Mini Coupon Tutorial

Rethink Couponing: Coupon Pro-Actively

Traditionally, the picture that comes to mind when one thinks about couponing is the one where you sit down every week and go through the Sunday paper clipping this coupon, clipping that one. You will clip whatever coupons you think you will need that week, or that you might need soon. Then, you will throw the rest away.  A lot of people that clip coupons will then file the coupons away in a mini accordion-style file. Some will take a casual glance through the circulars for the week and make out their shopping list.  When they go to the store, they will see an item off their list and say to themselves "I think I have a coupon for that."   Sometimes, folks even forget they have a coupon for a given item. 

That was the traditional view on how to coupon. I got to thinking about how maybe we needed a new mini-tutorial on how to be a pro-active couponer. People that know I coupon have been asking me if I want their "leftover coupons" from the paper. I always say "Sure." Then, I get their coupons and sit totally shocked. In one case recently, someone that is new to the "new way to coupon" sent me their coupons. I just tsked as I clipped their coupons. (Thanks for the coupons, by the way!) One coupon was good for $1 off any Tide laundry detergent. (Don't they know that can equal 1 whole free load of laundry if they used it in the travel section? Why not get a free load of laundry??) Gasp. Turn the page. The Pampers' Page! What??! There were two valuable coupons for Pampers in there... ONE had been clipped and the other one left for me. Ok! I will take it. But why was it still there?? Oh, the novice couponer only needed one pack of diapers this week. Of course..... (sigh)  And then there are the BOGO coupons for various items that drugstores love to run store BOGO deals on.. when that happens, both items come out FREE.

My Oh My. Maybe just telling about the coupons I use on my deals and telling how I organize my coupons is not enough to adequately explain the couponing philosophy.

