Couponing 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Couponing
Get some coupons!
- The Sunday newspaper is a great source of coupons. Buy the newspaper with the largest circulation in order to get the best coupons. You can sometimes get them cheaper by buying a double pack. I find that a good rule of thumb is to purchase one newspaper per family member.
- Ask your friends and family for coupons. If they get a newspaper but usually throw out the coupons then they’ll probably be happy to give them to you.
- Peruse the Internet. There are many great online printable coupons to be found! You can find a list of Internet printable sites here!
- Use a clipping service. If there is a great coupon that you would like to have multiples of then you might consider ordering the coupons from a clipping service like The Coupon Clippers.
- Check the store. There are many varieties of coupons that you can find in the store. See a list here.
Organize your coupons!
- Envelopes. You can start by clipping and putting them all in an envelope or check file. But, once you’ve been couponing for a few weeks you will need something bigger.
- File by insert. With this method you just file your inserts by date in a box and use an online coupon database to find the coupon you need. This method doesn’t require much work but you might miss out on unadvertised deals by not having all of your coupons with you at the store.
- Coupon Binder. With this method you would clip all of your coupons and file them in baseball card holders in a three-ring binder. With this method you can carry your binder to the store and have all your coupons with you while you shop. You can see my coupon binder here!
Know your store’s coupon policy!
- Loyalty Cards. If your store offers a loyalty card then make sure to get one. Some stores only give the sale prices to card-holders. Loyalty cards are Free!
- Double/Triple coupons. Double/triple coupons is when the store will take your 50¢ coupon and double it making it $1. This is done automatically at the register, you do not have to do anything to take part in this promotion. First, find out if your store doubles/triples coupons. If they do then find out the maximum double/triple value and how many they will double/triple. My Albertson’s will triple up to 35¢ and double up to 50¢. That means my coupons that are 35¢ and under will triple and 50¢ and under coupons will double. So, at Albertson’s my 50¢ coupon is actually worth $1. And they will only double/triple the first four like coupons. So, if I have 10 coupons for 50¢ off of shampoo, only the first four will double.
- Stacking coupons. Some stores will allow you to use one store coupon (the discount is provided by the store) and one manufacturer coupon (the discount is provided by the manufacturer) per item.
- Internet coupons. Find out if your store accepts Internet coupons.
- Competitor coupons. Some stores will accept competitors coupons.
- Expired coupons. Some stores will accept expired coupons!
Make a plan!
- Weekly Ads. Read the weekly store ads to see what is on sale and which stores have the best prices on the items you need. If you don’t get the weekly ads delivered you can usually view them on the store’s website.
- Coupon Matchups. See if you can match coupons to the sale items to get an even better deal! Some websites do this for you. Couponing 101 provides weekly coupon matchups for CVS, Walgreens, Albertson’s, Brookshire’s, and Kroger.
- Pricematch. Some stores, like Walmart, will pricematch. This means that if grapes are on sale for 99¢/lb at Kroger, you can take the ad to Walmart and at checkout tell the cashier that you would like to pricematch the grapes. Show them the ad and they will sell you the grapes for 99¢/lb versus their higher price.
- Make a List! Don’t go to the store without a list. Lists remind you what you came for and keep you from buying items you don’t need.
- Rainchecks. If your store is out of the sale item, get a raincheck! Go to customer service and ask for a raincheck for the item you wanted. They will fill out a piece of paper with the item details and price. Then you can come back another day (usually no more than 30 days) and buy that item at the sale price by giving the cashier the raincheck. This also gives you more time to gather coupons for the item! You can still use a coupon if you are using a raincheck.
Don’t be fooled!
- 10/$10 promotions. You do not have to buy 10 items to get the $1 price! The only exception to this rule is if the ad states that you must! Those times are rare and are usually for items that are buy x get y free, final price 2/$5, etc.
- Rock-bottom prices. Don’t go out and use your coupon immediately! If you use that 25¢ off toilet paper right away when it’s not on sale you aren’t reaching your saving potential! Wait until toilet paper goes on sale for $1 then use the coupon. If your store triples coupons then you could get the toilet paper for only 25¢! Matching sales with coupons is getting a great price. Combining sales plus coupons plus another promotion (rebates, double coupons, store coupons) is getting the best price!
- “One per Purchase.” I’ve heard this so many times! Most coupons say “one coupon per purchase” somewhere in the fine print. Cashiers will try to tell you that that means you can only use one coupon per transaction/day. This is NOT true! One per purchase means that you can only use one coupon per item purchased! So if you are buying 10 items and have 10 coupons then you can use them all!
- Leave the kids at home! Shopping with kids will distract you and cause you to buy items not on your list!
- Make a Pricebook. Start paying attention to prices and keep a list of items you regularly buy with the best and regular prices for those items. This will help you when you see that canned veggies are on “sale” for 10/$10 but the regular price is actually 99¢!
- Limits. Stores will sometimes put limits on the item to make you think it’s a great price! If cereal is just on sale 2/$4 you might not even notice it. But if it’s on sale 2/$4, limit 2! then you will likely think it’s a great price since they had to put a limit on it!
- Shop early. If you have couponers in your area then it’s best to get to the store as early in the sale as you can!
- “Bigger is better.” The cost per unit of the bigger box of cereal may be less than the smaller one but with coupons and sales the smaller box is likely a better deal.
- Watch the cashier. When checking out pay close attention to the price screen to make sure everything rings up at the correct price. Also, make sure that the cashier scans all of your coupons. Coupons sometimes stick together or get dropped or the cashier will scan the coupon but not realize that it didn’t go through. Kindly point out that they missed one and they will correct it.
- Check your receipt. BEFORE leaving the store look over your receipt to make sure everything rang up correctly and all of your coupons were scanned. If there is a problem take it to customer service immediately so they can fix it. If you leave the store and come back at another time then it might not be fixable. If the cashier missed a coupon and you notice right away it’s easy to see the mistake. But, if you come back later after several other coupons have been added to the cashier’s stack or the stack is gone then there is no way to prove that they missed a coupon.
Build your stockpile!
- Start slowly. Don’t buy a ton of everything as soon as you get started or you will blow your budget! A stockpile takes time. Set aside a part of your weekly grocery money for stockpiling and do what you can with what you have.
- Buy for the future. If an item goes on sale for a great price (or free!) then buy more than you need for just the week. Typically sales go in 12 week cycles so you only need to buy enough for 12 weeks. So, if you eat 1 box of cereal per week then when you find cereal at a rock-bottom price then you should buy 12 boxes. This way you have cheap cereal that will last you until you can buy it at a rock-bottom price again.
- Know how much you use. Start paying attention to how many bottles of shampoo, packs of diapers, boxes of cereal, etc. you use. This will help you to have a better idea of how much you should buy and to not go overboard! If you only eat 1 box of cereal a month then there is really no need to buy more than a few boxes or they will just go to waste.
- Donate it. Every couponer will eventually go overboard and buy too much of something. If there is no way you will use it before it expires then consider donating the item to a shelter or food pantry.
this is great!
Thanks so much for posting this.
Thanks for the guide! I just started couponing this week and really appreciate the tips, especially info such as sales going in 12 week sales. I read your posts every day because I’ve found them so helpful!
This is great information. I am going to post a link on my blog! Thanks!
Awesome guide!! I have been couponing for 25 years and can’t imagine shopping any other way. I get amazed that my friends pay waaayyy more for the exact same groceries as I do!
I wish we had a Kroger to shop at. Down here in South Texas, we have HEB, Super Wal Mart, and Super S.
Menu Maker Mom
http://menumakermom.blogspot.com
@Menu Maker Mom, I have JUST started coupoing recently… I attempted a major couponing trip this last month and although I saved nearly $200, we spent almost triple that, which is not how it is suppose to go. I was proud, yet I am still trying to grasp how to get our grocery budget to where we can be comfortable. I could really use your help!!!
Thanks,
Coupon Newby
I am a benninger at couponing I would love to save more at the grocery store. I get the items on sale and I use the coupons but my grocery bill is still high. Can you help me save more money each month. I had watch the 2 women on the news and they only spent $1.34 at the grocery store. Please email me back with an response.
I am also new at couponing. This website is great and answered most of my questions I had. I think it’s wonderful that there’s information out there that we can have access to.
Thanks so much! I am new to this too and am so grateful I can learn more from you!
