A Reminder......

Things have switched up a bit on my main blog, Bluedaisy's Bargains. Previously I linked you to several other pages of info I created (Walgreens Deals, CVS Deals, Etc.). But I found a new way to offer all that info without maintaining all those extra pages...labels! There is a column on your right that you can pick from with the same categories as before. The difference is that you won't get taken to another page, instead, that info will have originated on the original blog and that label will take you to where it was posted. Not a huge difference for readers, maybe a bit more user friendly...but a big difference for me in the creation of the info. You'll just notice that there is a TON of info there on the main page but you don't have to sift through it. Just click on the 'label' that interests you. :)

2 MORE ways to get coupons.

Here are a couple more ways to collect coupons....

#1 - Find the companies website and look around for coupons/promotions links or tabs. I have many sites stored in my FAVORITES, which I visit frequently to see if there is a link that will lead to a coupon. MANY times there are!

#2 - Contact the company. This thought had never crossed my mind until I started reading money saving boards. The idea is that if you contact them to compliment them, or even complain, they will acknowledge your input by sending out coupons. I wanted to tell you about it because once I read about this on HCW, I went down their list and contacted tons of companies and actually got loads of coupons! I'd say I got better than half to respond.

Here is the list compiled and published at HCW:
Need to find a site? Try here: http://www.gmabrands.com/membercos/membercos.cfm

Obtain mailing addresses here: http://www.consumeraction.gov/corpormain.shtml

Food:

Barber Foods - Email every 3-4 months for more; Sign up to receive coupons
Bird's Eye
Boca Burgers
Bumble Bee
Crown Prince
Del Monte
Equal
Folger's
Foster Farms
Fresh Express
Heinz
Honeysuckle White - contact every 3 months; Sign up to receive coupons
Hot Pockets
Johnsonville
Jolly Time
Lactaid
Laura's Lean Beef - Sign up to receive coupons
Lightlife
Little Crow Foods - Sign up to receive coupons
Maxwell House
McCain's
Mentadent
Mount Olive
Nasoya Tofu - email link
Nestle
Odwalla
Pictsweet
Pilgrim's Pride
Sara Lee
Splenda
Starbuck's
StarKist
Stonyfield Farm
Sunmaid
Taster's Choice
Turkey Hill
Vlasic -
Welch's


Baby Products:

See our "Oh, baby! Where do I sign up for all of those baby mailing lists?" thread for company contact information.


Household & Cleaning Supplies:

Glad Press & Seal
SC Johnson
Simple Green - Sign up for newsletter to alert for upcoming promos


Health & Beauty:

Bic
Tampax


Pets:

Tidy Cats - 800-778-7462 - call every 60 days for coupons


Stores:

Wawa

Multi-Category:

Arm & Hammer

Kimberly-Clark

And

AC LaRocco pizzas - free coupons & $$ off coupons -
Alexia Foods - (2) free coupons -

Amy's Kitchen - $$ off coupons -

Arm and Hammer - free dental care coupon, cat litter, or laundry detergent + $$ off coupon -
Aussie - free product coupon -
Baker's Joy - (2) free coupons -

Banquet - (2) free coupons -
Barbara's Bakery - free product coupon -

Barber Foods - $$ off coupons -

Bar-S - $5 product coupon & $$ off coupons -

Bear Naked granola - $$ off coupons -
Ben & Jerrys - free coupons & $$ off coupons -
Blue Bunny - $$ off coupons -

Birdeye - $$ off coupons -
Breyer's - $$ off coupons -

Brown Cow Yogurts - (3) free coupons -

Carando's meats - $$ off coupons -

Carl Buddig - (5) free coupons -
Chapstick - recieved 8 free tubes! -
Children's Motrin - $$ off coupons -
Clairol - free product coupon -
Contessa - $$ off coupons -

Cover girl cosmetics - free product coupon -
Crayola - $$ off coupons -

Creamette pasta - (5) free coupons -

Dannon yogurt - free product coupon -

Del Monte - free product coupon & $$ off coupons

Dole - (6) free coupons & $$ off coupons -

Domino Sugar - (2) free coupons -

Drano - free product coupon & $$ off coupons -
Dr. Praegers - $$ off coupons -
Duracell - free product coupon -

Duncan Hines - free product coupon -

Edge Shave Gel - free product coupon & $$ off coupons - om

Edwards pie - free product coupons & $$ off coupons -
Edy's - free product coupons & $$ off coupons -
Ellio's - (2) free coupons -

