These are my favorite sites for printing coupons at home!
Showing posts with label Coupon 101. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coupon 101. Show all posts
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Strategic Shopping Tip- Don't let the picture on the coupon fool you!!!
Strategic Shopping Tip - Don't let the picture on the coupon fool you!!!
One thing I have learned from using coupons for a while is to always read the coupons. The picture on the coupon does not mean it is the only product that the coupon can be used for!!
Take the coupon above. There is a picture of Enfagrow Toddler Powder. If you just looked at the photo you would think you have to buy Enfagrow Toddler Powder at the size shown on the coupon.
Take the coupon above. There is a picture of Enfagrow Toddler Powder. If you just looked at the photo you would think you have to buy Enfagrow Toddler Powder at the size shown on the coupon.
When you read the coupon it says "On any can of Enfagrow Powder". " This means you can use this coupon on any size or variety of Enfagrow Powder.
Make sure you always read your coupons!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Coupon Binder Pages - Available to print
I put together coupon binder pages to make it easier for everyone to set up their coupon binders.
You can download the pages here
I am using a new page to make this accessible to everyone. Please let me know if it works for you.
I have never used this page before today.
Please let me know if you have any questions about the page inserts.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Couponing 101 - Coupon organization
Couponing 101- Coupon Organization
I am working on putting together a short video to show my coupon binders. I hope to have it posted in the next few days. Here is some quick information on organizing your coupons.
I think that coupon organization is one of the most important aspects of couponing. You have to find a system that works for YOU! Every system is a little different. I started with envelopes and now use a large binder system.
Coupon Binder System
I use 2 binders currently. One if for food and the other for health and beauty, pet and misc.
Here are the categories in my Food Binder:
First Section:
I have pages for the stores that I shop at frequently. I pull the coupons that I know I want to use at each store and keep them in separate pages. This way I can easily grab them when I am at the store.
Second Section:
I have pages for any free coupons that I may have. I sort them by expiration date. I want to make sure that I do not lose out on the opportunity to pick up an item for free because it is mixed in with all the other coupons.
Here are the additional sections that I use in my binder. There are a lot of them because I find it easier to have them separated when I am in the store. I did not start off with this many sections. It has grown over time as I have been couponing.
-Breakfast
-Pillsbury
-Refrigerated
-Yogurt
-Meat
-Frozen
-Prepared Sides and Rice
-Condiments, Salad Dressing
-Pasta
-Soup
-Baking
-Candy
-Salty Snacks
-Granola Bars and Fruit Snacks
-Drinks
-Veggies
-Fruit
-PB&J/Bread
Health and beauty/misc binder
-Hair Care
-Soap
-Lotion
-Shaving
-Deodorant
-Oral Care
-Beauty
-Pets
-Cold/Medicine
-Air Fresheners
-Fem. Hygiene
-Dish Washing
-Laundry
-Surface Cleaners
-Paper/office
-Ziploc/Organization
-Baby
-Vitamins
-First Aid
-Misc
I use baseball card pages to separate my coupons. I have them in multiple sizes and shapes. If you live in Spokane or the surrounding area NW Sports Cards in the Spokane Valley offers a 10% discount to Tammilee Tips readers. They have a ton of different inserts with great prices.
You can also find baseball card inserts on Amazon. Here are a few of the ones that I use
Saturday, May 28, 2011
End of May = Time to print coupons before the end of the month!
I can't believe it is already the last weekend of May! Make sure you check out these sites and print your favorite coupons before the end of the month!
Load coupons to your store card!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Rite Aid 101
Rite Aid 101
Rite Aid is a great store for couponing! They offer amazing sales and specials.
Rite Aid Coupon Policy - I suggest printing this policy and keeping it in your binder
Single Check Rebates (SCR)
Rite Aid offers Single Check Rebates each month. Every month they put out a booklet that details the monthly SCR that are being offered. Some of the rebates are valid for a specific set of days others are good for the entire month. The great thing about SCR is you can turn them in online or via mail.
You can easily see what rebates are available for the month and request your rebates here.
I enter my receipts as soon as I get home so I know that they are entered and approved.
DO NOT REQUEST YOUR REBATE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH!
You can only request 1 check per month. Make sure that all of your purchases have been entered and approved before you request your check!
You can use a coupon for the SCR items! This is a great way to maximize savings and potentially make money on the items!
Rite Aid Video Values
A great way to maximize savings at Rite Aid is to utilize Video Value Coupons. Once you are signed up for the program you can watch videos and earn coupons. The videos range from quick clips to a few minutes. Some months you can earn coupons for dollars off your entire purchase. An example of this would be $4.00 off of your $20 purchase. The great thing about these coupons is they can be stacked with manufacturer coupons.
You can view the current Rite Aid Video Values here.
+UP Rewards
+UP Reward print at the bottom of your receipts. You can earn +UP Rewards for purchasing specific items each week. The Rite Aid ad will show which items will generate a +UP Reward.
+UP Rewards can be rolled. This means that you can use +UP Rewards to purchase another item that generates +UP rewards or the same item again. Before you purchase the same item again make sure you check and see if there are purchase limits.
Wellness+ Rewards Program
When you shop with a Wellness+ Rewards card you earn 1 point for every dollar you spend. You can earn 25 points for prescriptions. The point accrue through out the year.
When you earn 125 points you will receive a 1 time shopping pass for 10% of your purchase
These print at 125, 250 and 375 points!
When you reach 500 points you will receive 10% off all non-prescription purchases and a free health screening.
When you reach 1000 points you will receive 20% off all non-prescription purchases
As soon as you sign up you earn great benefits!
-10% off all Rite Aid brand products
-Coupons that are for members only
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Coupon 101- Does Clipping Coupons Really Pay Off....
Coupon Math - Does Clipping Coupons Really Pay Off
When I first started using coupons I was not sure if they would really pay off. I had read many times about the "latte factor" in financial books. I used this equation to figure out how much coupons could actually save me. The numbers really showed me what an impact coupons could have on my checkbook. When you combine coupon savings with sales prices you can save an amazing amount of money.