I have been couponing for about 2 months now and just LOVE this guide! I’ve cut my grocery bill in half. But I still have the same question that Shellina did. What do you do to get a ton of stuff for practically nothing? How do all of you do it? I want the secret!
Jamie,
CVS and Walgreens are great stores to start getting stuff for free. I post the deals every week, so check my site for deals to get started.
Hi I want to start couponing but I just don’t know I live in California and whant to learn
this a great site.. thanks
Thank you for all the tips. I am fairly new at couponing and encountered a little problem today.
I went to the Randalls in my area and got several items from the clearance bin which I had coupons for but the cashier said that I was not allowed to use coupons on items that were reduced. I asked to speak to the manager and he said the same.
I wanted to know if you have ever experienced this problem and if so, what was the outcome.
thanks so much
Kellee,
I have experienced that before and it is always very frustrating. The cashiers don’t realize that they will still be reimbursed for the amount of the coupon – regardless of the sale/clearance price. In the instances that the issue isn’t resolved by speaking to a manager, a call to corporate usually does the trick.
-Stephanie
Thanks for your prompt response. Will know what to do if the situation comes up again.
can i use 2 different coupons on one product?
Wylene,
Do you mean, for example, a 75¢/1 and a $1/1 on the same item? No. You can only use 1 manufacturer coupon (regardless of value) on the same item. If you have a store coupon, however, it can be used in addition to the manufacturer’s coupon.
-Stephanie
So, as a “newbie” do i understand that if a coupon is say $1/2 you could use TWO coupons, one for each of the two items? AND if you are buying at Target and had Target coupons, you could potentially use FOUR coupons on the TWO items?
Thanks.
Joann,
No, the $1/2 is being used on both items, so you could not use another manufacturer coupon. If you had a Target coupon for $1/2 you could use that one as well. 2 items = (1) $1/2 manufacturer coupon and (1) $1/2 Target coupon.
-Stephanie
What kind of binder do you have? I like the idea of one that is nylon and zips up and has extra p0ckets like yours does.
@Jennifer, You can see my binder here: http://www.couponing101.com/2008/12/first-vlog-my-coupon-binder.html
@Stephanie, I guess I was hoping for a brand name or other identifying name, such as Trapper or Mead.
@Jennifer, It is a Mead 5 Star, but I think any binder would be about the same.
What happens if you run into a problem with the cashier refusing to accept MANY of your coupons, would you skip on purchasing the items all together or buy them anyway (w/o coupons)? How would you handle this situation?
@Amanda, It depends on the item. If it’s something I had to have right then – like diapers or milk or whatever, I would go ahead and buy it. If I was just buying the item because it was cheap or free after coupon, I would ask them to remove it from my order. Then I would try again to buy it the next time I went to the store.
Make sure to make customer service aware of your experience so you hopefully won’t have as many problems the next time you try to use coupons there.
I really appreciate your guides! It is very helpful for us beginners! Could you please explain how the following work:
1) I have a B1G1 1/2 off coupon for an item advertised as B1G1 free OR vice versa (B1G1 free coupon on B1G1 1/2 off item)?
2) I have a coupon for “ANY Noxzema product” with a picture of a face cleansing product shown, will I be able to buy a Noxzema shaver product with this coupon?
3)I have a Manuf. coupon that has a Kroger logo on it, does this mean this coupon could be used ONLY at Krogers?
Thanks again! Keep up your great work!
-Amanda
@Amanda, Great questions!!
1. Using a b1g1 free coupon on a b1g1 50% off sale is kind of pointless. The coupon will deduct the item that is the lowest value, so it will deduct the item that rings up 50% – which would just make it the equivalent of a b1g1 free sale. I would save your coupon for a better deal. And I have never seen a b1g1 50% off coupon, but it might work on a b1g1 free sale depending on whether or not your cashier allows it.
2. As for the “any noxema product” coupon, it really is up to you. I would say that the coupon is probably intended for facial care products, but since it says “any” then technically you can use it on the razors. You might have a hard time getting the cashier to take it though.
3. The Kroger logo coupon depends. If it is a regular coupon that you clipped out of the paper or got in the mail and says “manufacturer coupon” on it, but does not say “use only at Kroger” or something like that, then you can use it anywhere. If it is a “catalina coupon” that prints at the register when you check out, even though it says manufacturer coupon, it can only be used at Kroger.
Hope that helps!!
@Stephanie, Does the catalina coupon with the Kroger name on it that printed from the register, mean it’s a store coupon or is it still a manufacturer’s coupon?
“10/$10 promotions. You do not have to buy 10 items to get the $1 price! The only exception to this rule is if the ad states that you must! Those times are rare and are usually for items that are buy x get y free, final price 2/$5, etc. ”
I’m not sure I completely understand how to do this..
Could you explain this a little more clearly for me? I’m sure it makes complete sense to everyone else, but I’m just a little slow at all of this
@Kristen, Most stores advertise that items are on sale 10 for $10. This basically means you get each item for $1, but you do NOT have to buy 10 items to get them for $1 each.
However, occasionally the store will specify that you are required to buy 10 (or 3 or 5 or whatever) to get the sale price. Sometimes it will be advertised like this: Soup $1.25 each! Buy 8 and get 2 Free! Final Price = 10/$10! So, in that instance, you would have to buy 10 to get the $1 sale price.
I hope that helps!
Do you purchase by unit price or overall price?
For example: at Walmart the bigger box of soap powder is cheaper by load, but the smaller box is cheaper by price tag. What’s your method for determining which one to use the coupon for?
Also, if you don’t have a coupon does it make a difference on which one you purchase?
Thanks in advance,
Bree
@Bree, It depends. In most cases, it is cheaper to buy the smaller package when you have a coupon, unless there is a sale on the larger package that brings the cost per unit lower than the smaller package with a coupon.
Free source of coupons for people in the Dallas area!
Most people probably already know about this, but I just figured it out this week. The Dallas Morning News has an edition called The Briefing that delivers Wednesday thru Saturday, and the Saturday paper comes with coupon inserts. Best part is, it’s free! You can sign up for it here:
http://www.dallasnews.com/briefing/
I signed up on Wednesday morning, and Thursday morning I got the first paper. Just thought I’d mention it for anyone who like me didn’t know about a free source of coupons. Now if only I could get them to deliver multiple copies…
@Karla Sue, Hm, I did not know this! I will have to check this out, thanks!
I tried this link but the page was blank. I know this was posted 8 months back does anyone know how if there is a new link to finding it?
How do you know where and when to buy meats and produce??
@Jennifer, Well, I usually buy produce weekly and meat bi-weekly, unless a really great deal comes up and then I stock up. Whichever store has the best deals is where I buy it!
This is a great site! I am very new at this (used coupons once or twice in the past) and I saw TLC’s Extreme Couponing with my husband the other night. I really want to start couponing and that show was just the motivation I needed… the only problem we have is storage space! I’m sure I won’t be as extreme as some on the show, but their pantries were like little mini marts! Is that how every couponer’s home is? My goodness, we definitely don’t have the room for anything like that, but I do really want to save money!
@Lindsey, No, most couponer’s do not shop to that extreme. I have 1 extra shelf in my garage that I use, and everything else fits in the normal space.
I watched extreme couponers on cable this Friday, what i want to know is how do they do it to spend 638.00 and pay 2.67 in the end? Thats what i would like to accomplish.
@Noemy, It is entirely possible, but the people on that show have been couponing for a long time. I suggest reading my post about Realistic Couponing here: http://www.couponing101.com/2010/12/realistic-couponing.html and then start out by reading some of the posts in my getting started section: http://www.couponing101.com/getting-started
so i hav eto say that i too watched the TLC episode and have a desire to work on my couponing. we live way to close to pay check to pay check and we have to do something. i have gone to the point of grounding myself from walmart because i cant control myself and i love to have a stock pile so when i want to make something i can just make it. i think that if i really work on the couponing that it will help with my self control and my budget.
i want to learn so anything that i can learn.
one thing that i noticed in the show was that most of the stores i dont have regular access to and i dont think like walmart for example does double coupons and etc.
@charney, No, Walmart does not double coupons, but if none of the stores in your area double then Walmart might be your best option.