Energizer - $$ off coupons -

Eveready batteries - $$ off coupons -

Fantastik Oxy - Free product coupon and high value $$ off coupons -

Freihofer's - $$ off coupons -

FlatOut bread - free product coupon -

Foster Farms - free product coupon -

Glade candles - free product coupon -
General Mills - $$ off coupons -

Gerber - (2) free coupons -

Gold'N Plump - $$ off coupons -

Guiltless gourmet - (5) free coupons -

Haagen Dazs - (4) freebie coupons & $$ off coupons -

Hansen's Beverage Co. - (2) free coupons -

Hefty - free coupon -

Heinz - $$ off coupons -

Hormel - $$ off coupons -
Hostess - (2) freebie coupons -

Huggies - (2) free coupons & $$ off coupons -

Ian's Natural - (3) BOGO free coupons -

I Can't Believe It's not Butter - free coupon -

Jennie O - recipes -

Johnsonville Sausage - $$ off coupons -

Kashi - 1 free Tasty Little Chewies bar -

Kelloggs cereal - (3) free coupons -

Kleenex - free product coupon -
Kotex - $$ off coupons -

Listerine Pocket Packs - $$ off coupons -

Luna Bars - (2) free product coupons -

Magic Eraser - free coupon -

Malt o Meal cereal - $$ off coupons -


McCains - (4) free product coupons -

Michaelangelos - $$ off coupons -

Mission tortillas - (2) free product coupons -

Mentadent - free product coupon -

Mrs Dash seasonings - (2) free product coupons -

Musselman's - $$ off coupons -

Nabisco - (2) free product coupons -

Ocean Spray - $$ off coupons -

OFF PowerPads - freebie coupon & $$ off coupons -
Old time canned chillies- $$ off coupons -
Olivio - (5) free product coupons -

Old El Paso - freebie coupon & $$ off coupons -

Oroweat - free product coupon -

Pantene - $$ off coupons -
Pepsi - $$ off coupons - 800-433-2652-
Physicians Formula - free products -

Pilgrims Pride - free product coupon & $$ off coupons -
Pledge product - freebie coupon & $$ off coupons -

Popsicle - $$ off coupons -
Rudi's Organic Bakery - $$ off coupons -

Scrubbing bubbles shower cleaner - freebie coupon & $$ off coupons mamavazquez

Seapak Shrimp Company - $$ off coupons

Shady Brook Farms - $$ off coupons

Similac - $$ off coupons -
Skinny cow - $$ off coupons -

Skintimate - freebie coupon & $$ off coupons -7

Snyder's of Hanover - (2) free product coupons -

Splenda - $$ off couponst

Starbucks - (2) free products

Starkist - (2) free product coupons
Storhman's - $$ off coupons

Thomas - $$ off coupons

Tom's of Maine - free product

Tyson - $$ off coupons

Twinlab - free product

V8 - $$ off coupons

Welches - $$ off coupons

Westsoy - (3) freebie coupon & $$ off coupons

Wyler's Light - freebie coupon & $$ off coupons

Zatarains - freebie coupon & $$ off coupons

Ziploc - freebie coupon & $$ off coupons

Ways to save with Rebates, Promotions, etc.

Ok, so, you are getting good at saving money with coupons. But there are other ways to save or maximize your budget too!

Manufacturers want you to try their products so they entice you with rebates, refunds and special promotions. These are offers that will get your money back in the form of a check, give you coupons for free items, coupons for amounts off, or send other free items through the mail.

How to score

Be on the lookout in the stores. You will come across various forms that can be sent in for rebates of all kinds! They might be on Tearpads, Peelies, Hangtas or Specially Marked Packages. They can also be found on the products themselves, on the displays, or at the customer service desk. Some stores are better at putting these out than others. You might read about a rebate on the boards. Go to that store mentioned and ask for it if you don't see it around. I do this frequently. MANY times I'd know nothing about certain available rebates if I didn't stay current on the money saving boards.

Sometimes you can find Online Printable Forms: These can be found on company websites.You may see television commercials or magazine ads directing you to the site.

Inserts in Sundays paper are another place to find rebates.

Magazines: Forms may also be found here.

“No Form Required” Offers: These are great although I have yet to find one myself.

Proofs of Purchase

Proofs of Purchase are also known as “qualifiers”, since they are what you need to qualify for the money back. There are a variety of things that can be required as a proof of purchase for your rebates.

The most common POP is the UPC symbol from the package. UPC stands for Universal Product Code, and is the bar code that is scanned by the cashier when you check out.

Other possible POPs are: box tops, weight circles, special POP seals, foil caps or even plastic caps. This is not an inclusive list, but gives you an idea of what they might ask for.

Rebate forms are very specific as to what is required. Be sure to send what they ask for, or your rebate will be denied.

How long does it take?

Rebates and special promos are not for those who need instant gratification. The forms usually state how long it will be before you can expect your rebate. It can be anywhere from 2-12 weeks.

You need to be organized!

Organization is the key to making sure that you get the rebates that you send for.

Additional advise from HCW:

"Before You Mail the Rebate

• Make sure it’s good in your area— you are out your time, effort and a stamp if you submit a rebate that is only good in a particular region!
• If it says one per household, sending in one for each person in your house will not get you multiple rebates.
• Is the form filled out properly? Read the fine print. Send everything that you need to send.
• Make sure that you are not using an address label to fill in the information if it must be handwritten.
• Are the POPs correct and accounted for? (You can tape UPCs to a larger piece of paper so that they don’t get lost.)
• Is the CRT within the purchase dates, an original (if required), and are the appropriate items circled, underlined or highlighted as required?
• Have you made a copy or scanned all of the required items before you seal the envelope? If your rebate is denied or never arrives, you will have proof that you completed the requirements.
• Did you seal the envelope and put on a stamp?

