texas couponers anonymous basics
DESCRIPTION
Teaching you how to maximize your grocery savings...finding the deals so you don't have to be anonymous...TRANSCRIPT
Texas Couponers Anonymous
Finding the deals so you don’t have to be anonymous anymore…teaching you how to
maximize your savings…
By: Kristi Reddell
A Little Bit About My Journey!I started couponing in mid-October 2008 for no reason at all. The economy was okay at the time (at least I thought it was) and we were doing okay, so why did I really need to start couponing. I just thought it would be really neat to save a ton of money and get more bang for my buck! So, I embarked on a new journey. As my son says, “Save more, live better mommy.” He came up with this himself. So the journey began, tons of research has poured through my brain learning how to maximize my budget. Now, I am passing it onto you to learn just like I have. It has been a fun journey for me now that I have seen my grocery budget go from around $400-$500 a month, to a mere $200-$250 (and that is getting a ton for our families stockpile). In January, the economy went crazy and I decided that I would start a blog to document my savings and pass deals onto other people. Thus how Texas Couponers Anonymous became about. I don’t have many followers (there are only 3), but it is still a work in progress. You can view it at: www.texascouponersanonymous.blogspot.com. It will soon have a ton of information for beginning couponers, such as yourself. Come along for the ride and if you have any question, please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. You don’t have to be anonymous anymore…let the world see you saving day to day!!
For Starters!!• Know your stores coupon policy – a big must and make
sure you take a copy of it with you also, some stores try to change their policy on a day to day basis, but you are already armed with your copy from corporate
• Don’t be BRAND LOYAL!! If the generic costs less after a coupon on the name brand item, go with the generic.
• Take full advantage of Wal-Mart’s Comp Ad policy – make sure you use your coupons with the items if you have one.
• Don’t shop at one place only! You may have to go to multiple stores to get the better deal. (Kroger and other stores like it may have higher prices, but remember that they double and triple coupons, so your savings is much greater.)
Coupon Lingo• Q - Coupon
• IP - Internet Printable Coupon
• OOP - out of pocket
• Blinkies - Machines found hanging on store shelvesPeelies - Coupons found on the package
• RC -Rain Check - don't have the item you are looking for thats on sale, get one of these and you can get it when they have the item again...just a reminder that CVS RC's don't expire
• CRT - Cash register tape – coupons are sometimes located on the back from CVS, Target, Kroger, etc.
• CAT - Catalina - machine located at the register that prints coupons, usually at the grocery stores
• Overage - When you go negative on your bill
• RR - Register Rewards at Walgreens
• ECB - Extra care bucks at CVSBAGB - Buy A and get B free
• BOGO - Buy one, get one free
• BOGO1/2- Buy one get one 1/2 off
• WAGs - Walgreens
• MFG - Filler item
• MIR - mail in rebate
• MMQ - manufacture mailed coupon
Where To Find Coupons• Sunday Newspaper
(note: you can buy the Early Sunday Edition of the Houston Chronicle on Saturday anywhere. The 99 Cent Only Store also sales the newspaper for only 99 Cents and they do have the Early Sunday Edition!!)