I too watched the extreme couponing show and was blown away. I need to start saving money due to an illness that has put a strain on my income. I live in Ottumwa, IA and we only have Wal-Mart( which we do get a 10% discount at), Hy-Vee, Walgreens, Aldis, Fareway, Target, and K-Mart. I have tried to use coupons in the past but I can’t find them for the items my family uses and space is a major issue. Do you have any suggestions on how I find local coupons? I will be going back to work soon working 15 hour days with only Sundays off so I don’t have much time to search or shop. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
@Lori Spurgeon, For those who don’t have much time to invest in couponing, I suggest shopping at Aldi. They have great low prices and you could do very well there. http://www.couponing101.com/2010/09/aldi-shopping-guide.html
we have no stores here that double coupon the closest one is over an hour and they only take 20 at a time any suggestions . no grocery stores i should say have not looked at cvs or walgreens yet
@kim, Just begin couponing at the store you normally shop at. Once you get the hang of it, you can move on to other stores like cvs or walgreens.
Ok I’ve just recently starting collecting my coupons and got a good stack going on. But I’m still a little confused on some things of couponing. I see all these people on tv getting this stuff for almost nothing. So here is my question…Say I have a coupon for $1.00 off 3 boxes of cereal. I have two coupons could I use the coupon to get $2.00 of instead of a $1.00. That will really get my price down…is this how all this works? Thanks for your website it has really helped me alot!
I’m new at this 2 and am very motivated to do this after I also watched TLC’s Extreme Couponing.
I found a coupon online that I can have clipped and it is for Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables and it says for “Any 5″. Do I have to buy 5 and then get the $1 off or can I just buy 1 and get the $1 off just that one box?
@Christine, Yes, you must comply with the coupon terms. If it says Save $1 on 5, then you must buy 5 to use the coupon.
@Stephanie, so if I had 5 of those coupons could I use them all on the 5 boxes saving me $5 on the original total price of all 5 boxes?
Original prices: $2,$2,$2,$2,$2 (=$10)
Stack of same coupon: -$1,-$1,-$1,-$1,-$1 (= -$5)
Checkout price: $5
Can I do that? Just want to make sure before buying 5 of the same coupons from a clipping service.
@Christine, If it’s a $1 off 5 coupon? No. A $1 off 5 coupon applies to all 5 boxes. If you want to use 2 coupons for $1 off 5 then you would need to buy 10 boxes.
I went to the supermarket a couple of days ago and saw how much i saved (I saved $ 56.00 from 125.and some change ) of course it wasn’t like the extreme couponers, now i carry my coupon carry case ( purchased @ the dollar store) in my bag everywhere i go.
How do the coupon clipper website work?
@OrganizedProcastinator, You select the coupons you want and how many of each, and they clip and mail you those coupons for a small fee.
@Stephanie,
so, i have a question about the double couponing thing…my local stores only double coupons up to 49cents… so if i have a coupon for $1 off of an item…will it double it up to the 49cents making it $1.49 off of the item??? or will it only double a coupon that is actually 49cents or under??
@Coleen, It means coupons with a value of $0.49 or less will double in value. So a $0.40 coupon will double to give you an $0.80 discount.
I went to my local grocery store’s website and found some E-coupons, however, they state, “limit 4″ for example. If I had more than one (let’s say 3) of those coupons for said item, could I essentially use all 3 of the coupons to get 12 of the items? I’m totally new to this and my current financial situation is motivating me to save money wherever I can! Thanks for your help!
@Jenelle, I’m not really sure I understand your question. Most eCoupons can only be used once, but if you had 2 of the same eCoupon that you loaded from 2 different eCoupon sites, then you could probably buy 2 of those items and use both eCoupons.
Hi stephanie!..I’ve asked u a few questions here recently and I just wanted to share with u my 1st couponing experience!!our local grocery store just had a 3 day sale they had grands biscuits on sale for 79cents each..I had coupons for $1/2 making them.29!!!..also a sale on totinos pizzas for .88 I had coupons for $1/5making them .68!!..thanx for all of ur help so far ur AWESOME! ~coleen~
@coleen, Awesome!! Glad you are enjoying couponing!!
I’m just starting and I’m having the hardest time wrapping my head around couponing. I understand how it should work, but I’m not having any luck. I think the last time I went to the store I only saved $7. Do you have any suggestions?
@Margaret, I think that people have a warped view of couponing, especially after the extreme couponing show. $7 is really great! If you are just starting out, don’t expect to go the store and save $100s on your first trip! It takes time and you will get the hang of it eventually!
@Stephanie, How do you keep track of the expiration dates so you don’t waste a lot of coupons? I’m new at this.
@Gail, I don’t keep track of expiration dates. Probably the majority of what I clip is thrown away. But that’s OKAY. If I used them all I would go broke! I just clip them just in case a great sale comes along. If there is a coupon I really want to make sure I use because it’s free/high value/or a coupon for something we use regularly, then I’ll put it in a separate place that I can flip through easily.
Thank you for the awesome guide.
^ Margaret, $7 is great! That’s nothing to stick your nose up at. I know it’s not *extreme*, but we’ve all got to start somewhere. I saved $5 dollars the other day. I got some things free. It takes time, a lot of planning and watching, and experience, from what I’ve read.
The problem for me is, I buy lots of fresh produce and don’t usually find coupons for that kind of thing. I’m also super busy with work and school that I don’t have time to commit to watching all the store prices(I shop at a lot of different places), then comparing them, then watching for sales, then finding coupons, etc. etc. Those who save tons of money-I give props to you for the dedication!
@Melissa, Melissa, produce coupons ARE pretty rare, but I find that I save so much in other areas that I’m able to pay the money for fresh produce that I may have skimped on before. If you have an Aldi near you, you might check there, they usually have great prices on produce.
First I wanted to say thank you for the website. It is very useful.
Secondly, I just wanted to add if someone does go overboard there is a website called freecycle where you can give stuff away and people will come to your house it pick it up. Very convienent.
Excellent tips! My local stores are ShopRite, Price Chopper, and Hannaford. I know that ShopRite does double coupons up to .99 cents, but I am not sure about the others. I’ve never tried to use multiple coupons for one item, but I am going to try this for coupons that don’t specify that you can’t.
Couponing just make sense no matter how much money you have! (cents, heh)
I am new to the whole couponing thing and have a couple questions. Am I missing out on coupons by not getting a Sunday paper? Or am I able to get all the the coupons in the Sunday paper through the various coupon websites (ie. red plum, smart sources)?
@Tara, I know some people who don’t buy a paper and just use printables and that works for them. I find that a lot of good coupons are only available in the newspaper though, so it depends on whether you think it’s worth it or not.
I am new to this. Until recently I was able to print my coupons at work but recently there has been a crackdown and now I am unable to download them onto my computer and then print them. I would like to use my home email but we have no printer at home. Is there a way I can save them and email them to myself at work to print them? Thanks for any help you can give me!
@Gail, No, I don’t think that would work.
If I have a coupon loaded on my Dillons card and also a manufactures coupon can I use the manufactures coupon plus the coupon that’s loaded on my card for one product? I’m not understanding if the coupons loaded on my card are manufacturers coupons or store coupons. I’m brand new at doing this and just started doing all my reasearch this weekend. I love your site, it has helped a lot. Thank You!
@Katrina, The coupons loaded on your card are considered manufacturer coupons so you cannot use an additional paper coupon.
I read that the weekly ads run on a 12 week cycle. I am new at this and trying to figure out a way to save some grocery cash. Does the cycle start by calendar year? Did you figure the cycle out after you started coupon(ing)?
I am so grateful for your advice.
@Hopeless Mom, The cycles don’t start at a specific time….it just means that if cereal is on sale this week it will probably go on sale again in the next few weeks.
Please sign me up for email updates. Thanks, Maureen
@Maureen Delaney, You can sign up for email updates here: http://www.couponing101.com/subscribe-to-couponing-101
So i want to start couponing and i just called all 3 grocery stores in my town (2 albertsons ans a stater brother) And all of them said that they do not stack or double coupons. Do i need to speak with a manager…or is it unusual stores do that?
@jaime, Some areas do not offer double coupons, so you might just be in one of those areas.
I’m very new at this. I used coupons on my last shopping trip and saved about $14.00. We are military and budgets are tight so we do our shopping for a 2 weeks period. My budget is around $150 but would like to spend less than that. I now uderstand that I can only use one manufactorers coupon and one store coupon for one item. But on some of my coupons it says: Limit one coupon per purchase of products and quantites stated. Limit 4 like coupons in same shopping trip. So does that mean if I use 4 coupons I have to buy 4 items or can I use 4 coupons on 1 item? I think I know but I just want it clearified. Thanks.