I started my coupon journey with 1 coupon valued at $.25. My coupon use grew from that 1 coupon to using coupons for everything I can. Last year we were able to save over $10,000 with coupons and sales. I use the term journey because using coupons really is a journey. You learn as you go how to best utilize your coupons and maximize your savings.
When I first started using coupons I was not sure if they would really pay off. I had read many times about the "latte factor" in financial books. I used this equation to figure out how much coupons could actually save me. The numbers really showed me what an impact coupons could have on my checkbook. When you combine coupon savings with sales prices you can save an amazing amount of money.
$25 in coupons and sales savings a week equals
$100 a month
$1200 a year
$50 in coupons and sales savings a week equals
$200 a month
$2400 a year
$100 in coupons and sales savings a week equals
$400 a month
$4800 a year
$250 in coupons and sales savings a week equals
$1000 a month
$12,000 a year
I started my coupon journey with 1 coupon valued at $.25. My coupon use grew from that 1 coupon to using coupons for everything I can. Last year we were able to save over $10,000 with coupons and sales. I use the term journey because using coupons really is a journey. You learn as you go how to best utilize your coupons and maximize your savings.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Coupon 101 - Coupon Terminology
Coupon Terminology
Here is a breakdown of the terminology you may see on this site and on coupons!
Blinkies - These are the boxes that you see in the store that spit out coupons. These are great coupons to add to your coupon binder.
Catalina Coupon - These coupons print at the register. These coupons print when you buy specific products.
Manufacturer Coupon - This is a coupon issued by a manufacturer.These coupons can be found in Sunday newspapers, online, magazines, tear pads at the stores, blinkie machines in stores, on products, and mailed from manufacturers. These coupons can be used at any store that accepts coupons and sells the specific products.
One coupon per purchase - Each item you purchase is considered a "purchase". This means if you have a coupon that says $1.00 off 1. You can use 1 coupon per item. If you are buying 10 items you can use 10 coupons.
One Coupon per transaction - This terminology means you can only use 1 coupon at a time. If you have 2 of these coupons you have to break your purchases into separate transactions. You can still use other coupons in the same transaction.
Peelies - These are the coupons that are stuck on products.
Stacking Coupons - This is when you use a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon at the same time.
Store coupons- These coupons are issued by a specific store. These coupons are valid at the stores that issues them and at stores that accept competitor coupons. These coupons are normally found in the weekly sales ads.
Here is a breakdown of the terminology you may see on this site and on coupons!
Blinkies - These are the boxes that you see in the store that spit out coupons. These are great coupons to add to your coupon binder.
Catalina Coupon - These coupons print at the register. These coupons print when you buy specific products.
Manufacturer Coupon - This is a coupon issued by a manufacturer.These coupons can be found in Sunday newspapers, online, magazines, tear pads at the stores, blinkie machines in stores, on products, and mailed from manufacturers. These coupons can be used at any store that accepts coupons and sells the specific products.
One coupon per purchase - Each item you purchase is considered a "purchase". This means if you have a coupon that says $1.00 off 1. You can use 1 coupon per item. If you are buying 10 items you can use 10 coupons.
One Coupon per transaction - This terminology means you can only use 1 coupon at a time. If you have 2 of these coupons you have to break your purchases into separate transactions. You can still use other coupons in the same transaction.
Peelies - These are the coupons that are stuck on products.
Stacking Coupons - This is when you use a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon at the same time.
Store coupons- These coupons are issued by a specific store. These coupons are valid at the stores that issues them and at stores that accept competitor coupons. These coupons are normally found in the weekly sales ads.
Coupon 101 - Know your store policies
Coupon 101 - Know your stores coupon policies!
I think it is really important to be an informed couponer. Knowing your store policies on coupons and sales will help you at the check out stand. Knowing the policies will also help you maximize the amount you save. It is important to know if a store allows you to use a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon at the same time. I have listed below the stores that I frequent most often. Please let me know if you have questions on any of these policies. I suggest printing them and putting them in your coupon binder or holder. That way you have them to refer to if there is a question in the store.
If you need to find the policies quickly there is a link at the top of the blog that goes to store policies.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Getting Started With Coupons
I wanted to write a post about getting started with coupons. I know many of you are here because you have seen the Extreme Couponing show. I want to share a little bit about how we got started couponing and some advice on getting started:
How we started couponing
We started couponing when I found out I would be losing my job. I was the larger income in the house and that income was going to be gone. We had to look at our finances and start to figure out what we were spending money on. I will admit prior to this point we were not very focused on what we spent money on. I wanted to find a way to contribute to the household budget when I was not bringing in a paycheck. I started with 1 $.25 coupon. Yes a quarter value coupon!!! I went to Safeway with a good friend and used the coupon on a product I was already buying. I was so excited that I had saved a quarter I had to call John and tell him. He thought this was crazy funny since I had never paid attention before. I was the girl who went out and bought the cute $100 shoes because I liked them. This was a drastic change for me. My love of coupons quickly grew from there. I bought a newspaper subscription and spent my Sunday mornings clipping coupons. Last year we were able save over $10,000 with coupons and sales.
Advice on getting started
The shopping trip that we did on Extreme Couponing is larger than our normal shopping trips. Please do not pressure yourself to go to the store and save a couple hundred dollars the first time you use coupons. If you manage to do it that is great but do not feel like this is something you have to do. Even if you save 1 dollar with coupons that is a dollar that you are keeping in your checkbook!
I would suggest figuring out how much you spend now on groceries and other products. I would write this down so when you do start saving with coupons you have a reference point of how much you are saving. It is a great feeling when you look up after a month or two and realize how much money you have saved by using coupons.
Please ask questions! I am happy to answer any questions I can here on the blog, via email or on the Tammilee Tips Facebook page. I know that when I started I had a ton of questions. I can honestly say there are still days that new things come up and I have to look for answers.
Couponing is like any other skill you are trying to learn it takes time.
Organization is key to being able to save the most money with coupons. Your coupons do not help you save money if they are on the kitchen counter while you are at the store. I highly suggest finding a system that you are comfortable with. I started with an envelope in my purse. When the coupons started to take over my purse I moved to a larger organizer and then up to a binder. I really like using the binder system because I am able to easily see the coupons I have when I am at the store.
