by Heather on April 16, 2011
No matter what kind of coupons are looking for whether it be grocery coupons, Travelocity coupons, retail coupons etc. There are 3 basic types of coupons. Understanding what each one is will help you in figuring out which ones you can combine or stack to maximize your savings.
- Manufacture – comes straight from the source. In inserts, MFC website, printable sites, etc. Can be used anywhere that accepts coupons.
- Store – found in store flyers, mailers, website, Catalinas etc. These are only good at the specified store.
- E-coupon – manufacture coupon that you load to your stores reward/discount card.
***Most stores will let you use one MFC and one Store coupon per item. Find out which stores do and watch those items carefully. Most of the time you can get these items for very little or even FREE!***
by Heather on April 12, 2011
Part 2 of Couponing 101 is about the different store types. You need to know a little about how each store “operates” before shopping there. This will save you both time and money.
1. Wholesale Clubs – These types offer big quantities and discount prices. These are great places for getting deals on produce and meat. Most everything else will be cheaper elsewhere. Clubs DO NOT accept coupons. i.e. Sam’s Club, Costco, BJ’s, etc.
2. High-low Stores- These are your drugstores and high end grocers. They will generally be higher on most items but offer “sale items” at rock bottom prices hoping to get you in and spend more money. Coupons are accepted and most high-low stores offer a double or triple coupon program. i.e. Kroger, Harris Teeter, Lowes Food etc.
3. Always Low-Stores like this offer low prices to start with. This is where you would shop if an idea you needed was not on sale somewhere else. Coupons accepted for face value. i.e. Wal-Mart
by Heather on April 11, 2011
By popular demand my Couponing 101 Series is back in full swing. Join me over the next 8 days as I bring you the how to of couponing. Please ask all questions you may have. It’s better to ask now than pay for it later. (literally)
- Only3 % of all coupons are actually used!
- Loss leaders are the sale items that the store is pricing super low and taking the biggest profit lose on. They do this in hopes that you will come to the store to buy these items and end up spending more on higher priced items. These items are typically found on the front page of the sale ad.
- To maximize your savings with coupons, you can NOT be brand loyal!
- Coupons in Sunday’s paper come in inserts from Smart Source, General Mills, P&G, RedPlum etc.
- The military overseas can use coupons up to six months beyond the expiration date.
- A Price Book is a way of keeping tract of the regular price of items you use. You can write down prices from grocery and club stores to know when you are getting a deal.
- A store’s $ Off $$ Coupon (ex. $2 Off $20) ALWAYS needs to be handed in first – before your other coupons so your order will be its highest total.
- All manufacture coupons start in either a 5 or 9. Those that start in 5 can double or triple. Those that start in 9 will not.
- Usually the best time to use a coupon is right before it expires. Retailers will advertise a product at it’s cheapest price towards the end of the coordinating coupons life. For the most part the item will be on sale the week the coupon comes out. Retailers do this in hopes that you will use your coupon now. Unless you just have to have it that week hang on to the coupon for the better sale.
- It is the words not the picture that indicate what the coupon is for. Manufactures will most of the time place a picture on the coupon for is for one of their more expensive items. This is a tactic to increase their profit and make you think you are getting a “steal” on the latest greatest item in their product line. Make sure sure you read ALL the words including size specs. When an items as “$x off ANY product by Company Z” It means just that. You go find a product by Company Z of any size, flavor, scent, or what have you and the store has to honor the coupon. Remember this is true so long as there are NO exclusions. Read all the fine print before you go. Any by definition means: with out limit; some, no matter how much or how little, how many, or what kind.