@Julie, Each item you buy is a purchase, so you can buy 4 and use 4 coupons. The coupon is just stating that you can’t use more than 1 coupon on each item you’re purchasing.
i cant wate to get started.
This website is awesome!!!!! I am new to couponing and I searched many site but none compare to this one it was so helpful thank you so much for all the tips
I LOVE your site!! i just started couponing and am alittle nervous when i go to the store now with coupons. But using coupons my first week and doing the things i learned on here. I saved $30.00 from our weekly grocery budget! that is just awsome. I just wanted to thank you for having this site!
@Amy, Yay! That is great savings!
Thank you for such an awesome site! I just started couponing and made my first trip to Safeway with my coupons. I’m thrilled to state that I saved 48% off my grocery bill – that includes saving on fresh meat and wine with a couple of my coupons! I even got a Chex Mix for free by using my club card. All things that I would have bought anyway and will use over the next few weeks. I invested around 4 hours reading this site, printing out coupons, $1 for the Sunday paper, clipping coupons, getting organized, etc. It was an awesome feeling seeing the total go down by so much.
@Helena, That’s great!! I’m glad you were able to save on the items you will use! Don’t worry, the time you spend couponing will go down as you become more familiar with it.
Is there another coupon clipping co you recommend? I registered with The Coupon Clippers and never received my approval. I also emailed their CS to follow up and have not heard back. It has been a week now. Any suggestions? THANKS for the AWESOME blog!
@Brandi, Hm, that is strange. I’ve also ordered from Taylortown Preview with no problems. There are many others out there but I have not ordered from them so I don’t feel comfortable recommending them yet.
This is great stuff….I am going to start this week . Thanks for the great information. Wish me luck.
Thank you so much for doing this! I recentely started watching the show and got hooked to the idea but have realized that my small family doesn’t need 52 gallons of laundry soap and some of it is unrealistic. I am newly pregnant with my first child and am eager to start couponing and excited to start saving more money especially with today’s economy. So again thank you
when printing out coupons online is it ok to print off multiples or is that illegal like copying?
@Erin, Most printable coupon sites will only allow you to print 2 of each coupon which is legal.
Just getting started. I notice you list Kroger as one of the stores you show matches for. In Arizona, we have Frys, which is owned by Kroger. I imagine the sales may be different, but shouldn’t the store coupons still work?
TIA
@lisa, Yes, I’m not 100% positive but since Fry’s is a Kroger chain you should be able to use Kroger coupons there.
Thanks for writing up all this information for us! I, like some others, don’t need 100 boxes of cereal, laundry detergent, but I think I can save some money here. I liked your video about the baseball card holder for your coupons, too. Great idea. I saw on Extreme Couponing that those ladies did that, as well. I don’t have 35 to 45 hours a week to coupon. But, I do think I can follow your model of realistic couponing. I’m excited to try my hand at this. Appreciate your kindness!
Great site! I have a question: do you recommend any particular order when using manufacturer and store coupons? For example, should I use all store coupons first then move on to manufacturer’s coupons? Or should I group all coupons according to product? Also, I’ve noticed on the show “Extreme Couponing” that many of the shoppers tend to use their club discount cards AFTER everything has been rung up but BEFORE using their. Is there a reason for this? When I shop, I usually give the cashier my card before anything is rung up and then, after everything is scanned, I give them a bunch of coupons all mixed up. I have a feeling I’m missing out on more savings by doing it this way. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
@Mulan, I think they give their card last because they want to see the pre-sale totals (gives more of a “wow” factor). Usually the order you give your coupons doesn’t matter unless you’re shopping at Walgreens where it’s usually better to give the manufacturer’s coupons first.
I just started using coupons and have been saving 20-30 dollars a week on my grocerys it just seems like im paying a lot more on my grocerys now than I did before. Am I doing something wrong ? I do look for the best deals at the different stores
@Victoria, Make sure to set a budget so you don’t end up spending more. Only stockpile if you have room in your budget to do so.
Hi! I just started getting back on the track of couponing. I got the Sunday papper today which has always been the number one sorce in a lot of peoples books.
But there are no coupons in there. Anyone know why that is?????
And great site by the way. You coupon data base rocks!
@david, no coupons on easter is all the reports said
@david, There were no coupons in the paper last Sunday. Make sure to read my coupon preview each week so you’ll know what to expect.
http://www.couponing101.com/category/coupon-preview
I am new to “serious” couponing. So if I have a coupon that says save $ .50 on 3 boxes of cereal, does that mean I get $ .50 off each box of cereal or $.50 of the all three. For example if each box costs $3.99, do i receive $ .50 off each $3.99 box or $ .50 of $11.97 (total of 3 boxes)?
@Melinda, You get $0.50 off total ($0.50 off $11.97).
Hi, I am new at this couponing. I need some guides. I am a single mom and on disablity.
I can see it’s going to take a while before I’m making significant dents in my grocery bill. So far I’ve only been able to clip coupons from 2 inserts and what came in the mail this week. Not a lot in there that I would normally buy and I don’t want to start buying just to use the coupon. None of the stores around here double coupons. I did get a coupon policy from the Stater Bros manager (he didn’t even know they had one) and Winco says they flat out don’t. So we’ll see when I do my first shopping trip how well I do. I only get paid once a month so I have to wait until then to even attempt this but I’m looking at as time to get better prepared.
Thanks for a simple, basic site that in’t giving me an a rose colored view of couponing.
Online coupons question here for a newbie clipper.
I have never printed online coupons before and don’t know if they have expiration dates or how long they typically stay online. Should I print them way ahead of time hoping to use them at a much later date when prices are rock bottom just like we do the paper inserts? Or should I only print them when I’m making my shopping list and matching deals with coupons (but may miss out on some that have gone offline).
Thanks so much for this great site!
Hi Everyone,
First, let me say that I love this website. It’s very helpful for the beginners. I am also new to couponing and would like to know how items are free. Based on some of the previous posts, you can not use more than one coupon for the same item. Can anyone let me know how to get the items for free.
Thanks
@Terry,
Check the price of the item. Example I got a body wash for free at walmart because the body wash was at $2.97 and i had a coupon of $3.00. I always carry my coupons with me because u never know when u can find a good deal. Beside match your coupons with sales check ur newspaper or the sales from the store u want u can go online and check. Hopefully this help u.
I also, like many others, watched the TLC show “Extreme Couponing” and I don’t have rose-colored glasses on thinking I’m going to get $600 worth of groceries and pay only $6.30 (although that was the COOLEST thing I’ve ever watched on TV, and I liked that he was doing it for military families..they give sooo much). So, my hubby and I want to start saving as much as we can. We just started a family with our little girl and I’m curious..where would I save the most at? We don’t have ANY double coupon stores in my area, but we have Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie (two really good places to shop at and save money without using coupons) but which would be the better place to shop? Winn-Dixie has a Customer Rewards card which is great and Wal-Mart has really good savings as well (especially on the 196 ct diapers that I buy for baby girl) but where am I going to get the most for my coupon buck? I love this site and I know your response will be fair.
Thanks
Hello i’m not a very consitant couponer, lazy @ times. It’s hard for me @ times bcause I live on a very low income. so when things i want or need do go on sale i don’t have the money for it And then i do have the money their not on sale, so how can you help me with that problem because i’m tired of paying full price on things when i do not have the money. And another question why is it so important to know what isle each item is, do not understand that ethier please explain. Thank you
im so flustered, need advise. Im attempting at wrapping my brain around couponing for the first time ever. Ok so its super easy on any site to see how much you are saving when you start to add up the coupons, but where the heck does it tell you how much your spending? Where does it tell you how much the product is priced at so you can figure out what the price is that you will be spending. How do all these people figure out what exactly they are spending before they get there is none of these sites tell you the price of the produce in the first place. UGHHHHHHHH help me please. Times are rough and im really trying to save money if i can.
T
Thank u for all your advice and information!!!
I’m new at couponing. I already got one free item and many other items at a low price on my first shopping trip. I’m getting ready for my next shopping adventure but i have a question with regard to printable internet coupons. How many same coupons can I print from “online printable coupons sites” ? I want to print at least 5 same coupons but i am not sure if I’m allow to do that. The coupon that I’m interesting can be use only at walmart do u know if i can print 5 same coupons and use the 5 at the same time. The coupon that I’m interesting is a coupon that the final price is $0.00 (free). The coupon is a Wilkinson Sword Disposable Razor $1/1 available only at walmart. Thank you so much for your help. If anyone have any info on this please reply.