After the Rebate is Mailed

• Where's my rebate?- Addresses and phone numbers for rebate clearing houses and individual companies.
• Rebate Tracking-Free software to help you keep track of the “who, what, where and when” of your rebates. This

Other Helpful Tips for Rebates

• Envelopes: Make sure that you are using the correct size envelope for the rebate. Some of them actually DO specify what size to use, i.e. business sized, etc. Buy in bulk to save money, or use them as fillers to get to the amount needed for $/$ coupons.

• Address labels: You can save yourself a lot of time by getting address labels for your envelopes. The HCW freebie forum has a sticky for places that you can get free address labels.

• The Dreaded “No!”: Your rebates will be refused occasionally. Don’t worry about it. You will get better at submitting them!"

source: HCW

Cheap is good, FREE is SO much better!

I never thought I'd be getting SO MANY freebies when I started my heavy couponing. I'm thinking I'll be scoring some major deals.....but tons of freebies!? Oh yeah baby, and here's how. Not only can you combine stores sales, coupons, rebates and similar things to knock a price down to FREE on items, but there are many ways to outright ask for freebies! Here are some ways:

This blog has a FREEBIE section where I post every single freebie I find. This is, by no means, everything out there, but as you'll see, it's a solid start. In just one week I counted over 200 freebies I'd found! We're talking, anything from a free sample for tampons, to much more substantial items.

Outside of this blog (since I only post frees I strongly feel are legit), there are a few warnings to heed. Lets go over those first, then we'll go to the good stuff...ways to score legit freebies!


To start with, freebies are powerful marketing tools and are used to good effect by many smart marketers. But, not every freebie offer is legit. You'll need to use some healthy skepticism and resist the temptation to fall for some of the more common freebie scams. Below are some good tips from HCW to help you avoid being scammed.

Too Good To Be True

If an offer appears too good to be true, is usually is. Think about the motivation for the free offer. A free trial size deodorant makes sense because the company is trying to sell the deodorant. A free trip to Hawaii is unlikely, unless there are hidden charges involved.

Weird Websites

Most legit sites offering freebies have little to no off-site advertising. If there are lots of Google ads or the site otherwise does not look legit, skip it. Another thing to be wary of are websites that have the word "free" in the URL. If a website is badly constructed and has lots of spelling and punctuation errors, slams you with pop ups or downloads you should just close the window. Other signs of a possible scam site is if the offer is being hosted on a free hosting domain like Tripod or Yahoo. Legit companies spend money on real hosting packages. Ask yourself "If a website has enough money to send out thousands of free samples why have they not spent any money on the development of their website" The answer could very well be that they are only looking to collect your personal information, and no free sample will ever be sent.

Is The Freebie Being Offered a Win-Win?

Often times when a company is giving out a free sample, they do it so that people can sample their product and possibly purchase from them in the future. This is just good marketing. If a website is offering free samples, look for a link or some sort of information that directs you back to the company. If there is no link or address, think to yourself "How will customers buy this product if they like it?" No company would be willing to give away thousands of free samples with no way for the consumer to purchase the product if they like it.

Who owns the site?

If a sample is being offered by a major company or brand like "Crest" is the URL www.crest.com? If the URL is not the actual company or parent company (example: Crest is owned by P&G) that is offering the freebie, it is likely a scam. Some exceptions are well known retailer websites like Walmart.com. If you are not sure who owns a website you can try running the URL through this site: www.whois.net this will tell you who registered the website.

Pop-Ups and Banners

If a freebie offer comes to you in a pop-up or banner ad while surfing the Internet, it is probably in your best interest to pass. This is especially true of advertisements that take you to another website than the official website of the item being offered.

Tips for preventing spam and scams

Use an alternative email: Most freebie seekers have signed up for a free email address through Yahoo, Gmail, or Hotmail to use for the sole purpose of signing up for freebies. These sites have pretty good junk mail filters. Freebie seekers do not use their main email address. That way if they do fall for a scam their main or real email address will not be clogged up with spam. Even the legit freebie sites can be somewhat "spammy" in their emailing of newsletters and other information about their products

Don't pay for prizes: There are no legitimate free samples or lotteries where the winner has to pay a fee to claim their prize. If you get a email or postal mail claiming you the winner of a great prize, don't do it. It is a scam and the only winner are the scammers out to get your money

Read the sites FAQ or Terms of Service- If there is one, read the FAQ or TOS and all fine print. Is there a guarantee that you will receive the freebie? Is the freebie limited to only the first 10,00 participants (and if it is realize that you may not be in that group of the first 10,000 and now the site is just collecting your information)? If the fine print says that it is not affiliated in any way with the product being offered as a free sample, or anything like that, move on. Its a scam.