• Ask others for their coupons that they normally would throw out
• Internet Printable *• Clipping Service *• In the grocery stores
(blinkies, peelies, winetags) – with the winetags, in TX you are not required to purchase the alcohol in order to save the amount on another item listed on the winetag
(* - will discuss later where to find these)
Organizing Coupons• Envelopes are
good to start with
• Accordion File box *
• Coupon Binder *• Coupon Box (* - example pictured)
Internet Printables = Great Finds Online
• www.coupons.com• www.eversave.com
• www.couponcabin.com • www.coupondad.net
• www.afullcup.com (Target Coupon Generator)• www.kraftfoods.com
• www.bettycrocker.com • www.walgreens.com
• www.kroger.com • www.randalls.com
• Any other manufactures website
Coupon Sites = where you can buy more if you need them
• www.couponclippers.com • www.ebay.com• www.taylortownpreview.com• www.centsoff.com
Loadable Coupons • You can load coupons directly to your Kroger Plus and
Randall’s cards. These loadable coupons can be stacked* with paper coupons and store coupons
• www.pgesaver.com • www.upromise.com • www.shortcuts.com
• www.cellfire.com • www.bringinghopetothetable.com/Sites/BringingHope/
Page/HomePage
(* - will explain stacking a little later)
Where to find the deals• www.texascouponersanonymous.blogspot.com
- (my personal savings blog)• www.hotcouponworld.com
• www.couponmom.com • www.texascouponcutie.blogspot.com
• www.thethriftymama.com • www.thenewfrugalmom.com • www.centsible-sawyer.com
Coupon Policies
• www.hotcouponworld.com (has the coupon policy for most stores located under their links)
• Go directly to the store or their website (email them to get their policy)
• www.coupondad.net (has most of the coupon policies listed directly on his site)
2009 Coupon Schedule SS = Smart SourceRP = Red PlumP&G = Procter & GambleJune6/7 — SS, RP, & P&G6/14 — SS Only6/21 — SS & RP6/28 — SS & RPJuly7/5 — P&G Possibly7/12 — SS & RP7/19 — SS Only7/26 — SS & RPAugust8/2 — SS, RP, & P&G8/9 — SS & RP8/16 — SS & RP8/23 — SS & RP8/30 — SS & RP
September9/6 — P&G Possibly9/13 — SS & 2 RP9/20 — SS & RP9/27 — SS & RPOctober10/4 — SS, RP, & P&G10/11 — SS & RP10/18 — SS & RP10/25 — SS & RPNovember11/1 — SS, RP, & P&G11/8 — SS & RP11/15 — SS & RP11/22 — SS Only11/29 — No Inserts scheduled-ThanksgivingDecember12/6 — SS, RP, & P&G12/13 — SS & RP12/20 — No Inserts scheduled - Christmas12/27 — No Inserts scheduled - New Year
Best Places To Shop• Double and Triple
Stores(Kroger – Triple to 39
cents and Double to 50 cents – will triple
or double 3 like coupons)
(Randalls – Same as Kroger, but will only
triple or double 1 coupon per item)
Rotation of Sales
• Generally speaking, the stores will run their rotate their sales every 6-12 weeks. It all depends on the store and location. This is just a good rule of thumb for stockpiling!
Stockpiling• When you find an item on
sale at a rock bottom price, you want to make sure you stock up on that item. This is called stockpiling. Most of your stockpile will consist of either dirt cheap items (under 50 cents) or even ***FREE*** items!!!
• Once, you have these items in your stockpile you will not have to run out to buy it and impulse buy something else in the long run
• Stockpiles generally take about 2 months to build up so don’t rush out to purchase it all at one time.
Stacking Coupons• This can get fun!! • Any store that has STORE
coupons will allow you to stack them. Stacking is when you use a store coupon or program along with a manufactures coupon.
• For the picture to the side, Colgate Target Coupon can be used with the manufacture coupon below it (just make sure you buy what the coupon says) and you can get the value off.
• You can also use the manufacture coupon with a register reward program.
• www.afullcup.com for the Target Coupon Generator.
Examples• BOGO Sale with a BOGO Coupon – When an item
is on sale for BOGO, you can use a BOGO coupon (if you have one for the item) and get 2 ***FREE*** instead of only 1!!
• BOGO with a value Coupon – Most of the time, you can use a BOGO coupon with a value coupon and get a bigger savings on the product. (Example: Purina Beggin’ Strips – Wal-Mart price is $2.24 each. Use BOGO coupon and 2 - $1.00 coupons to get BOTH items for only $0.24!!)
• Just a note for you when you shop CVS BOGO sales, they will let you use 2 coupons (1 for each item)
Register Programs• Walgreens Register Reward
Program – money off of your next purchase (example below)
• Off Clip-Ons sale $8.99 (reg. $9.99) get $3.00 Register Rewards Total $5.99 Minus $2.00 manu. CouponTotal after RR and coupon = $3.99Note: You can roll your RR by using them to purchase other items or getting 2 newspapers for only 50 cents!
• CVS Extra Care Bucks (ECB) Program – same concept as Walgreens only these print at the bottom of your receipt and they can only be used with your CVS card (this is another reward program card specifically for CVS, just like Kroger has the Kroger Plus Card)
Retail Coupons
• Coupons are not just for grocery purchases. You can go to www.retailmenot.com and find some good deals on apparel, dining out, codes to use for online shopping, etc. All you have to do is put your zip code in and search for all the other deals in your area!