@Mar, Most coupon sites will only let you print 2 of each coupon.
What a great website! I’m also new at couponing just like the others who wrote here. Thank you so much for all the tips about organizing, planning and all the up-to-date store deals. The stores we have here are Albertsons, Walmart & Walgreens. I’m not sure if these stores doubles any coupons. But I was able to use store coupons + manufacturer’s coupons for both Albertson’s and Walgreens.
By the way, how much time one should spend on clipping and organizing coupons?
What I mean was, should I clip all the coupons and organize them or just clip the coupons that has deals that week?
@Andrea, It just depends on how you want to organize them. Some people prefer the binder or shoe box method where you clip all the coupons (minus any you KNOW you won’t use) and organize them by category or brand. Others prefer to leave the inserts whole and organize them by date and then just cut the coupons as needed each week.
I would just like you thank you so much! I always wanted to start couponing but I had no idea of how to really use them to save me money. And since Extreme Couponing came on tv I knew I had to figure this out. Your site is just beyond helpful to me. I was completely clueless and you have totally enlightened me. You make it so simple and easy to understand. Thank you again so much!
I am just starting and this is so confusing, they make it seem so easy on t.v and your able to double coupon at certain stores and i want to print coupons and i go to one website to print and it leads me to another website i just want to go to a website to where i do not have to complete a survey everytime idk it is just fustrating for me and need help. is there anyone in vegas who is good at this?
I am new to couponing as well. I actually haven’t started yet but have been checking out many coupon sites on the computer. By far this site is my favorite. My problem is this-I registered on several coupon sites and now my Inbox on Yahoo is loaded with crap. So many of these sites have sold my email address. I am now averaging 150 new spam emails per day. How do I prevent this? Which sites, besides this one are reputable? Thanks.
@Maureen Delaney, Many times when you sign up with a site you are giving them permission to email you. Sometimes there is a little box you can uncheck to prevent them from sending you emails. You can also find a “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of most emails to click on and tell them not to send you anymore emails. I also recommend creating a “deals” email address using a free email account like yahoo or gmail. Use that email just for signing up for coupons, samples, and deals so that those emails do not clog up your regular email account.
Thank you for posting this… I have been recently put on disability and have to find ways to save.
Hi, I am loving this website. I have a question about Rite Aid. I went there twice this week. The second time it didn’t register any of my UP rewards, saying that I had reached my limit on them. Do you know how long before I can earn more UP rewards on these items (Crest, Ziploc)?
@Gina, I do not have a Rite Aid in my area and am not familiar with their policies. You might try asking Corrie from http://www.centsablemomma.com – she is a Rite Aid expert.
Thanks for the help Stephanie. I appreciate it.
I wanted to ask you about the B1G1. If I have two coupons for $1 off any 1 salad dressing and the store has it B1G1 can I use both coupons on it since I am purchasing two of them? I am new to this and really trying to save money for a move we are about to make. The first time I went between the coupons I had and the B1G1 I saved over 70 dollars. I ended up spending 130 but I was pround of my savings. I would have spent way more without the coupons.
@heather, ok so I went to Publix ( which I love this store) and used my coupons! I was a little nervous walking up to the counter with these coupons not knowing how they would respond!! I got 2 big bottles of wish bone dressing and 2 bags of denta sticks for 2 dollars!! Woo Hoo!! I was able to use my coupons and store coupon for denta sticks, I had 2 coupons for the dressing which was $1 off one bottle, and both items were B1G1. Combined savings with coupons and B1G1 I saved $10.26. This just shows you how exspensive things are!
@heather, To answer your earlier question – yes, most stores allow you to use a coupon on the one you’re buying AND on the one you’re getting for “free”. And great job couponing! You are so right – full price is SOOO expensive!!
I have just started couponing and having a bit of a challenge, even though I love watching the “Extreme Couponing” show I really am not trying to buy in that excess of items however I would like to reduce our grocery bill from 60.00 to like $25.00 however whn i go to the supermaket i have manage to save like 20 off the grocery bill. do i need to buy like these folks to see that kind of savings and pay like 1.50 in the end? Im not totally discouraged by this but maybe someone can suggest somethinhg that i might be missing….
@tanya, No, you do not have to be extreme to save a lot of money!! A great way to reduce your bill is to start shopping at drug stores. You can begin to get all your toiletries for free which will give you a lot more room in your budget for other groceries.
I see extreme couponing on TV but I don’t understand how they do it! I am disabled & my mom is 68, we need help! Is there a checklist or method so I don’t have to remember all this stuff? I have short-term memory problems from a head injury but I know I can do this if I’m given a method that I can go down a list to check off as I go. I have to go to a food bank to eat & I’d like to give back to the food bank to help others like they helped me! Pleae let me know if you can help me get started. I’ll understand if you can’t. Donnie & Billie
@Donald Goodin, It’s really not as complicated as it seems. Just get your coupons, match them to the sales (I do this for you for many stores) and go shopping! Some stores, like Walgreens, require a little more planning though.
Hello. Long time couponer, first time blogger! I’ve always tried to use coupons, but I’ve never been super strategic about it (stacking, matching to sales…) I just use them when I need something and happen to have a coupon for it. I’m from Ohio, where there are stores that double/triple, price match and accept competitor or expired coupons regularly… Now I live in Florida… the notorious “dead zone” for couponing. And to make it worse, I’m in Orlando, and I find that stores that normally have a double coupon policy (Publix!) do not abide by it in the center of tourist-ville! (Which is so unfair, it’s not my fault tourists come here) So, now that I have a family and some time on my hands, I want to get better about saving money, but HOW can I do that where I live?? Do you have any pointers, tips or sites that pertain to Florida couponing? I’d appreciate any info you could share, thanks!!
@jessica, Well, I don’t know about Florida specifically but I know many people who are able to save with coupons even though their stores do not double coupons. Many manufacturers put out high value coupons now (over $1) that wouldn’t be double anyway, so you can still save by using those coupons. If you have a CVS or Walgreens near you then that is also a great way to save on toiletries and paper goods.
OK… I’m one of the many that watched the Extreme Couponing show. One thing that show did was peak my interest in couponing. I’m a single mom raising two daughter and I definitely need every dime I can save. I will confess that until now I have hated to go to Walmart because of the lines. I’m a convenience person and have paid extremely higher prices all these years for items at the grocery store. NOT ANY MORE!!!…I have spent the day reading your entire site. One question I have…If my coupon is for 1/.75 and the store only doubles up to .49 will they give me 1.00 value for that coupon instead of just .75… or is it just for coupons .49 and under. (Also I am going out tomorrow to get 7 different items for a total of .42 oop. I don’t think that will be to bad for my first trip out.)
I am new to coupons.I like to know what websites you can get
free coupons without using cell phone number.Also where you
have to register or add a toolbar to your computer.Where are the
safe websites that don’t put virises to your computer? I would
like to find coupons that are over $1 .I live in Texas and we only
have Walmart,Walgreens,CVS,HEB. They don’t double coupons.
Please answer back I need help. I need to cut my grocery bill
in half.Its us two and 3 dogs.
I love this site so much I cant sleep. I am soooo ready to get started. I have a blooms, foodlion,walmart in my area. My question is can I call them and ask them for a list of their items and the prices in there store and will they give it to me or will I need to make a list of what my family uses and go the these stores and do it myself. I to am just starting couponing. I have been out of work for a yr due to an injury and not yet on disability. My husband works so hard to pay the bills and I feel that I do nothing to support my family. So If i can do this I think I will feel better about myself. I also bought 2 sunday papers and there were no coupons in them is that because of memorial day weekend and the sales they are already having?
HI….I am extremely new to this couponing and have yet to really get started but I just had a few questions I would like to ask…..Most of the stores in my area do not accept printed off coupons and I was wondering How I could get some mailed to me??….I have 4 small children with another coming and saving money is in dire need of saving lots of money….Our only income is from one job and need the extra items…..And in the stores around here they try and say you can only use so many coupons per transaction What can I do about this??
@Christina,
There’s a great site couponclippers.com that you can select the coupons you use/need and they will mail them to you, usually takes 4-5 business days (I’m up in the upper Northwest and they’re in FL). They do charge a small fee for packaging up the coupons for you. There is also Ebay where you can buy full inserts. Protector and Gamble has a program you can sign up for and they will send you coupons. Hope this helps.