Now, to find freebies, frequent money saving forums/boards that have a Freebies section. Read money savings blogs. Most have a Freebies section as well **wink wink**.

Go right to the source. Go to the websites of any of the companies of products you use or those that you'd like to try. Many offer coupons, promotions and freebies!

And, one of my favorite and easiest ways to score freebies is through 'freebie' sites that alert you to what is out there. I frequent the following:

MySavings has info on many things, and a freebie section. Freeflys alerts you to freebies, and Start Sampling allows you to request lots of different types of samples from all sorts of companies.


You could also join Vocalpoint. One of the perks is getting early access to samples. I have been a part of this site for a few years and occasionally i get packages in the mail of new items, and ten coupons for all my friends. It is meant to spread the word if you like the item, but, um......if I like the item, I will likely use the coupons myself. And the coupons they send w/ the freebies are pretty substantial. Sometimes, they even send you regular old items that have been around a long time and tons of coupons. Why..? I'm not sure, but I likey! LOL!

And, while we're talking freebies, don't you EVER pay for another magazine subscription! I have a section of this blog dedicated to letting you know about all the freebie mag. subscriptions out right now (or at least all the ones I come across) and unless you have a specific need for a magazine in which you'll need to pay for the subscription, there are generally lots and lots of free subscriptions for the taking! Click HERE to surf around and start up your own subscriptions!

Now get out there and GET FREE STUFF!



partial source: HCW

Abbreviations & Acronyms

Hang around savings boards or blogs long enough and you'll start seeing a lot of acronyms that you'll want to pick up on. Below you see a compilation of many used in the online couponing world.

AC = After Coupon
ACTUALS = The actual item as opposed to a coupon for it (an item from your stockpile)
ADDIE or ADDY = Address
AR = After Rebate
BLINKIES - instore smartsource coupon dispensed near product, usually from red blinking box
BOGO or B1G1F = Buy one get one free
BOLO = Be On the Lookout
BTFE = Box Tops for Education
BTW = By the way
B&M - Brick & Mortar, as opposed to an online store
CAT or Catalina = coupon dispensed at register after purchase, usually has a red border
CLFE = Campbell's Labels for Education
CO = cents off coupon
CRT = Cash register tape
DND = Do Not Double (the coupon is not supposed to be doubled)
DOUBLE COUPON = coupon that a grocery store doubles in value
ECB - CVS Extra Care Bucks earned for purchases
ENVIE = Envelope
EPOP = Each pay own postage (trading term)
ESR = EasySaver Rebate (Walgreens Monthy Rebate)
ETA = Edited to add
FAR = Free After Rebate
FREE ITEM COUPON = A coupon that allows you to get the product completely free
FSOT = For Sale or Trade
GDA = Good Deal Alert
GG = Grocery Game
HBA = The health and beauty aid section in the grocery store
HCW = Hot Coupon World
HDA = Hot Deal Alert or Home Delivered Ad
HL = Have list
HT or HGT = Hang tags for refunds or coupons hanging on a product
HTH = Hope this / that helps
IMO = In My Opinion
ISO = In Search Of
IDSO = In Desperate Search Of
IVC = Walgreen's Instant Value Coupon ( Found in the monthy EasySaver Catalog )
IVDSO = In Very Desperate Search Of
IP = Internet Printable
KWIM = Know what I mean?
LMK = Let Me Know
MIR = Mail In Rebate
NAZ = Name, address, zip code
NED = No expiration date
NP = No problem
NBPN = No Beer Purchase Necessary
NWPN = No wine purchase necessary
OAS = a coupon that is good on one purchase, any size
OOP = Out of Pocket
OOS = Out of Stock
OP = Original Poster; Author of a thread
OSI = On a single item
OYNO = On your next order
OT = Off Topic
P&G = Proctor & Gamble Sunday supplement coupons
PEELIE = coupon that you peel off the package
PLMK = Please Let Me Know
PM = Private Message
POP = Proof of purchase
PP = purchase price
PPHF = Paypal handling fee
PSA = Prices Starting At or Public Service Announcement
Q or QUALIFIER = The POP required for a refund offer that is physically taken from that package
RAOK = Random act of kindness
RC = Raincheck
RP = Red Plum Sunday Supplement Coupons
RR = Register Rewards
SASE = Self Addressed Stamped Envelope
SCR = Rite Aid Single Check Rebate
SD = Store Display
SF = Store form
SIL = Son or sister in law
SMP = Specially Marked Packages
SS = Smart Source or Sunday Supplement coupons
STACKING = Some stores allow the use of more than one coupon per item, IF the coupon itself does not restrict such usage.
SUPER DOUBLES or DOUBLES = coupons that are doubled $1 + in value (ie, a $1 coupon = $2, etc)
TEAR PAD = A pad of refund forms or coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display
TIA = Thanks in advance
TMF = Try Me Free
TRIPLE COUPON = a coupon that a grocery store triples in value
TYVM = Thank you very much
V = Valassis Sunday supplement coupons
WINE TAG = coupon, usually for $ off any meat, cheese or produce.
WL = wishlist
WPN = Wine purchase necessary
WSL = while supplies last
WT = winetag
WYB = When You Buy
YGEM = You've got a email
YGPM = You've got a private message!
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary= success of the attempt may vary at your store
YVW = Your very welcome

