Who Needs “Extreme Couponing”? Just Take What You Need…
….for Free! 
Last night I hosted a Coupon 101 summary and a “Favorite Things” party. Below is what we went over for the couponing. Enjoy!
Northwest Couponing Websites:
(in order best to worst as decided by me)
1) http://www.Thriftyandthriving.com
2) http://www.frugallivingnw.com/
Sometimes I check:
4) http://www.frugalcouponliving.com/
5) http://www.thriftynorthwestmom.com/
6) http://happymoneysaver.com/
All the NW bloggers talk to each other. So around the holidays they will tell you what blog is going to focus on what store. Like Thrifty and Thriving specializes in Target deals.
Coupon Acronyms:
BOGO/B1G1 = Buy One Get One
BOGO 50% = Buy One Get One Half Off
MQ = Manufacturer’s coupon
OOP = Out of Pocket (actual money you will spend out of your pocket)
GC = Gift Card
OYNO = On Your Next Order
MIR = Mail in Rebate
TYPES OF COUPONS
Manufacturer’s Coupon (MQ) = Coupon that are for a specific product, supplied by the manufacturer.
Store Coupons = Coupons that are from certain stores. ex: Safeway, Target or Fred Meyer (You can use a store coupon and a MQ on the same item – the store is supplying you with a discount as well as getting reimbursed my the manufacturer)
Printable Coupon = Coupons you can print of the Internet (some store have policies regarding whether or not they will or will not take certain printable coupons).
Blinkie = Coupons found at the store in those little red machines with the blinking light. The are usually found directly by the products.
Catalina = These are coupons that print out after you purchase something. Sometimes they are for money off a product, or good for a certain amount of money off on your next order (OYNO).
eCoupons = coupons that can be loaded to your store loyaltly card.
Peelie = Coupons found on the actual product that you can peel off and use at checkout.
Tearpad = Coupons near products that are on a tearpad, you can tear them off and use at checkout.
Double Coupons = Some stores will double the value of any manufacturer’s coupon (MQ) up to a certain amount. Ex. $.50 off coupon will become worth $1.00 when doubled.
COUPON INSERTS
There are some people that file their coupons according to the date they came out, then when they need a certain coupon, they look up the date and insert type to find the coupon they want. This is why I list the coupons like this:
1.00 coupon from 3/28 SS insert
Here are the abbreviations for those insert that you see listed with the coupons:
SS = Smart Source
RP = Red Plum
P&G = Proctor and Gamble
GM = General Mills
STORE SPECIFIC LINGO
RR = Walgreens Register Rewards
ECB = CVS Extra Care Bucks
SCR = Rite Aid Single Check Rebate
Twice the Value Coupons = Albertson’s version of “double coupons”, you will need to have this coupon in order to double a coupon (up to $1.00). These are not available all the time, they show up in the ads a couple times a month. Usually there is a limit of 3 per trip.
Extreme Couponing:
1) Check the blogs and see if there is a deal you want/need. (it’s not a bargain if you don’t need it or won’t donate it)
2) Once you find something you want, it will look like this:
3) Get as many of that coupon as you can. Grocery Stores put out their coupons in the Tuesday Food Day Oregonian (which is free for anyone, even non-subscribers) and everyone else has their ads in the Sunday paper. If you are reading this before August 30th 2012, click here. If it’s the same day as the coupon came out – then go to Starbucks, raid the Fred Meyer pile of ads or steal your vacationing neighbor’s paper. My friend Kerra admitted that she dumpster dives with her soon-to-be-husband, but I’ve never needed any additional coupons that bad
Other things to look out for on the blogs:
- Free Magazine Subscriptions
- Free custom cards
- Great sales going on at various websites (Kohls, sharing spree, lands end etc)
- Free online product opportunities (like my facial care basket and/or nail polish kit)
Don’t Get Burned:
- If you sign up for a 30 day trial – set up a reminder to cancel it immediately and set 2 or 3 of them.
- DOUBLES: if you have a double from Albertsons, they are numbered 1-3 and they have to be used in that order. If you grabbed 3 newspapers – you can’t give them 3 coupons with the #3 on it. Also, you can use 3 per transaction – so just put a bar between your piles of stuff. No one cares, they can move to another aisle if they are in a hurry.
Organization of Coupons:
- I do mine by month and by coupon insert in manilla envelopes.
- Example: March SS and March RP
- I only cut out the coupons as I need them.
- There are a lot of people who cut them out and organize by category but I find the coupons harder to find them when the blogger use a the date the insert was published.
When:
- Inserts are never given out on actual holiday weekends, so it’s always best to check in the two weekends before the holiday for the best coupons/deals.
- Between the Monday before Thanksgiving and Xmas for kitchen gifts, shoes and clothes.
- July-August for office supplies.
- Weeks up to Easter for Candy.
- End of June for outdoor/picnic stuff and food.
- Tillamook cheese only really goes on sale during anniversary sales (Fred Meyer, New Seasons, etc)
Just Try It!
You won’t really understand how easy this is until you try it. You may mess up a couple times before you get the hang of it – but everyone does. and STOP being worried about the people in line behind you. They can move lines if they want. Checkers don’t care how many people they get through their line – they are paid hourly. And who know- if you back the line up long enough – maybe another check stand will open and the people behind you will ultimately SAVE time. I’m just saying – don’t spend money you dont’ have to just because you are worried about the strangers standing in line behind you. That’s silly.
GOOD LUCK!