SO HELPFUL !! THANKS YOU STRAIGHTENED OUT MY CONFUSION !!!!
Hi I’m new couponing and I found a promotion on “Country Crock Honey Spread” at publix is having a buy one get one free offer and I have 2 coupons one is $1.25/2 and the other is 0.60/1 my question is can i use both coupons since I’m buying 2 products? Thank you very much!!
@Karla, No, the $1.25/1 coupon applies to both products so you cannot use an additional $0.60/1 coupon.
I am very excited to get started and very excited that you have made this available to me to get started! I am only worried that I won’t be able to understand this fully! I wish I had somebody to just sit with and show me in person, one on one in person! But this is a great start for me! Thank you very much!!!!! I plan to get the Sunday paper tomorrow and get started!!!!
I need to know what a coupon mean when it states LIMIT ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE LIMIT OF 4 LIKE COUPONS in the same shopping trip?
@Jennifer,
This means you can only use one coupon per specific item, and you can only use 4 of those coupons per trip. Example: Say you have a coupon for 25c off toilet paper, that means you can only use 4 of these coupons for 4 packages of toilet paper per trip. Of course you can use less, but no more than 4. Hope this helps, sorry for the delay though
I dont really get how coupon database works. I thought it was where you could find a coupon and print it. Is it just showing you there was one available? For the most part I cant click on the coupon to print it.
@Haley, It shows you the coupon sources. If there is a printable coupon you should be able to click on it and print it. If the coupon was from the newspaper, it simply tells you which insert it was in.
Thanks so much for the info. I just started to use coupons cause, my famile and I are in a rut with bills and are strapped with cash. But I still dont have a clue if any of the stores I go to will double the coupons or even take them all at once if their the same. I’ve asked around and only 2 of the stores (Giants and Weiss) I think double. But I would love to have an extreme couponer to help me and guide me so that I can have hands on and really understand the meanings of a coupon. So what can I really do if I have no clue what I am doing??
Thanks.
I noticed some people were asking about produce coupons and I have discovered that Driscoll Farms (which sells berries of all sorts) does have coupons available if you visit their site. Just google that name and it should lead you there. Good luck!
I’ve begun to buy coupons from clipping websites and have a good bit on hand, the problem though is that i find most of them will expire long before the item goes on sale. Is that an easier way to obtain coupons during sales so they do not go to waste? or should i just go ahead and use them and save a few cents?
@Tasha, If you need the item and were planning to buy it anyway – then go ahead and use it. But don’t just use the coupon in order to use it before it expires.
Just wanted to say that I am a cashier at walmart. and am planning to start couponing. Do not ever feel afraid to save yourself some money! I dont know how many times a day I have a customer apologize to me for ad matching or using coupons. Dont apologize to us for ad matching and using coupons. thats just plain silly! but dont be rude about it either. were only humans and we all make mistakes.. but I do have one thing to say about your advice on the “price matching” walmart doesnt price match. we AD MATCH. we only match the prices of ADVERTISED items in the competitors weekly ads. so if you see that a box of crackers is $1 at another store and its not advertised then we cannot match the price. But other than that I love your site and I have gotten alot of great advice. hoping I can get the hang of this soon!
@Sky Brooks, Thank you for clarifying ad match vs. price match! That is an important distinction!
This is the best guide I’ve found so far! I’m completely new to the idea of using coupons and can’t wait to get started…but the question no one seems to answer up front (I read 5 articles here before I found the answer) is what coupons to clip/save? I’ve been list shopping and stockpiling for years without coupons so I know we’re not going to use half the items there are coupons for, it would be great if in this first article there was mention of only cutting out coupons for products I’m actually going to use.
I’m subscribing to your site now.
@Yazira, I recommend only clipping coupons for items you know you will buy/use PLUS any that you would buy/use if you got them for free!
I live in Hockessin,DE and grocery shop at Acme or Shop Rite. Does anyone else coupon at these store?
So i still dont understand how people get items for free, or even recieve money back on some items??? Can i use more than 1 coupon on an item? What is the best strategy for saving the most money?? Confused beginner.
@Sally, There are a few items to get items for free, the main one is waiting until an item goes on sale for less than your coupon. Floss frequently goes on sale for $1 or less and there are almost always $1/1 floss coupons available equaling free floss! You can only use 1 coupon per item/purchase. So, if you have a $1/2 floss coupon, you would buy 2 floss and that coupon would apply to both.
I am new to couponing, and my question is if I have a two coupons for $.75/2 and I only buy two can I use both coupons on them?
@Brandi, No, you can only apply 1 manufacturer coupon per item – a $0.75/2 coupon applies to both items so you cannot use another coupon on either item.
Hi Stephanie,
Love your site first of all!! I’m reaaaaally new to couponing, in fact, I haven’t really started, doing research first. The only savings I’ve ever made is loyalty card using and just general on sale items. Is there any advice you could give me for my first ever couponing trip??
-Samantha
This was really helpful thnx!!
hi, i am fairly new to couponing and trying to learn the basics. i live in South Carolina and normally shop at Bi-Lo. i have a bonus card that i use every time i go. do i scan my card first or my coupons? or does it really matter?
I have a clarifying question about couponing fine print terminology. I understand that “One coupon per purchase” means that you may use one coupon per item purchased. When a coupon reads “one coupon or offer per transaction” I am guessing it means that you can only use one of this particular coupon on the entire transaction? For example I have a coupon that reads “$1 off, 4-pk. 16-oz. Vitaminwater beverage item” in the fine print it states “one coupon or offer per transaction” so am I correct in assuming that I can only use 1 of this coupon on my entire transaction? I can not use 2 of these coupons and get 2 4-pk. 16-oz. Vitaminwaters for $1 off of each? I noticed this terminology on the Target Web Coupons that I printed. Thanks for the help. I will be heading out to do my first shopping trip soon and want to make sure I am understanding things. Happy Shopping!
I have a question about B1G1 sales and coupons. At my store there are Ritz crackers on sale B1G1. I have a coupon for -$1/2 and a coupon for -$.50/1. Can I buy 2 boxes at B1G1 price and use both coupons? Also if I had 2 -$50/1 coupons could I use all three?
I’m sorry. Disregard this question! I start back tracking on the comments and I found my answer!
Hi Stepahine, you’ve mentioned that we need to have a pricebook for the merchandise that we usually buy. Can you please tell me what is a good price for a single roll of toilet paper and paper towel without considering a brand name? Thanks a lot!
How do you find out what stores double and triple coupons? Im from FL, we dont have a lot of the stores you refer to. Publix is big down here.
Thanks!
you can call the store and ask I’ve done that.Sometimes the website will say too.
i love theese tips I have been couponing now for about 2 years and just now have decided to be an ultimate couponer by using your tips. I used to use the coupons i nthe wrong way and didn’t know it till i read your guide. Thank you, I will look for those sales and save the coupon till then. Also for those who may not have known you can buy coupons from ebay real cheap 100 for 99cents and you can type in speciffic like copon for glade and find just those coupons. May be I helpd someone happy couponing to all.
i am a single mom trying to learn how to use coupons.
i am mostly interested in baby stuff: mostly diapers, enfamil, gerber jars, wipes, grocery. once in a while: baby cloths & toys. please help.
it is overwhelming, i am so confused.
i signed up for few websites & now i am spending so many hours trying to figure out which coupons r better. i can’t print the same coupon more than once, y is that? i can’t register for free product more than once. me & my sister tried one through my email & the other through my sister’s email, it only worked out once & we r sharing the same house. each of us has a baby. moreover, how do i get 3 different coupons to purchase a product? for the past month, i get the sunday paper, but i don’t know how to cut & save the coupons? how should i know when r there going to be sales & where? how can i keep track on coupons i’ll save & sales that r going on? for example: i get emails from babies r us & i skipped through it, since i get sooo many emails. i ended up missing a great sale of 2 cases for the price of one
Stephanie,
I was really disappointed. Now, I got on their website and printed some of the coupons but because I get their preview I knew all of the coupons were not on their website. ANY idea where else I can find them? Thank you so much. You website has become my go to one out there in the sea of 1000′s!!!
Hi! I’m am new to all of this and I got my Sunday paper today and RedPlum does not come to Southern Arkansas.