I hope that this helps as you start using coupons. Please let me know if you have questions about coupons and how to use them. I started this website so I could share coupons and how they have impacted our lives.
How we started couponing
We started couponing when I found out I would be losing my job. I was the larger income in the house and that income was going to be gone. We had to look at our finances and start to figure out what we were spending money on. I will admit prior to this point we were not very focused on what we spent money on. I wanted to find a way to contribute to the household budget when I was not bringing in a paycheck. I started with 1 $.25 coupon. Yes a quarter value coupon!!! I went to Safeway with a good friend and used the coupon on a product I was already buying. I was so excited that I had saved a quarter I had to call John and tell him. He thought this was crazy funny since I had never paid attention before. I was the girl who went out and bought the cute $100 shoes because I liked them. This was a drastic change for me. My love of coupons quickly grew from there. I bought a newspaper subscription and spent my Sunday mornings clipping coupons. Last year we were able save over $10,000 with coupons and sales.
Advice on getting started
The shopping trip that we did on Extreme Couponing is larger than our normal shopping trips. Please do not pressure yourself to go to the store and save a couple hundred dollars the first time you use coupons. If you manage to do it that is great but do not feel like this is something you have to do. Even if you save 1 dollar with coupons that is a dollar that you are keeping in your checkbook!
I would suggest figuring out how much you spend now on groceries and other products. I would write this down so when you do start saving with coupons you have a reference point of how much you are saving. It is a great feeling when you look up after a month or two and realize how much money you have saved by using coupons.
Please ask questions! I am happy to answer any questions I can here on the blog, via email or on the Tammilee Tips Facebook page. I know that when I started I had a ton of questions. I can honestly say there are still days that new things come up and I have to look for answers.
Couponing is like any other skill you are trying to learn it takes time.
Organization is key to being able to save the most money with coupons. Your coupons do not help you save money if they are on the kitchen counter while you are at the store. I highly suggest finding a system that you are comfortable with. I started with an envelope in my purse. When the coupons started to take over my purse I moved to a larger organizer and then up to a binder. I really like using the binder system because I am able to easily see the coupons I have when I am at the store.
I hope that this helps as you start using coupons. Please let me know if you have questions about coupons and how to use them. I started this website so I could share coupons and how they have impacted our lives.
Coupon 101 - Coupon Organization
Coupon 101- Coupon Organization
Here is some quick information on organizing your coupons.
I think that coupon organization is one of the most important aspects of couponing. You have to find a system that works for YOU! Every system is a little different. I started with envelopes and now use a large binder system.
Coupon Binder System
I use 2 binders currently. One if for food and the other for health and beauty, pet and misc.
Here are the categories in my Food Binder:
First Section:
I have pages for the stores that I shop at frequently. I pull the coupons that I know I want to use at each store and keep them in separate pages. This way I can easily grab them when I am at the store.
Second Section:
I have pages for any free coupons that I may have. I sort them by expiration date. I want to make sure that I do not lose out on the opportunity to pick up an item for free because it is mixed in with all the other coupons.
Here are the additional sections that I use in my binder. There are a lot of them because I find it easier to have them separated when I am in the store. I did not start off with this many sections. It has grown over time as I have been couponing.
-Breakfast
-Pillsbury
-Refrigerated
-Yogurt
-Meat
-Frozen
-Prepared Sides and Rice
-Condiments, Salad Dressing
-Pasta
-Soup
-Baking
-Candy
-Salty Snacks
-Granola Bars and Fruit Snacks
-Drinks
-Veggies
-Fruit
-PB&J/Bread
Health and beauty/misc binder
-Hair Care
-Soap
-Lotion
-Shaving
-Deodorant
-Oral Care
-Beauty
-Pets
-Cold/Medicine
-Air Fresheners
-Fem. Hygiene
-Dish Washing
-Laundry
-Surface Cleaners
-Paper/office
-Ziploc/Organization
-Baby
-Vitamins
-First Aid
-Misc
I use baseball card pages to separate my coupons. I have them in multiple sizes and shapes. If you live in Spokane or the surrounding area NW Sports Cards in the Spokane Valley offers a 10% discount to Tammilee Tips readers. They have a ton of different inserts with great prices.
You can also find baseball card inserts on Amazon. Here are a few of the ones that I use
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Rite Aid 101
Rite Aid 101
Rite Aid is a great store for couponing! They offer amazing sales and specials.
Rite Aid Coupon Policy - I suggest printing this policy and keeping it in your binder
Single Check Rebates (SCR)
Rite Aid offers Single Check Rebates each month. Every month they put out a booklet that details the monthly SCR that are being offered. Some of the rebates are valid for a specific set of days others are good for the entire month. The great thing about SCR is you can turn them in online or via mail.
You can easily see what rebates are available for the month and request your rebates here.
I enter my receipts as soon as I get home so I know that they are entered and approved.
DO NOT REQUEST YOUR REBATE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH!
You can only request 1 check per month. Make sure that all of your purchases have been entered and approved before you request your check!
You can use a coupon for the SCR items! This is a great way to maximize savings and potentially make money on the items!
Rite Aid Video Values
A great way to maximize savings at Rite Aid is to utilize Video Value Coupons. Once you are signed up for the program you can watch videos and earn coupons. The videos range from quick clips to a few minutes. Some months you can earn coupons for dollars off your entire purchase. An example of this would be $4.00 off of your $20 purchase. The great thing about these coupons is they can be stacked with manufacturer coupons.
You can view the current Rite Aid Video Values here.
+UP Rewards
+UP Reward print at the bottom of your receipts. You can earn +UP Rewards for purchasing specific items each week. The Rite Aid ad will show which items will generate a +UP Reward.
+UP Rewards can be rolled. This means that you can use +UP Rewards to purchase another item that generates +UP rewards or the same item again. Before you purchase the same item again make sure you check and see if there are purchase limits.
Wellness+ Rewards Program
When you shop with a Wellness+ Rewards card you earn 1 point for every dollar you spend. You can earn 25 points for prescriptions. The point accrue through out the year.
