Think coupons are not for you? Think again…
Let’s begin with the basics.
What is a coupon?
A coupon is a piece of paper that can be exchanged for a discount or rebate when purchasing a product.
Where can I find coupons?
Coupons can be found in a number of places. Magazines, the newspaper, in-store coupons, coupon dispensers, on the back of receipts, and the internet are all sources. The Sunday paper is the most recognizable source for getting coupons.
Internet Coupons
There are many free websites devoted to coupons, but coupons must state that they are MANUFACTURES COUPONS or they will not be honored.
What Kind of Coupons can I receive?
There are a few major suppliers of coupons. They come weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The weekly paper will carries the three types. They feature coupons that range from personal hygiene products, to cleaning products to food products.
How do I use a coupon?
When purchasing a product, present the coupons to the cashier at the end of the transaction and they should be credited to your bill.
When should I use a coupon?
Anytime you are purchasing an item that you have a coupon for. But here is a little tip we find helpful, if you are in a store that doubles or triples coupons, use only coupons that value in 50 cents or less. Stores that honor double and triple coupons will only do so if the value amount is that. If you have a coupon that is a higher amount, it may be more cost effective to use that coupon at a discount grocery chain. There is an exception to this rule if you are using coupon services such as shortcuts.com, where you can use both a paper coupon and a web coupon. This will be explained further in Advanced Coupons.
Is there ever a time when I should NOT use a coupon?
DO NOT just get the paper, cut out all the coupons in the insert, and buy all those items. That won't save you any money. You would more than likely buy a lot of stuff you don't need, won't use, and you will pay more that you have to for any particular product.
Do coupons work everywhere?
No. Wholesale stores do not accept coupons unless it is specifically their own. You will need to check individual store coupon policies, BUT our featured stores accept coupons.
Can I use more than one coupon for a single item?
Not usually, but there are a few exceptions which we will explain in Advanced Coupons, but for the most part, the general rule is one coupon per item.
What is the difference between a coupon and a rebate?
A coupon is an instant savings received at the register. A rebate costs you more upfront. Rebates require you to mail your receipt and barcode from a product you purchase and the manufacturer then mails you a rebate check for deposit. However some stores will offer instant rebates at the time of purchase, but there are usually limitations or restrictions. Read the fine print.
How long do I keep coupons for?
Coupons have an expiration date printed on the top portion of the paper. Expiration dates range from several weeks to several months. After they are expired they are no longer good for use. There is one exception to that rule, U.S. military families can use expired coupons up to 6 months after expiration overseas and in commissaries. Click the link HERE for more information.
How do coupons work with store discount cards like Kroger or Tom Thumb?
Having a store discount card doesn’t affect the ability to use paper coupons. There is an added bonus to have a store card. You may have the ability to load web coupons onto your card and use both paper and web coupons for added savings.
Now that we have covered the basics, now let’s look into some more specific features about coupons. We’ll call this section... Intermediate Coupons
Let’s tackle store coupon policies for individual stores and how you can use it to your advantage.
What are double coupons and triple coupons?
Double or triple coupons do NOT mean that you have to have more than 1 coupon to take advantage. It just means that the value of your coupons can be either doubled or tripled if they meet certain criteria.
Stores that offer double and triple coupons usually have these criteria:
Any coupon that has a value of 39 cents or lower will be tripled.
Example… a 25 cent coupon would be tripled to equal 75 cents.
Any coupon that has a value of 40 cents to 50 cents will be doubled.
Example a 45 cent coupon will be doubled to equal 90 cents.
Who honors double coupons and triple coupons?
Kroger, Tom Thumb, and Albertsons all have this policy. Walmart does not double or triple coupons.
Buy 1 get 1 free coupons
Buy one Get one free coupons require you to buy 2 items and the second is free. You cannot just get one item and discount on just that one item.
Okay we have covered the basics and a few tough topics. Now let’s move to ADVANCED COUPONS.
Coupon Filing System
Coupon filing systems can be easy or as complex as you have the time for. Once upon a time, my filing system consisted of a three ring binder with baseball card holders divided into sections like the grocery store and every individual coupon had a spot. You can do it like this if you choose, but I discovered that if you got behind on clipping and filing your coupons, catching up took some time. My counterpart files her coupons this way. That didn’t work for me, so I developed a system that is much more manageable and easy for me to keep up with. It is not time consuming at all and it is my suggestion that if you don’t already have system, try this one. Here it goes:
I have an accordion filing folder that is regular paper size (8.5 x11 inches) and I write the weekly dates on sticky notes and stick it on the tabs. I can easily access several weeks worth of coupons at once. This would be especially helpful for you because when you access your shopping list for the store of your choosing, I will tell you which week the coupon came from. After scouring the weekly ads I go through my coupons and clip the ones I need and put them into envelopes or use my purse size holder that has dividers in them. The dividers are divided by store. I put all of my coupons for Kroger behind the Kroger tab, etc… I choose to do it this way so that I don’t end up taking all of my coupons with me and fall into the temptation of buying something that I wasn’t planning on just because I had the coupon for it.
The Internet and Coupons
There are several sites devoted to internet coupons. If your store accepts “printables,” this can be a great source for saving money. There are a few restrictions. Coupons must state that they are MANUFACTURES COUPONS or they will not be honored and they cannot be altered in any way. Some stores require that you must print them as they are seen on the screen meaning the must print in color and the barcode must be easily read and not smudged. You can do a search for "printable coupons" and it will bring up many sites. The coupons offered on these sites usually change every month. You will soon discover the more you use coupons and watch sales, the more you'll learn as to how often things go on sale and the lowest prices they will go to.
Adding Coupons to your shoppers card @ Shortcuts™.com
For now, Kroger is the only chain that offers this service. Here's how it works:
1. Customers register their shopper cards at Shortcuts.com
2. Select coupons for your favorite household brands online
3. Swipe your card at checkout & save automatically.
4. You can use your paper coupons with shortcut coupons to save even more money at the register.
Check out Shortcuts.com now
If Tom Thumb is your store of choice you can load P&G Saver coupons onto your Tom Thumb loyalty card by visiting THIS site.Tom Thumb has it's own store coupons available to print as well as others.
Here are some printable coupon sites that would be worth visiting.
http://coupons.smartsource.com