Tara
Unfortunately not all coupons are available in all areas. The coupons on the printable sites are not the same as what is in the paper. You may just have to go without.
Can’t wait to get started on couponing just collecting information.
Where can I get coupons like those in Ext. couponing where they bought them? I’ve tried alot of coupon sites to print coupons but they always want my information . Any ideas Thanks, Deb
Just wanted to to let beginner couponers know that using coupons will save them money. Most will not see the extreme shopping trip where they spend over $1000 and use coupons and it end up only costing them a few dollars. Those shoppers are only buying in very large quantities of 10 to 15 items and with coupons that will make their final cost little to nothing. They watch for the best price they can get for that item and most times they call ahead to make sure they have the items in stock.
I am not saying you can’t get things for free. If you watch the ads and your coupons you can save lots of money and come out a winner. This is how I do my Christmas shopping.
Hi stephanie, my question is if I have a coupon say for 1.00 off an item, can I use that coupon for 10 of the same item or do I need 10 different coupons, one coupon for each item.
You need a coupon for each item, the $1 discount will only come off once.
I have tried couponing once, but set out with unrealistic expectations, and threw the towel in when I did not reach the goals that I had set, plus all the time clipping and orgainizing and not achieving the goals was very disappointing. The information that you have provided here is excellent, and thank you for sharing your wisdom. I would really like to start again, but I am afraid that I wil be disappointed again. Where are you and do you offer classes?
Start slow and don’t compare yourself to others! No two families will see the same savings. And remember, saving your family even $1 is great – you don’t have to have 95% savings to be successful! I do not currently offer coupon classes but I’m considering making some coupon class-like videos in the future.
Hello! Thank You so much for this website. I am finding this to be a hobby also! However, I do not have any children, it is just myself, boyfriend and our pitbull. So I don’t need to be to crazy extreme, but, I am leaving my well paying full time job and starting nursing school in September and we are TERRIFIED of losing a full time income so I am really trying to get this couponing thing down.
The most I have saved on a $75 weekly food budget is about $15. The problem is I wonder am I really saving anything driving all around town for bargain prices, gas isn’t cheap
How do you handle the mean, angry, impatient cashiers? I have ran into that twice where they huff and puff and embarrass me while trying to ensure my coupons are being scanned…I’ve literally experienced the following scenario .. being in line, I had a store and manufacturer coupon, it would only take the store coupon, so she was saying that it only allowed “one coupon per item” and with about 4 people behind me and the cashier saying loudly, “Tom, we got another couponer problem” (Tom was the manager). I was mortified. I was polite and everything, she was just so rude, and people behind me were huffing and puffing. It was so embarrassing. What do you suggest?
I think you would do fine shopping at one store – you don’t have to drive all over town and waste gas. Pick the best store to shop at and just shop there.
Angry cashiers can be very frustrating – even for experience couponers! I have a couple tips here: http://www.couponing101.com/2010/09/an-encounter-with-a-rude-cashier.html
It all sounds great but I see couponers buying multiples. I’m sure the products will expire before they even get to use them. Most times the coupons are only good for a limited time so I can’t wait til the product goes on sale. I just don’t get it.
On the show when they buy like 40 jars of spaghetti sauce, or like how you said buy 12 boxes of cereal to last until the next sale, do they have/do you need a coupon for each item, like 40 coupons for spaghetti sauce/ 12 coupons for cereal? How do you buy so many of one item all for the same discounted/free price?
Most coupons don’t have limits on how many you can use (recently P&G started limiting their coupons to 4 per person) and many stores won’t limit your purchases either. So, if you have 12 coupons for cereal then you can buy 12 boxes.
Can you please make a coupon class on video? I can’t make it to the classes that is offered. But I will buy the video? I really want to fully understand the process.
I am considering creating more videos on couponing. I just prefer writing over speaking, so the process takes a lot longer.
Helpful hints: don’t forget to include the CRV (depending on state)
CASH REDEMPTION VALUE-thats when they charge you for recycling fee; plastics;soda cans,water bottles,etc. usually .5cents each.
I add it to my grocery list, so that I don’t cut myself short when it comes time to pay.
this is very informative information for us newbees. lol my Harris Teeter has triple coupons and i saved a hundred dollars that week, when your buying for a family of four with a limited budget thats great for me. Im new to this and loving it so far.
newbie questions. I’ve just started couponing. I’ve got two weeks worth of inserts, lots of printed coupons. I wanted to take advantage of some of the match ups posted. I didn’t have the older inserts so I went to ebay to get them. They talk about different regions have different inserts. Will the coupons from any region work anywhere we find the products. Assuming there not store specific? 2nd question. I’m using a ton of ink to get started. I thought the more coupons the better so I printed things I would buy if they were a great deal. I think I’m wasting more ink/paper then I would save? Should I be printing so many or just the one’s I really use? 3rd question sorry lol If I do store cards and load the coupons. How will I know what coupons I have or don’t have? What if there’s two coupons for the same thing but different values like one $1/1 and the others is $1/2. What coupon would they use? Thanks for all the help. I’m so excited to be learning this.
Great questions!
1. Yes, coupons work anywhere as long as they aren’t store specific.
2. I usually recommend that you only print the coupons you know you will use eventually OR a really high value coupon that might disappear quickly and you are pretty sure you will use it if a great deal comes along.
3. Most ecoupon sites give you the option to print a list of the coupons you’ve loaded. As for which would come off if they are different values – I’m actually not sure!
This will depend on the store. I have two kroger stores in my area, one 18 miles s and one 12 miles n. The coupons will work in both stores, BUT when using them with sales ads the same item my not be on sale in both stores. Even though these stores are fairly close to each other, they are in different marketing areas
This might be a silly question and I believe I know the answer but, I have two coupons. One says 50 cents off ONE detergant. I have another coupn for the same product that says $1.50 off ONE detergant and ONE fabric enhancer. SO if I buy the one detergant and the one enhancer, can i use both coupons resulting in $2.00 off? Thank you for your response! I started couponing last week and saved $5.00! I know that’s not alot but it is still $5.00!
Question: Which site do you find most user friendly for printing out mfg coupons?
Thank you.
No, the $1.50 off detergent and fabric enhancer coupon applies to BOTH items so you cannot use another manufacturer coupon on either item.
What a great guide, thank you.
Guess I better get a binder going.
I think parts of “Extreme Couponing” are extreme, when one woman helped a friend and left with carts of drinks, deodorant and not much in the way of edibles. One has to be careful in couponing.
I am fairly new to couponing. I live in a small town where Wal-Mart is our one and only option for shopping. Granted, I have saved some money by using their Price Matching policy but the problem I run into is getting my coupons to match up with the items on sale. It seems like every time the item goes on sale, my coupons are expired and Wal-Mart won’t take them. Our local paper is a terrible source for coupons so I have depended on printable coupons. My husband works in the construction industry which means we live without a paycheck for most of the winter season. We have 3 kids now and it gets harder and harder each year. This year is particularly hard and I REALLY need to cut our grocery bill. Any suggestions??? We are literally living on bologna and hot dogs now cause what I did have stockpiled is gone. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Sorry you are having difficulties.
I do think you would be fine just relying on printable coupons, but if possible, definitely get your paper anyway. And price matching is definitely good to do as well. Make sure to also sign up for all the free coupons that can be mailed to you as those are a great way to save without using any resources.
I really love your site! Not only is it helpful, but man it just breaks everything down to where I can fully understand how it all works and that I can go to my favorite stores shopping with confidence! Thanks!
Hi. I am new to couponing and not having very good luck getting my coupons on line. Seems like every site has you “running around. Do you have a good web site to get grocery coupons without all the “running around” ? Thanks vicki
I’ve heard from the show E.C., that if the barcode # starts with a 5, it can double, and if it starts with a 9, it can’t. Is that true or does a coupon HAVE to SAY, “DOUBLE/TRIPLE COUPON” in order to double/triple?
I am so happy I found this website. I have watched the extreme coupon show but am not interested in buying in such bulk. I am looking for good deals and saving a little extra money. Today was the first time I have ever sat down and clipped coupons. There are a few questions I have run across and was hoping you could help me out
I have a coupon that is $8 off two covergirl face products. This means you have to buy two products? So if I bought one for 12 and another for 6 I would end up paying $10?
Also it says “Limit of 4 like coupons” I’m not too sure what this means? I could use the same coupon up to four times?