When you earn 125 points you will receive a 1 time shopping pass for 10% of your purchase
These print at 125, 250 and 375 points!
When you reach 500 points you will receive 10% off all non-prescription purchases and a free health screening.
When you reach 1000 points you will receive 20% off all non-prescription purchases
As soon as you sign up you earn great benefits!
-10% off all Rite Aid brand products
-Coupons that are for members only
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Restaurant.com gift cerificates - What they are and why we love them.
Each week I post about Restaurant.com
gift certificates. I realized that I have not written out an explanation on what they are and why we love them.
What they are
gift certificates. I realized that I have not written out an explanation on what they are and why we love them. What they are
Restaurant.com gift certificates give you the opportunity to dine out with a great discount.
The certificates vary in amount from $10 to $100 gift certificates.
The certificates vary in amount from $10 to $100 gift certificates.
Each restaurant sets the rules that they want for the certificate.
Rules that may be included are
- Must spend X amount of money in order to use certificate
-Good for X number of guests
-Good only on specific days
-Specific gratuity amount added to the purchase
Why we love them
We love trying out new restaurants. Restaurant.com gift certificates give us the opportunity to eat out and save money. During the month restaurant.com will offer additional savings on the certificates.
There are times when they are 80% off! You have the opportunity to buy a $25 gift certificate for $2.
You can use a certificate as soon as you purchase it. You print the certificate at home and take it with you to the restaurant. I really like the fact that restaurant.com keeps track of the certificates for you. When they go on sale for 80% off we will buy multiple for our favorite restaurants. We print them and keep them in the car. I love being able to grab them when we are out and about and decide to eat out.
You can use a certificate as soon as you purchase it. You print the certificate at home and take it with you to the restaurant. I really like the fact that restaurant.com keeps track of the certificates for you. When they go on sale for 80% off we will buy multiple for our favorite restaurants. We print them and keep them in the car. I love being able to grab them when we are out and about and decide to eat out.
Coupon Math - Does Clipping Coupons Really Pay Off
Coupon Math - Does Clipping Coupons Really Pay Off
When I first started using coupons I was not sure if they would really pay off. I had read many times about the "latte factor" in financial books. I used this equation to figure out how much coupons could actually save me. The numbers really showed me what an impact coupons could have on my checkbook. When you combine coupon savings with sales prices you can save an amazing amount of money.
$25 in coupons and sales savings a week equals
$100 a month
$1200 a year
$50 in coupons and sales savings a week equals
$200 a month
$2400 a year
$100 in coupons and sales savings a week equals
$400 a month
$4800 a year
$250 in coupons and sales savings a week equals
$1000 a month
$12,000 a year
$12,000 a year
I started my coupon journey with 1 coupon valued at $.25. My coupon use grew from that 1 coupon to using coupons for everything I can. Last year we were able to save over $10,000 with coupons and sales. I use the term journey because using coupons really is a journey. You learn as you go how to best utilize your coupons and maximize your savings.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Coupon Terminology
Coupon Terminology
Here is a breakdown of the terminology you may see on this site and on coupons!
Blinkies - These are the boxes that you see in the store that spit out coupons. These are great coupons to add to your coupon binder.
Catalina Coupon - These coupons print at the register. These coupons print when you buy specific products.
Manufacturer Coupon - This is a coupon issued by a manufacturer.These coupons can be found in Sunday newspapers, online, magazines, tear pads at the stores, blinkie machines in stores, on products, and mailed from manufacturers. These coupons can be used at any store that accepts coupons and sells the specific products.
One coupon per purchase - Each item you purchase is considered a "purchase". This means if you have a coupon that says $1.00 off 1. You can use 1 coupon per item. If you are buying 10 items you can use 10 coupons.
One Coupon per transaction - This terminology means you can only use 1 coupon at a time. If you have 2 of these coupons you have to break your purchases into separate transactions. You can still use other coupons in the same transaction.
Peelies - These are the coupons that are stuck on products.
Stacking Coupons - This is when you use a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon at the same time.
Store coupons- These coupons are issued by a specific store. These coupons are valid at the stores that issues them and at stores that accept competitor coupons. These coupons are normally found in the weekly sales ads.
Here is a breakdown of the terminology you may see on this site and on coupons!
Blinkies - These are the boxes that you see in the store that spit out coupons. These are great coupons to add to your coupon binder.
Catalina Coupon - These coupons print at the register. These coupons print when you buy specific products.
Manufacturer Coupon - This is a coupon issued by a manufacturer.These coupons can be found in Sunday newspapers, online, magazines, tear pads at the stores, blinkie machines in stores, on products, and mailed from manufacturers. These coupons can be used at any store that accepts coupons and sells the specific products.
One coupon per purchase - Each item you purchase is considered a "purchase". This means if you have a coupon that says $1.00 off 1. You can use 1 coupon per item. If you are buying 10 items you can use 10 coupons.
One Coupon per transaction - This terminology means you can only use 1 coupon at a time. If you have 2 of these coupons you have to break your purchases into separate transactions. You can still use other coupons in the same transaction.
Peelies - These are the coupons that are stuck on products.
Stacking Coupons - This is when you use a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon at the same time.
Store coupons- These coupons are issued by a specific store. These coupons are valid at the stores that issues them and at stores that accept competitor coupons. These coupons are normally found in the weekly sales ads.
Coupon schedule for the rest of 2011
I wanted to make sure everyone is aware of the coupon insert schedule for the rest of the year. I heard that people were unaware that there were no coupons last week because of the holiday and went out and bought extra papers.
I am going to schedule updates each week that there will be no coupons.