Store Abbreviations

ALBIES = Albertsons
CVS = Consumer Value Store
HT = Harris Teeter
KG = Kroger
KM = K-Mart
ST = Super Target
SWM = Super Walmart
SW = Safeway
WAG = Walgreens
WD = Winn Dixie
WM = Walmart
TG = Target


source: HCW

Sales Cycles

I've talked about Sales Cycles a couple of times, but what exactly am I talking about? For each month of the year, you can typically look for certain things to go on sale around that time of the year, every year.

For instance, in the month of October, these are the things you will likely find on sale:

OCTOBER - Stock up on holiday foods – Stove Top, turkey, instant mashed potatoes, broth, cranberries, marshmallow, ice cream, pie shells, whipped cream, pudding. Look for great Kraft deals again this time of year. Piggyback those Kraft coupons when you can. Crackers are a biggie - going on for $1 or less a box. Lots of extra deals like $ off cheese WYB crackers. The real kicker is the after Christmas food deals! Save your coupons because pie fixings, fried onion, broth and canned green beans will be on deep discount.
• Cars
• Houses
• Fishing Equipment
• Crystal, Silver, and Glassware
• Candy
· Baking/candy-making items (choc chips, sprinkles, vanilla, corn syrup, nuts, etc)

Knowing this, I can start looking ahead for coupons for these things and when I see those sales cycling through, I have my coupons ready to combine with a sale and I scoop up so many things for almost nothing when planning this way.

For example, last November, I was finding Stove Top on sale, right on schedule. Since I knew this was going to happen, I looked around for Stove Top coupons and found quite a few at my local grocery store for .50 off ea box. Target ran a sale for Stove Top, .75 a box. A quarter per box ain't bad, but then when I went to cash in on this deal at Target, right there in the same aisle as the Stove Top, were tearpad coupons that stated, "Buy 3 boxes, get 4th free". Ok, so I paid .75 for 4 boxes. That's a little more than .18 a box! I can't remember how much I bought, but I'm still working on that stash. And, just in time for the next sales cycle of Stove Top, I'm down to my last 4 boxes and looking for the deals again. Just last week I found more tearpad coupons for the "buy 3, get 1" and grabbed a few in preparation for another run on ST.

This is just one example of MANY of the items you use that you can anticipate going on sale when you know about the Sales Cycles. With all of the items our families use, if we can anticipate sales the way I did for the Stove Top, and the deals are as sweet, we can build a nice healthy stockpile for so little!

Here is a list of the coming Sales Cycles coming for November and December.

NOVEMBER -
• Winter Apparel and Accessories
• Quilts and Blankets
• Heating Devices
• Turkey, Sweet Potatoes
• Canned goods (soup, chicken broth, condensed milk, veggies etc)
• Baking goods

DECEMBER –
• Toys
• Gift Items
• Party ware
• Post-Holiday Sales
• Party Foods, Baking Goods, and Various Meat
• Canned goods (broth, soups, etc)


"Year-round after a holiday, you can always pick up cheap cookie dough and any food related to a holiday.

Continual sales are candy, popcorn, chips, anything snacky, cereal (heavier in the fall/winter, but still around in the spring).
Frozen food sales seem to centralize on a brand and the switch brands the next month. I think the manufacturers buy slot time for sales. So last month, Stouffers was on sale hard, now lean cuisine is. Save the entire frozen coupon and then keep checking back for the brand of the month.

Frozen pizzas go on sale in the fall and then again the spring; not often in the summer because people don't want to turn their ovens on in the summer.

By all means, this isn't everything that you can get on sale, but if you follow the cycle and stock up (I never buy BBQ sauce in the winter), then you can get where you have enough on hand and only need to refill when the items are in season. The result is that you spend less and less with each successful cycle"

You can find the Sales Cycle for the whole year HERE and HERE at HCW. Make sure to check both as the last one has more detailed info.

Other Tips and Tricks of the trade

Here you'll learn how to protect your savings from cashiers in the wrong, or if your store is out of the item you were in search of. Don't give up......read on!

Ask for rainchecks!

Sometimes you have done all the homework, gone to the store, and they are out of what you want. Rainchecks are the solution: they give you the sale price on the item when it is back on the shelf, even when the sale is over. You may have anywhere from 2 weeks to a year to get that price, depending on the expiration date of the raincheck. (Some stores' rainchecks never expire!) By that time, you may have newer and better coupons!

