or just "coupons."

I have a Target rewards card, so you will also receive coupons in the mail from time to time.

You can also use Target coupons and manuf coupons at Publix. They will accept them as competitor's coupons. HINT: Target Supercenter counts as a grocery store so that is why they consider them a competitor!

 

[WendyLovesPeter]

nope I don't price match because usually around here the stores have already done it or the store with the price is a hop skip and jump away.

I have no problems with internet coupons and never have. But that is the difference between the big city and rural America. My mom, in rural america, has had tons of problems and even a few they have rejected as fake, even though my mom printed it directly from the manf. website She usually has to go over the cashier's head.

so, rural shoppers... not good, I am guessing. May be its not even worth learning for me.

 

[MonkersMama]

Avid couponer here too! Just got back from Target a few minutes ago.

Got The Princess and The Frog DVD ($15.99 and going to do the $5 Band-Aid rebate).
Got 6 Johnson's Buddies FREE (99c - $1 Manu Q)
Got 1 Kid's Crest Toothpaste FREE (sale $1.49 - $1 Target Q - 0.50 Manu Q)
Got 2 packs Band-Aids (clearance 1.54 each- $1 Target Q - 0.50 Manu Q) = 0.04
Got 1 bag Reece Piece's (sale $2.66 - $1 Target Q - $1 Manu Q) = 0.66 for Easter basket (will do this a few times until I have enough for Easter baskets).

My strategy (as mentioned in previous posts) is to stack the Target + Manufacturer coupons and try and nail it on clearance or on sale.