1. Keep almost all the coupons from the paper.  Just clipping the coupons you will need for the week and tossing the rest is a big mistake. You might find a deal that makes items super cheap and/or free. Wouldn't you stock up if you could pay pennies on the dollar or get an item free before you need it? What if the coupons are not in the paper or as valuable as the ones you toss when you do need them? What if by buying an item you don't need could get you an item you do need much much cheaper than if you would have just bought the item you needed?         *This seems confusing. I have a real life example. I always clip the Swiffer Sweeper starter set coupons, even though I have one already. I needed refills for it. There was a store coupon deal where if you bought the starter, you got the refills free. I had a manufacturer's coupon for the Sweeper starter. AND, the starter was on clearance for $10. The refills were on sale for $8. My manufacturer's coupon took $5 off the cost of the starter pack, bringing that total down to $5. Then, I used the store coupon to get the refills for FREE. I paid $5 for both a refill pack and a new starter pack. The starter pack even came with MORE coupons.  I am glad I clipped the unneeded coupons. I saved $3 off of just buying the refills, and got a lot more product.
2. Wait to use a "freebie" voucher or coupon.  If you get a free item coupon or voucher and you don't need that item right away, and you wont lose the coupon/voucher (and we know you wont bc you have a Bargain Binder), do NOT get all excited and go cash it in right then. Keep track of it so you will use it before it expires, but do not get your freebie until you:  A. Need it, B. It is close to expiring, or C. (best of all option) You find a sale that makes it an even better deal.  Last year, Mars Chocolate had a Real Chocolate Relief program where you could get vouchers in the mail (sometimes one a week) for a free candy bar. I held onto mine until they almost expired. I was waiting. Then, like magic, a drugstore had a BOGO sale! Buy One Mars Candy, Get One Free. So, I "bought" one candy bar, paying for it with my Mars Free Candy Voucher. And I got my free candy bar from the drugstore deal. By being patient, I was able to get 2 Free candy bars instead of one.  More recently, I worked an Excedrin deal that turned into a money making deal using such voucher/coupons. I had signed up for and received vouchers in the mail for 2 free Excedrin products and $3.50 off a third Excedrin product. I waited. Then, another drugstore deal hit: Spend $20 in any Excedrin products, get $10 EB back. As a reminder: these deals 90% of the time take into consideration your PRE-COUPON amount when qualifying you for these deals and rewards.  So, I took my two free Excedrin vouchers and my 1 $3.50 off coupon. I bought 3 Excedrin products and spent about $2 out of pocket after coupon and vouchers. The vouchers and coupon covered the $20 I had to reach to get the deal. I then got $10 EB printed out at the bottom of my receipt. That makes a $8 profit on buying the Excedrin products because I waited to use my coupons at just the right time.  You wont always get deals like that, but if you wait and pay attention, you can turn your coupons into "money". Or, even get paid to own things.
3. The order you use the coupons in can matter. For example, a large chain store had a bunch of $5 off $50 coupons circulating. When you checked out at the register, it was important to use this coupon FIRST. The computer was set up to take this coupon amount off the total ONLY IF there were $50 in pre-tax items left on the ticket. You would put this coupon down first, then your others could follow it to get the most savings. IF you did not use it first and used the other coupons first, and the remaining balance was $20, for example, it would not give you credit for the $5 off $50, no matter what amount your purchase started at. Every computer system is different, but usually you want to use these types of coupons first. Also, if you have a coupon for $2 off the purchase of both Snickers and M&Ms, and you have a voucher for free M&Ms, you want to use your $2 off coupon first, and then your freebie coupon. If you use the freebie item first, it might take the M&Ms off the ticket and then your $2 off coupon wouldn't work.  *some stores may not let you use these two coupons together. Others do.. especially if it is a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon stacked together. And, the $2 off might get divided between the two items, so it would really be like a $1 off coupon if that's the case. ($2 divided= $1 off each item. You would get $1 off the Snickers and then your freebie would take care of the M&Ms). This is a hypothetical scenario, but you get the idea. Pay attention to the coupons you have and how the store's register treats those coupons.
4. Try to use stackable coupons as often as possible. (one manufacturer's coupon and one store coupon put together per item)
5. Seek out "non-traditional" coupon resources. Of course, the Sunday Paper is a great place to look. Also, go to the store you shop at's website to see if they offer printable coupons. Find a coupon printing site, such as Coupons.com and print coupons you want/need. Cooperate with your couponing. I have an 81 yr old next-door neighbor. She has no use for the coupons and no desire to fool with them. Every Sunday after she is done with her paper, she puts it on my doorstep with all the coupons and circulars in tact. As a thank-you, every month I pull together some of my freebies from the month's couponing and take her a unique gift bag. She gets dishsoap, Olay bars, paper towels, even chocolate and loves it! She is doing me a huge favor but thinks I am the one spoiling her! Others go through recycle bins for discarded papers. Some make friends of the staff at nursing homes and get their Sunday coupons. Also, take advantage of cell phone scannable coupons. Target.com has a sign up for this feature. Different manufacturers offer coupons off their sites, too. Also, trade coupons with friends. There are "coupon clipping services" where you can order more coupons. You are paying for the person's time to clip these, as selling coupons is illegal. It is illegal to buy or sell coupons.
6. Consider the cost of the coupons before you buy the paper or print your coupons. If you only buy the Sunday paper for the coupons, make sure that week has coupons before you buy the paper. When you print your coupons, consider the cost of the toner, ink, paper before you print. If you are printing one coupon that has a full page ad with it, and you may or may not actually use that coupon, you are being counter-intuitive to the coupon philosophy. As a note, most places that let you print multiple coupons at once will print out about 3 per sheet. 