May
1 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
8 — Smart Source
15 — Smart Source and Red Plum
22 — Smart Source and Red Plum
29 — Procter and Gamble
June
5 — Smart Source and Red Plum
12 — Smart Source and Red Plum
19 — Smart Source and Red Plum
26 — Smart Source and Red Plum & and Procter and Gamble
July
3 — No Inserts (Independence Day)
10 — Smart Source and Red Plum
17 — Smart Source
24 — Smart Source and Red Plum
31 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
August
7 — Smart Source and (2) Red Plum
14 — Smart Source and Red Plum
21 — Smart Source
28 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
September
4 — No Inserts (Labor Day)
11 — Smart Source and Red Plum
18 — Smart Source and Red Plum
25 — Smart Source and Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
October
2 — (2) Smart Source and Red Plum
9 — Smart Source and Red Plum
16 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
23 — Smart Source and Red Plum
30 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
November
6 — Smart Source and Red Plum
13 — Smart Source and (2) Red Plum
20 — Smart Source
27 — Procter and Gamble
December
4 — Smart Source and Red Plum
11 — Smart Source and Red Plum
18 — No Inserts
25 — Procter and Gamble
I am going to schedule updates each week that there will be no coupons.
May
1 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
8 — Smart Source
15 — Smart Source and Red Plum
22 — Smart Source and Red Plum
29 — Procter and Gamble
June
5 — Smart Source and Red Plum
12 — Smart Source and Red Plum
19 — Smart Source and Red Plum
26 — Smart Source and Red Plum & and Procter and Gamble
July
3 — No Inserts (Independence Day)
10 — Smart Source and Red Plum
17 — Smart Source
24 — Smart Source and Red Plum
31 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
August
7 — Smart Source and (2) Red Plum
14 — Smart Source and Red Plum
21 — Smart Source
28 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
September
4 — No Inserts (Labor Day)
11 — Smart Source and Red Plum
18 — Smart Source and Red Plum
25 — Smart Source and Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
October
2 — (2) Smart Source and Red Plum
9 — Smart Source and Red Plum
16 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
23 — Smart Source and Red Plum
30 — Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter and Gamble
November
6 — Smart Source and Red Plum
13 — Smart Source and (2) Red Plum
20 — Smart Source
27 — Procter and Gamble
December
4 — Smart Source and Red Plum
11 — Smart Source and Red Plum
18 — No Inserts
25 — Procter and Gamble
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Really Interesting Article on Coupon Clipping
I read this article tonight and was fascinated by it. I thought it was something that we should all know about and understand. I personally do not use a clipping service for my coupons. I have a subscription for 2 papers a week and will buy extras if it is a great week of coupons. I do however normally cut my coupons together. I am going to have to re-think this strategy after reading this article
"Gang-Cut" Coupons hurt stores, manufacturers and consumers
Found on Jill Cataldo's Website
What is a "Gang-Cut" coupon?
Whether you're familiar with the term or not, it's a problem that has plagued the coupon industry for decades. However, with coupon usage on the rise, gang-cut coupons are again causing issues for manufacturers and retailers alike.
"Gang-Cutting" refers to the practice of stacking multiple, like insert pages on top of one another, then cutting through the entire stack at the same time, either with a scissors or with a paper cutter. While this would seem like a time-saver to consumers, gang-cutting has a long, darker history as it relates to stores.
Many years ago, manufacturers were having problems with stores gang-cutting coupons from unsold newspapers, then turning them in for reimbursement. It had gotten so bad that one organization estimated that over 108 million coupons were redeemed fraudulently annually -- and that was back in 1977!
In a sting operation almost worthy of its own feature film, the industry fought back. Targeting an area in New York where gang-cutting and fraudulent redemption was suspected to be rampant, a new "manufacturer" offered a new product in the coupon inserts - Breen Laundry Detergent. The trouble was... Breen detergent did not exist. The 25-cent Breen coupon was designed solely to catch organizations that were gang-cutting inserts and submitting all of the coupons for redemption.
And cut them them, they did. Over 117,000 coupons for the non-existent Breen detergent were submitted for redemption from that single ad campaign, giving investigators specific information as to which stores, retailers and firms were gang-cutting on a massive scale. (At the ACP conference, presenter Ron Fischer, founder of Redemption Processing Representatives, actually had one of these Breen detergent coupons in his hand while telling this story!)
What does this have to do with today's consumers?
The Breen sting raised awareness that large-scale gang-cutting and misredemption existed. Manufacturers naturally decided that they did not want to redeem gang-cut coupons, as gang-cutting was indicative that the coupons had not been distributed directly to customers in the newspaper. Gang-cutting still exists today, but the spotlight is also on consumer gang-cutting.
Gang-cutting is of concern to manufacturers for several reasons. One, if a number of identically-cut coupons are submitted for redemption, the manufacturer may assume that the coupons have been sold to the consumer, either via a clipping service or via Ebay auctions. Because resale of coupons violates the terms that the manufacturer has set, the manufacturer can (and often does) refuse to reimburse the store that submitted the coupons. Even if one single customer legitimately did buy 42 bottles of ketchup, if their 42 ketchup coupons are gang-cut, each coupon will bear the same cut lines, shape and markings as the one before it. If the coupons are identified as gang-cut, they're flagged, and the manufacturer does not have to reimburse.
How does the redemption agent identify gang-cut coupons, when thousands of loose coupons are processed each day by clearinghouses? Debbie Settle of Inmar, one of the largest redemption agents and clearinghouses in the country, gave a detailed presentation about the "life" of a coupon, from the time it's created until the time it reaches the clearinghouse. Along the way, several automated systems are designed to identify gang-cut coupons and remove them from the mix.
While most coupons are shredded at the end of their "life cycle," gang-cut coupons don't make it that far. They are identified, grouped together, and pulled from the rest of a retailer's particular submission. Again, because their gang-cut appearance indicates that the coupons may have been sold by a third party, the manufacturer does not have to reimburse. These coupons aren't shredded -- instead, they're kept together and filed for one year with the redemption agent as evidence. At that point, if the store wishes to be reimbursed for them, they may enter a back-and-forth process of having to show legitimate sales for that number of product at their store or location. This Proof-of-Purchase Analysis takes time and effort, and understandably, retailers may not wish to spend additional resources on it -- is it worth the store's time to chase the lost revenue on a case-by-case basis, paying one of their own employees to go back, audit and provide evidence for each claim? If they accept the manufacturer's decision, the store does lose money on the coupons that they accepted but will never see revenue from.
How many gang-cut coupons indicate a problem to the redemption agent? During the conference's presentation on misredemption, we were shown numerous slides of gang-cut coupons that had been identified and filed - examples of physical misredmption. The largest like number of gang-cut coupons shown on one slide was 113. The smallest? 12.