Here is a helpful strategy mentioned at HCW:

"I do my shopping for stuff I already have coupons for early in the sale. Our sales here end on Tuesday night at the grocery stores or Saturday night for the other stores (drug stores). I always hit the grocery stores one last time on Tuesday night for rainchecks. You can get rainchecks for items out of stock. That’s what they are there for. So if "Hot Pockets" are on sale and they are out of just one flavor I get a raincheck. Often times you can tell them that you need a raincheck for the item you want and they don't really care or check to see if its out of stock. So theoretically they don’t have to be out of stock of something in order to get a raincheck, but that is dishonest, to each his own. I personally play the your out of "Diet Coke" can I get a raincheck on the Coke products on sale for .80 cents please. Does that make sense? With raincheck now in my binder I now have TIME to collect coupons! You can trade for them or buy them! I have rainchecks issued to me from a year ago. I get rainchecks on stuff that doesn’t have coupons, too. Meat especially. When boneless skinless chicken breasts go on sale for $1.49LB I buy a bunch (40lbs or more) and freeze it... then I get a raincheck too in case it doesn't go on a good sale by the time I run out of chicken.

Look for unadvertised sales!

One store may have too much of a certain item in stock, and will put it on sale. Others will have items on clearance. This is why you need to have all of your coupons with you as you shop and this is one big reason why I don't carry a huge binder full of coupons,leave it in the car and run back out if I find something good on sale I didn't expect. I ALWAYS find something unadvertised it seems, and I like having it all right there with me as I shop..it's just easier to me. To each her own!

Keep your eyes on the cashier!

Occasionally, you will run into a cashier who is a master of the sleight-of-hand. This results in some of your coupons not being scanned. Stand up for yourself and don't let it happen. If you had 10 coupons and she only scanned 9, speak up. It's your money we're talking about here.

Also, many stores have a "scan right guarantee": it scans correctly or it is free, or you get double the difference back. Make sure that you get the price that you were expecting!

Sometimes, buy the smallest size possible!

Stores like Sam's Club and Costco may have you convinced that the bigger sizes are the better value. You're a couponer now, and you know better!

A large product may be much less expensive with coupons, but the smallest size may be free! This is part of the logic behind multiple coupons. One of our members bought the 34oz coffee for a few dollars until she realized that the 11-13oz size was totally free!

Don't let the cashier pull the "one coupon per purchase" line on you!

One coupon per purchase does NOT mean one coupon per transaction. Each item is considered a purchase-- many coupons actually say "one coupon per item purchased, which is a much better way to phrase it.

Item 1= this is a purchase; Item 2= this is a purchase; Item 3= this is a purchase; etc... Have them ring them up in individual transactions if they don't get it.

To further drive your point home, you can show them a receipt that has total items purchased= xx, followed by a transaction number. I have found that as big time couponers, we understand the store/coupon policies much better than many cashiers and sometimes they speak up and say things or deny us just to be authoritative, and not because it is actually so. So be sure to familiarize yourself with that stores policies so you can defend your purchase. For the more troublesome stores, there are ladies that actually print out the store policy on line and keep it with them and have had to actually USE it to prove to a store manager the correct policy.

And, remember, the deals almost always come around again-- sometimes better the next time! I've mentioned it before, but see this thread at HCW on sales cycles to see the best time to buy many items. This is in my favorites because it helps me line up some coupons for sales that are typical this time of year. I only learned this by frequenting that thread.

I hope you're having a great weekend! I'll be back on Monday with more goodies to help you
!!!!!!

Stockpile!!! Stockpile!!! Stockpile!!!

First of all, building a stockpile should not negatively affect your budget!

The whole concept is one of savings! Do not neglect the overall savings in favor of stocking up on individual items.

If the current hot deal is for something that you will not use a lot of, exercise some restraint and look for the deals on things that your family uses every week. Don't end up paying full price for everything else because you spent all of your time and energy getting 20 of something that you won't use for 2 months or more.

What is a stockpile?

A stockpile is having a backup for every item that you use on a regular basis. It's a gradual process. It's not something that you go out and buy all at once, and say "I have a stockpile!" If you did it that way, where are the savings?

A stockpile is built one item at a time, not bought.

I like the example HCW gives:

Let's take as an example a generic Hot Coupon Newbie.

They have read through the Couponing 101 thread, and have grasped the concept that they need multiple coupons. They have gotten them into their hot little hands. Now what?

Hot Coupon Newbie has a cat. The cat needs cat litter. From reading the boards, HCN knows that Tidy Cats litter will be on sale at Stop & Shop for $1 a 10 lb bag this week. HCN looks in the coupon file, and has 10 x $1.00/1 coupons for litter. They get all 10 bags free after coupons!

This is HCNs very first stockpile item! It may be the ONLY item added to their stockpile this week, but the stockpile has been born!

Next week, HCN sees that Campbell's Select Soup is on sale 4/5.00 or $1.25 each. They have 12 x $.50/1 coupons in hand that their store will double. This makes each can (normally $2.39 each) only $.25 each that week. HCN buys 12 with coupons, spending $3.00 for $28.68 worth of soup and adding item #2 to their stockpile.