ALSO, ( Sorry to bombard ) at a certain store it says they are having a sale of ” Buy 1 get 1 50% off” but I have a coupon for the same product “buy 1 get 1 free” could that somehow be combined? Or another scenario ..I have a covergirl sale ” Buy 1 get 1 50% off” but then an $8 off coupon…could that be combined?
Thank you for your time!
Yes, $8 off 2 means you have to buy 2, so your scenario is correct.
Limit 4 “like” coupons per transaction means that even if you have 6 of those covergirl coupons, you can only use 4 at a time. So, in 1 transaction you can buy 8 covergirl products and use 4 coupons – but that’s it. If you have more, you can use them another time.
If there is a bogo 50% sale and you use a bogo free coupon, the cashier will probably deduct the least expensive item for the “free” part which would be the item that is 50% off. So, you’re really only getting a bogo free discount. I recommend hanging onto your coupon for a better sale. As for the $8/2 coupon on a bogo 50% sale – yes, that’s fine.
Thank you for clearing it up for me
Im looking for someone in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) to help me learn how to do this for my family and the womens battered shelter. Is there anyone out there that will teach me everything you know?
Thank you so much for your time.
Conni
I was wondering about the doubleing coupons do I have to buy more than 1 item for the coupon to double..like say .50 off single bar soap can I just buy that one or I have to buy 2
Nope, you can buy just 1 item, use 1 coupon, and it will double.
I am still excited from yesterday…I went to Riteaid and got free makeup. The cashier was confused and tried to tell me that I had to pay for the items and try to buy at least $8 worth of products to get $8 off. I asked for the manager and got the deal and later got the same deal at Walmart. The cashier was also confused there saying I couldn’t use more than one coupon for product in same purchase. I was buying more than one of the same item. Anyway, she didn’t know I could comp items and use coupons on the same items also. I got my deals and still am very pleased!
Great job!!!
I don’t know why I did not start couponing before now. Thank you so much for this website and all of the valuable information that it has on it. I do not have a pricebook started yet. Has anyone started a pricebook or excel spreadsheet I can download to get me started? Anything you have to get me started will be greatly appreciated!!!!
Thank you.
Trisha
Can someone break down all the basics and the walmart coupon policy? I know we are talking about food here but just as an example, if I have a coupon for 6$ off on a toy that’s 21$ can I use several the same coupon to make it a “free” toy?
No, you can only use ONE coupon per item. Unless you have a store coupon (Target and CVS issue store coupons) and then you can use ONE store coupon and ONE manufacturer coupon per item. If your coupon is for $1 off 2 items – that coupon is counted toward both items.
How are Coupon Clipping services are OK?
Most coupons say that they are void if transferred, sold, or exchanged. I would think that that means buying coupons from clipping services wrong.
Well, there is a bit of a debate regarding clipping services, and I haven’t quite picked a side yet. Clipping services are technically not selling the coupons, just charging for their time spent collecting, clipping, and shipping the coupons.
I’m just wondering if you can use manufacturer’s coupons at military base commissaries as well? I really am trying to save and I’m looking to start couponing. Love this site and many thanks to everyone on here! You all inspire me to the fullest!
Yes! Commissaries accept coupons and actually have very generous coupon policies.
Hi there. I have a Kroger that doubles coupons up to 55 cents, but does not price match. I also have a Target that price matches but DOES not double coupons. Target does allow you to use their coupons and a manufacturers coupon on one item though so. Which store would YOU shop at for the better discounts?
Thanks
That is tough. I would really just pick whichever store has the best stores each week. Our Kroger recently stopped doubling coupons, but even before that, I still tended to shop at Target due to their store coupons and lower prices.
I am new to coupons also!!! Thank you for the information, this web site is great!!!!
i have been studying this couponing thing can anyone tell me can you use coupons for a sale of 3 cereals for ten dollars? with a manufacture coupon of 1.00 only what would total come out to be… do i need three coupons or only one i think i can only use one ….
i think i got my answer in coupon 101.. thanks
I have started to save coupons , but I don’t know how or when to start . What should I do ?
try reading coupon 101 it’s great for information thats what i been doing and i am going to start small just to get hang of it.. maybe trying this saturday store is doing up to 10 double coupons only otherwise its only five per transaction…
I am new to this and found this blog very informative. I cant wait to start saving on my monthly bill. Thanks!!
I’m planning on organizing my coupons in a binder and buying the sheet protectors for baseball cards and such, I am planning on buying them online as they seem to be cheaper, but I’m not sure what the right size should be any suggestions?
I didn’t see it mentioned above, so I apoligize if it already was said, but also when your shopping pay attention to the tags- at Kroger they have the price per ounce (or something similar listed) so you can see what’s actually cheaper (I always check this when I’m buying a product that comes in multiple sizes like cereal and formula- nearly always cheaper to buy the larger size!)
Thank for you this website- I work for Kroger and after some of the things people bring in coupons claiming that they can use (ie- expired coupons- we do not take them because we will not be reimbursed for them) it’s really nice to see a website that is extremely well-imformed and accurate and extremely user friendly! Although I know my own coupon policy, I am actually just now getting into couponing to save money
so this has been a great resource for me to learn as well! You’ve done an excellent job with this site- keep the great info coming 
I am wondering how I can get multiple coupon inserts for free, I am not able financially to purchase the newspapers and hoping for 7-10 newspapers. I started asking stores what they do with the leftover newspapers at the end of the night, the negativity from the stores was not expected they preferred throwing them out before letting you take them. I went to a recycling plant, to “dumpster dive” I was a little shocked, they told me they didn’t allow going through their paper recyclables, nor did they know where I could. I felt like I stumbled on some big government secret and any second I was going to be pushed in a van and warned to back off, LOL, really, are these coupon inserts made of gold, why am I having such a hard time getting the papers? I can purchase a couple but that’s it. I’ve heard of people getting stacks of inserts that were just being thrown out. I am from New Jersey and told they don’t have time for this. Can anyone please tell me what I need to do?? thank you for taking time to read this.
Thanks I’am going to try this and see what happens
I would like to start couponing. To get me started, I’d like to concentrate on personal care and household cleaning items. However, I have specific products and brands that I like to use. Is couponing effective if you are searching only for specific products/brands? I spend a lot time searching for coupons for specific products/brands online, and I found none. That is a little discouraging.
^^ Of course you won’t be an effective couponer if you’re EXTREMELY picky… the whole point is only to shop things on SALE…
If you want to be picky, pay for it.
I’m pretty new to couponing. Will it be necessary for me to buy products I don’t want at times (especially at CVS)? Thanks for your website!
No, you do not have to buy products you don’t want. Sometimes they can be helpful – like if an item will give you overage – for saving money on the items you do want. But definitely not required.
I have a question when printing coupons off the internet what kind of copy paper can you use to make them offical for store use? Can you use regular copy paper or is there a certain kind of paper I need to use?
You can use any kind of paper.
I have been couponing at cvs and walgreens for about a year now, only participating in deals that free or close to it that I have the coupons for. I have not ventured into the grocery stores too much. Can you give me information on a site that lists what a good price is verses what a great price is for grocery items?
I am also using only the printable coupons that I find thru blogs and/or what comes in my paper (1 set). Do you find it valuable to subscribe to a coupon service? I don’t typically purchase processed foods (other than cereal) and am concerned that I would be wasting my money as whole foods don’t tend to generate too many coupons.
hi i want to start couponing and i found your site and i really think it’s verry helpfull. I live in riverside california, do you happend to know wich is the best newspaper to get for coupons? thanks
I’m not sure. We’re based out of Texas. Usually just your local newspaper is great! Each Sunday, the local newspaper should have your coupons. Good luck on your savings adventure!
hi i am new at this and this website really answers questions one question is how do you know if your store is doubling your coupons and another is so if im at walmart and and the ad has something for sale or a coupon inside, i can use that and another coupon for that item sorry, i saved three dollars the other day and my bf was laughing at me but hey you have to start somewhere it made me happy!!
Just ask your store to see if they double coupons. Usually asking the manager is the best way to go, just to make sure you receive the correct information. Major stores like Walmart, Target, and the drug stores do NOT double coupons. Many local grocery stores double coupons, though.
Yes! You can absolutely use a coupon on a sale item. That’s how you maximize your savings! You can also stack one manufacturer’s coupon and one store coupon per item (for stores that issue store coupons, like Target’s online coupons).
Best of luck with your savings!