For consumers using coupons, many of whom purchase multiple newspapers to maximize their savings, the issue of gang cutting is important to understand. It is entirely plausible, feasible, and likely that one person choosing to buy ten newspapers, then stacking the pages together to cut them all at once, believes that their coupons will be accepted and redeemed by the store. But, that same store may ultimately never see the revenue from those coupons, simply because of the way that they were stacked and gang-cut.
Retailers respond.
While manufacturers are concerned with gang-cutting, stores are too. During the ACP conference, a panel of retailers held an open question-and-answer session with the industry audience. Representatives from Shop-Rite, Winn-Dixie and other large supermarket chains stated that the interest in "Extreme Couponing" has also resulted in an increase in gang-cut coupons appearing at their stores -- and they're not being reimbursed for many of them.
One retailer representative stated that they have tried to discourage "extreme couponers" from patronizing their stores, because they are also a chain that doubles coupons. When someone comes in with a large amount of gang-cut coupons, which are then doubled, the store is both losing money on the doubling (which the store "eats" and is not reimbursed for) but they then lose again when the shopper's gang-cut coupons are denied for reimbursement.
Another retailer said that they have tracked their "extreme couponers'" shopping habits throughout various store locations within their chain. He said that the store's closed-circuit television system has the ability to zoom to "fingernail level" and see what coupons are being redeemed at the register by calling up the date of a transaction on a computer screen and clicking that day and time's video. He said that they can also "follow" the same shoppers' path, again via in-store video, as the shopper goes from store to store to store, using up more multiples of the same coupon, often clearing the shelves in the process.
Rite Aid made some waves within the coupon community in March of this year, when it added this line to its revised coupon policy: "Rite Aid reserves the right to deny redemption for coupons that exhibit signs of misrepresentation, including, but not limited to: “gang cut”(coupons presented in bulk that appear to have been cut by machine – a form of coupon fraud), similar cuts and tears..."
Additionally, Kroger rattled Texas coupon shoppers when they recently announced that they were discontinuing coupon doubling in their Houston-area stores. While their press release did not explicitly state the reason for ceasing doubling, numerous consumer coupon boards voiced extreme couponing as a contributing factor. And, considering the retailers' statements made at the conference, stores are indeed feeling the sting of not being reimbursed for gang-cut coupons. It's a double blow if they're losing on the doubling as well.
Over the past month, shoppers from around the country have emailed to state that some of their local stores have begun limiting shoppers to the number of like coupons per transaction -- and the limits are small, 2 or 4 like coupons per transaction per day. This trend was first noted in late 2010 on the manufacturers' side, when Procter & Gamble added the "Limit 4 like coupons per transaction" text to its manufacturer coupons.
Where does this leave consumers?
It's important to understand how strongly the manufacturers and industry want to see the resale of coupons ended. During the Coupon Information Council's presentation, gang-cutting and coupon resale were also discussed, and retailers were advised to deny any coupons at the register that appeared to have been gang cut. Retailers were even told to deny coupons if shoppers casually mentioned that the coupons "came from Ebay." (Again, if the manufacturer ultimately denies them at the clearinghouse, they're not going to see credit for them anyway.)
It does leave consumers in an odd situation though. If I want to buy 10 of an item during a "10-for-$10" sale, and I have legitimately obtained 10 coupons from buying 10 newspapers, I don't want to hurt the store I'm shopping at by giving them coupons that they might not be reimbursed for. I've also never been a gang-cutter. I stack my inserts together in the same file folder pocket, then flip through individually -- but again, I usually have 2-4 sets of inserts most weeks, depending on whether I got a couple of extra papers or stuck to the copies I subscribe to. I'm an avid coupon user, but certainly not an extreme one.
The "best-practices" approach to help ensure that your store will receive redemption for the coupons you're submitting is to simply cut the coupons you use, individually, with scissors.
I realize this article's bound to rattle some heavy coupon users who've become accustomed to using scrapbook slicers or single-blade paper cutters to gang-cut their coupons -- certainly, many coupon sites around the web advocate these practices to save time and labor. Others go a step further, encouraging users to staple the inserts together in the middle of the coupon, then cut around it - resulting in a stapled stack of identical coupons. Unfortunately this practice provides the clearinghouse and the manufacturer with even more evidence that a group of identical coupons were cut by the same person -- and further raise the likelihood that the store will not be reimbursed for them.
"Gang-Cut" Coupons hurt stores, manufacturers and consumers
Found on Jill Cataldo's Website
What is a "Gang-Cut" coupon?
Whether you're familiar with the term or not, it's a problem that has plagued the coupon industry for decades. However, with coupon usage on the rise, gang-cut coupons are again causing issues for manufacturers and retailers alike.
"Gang-Cutting" refers to the practice of stacking multiple, like insert pages on top of one another, then cutting through the entire stack at the same time, either with a scissors or with a paper cutter. While this would seem like a time-saver to consumers, gang-cutting has a long, darker history as it relates to stores.
Many years ago, manufacturers were having problems with stores gang-cutting coupons from unsold newspapers, then turning them in for reimbursement. It had gotten so bad that one organization estimated that over 108 million coupons were redeemed fraudulently annually -- and that was back in 1977!
In a sting operation almost worthy of its own feature film, the industry fought back. Targeting an area in New York where gang-cutting and fraudulent redemption was suspected to be rampant, a new "manufacturer" offered a new product in the coupon inserts - Breen Laundry Detergent. The trouble was... Breen detergent did not exist. The 25-cent Breen coupon was designed solely to catch organizations that were gang-cutting inserts and submitting all of the coupons for redemption.
And cut them them, they did. Over 117,000 coupons for the non-existent Breen detergent were submitted for redemption from that single ad campaign, giving investigators specific information as to which stores, retailers and firms were gang-cutting on a massive scale. (At the ACP conference, presenter Ron Fischer, founder of Redemption Processing Representatives, actually had one of these Breen detergent coupons in his hand while telling this story!)
What does this have to do with today's consumers?