The third week, HCN may not find anything worthy of their newly established stockpile! They just use coupons for the things they actually need to buy that week, and still save 50% or more, which is just fine.

The fourth week is a bonanza! There is a deal on cereal at their store. The Post cereals are on sale at $1.50 a box, our newbie has $1.00/2 coupons, and there is a rebate! HCN spends $15.00 on 10 boxes of cereal, uses 5 x $1.00/2 coupons, and brings the cost down to $10.00. They then send off for the $10.00 rebate, making all 10 boxes free! Another stockpile item! AND another store has Mahatma rice packages on sale for $.50 each. Our newbie has coupons for $.50/2 that double, and they have 20 coupons. This translates into 40 packs of rice for nothing, and adds item #4 to the stockpile.

There is no reason that you need to start stockpiling flat-out, no holds barred. If you have budget constraints, which you are likely to if you want to coupon in the first place, start out by designating $20.00 a month toward your stockpile. When that's gone, you only go after the things that you can get for free.

Many of the hard core couponers will tell you-- it takes between 6 and 9 months to get a stockpile established and on its way to being self-sustaining. Even then, you sometimes miscalculate and run out of things.

How will you know how much of something to stockpile?

To begin with, figure out how large a supply you want to have on hand-- 3 months? 6 months? A year? Then, determine how much of a given item your family uses each week or month. From experience I've learned that I don't always get this part right but I have learned to better estimate as I go.

If your family goes through 2 boxes of cereal each week, you want a 6 month cereal supply on hand. Six months = 26 weeks x 2 boxes/week= 52 boxes of cereal.

Unless it is a spectacular deal (like free), you will not buy all 52 boxes in one week! Build up to 52. Ten one week, and 15 the next time there is a cereal deal.

Read over this sales cycle thread at HCW. Things go on sale at regular intervals, which helps you to determine how much of any given item to have on hand. If you can't store a year's worth of cereal at one time, figure out how many boxes it will take to tide you over until the next time there will be fantastic cereal sales and rebates!

Stockpiling is an ongoing process.

Just because you got free cat litter doesn't mean you will pass up the next Tidy Cats sale. You are never "finished" with a stockpile, because as soon as you get a full supply of one item, you will run low on another.

The ultra-mega-monster packs of something from Sam's or Costco is not necessarily a good "stockpile" option!

90% of the time, purchasing in bulk at a warehouse store is not the least expensive option. Don't buy to stockpile from one, except for things you really can't get great deals for on a regular basis. Even then, don't buy at stockpile levels, just buy a big enough pack to get you through until you DO find the super deal elsewhere.

A few things are really inexpensive there, but quite a few things are just "cheaper than regular price" and are just tide-you-over buys, and are not stockpile-worthy. They don't take MFR coupons so if they are an ok price there, you will likely find a better deal somewhere else that is ALSO an ok deal, but THAT store will take your coupons, therefore the deal is BETTER elsewhere.

Keeping control of your stockpile!
Why would you want to do something like that! Isn't getting 200 of any item for free a good thing? I'll take all I can get.

There are several reasons to keep a handle on your stockpile.

1. Space: Don't let your stockpile take over. If things get uncomfortable, you have probably bought too much.

2. Safety and Expiration Dates: A deal isn't a deal unless you are actually going to use the item before it spoils. Ask yourself how much of a product your family can reasonably use in a given time frame, and STOP when you have that amount.

3. Those that move on a regular basis: This applies most to military families, but also certain other careers where frequent moves are necessary. And, take THIS from experience, moving a HUGE stockpile is a pain the REAR! The military movers will not move liquids, so who do you think got to pack and move all that shampoo, body wash, ketchup, bbq sauce, etc. across the country? You got it.........me and my husband. In general they will not pack perishables, since containers can be in storage for 6 months to a year. Nothing flammable. No cleaning supplies. No batteries, etc. The best way to stockpile in the military is to have a 3 to 6 month supply of items, instead of the 1 to 2 year supply a non-military family might have.

Join us tomorrow. We'll be discussing Tips and Tricks of the Trade. Don't miss it!

More Basic Beginners Info

Today I thought I'd post a little more on some of the basics of couponing now that we've gotten an idea of where to get them and how to file all the ones you are scooping up.

So, you're ready for the next step..where to shop? Just anywhere? Drug store, grocery store?

First, look at the stores in your area.

Make a list. Once you learn how to work the system, you may find yourself shopping at stores that you thought were “too expensive”, because they actually have better deals in the long run! This is true with my local grocery stores, Albertsons and Vons. I don't step foot in there usually because of their high prices, but when there is a good deal to stack with my coupons, I'm there!

Find out about their coupon policies. Ask at the customer service desk or call and ask for a Manager. Policies vary by store. Some stores that you thought do not take coupons actually do! Did you know that Dollar General takes coupons?