7. Use your coupons on Clearance items!  Don't get so dazzled by deals, sales, or clearance items (even HOLIDAY) that you forget that you can and should use your coupons! Seek these items out. Recently, we had Christmas clearance sales going on. I had in my binder several coupons for Oreos. Some were manufacturer's, some were Store coupons. All were stackable.. (one store plus one manufacturer). Instead of going to the cookie aisle, I went around to the holiday clearance aisle. 75% off Holiday Clearance.. "hmm.. hadn't I seen Peppermint or Holiday Shaped Oreos? I wonder...." And there they were! Stacks and stacks and stacks of all those lovely Oreo full sized cookie packs. We loved the Peppermint ones. The ones with the red filling would be great for Valentine's day. And, with my stacked coupons, they only cost 50 cents a pack or less for the normally $3 a pack sizes! I bought 5 packs. I didn't want to be greedy, and my kids only need so much sugar. So, don't forget to browse the sales and clearance with your coupons. You CAN use them on these items (unless otherwise stated, but I have never seen a case like that).
8. Unless otherwise stated, Rebate deals take into consideration the pre-coupon amount when you are trying to work a rebate deal. If you need to spend $50 to get a $20 rebate check in the mail, you can often times use coupons to buy $50 worth of product, maybe spend $10 actual out of pocket expense after coupons, and get your $20 rebate check. 
9. Some stores take competitor's Coupons. Check the policy
10. Some stores take EXPIRED coupons. Check the policy to see if they do this, and how old a coupon can be to still be usable. My target lets me use coupons if they expired within a day or so. 
11. Know and carry the coupon policy with you.  All stores have a coupon policy. You need to know what it is and print it out and carry it with you if at all possible.  Sometimes the clerks just don't know. I was in Target the other day and had a coupon printed from Target's website. It said "Target Web Coupon" in the top left (the usual place to see if your coupon is a manufacturer's coupon or a store coupon). It was for $ off of milk. The lady handed me the coupon without trying to scan it and said "I am sorry, but this coupon is for use on the internet." I gently asked her where the coupon code was. She didn't know. I asked her to please try and scan it. She wouldn't. I asked her "Since when does Target sell milk online". Again, just a blank stare. So, I pulled out the coupon policy, handed it to her, and flagged down a passing by manager that I have come to know. I told her that I just wanted to make sure I understood the policy better. (I didn't want to frustrate her, just educate her). The manager chuckled at the situation and now that clerk knows that they do indeed take Target Web Coupons. It happens sometimes, and you will want a policy in hand if it happens to you. 
12. ALWAYS BE NICE.Yes, even when the clerk gives you attitude. You can smile and then after your transaction is done, go seek out a manager so that the clerk gets the proper training to handle the next couponer that comes through their line.
13. When using coupons, time of day matters. If it is possible, shop when the store is not busy. A week night or early in the morning is best. Usually, you want to avoid a store on the weekends. If there is not a line of impatient folks behind you, the clerk is generally more relaxed and happy to help you with your coupons. This is especially true when the register keeps beeping and saying you don't have the item in the transaction... then you have to find the item either on the receipt or in your buggy to show them.. it can be a pain.
14. Which leads me to this next point. Always shop and coupon with integrity. You will have a much easier time couponing if you get known for having a pleasant attitude and doing the deals in a straight-forward and honest manner. Now, when I shop in certain stores, the clerks and managers know me. If my coupon acts up for reasons unknown, they almost always automatically accept my coupons without hassle. 
15. Don't take all the peelies off the items in the store and hog them to yourself. 
16. DO leave coupons that are about to expire that you wont use on the shelf next to the appropriate item if it is handy. 
17. DO see folks putting an item in their buggy and offer them a coupon for that item from time to time. Coupon Karma will pay you back kindly.
18. Know what you are buying before you go. Make a plan of action and list coupons you want to use. Go ready with a game plan to optimize your coupon savings. The weekly circulars and blogs outlining transaction deals help you do this.
19. Ask for rain checks on out of stock sales items. This can be nifty if you can find a coupon for the out of stock item while you wait for the item to get re-stocked.
20. Read the Fine Print in the deals and coupons, always.
21. Find out what savings or rewards programs your store offers. 5 c off for using a reusable shopping bag? Extra Bucks back on the purchase of certain items? In-store rebate offers? You need to know. 
22. Consider the cost to shop for the deal. How far is the store? What will you spend in gas money? If you spend $2 to buy a reusable bag to get 5 c back each trip, how many trips will you have to make to make it worthwhile.
23. Cut your discount warehouse cards in half. Well, don't really do that. But don't renew them either. In most cases of couponers, you will not find them worth the annual fee. Why buy a big box of discounted diapers when you can use several coupons on several packs to get to the same quantity, but end up paying less than the big pack? Discount warehouses are often good for folks that don't want to take the time to coupon. There are some exceptions. (Someone told me milk was cheaper. I say work a drugstore deal and get your milk for free with your rewards.)
24. Switch to a credit card that has rewards you can use when you make purchases on it. Airplane miles, Disney Dollars, Gap Certificates, etc. BUT, make sure you pay that bill off in full every month, or you are financing and undermining the coupon philosophy.  Otherwise, just use cash.
25. Shop a year ahead of time, with coupons, for items such as clothing, gifts, etc during post- holiday sales  and other clearance events.

Change the way you think about coupons and couponing. Be proactive in your couponing and deal finding. Read the fine print on the deals an coupons. Set aside about 3 hrs a week while you watch tv to catch up on the deals and organize your Bargain Binder. But don't get burned out. Work some good deals and take a coupon break if you need to.

*Did you find some amazingly good deals and now OOPS have too much toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorants, etc etc?? Some folks build out a new closet or shelving to accomodate it. IF you don't have room, you can always DONATE your extras, or even SELL them on E-Bay or in a yard sale.

So, the lesson here is that by rethinking and pro-actively planning your coupon usage, you can save more money and be much more deal savvy than the traditional coupon mindset.