The Breen sting raised awareness that large-scale gang-cutting and misredemption existed. Manufacturers naturally decided that they did not want to redeem gang-cut coupons, as gang-cutting was indicative that the coupons had not been distributed directly to customers in the newspaper. Gang-cutting still exists today, but the spotlight is also on consumer gang-cutting.
Gang-cutting is of concern to manufacturers for several reasons. One, if a number of identically-cut coupons are submitted for redemption, the manufacturer may assume that the coupons have been sold to the consumer, either via a clipping service or via Ebay auctions. Because resale of coupons violates the terms that the manufacturer has set, the manufacturer can (and often does) refuse to reimburse the store that submitted the coupons. Even if one single customer legitimately did buy 42 bottles of ketchup, if their 42 ketchup coupons are gang-cut, each coupon will bear the same cut lines, shape and markings as the one before it. If the coupons are identified as gang-cut, they're flagged, and the manufacturer does not have to reimburse.
How does the redemption agent identify gang-cut coupons, when thousands of loose coupons are processed each day by clearinghouses? Debbie Settle of Inmar, one of the largest redemption agents and clearinghouses in the country, gave a detailed presentation about the "life" of a coupon, from the time it's created until the time it reaches the clearinghouse. Along the way, several automated systems are designed to identify gang-cut coupons and remove them from the mix.
While most coupons are shredded at the end of their "life cycle," gang-cut coupons don't make it that far. They are identified, grouped together, and pulled from the rest of a retailer's particular submission. Again, because their gang-cut appearance indicates that the coupons may have been sold by a third party, the manufacturer does not have to reimburse. These coupons aren't shredded -- instead, they're kept together and filed for one year with the redemption agent as evidence. At that point, if the store wishes to be reimbursed for them, they may enter a back-and-forth process of having to show legitimate sales for that number of product at their store or location. This Proof-of-Purchase Analysis takes time and effort, and understandably, retailers may not wish to spend additional resources on it -- is it worth the store's time to chase the lost revenue on a case-by-case basis, paying one of their own employees to go back, audit and provide evidence for each claim? If they accept the manufacturer's decision, the store does lose money on the coupons that they accepted but will never see revenue from.
How many gang-cut coupons indicate a problem to the redemption agent? During the conference's presentation on misredemption, we were shown numerous slides of gang-cut coupons that had been identified and filed - examples of physical misredmption. The largest like number of gang-cut coupons shown on one slide was 113. The smallest? 12.
For consumers using coupons, many of whom purchase multiple newspapers to maximize their savings, the issue of gang cutting is important to understand. It is entirely plausible, feasible, and likely that one person choosing to buy ten newspapers, then stacking the pages together to cut them all at once, believes that their coupons will be accepted and redeemed by the store. But, that same store may ultimately never see the revenue from those coupons, simply because of the way that they were stacked and gang-cut.
Retailers respond.
While manufacturers are concerned with gang-cutting, stores are too. During the ACP conference, a panel of retailers held an open question-and-answer session with the industry audience. Representatives from Shop-Rite, Winn-Dixie and other large supermarket chains stated that the interest in "Extreme Couponing" has also resulted in an increase in gang-cut coupons appearing at their stores -- and they're not being reimbursed for many of them.
One retailer representative stated that they have tried to discourage "extreme couponers" from patronizing their stores, because they are also a chain that doubles coupons. When someone comes in with a large amount of gang-cut coupons, which are then doubled, the store is both losing money on the doubling (which the store "eats" and is not reimbursed for) but they then lose again when the shopper's gang-cut coupons are denied for reimbursement.
Another retailer said that they have tracked their "extreme couponers'" shopping habits throughout various store locations within their chain. He said that the store's closed-circuit television system has the ability to zoom to "fingernail level" and see what coupons are being redeemed at the register by calling up the date of a transaction on a computer screen and clicking that day and time's video. He said that they can also "follow" the same shoppers' path, again via in-store video, as the shopper goes from store to store to store, using up more multiples of the same coupon, often clearing the shelves in the process.
Rite Aid made some waves within the coupon community in March of this year, when it added this line to its revised coupon policy: "Rite Aid reserves the right to deny redemption for coupons that exhibit signs of misrepresentation, including, but not limited to: “gang cut”(coupons presented in bulk that appear to have been cut by machine – a form of coupon fraud), similar cuts and tears..."
Additionally, Kroger rattled Texas coupon shoppers when they recently announced that they were discontinuing coupon doubling in their Houston-area stores. While their press release did not explicitly state the reason for ceasing doubling, numerous consumer coupon boards voiced extreme couponing as a contributing factor. And, considering the retailers' statements made at the conference, stores are indeed feeling the sting of not being reimbursed for gang-cut coupons. It's a double blow if they're losing on the doubling as well.
Over the past month, shoppers from around the country have emailed to state that some of their local stores have begun limiting shoppers to the number of like coupons per transaction -- and the limits are small, 2 or 4 like coupons per transaction per day. This trend was first noted in late 2010 on the manufacturers' side, when Procter & Gamble added the "Limit 4 like coupons per transaction" text to its manufacturer coupons.
Where does this leave consumers?
It's important to understand how strongly the manufacturers and industry want to see the resale of coupons ended. During the Coupon Information Council's presentation, gang-cutting and coupon resale were also discussed, and retailers were advised to deny any coupons at the register that appeared to have been gang cut. Retailers were even told to deny coupons if shoppers casually mentioned that the coupons "came from Ebay." (Again, if the manufacturer ultimately denies them at the clearinghouse, they're not going to see credit for them anyway.)
It does leave consumers in an odd situation though. If I want to buy 10 of an item during a "10-for-$10" sale, and I have legitimately obtained 10 coupons from buying 10 newspapers, I don't want to hurt the store I'm shopping at by giving them coupons that they might not be reimbursed for. I've also never been a gang-cutter. I stack my inserts together in the same file folder pocket, then flip through individually -- but again, I usually have 2-4 sets of inserts most weeks, depending on whether I got a couple of extra papers or stuck to the copies I subscribe to. I'm an avid coupon user, but certainly not an extreme one.
The "best-practices" approach to help ensure that your store will receive redemption for the coupons you're submitting is to simply cut the coupons you use, individually, with scissors.