Here are some of the ways that some stores treat coupons:

• Double Coupons: The stores will double the face value of the coupon, meaning that your coupon is worth twice the face value. The best kind of grocery stores double coupons up to $1.00. Many other stores double coupons up to $.50 or $.60, etc. Some stores also have a limit as to how many of the same coupon they will double.
• No Doubles: Your coupons will be accepted at face value only. When a person says they are in the "Land of no doubles", like me :(, this is what they mean...there are no stores around that double.
  
• Triple Coupons: This is very rare (and getting more rare as the economy gets worse) ,comes as a promotion in certain areas. The store will triple the value of your coupon up to a certain value. In this instance, a $.50 coupon would be worth $1.50!
• Some stores will allow you to ‘stack’ their store coupons with your manufacturer coupons for even greater savings! Some of them are: CVS, Walgreen’s, Rite-Aid, Eckerd, Toys-R-Us, Target and some grocery stores. These store coupons can come from home mailers (go to their websites and get on the mailing lists!), store ads, flyers and the stores’ monthly magazines. So keep an eye out!
  
• If the store has a loyalty card, get one. Or two. This is often the only way that you will get the sale prices.
• A very few stores-- mostly in the Midwest-- will take coupons that have already expired. The dates vary from 3 months to 6 months past the expiration date.
  
• Certain stores will accept competitor's coupons for everything from FREE gift cards with a prescription to the catalinas that print after the order.

Very important...........call or visit the Service Desk of the stores you've narrowed down in your area and ask:

1. Does your store double coupons?
2. What is the maximum value that you will double?
3. How many ‘like’ coupons will double?
4. Do you ever have triple coupon promotions?
5. Do you take Internet printed coupons? (This is a big one. Many stores no longer take them.)This post was taken from hotcouponworld.com
6. Can I combine store coupons with manufacturer coupons?
7. Does this store take expired coupons post was taken from hotcouponworld.com
8. Do you accept competitor coupons?

You'll need to get the weekly ads for all of your stores!

These are usually delivered in your home newspaper. If they are not or you don't get a paper, you can view them online at the store’s website. On my blog, most of the pages that are store specific will have a clickable ad that will take you to the area of that stores' website where you can view the ad in your area. Easy!

Your goal is to match the weekly sales from the ads with the coupons in your possession. You will spend less money AND TIME if you have a plan. Don't buy everything you need at one store just because it is convenient for you. The store across the street might have other things from your list on sale. To coupon effectively you'll need to be flexible in the stores you visit and be willing to go to 'more than once place' for your goods.

NOTE: brand loyalty goes out the window for serious couponers! Buy what is on sale!

The previews for ads in individual stores are also frequently posted at HCW. Make sure that you read the ads yourself, though, because a hot deal for one person might not be hot for you! And, once in a while I find that their ad that was posted is slightly different than mine. So once you get going, make sure and visit the stores website or collect your ad and double check for yourself.

NOTE: If a store has something on sale: # for $xx, you are not obligated to buy the full number to get the sale price… unless the ad says so! Something that is 10/$10.00 is actually “each item is $1”.

Also, these # for $xx sales are not always the best deal. Sometimes they even increase the price for this type of sale. EX: a can of tomatoes is on sale at 5/$5.00. But since you are now so price-savvy, you know that the regular, everyday price of the item is only $.89! You know to pass on this 'sale'!

Example

Finesse shampoo or conditioner is on sale at 2/$5.00= $2.50. You have a $1 off 1 coupon, and your store doubles dollars! $2.50- $2.00= $.50. That is a good deal for something that usually costs $3.49!

Hamburger Helper is on sale for 10/10.00. You have a $.50/1 coupon. You store doubles that coupon, making the item FREE!

Tomorrow we will discuss Stockpiling in depth. This was a new notion to me when I got heavy into couponing and it was hard to adjust to at first, but I quickly got the hang of it and the value of stockpiling became very obvious very quickly.

Here is a small preview of tomorrow's discussion:

Stockpiling!

Once you have found that great deal, you need to buy a lot of it. Not just 1 for now and 1 to have on hand for later, but 10 or 20 or more, depending on the coupons you have. This is the logic behind all of those coupons that you obtained from everyone you know!

This is only a sensible idea if you have room to store it, and the item is non-perishable. From experience I can tell you....you have more room than you think you do! If you have questions about expiration dates or what you might be able to freeze, check here: Stockpile Expiration Dates and What You Can and Can't Freeze. You know what your family needs, but everyone needs toilet paper, toothpaste and deodorant!

Hard-core couponers have on hand a one or two year supply of things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, body wash or soap, and cleaning supplies. When you use one of them, you can just go to wherever you store your stockpile for another. You have purchased these items at the price you wanted to pay, not the price the store wanted you to pay! Free or nearly free is better than full price any day! Once you get better at this, you will see the maximum amount that you are willing to pay will drop!

Also, there is no reason to start stockpiling flat out, no-holds-barred. Start out slowly if you're on a budget. You can allot $20 each month for the first few months to building your stockpile and slowly increase the amount as you become more coupon-proficient.

Check in tomorrow for a much more in depth discussion of Stockpiling, all the WHYS and HOWS?! :)!