I realize this article's bound to rattle some heavy coupon users who've become accustomed to using scrapbook slicers or single-blade paper cutters to gang-cut their coupons -- certainly, many coupon sites around the web advocate these practices to save time and labor. Others go a step further, encouraging users to staple the inserts together in the middle of the coupon, then cut around it - resulting in a stapled stack of identical coupons. Unfortunately this practice provides the clearinghouse and the manufacturer with even more evidence that a group of identical coupons were cut by the same person -- and further raise the likelihood that the store will not be reimbursed for them.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Getting started with coupons
I wanted to write a post about getting started with coupons. I know many of you are here because you have seen the Extreme Couponing show. I want to share a little bit about how we got started couponing and some advice on getting started:
How we started couponing
We started couponing when I found out I would be losing my job. I was the larger income in the house and that income was going to be gone. We had to look at our finances and start to figure out what we were spending money on. I will admit prior to this point we were not very focused on what we spent money on. I wanted to find a way to contribute to the household budget when I was not bringing in a paycheck. I started with 1 $.25 coupon. Yes a quarter value coupon!!! I went to Safeway with a good friend and used the coupon on a product I was already buying. I was so excited that I had saved a quarter I had to call John and tell him. He thought this was crazy funny since I had never paid attention before. I was the girl who went out and bought the cute $100 shoes because I liked them. This was a drastic change for me. My love of coupons quickly grew from there. I bought a newspaper subscription and spent my Sunday mornings clipping coupons. Last year we were able save over $10,000 with coupons and sales.
Advice on getting started
The shopping trip that we do on an upcoming episode of Extreme Couponing is larger than our normal shopping trips. Please do not pressure yourself to go to the store and save a couple hundred dollars the first time you use coupons. If you manage to do it that is great but do not feel like this is something you have to do. Even if you save 1 dollar with coupons that is a dollar that you are keeping in your checkbook!
I would suggest figuring out how much you spend now on groceries and other products. I would write this down so when you do start saving with coupons you have a reference point of how much you are saving. It is a great feeling when you look up after a month or two and realize how much money you have saved by using coupons.
Please ask questions! I am happy to answer any questions I can here on the blog, via email or on the Facebook page. I know that when I started I had a ton of questions. I can honestly say there are still days that new things come up and I have to look for answers.
Couponing is like any other skill you are trying to learn it takes time.
Organization is key to being able to save the most money with coupons. Your coupons do not help you save money if they are on the kitchen counter while you are at the store. I highly suggest finding a system that you are comfortable with. I started with an envelope in my purse. When the coupons started to take over my purse I moved to a larger organizer and then up to a binder. I really like using the binder system because I am able to easily see the coupons I have when I am at the store.
I hope that this helps as you start using coupons. Please let me know if you have questions about coupons and how to use them. I started this website so I could share coupons and how they have impacted our lives.
How we started couponing
We started couponing when I found out I would be losing my job. I was the larger income in the house and that income was going to be gone. We had to look at our finances and start to figure out what we were spending money on. I will admit prior to this point we were not very focused on what we spent money on. I wanted to find a way to contribute to the household budget when I was not bringing in a paycheck. I started with 1 $.25 coupon. Yes a quarter value coupon!!! I went to Safeway with a good friend and used the coupon on a product I was already buying. I was so excited that I had saved a quarter I had to call John and tell him. He thought this was crazy funny since I had never paid attention before. I was the girl who went out and bought the cute $100 shoes because I liked them. This was a drastic change for me. My love of coupons quickly grew from there. I bought a newspaper subscription and spent my Sunday mornings clipping coupons. Last year we were able save over $10,000 with coupons and sales.
Advice on getting started
The shopping trip that we do on an upcoming episode of Extreme Couponing is larger than our normal shopping trips. Please do not pressure yourself to go to the store and save a couple hundred dollars the first time you use coupons. If you manage to do it that is great but do not feel like this is something you have to do. Even if you save 1 dollar with coupons that is a dollar that you are keeping in your checkbook!
I would suggest figuring out how much you spend now on groceries and other products. I would write this down so when you do start saving with coupons you have a reference point of how much you are saving. It is a great feeling when you look up after a month or two and realize how much money you have saved by using coupons.
Please ask questions! I am happy to answer any questions I can here on the blog, via email or on the Facebook page. I know that when I started I had a ton of questions. I can honestly say there are still days that new things come up and I have to look for answers.
Couponing is like any other skill you are trying to learn it takes time.
Organization is key to being able to save the most money with coupons. Your coupons do not help you save money if they are on the kitchen counter while you are at the store. I highly suggest finding a system that you are comfortable with. I started with an envelope in my purse. When the coupons started to take over my purse I moved to a larger organizer and then up to a binder. I really like using the binder system because I am able to easily see the coupons I have when I am at the store.
I hope that this helps as you start using coupons. Please let me know if you have questions about coupons and how to use them. I started this website so I could share coupons and how they have impacted our lives.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Couponing 101 - Coupon Lingo
Couponing 101 - Coupon Lingo
Here is a list of frequently seen abbreviations
BOGO - Buy One Get One Free
B2G1 - Buy Two Get One Free
Cat- Catalina coupon that prints at the register
ECB - Extra Care Bucks
OOP - Out Of Pocket
OYNO - On Your Next Order
P&G - Proctor & Gamble Coupon Insert
RP - Red Plum Coupon Insert
RR - Register Reward
SCR - Single Check Rebate (Rite Aid)
SS - Smart Source Coupon Insert
WYB - When You Buy
Couponing 101 - Know your stores coupon policies.
Couponing 101 - Know your stores coupon policies!
I think it is really important to be an informed couponer. Knowing your store policies on coupons and sales will help you at the check out stand. Knowing the policies will also help you maximize the amount you save. It is important to know if a store allows you to use a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon at the same time. I have listed below the stores that I frequent most often. Please let me know if you have questions on any of these policies. I suggest printing them and putting them in your coupon binder or holder. That way you have them to refer to if there is a question in the store.
If you need to find the policies quickly there is a link at the top of the blog that goes to store policies.
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