One very important part of couponing is tracking how much you are spending and saving.  Hopefully you have a general idea of how much you spent on groceries pre-couponing, but even if you don’t, tracking your spending can be extremely beneficial.  Right now is always the best time to start keeping track!

I have been tracking my grocery spending and savings since I very first started couponing.  I found a simple spreadsheet online that did most of the work for me, so that made it really easy.  Not to mention, I kind of have a *thing* for spreadsheets. I have taken my original spreadsheet and modified it to make it even easier to use.  Now, I am going to share my spreadsheet with all of you!

How to use the Grocery Savings Spreadsheet:

First of all, in order to be able to use the spreadsheet, you need to download it to your computer or save to your Google Docs account.

Save to your computer:

1.  Open the spreadsheet in Google Docs

2.  Click on File

3.  Go to Download As

4.  Choose the program you would like to download it to.

Save to your google docs account: (I personally like Google Docs because I don’t have to worry about losing my data if my computer crashes.)

1.  Sign in to Google Docs (it is very easy to register)

2.  Open the spreadsheet in Google Docs

3.  Click on File

4.  Click on Make a Copy

5.  Name and Save it

Now that you have your copy of the spreadsheet, here is how you use it.

You need to save your receipts every time you buy groceries.  Either input them in the spreadsheet as soon as you get home, or put them somewhere you will remember and input them at the end of the week.

The only fields you need to fill out are the light green shaded boxes.  That’s it!!  Every thing else is automatically calculated for you.  At the top in the yellow fields you can see your average weekly spending as well as your year to date (YTD) totals.  This spreadsheet is made for 2010, but it is easy to update it for next year.  Just create a new copy and update the week ending dates.  I also hope to have a 2011 version prepared for next year.

Week Ending - Each row should include the totals for all purchases prior to and including the date entered.  So, for the week ending 1/16, include all totals from 1/10 through 1/16.

Spending – Input the total spent on groceries.  You need to define this for yourself.  For me, that includes all food, toiletries, paper goods, pet food, diapers, etc.

Savings - Input how much you saved.  You need to define this for yourself as well.  Will it include all savings or just coupon savings?  I include all savings: coupons, sales, and clearance.  Most stores calculate your savings for you and include it at the bottom of the receipt.

Stores – Input the stores you visited.  This field is not necessary to fill out, but it can be helpful.  I like to include this to see which stores I tend to spend more at or get the most savings from.

This spreadsheet is very simple.  You really only have to fill in the spending and savings fields and every thing else is done for you!  Now you can have visual evidence of how much you are truly spending and saving (great to show the unconvinced husbands, right?).

I truly hope some of you will be able to benefit from this spreadsheet!  I know spreadsheets can seem daunting to some, but don’t be afraid!  Inputing your totals will become habit after a while.  I’ve been using this spreadsheet for years and I love looking back and seeing all my savings.

Do you track your grocery spending and savings?

***UPDATE*** – There was a minor error in the original spreadsheet. If you have downloaded the spreadsheet prior to 2/18/2010, then please follow these instructions to fix it.

1. Go to your spreadsheet and click on H9

2. Press Ctrl + C to copy it

3. Select H10 – H58 by clicking H10 and dragging your mouse down to H58

4. Press Ctrl + V to paste

Now it’s fixed! Sorry about that!!

Lately I’ve noticed a bit of a trend when introducing couponing to newbies – they all ask “Isn’t it hard?” I know that my confusing lingo and major shopping trips might make it look like a lot of work, so please allow me clear up that misconception right now!

First of all, what you see bloggers and couponing pros put into couponing isn’t necessarily the norm.  Some people just really enjoy couponing and take it up as a hobby.  While it may seem that we spend an extraordinary amount of time planning, clipping coupons, and shopping, it isn’t really necessary if you just want to save a little money on your grocery bill.

Do you watch 1 hour of television per week?  If you do, you do not have to spend ANY extra time clipping coupons!  I always clip my coupons while watching my favorite show each week – which I would watch either way.  So, no extra time spent clipping coupons!

You don’t even have to clip coupons!  Some people prefer to file their coupon inserts away whole and uncut.  I actually did this for a while myself.  The only downside is that you might miss out on some unadvertised deals and clearance.  When you need to find a coupon you can search the Hot Coupon World Coupon Database.  Just type in the product you are looking for, for example: Huggies or diapers, and it will tell you every single place you can find a coupon for that product.  You can even narrow the search by store and coupon source (printable, insert, magazine, etc).  Tip: You can find the date of the coupon insert by looking along the spine of the insert.

You don’t have to search for deals.  Blogs like Couponing 101 do all the leg-work for you!  Print my list, gather the coupons you need, and go!  All of that can take 10 minutes or less.  Tip: Does Couponing 101 not cover your store?  BeCentsAble’s Grocery Gathering includes links to blogs with coupon matchups for grocery stores all over the country!

You don’t have to go to every store and get every deal.  Pick a favorite store or two and stick with them.  If you prefer one stop shopping, Walmart will pricematch competitors grocery prices.  That means, if the grocery store in town has a cheaper advertised price on an item, Walmart will adjust their price down to match it.  Just bring in the ad circular and present it to the cashier at checkout, pointing out the items you would like to pricematch.  You can still use coupons on those items as well!

The very first coupon I used was for $1.50 off diapers almost 4 years ago.  I am just as proud of saving that $1.50 as I am of the hundreds of dollars I now save our family every month.  Couponing is just a way for me to contribute to my family.  Remember, no matter how much you save, you are helping your family!

If you are new to couponing, I highly recommend that you read my tutorials in the Getting Started section of my blog.  Please feel free to ask me ANY questions!

I am a person who likes to have all the information before I start something.  I like to know how and why things work.  Knowing how things work can give you confidence!  I believe that understanding how coupons work will empower you with knowledge and confidence so that you can be a better couponer!

Reading coupon bar codes, aka “Decoding” is rather controversial.  I will say this upfront:  If you decode coupons for the purpose of using them on items they are not intended for – you are stealing.  There is a great post over at Moms Need to Know about the Ethics of Coupon Bar Code Decoding.  I highly encourage everyone to read it.  She says pretty much everything I want to say about the topic.

Before we get to the bar code, I’d like to talk about the other components of coupons.

Expiration Date:  All coupons have an expiration date.  Some have an expiration date that actually says “No expiration date.”  Stores usually will not accept coupons that do not have expiration dates.  You can use the coupon through the date of the expiration date.  If the coupon’s expiration date is 10/6/2009, you can use the coupon until 11:59 pm on 10/6/2009.

Value:  This simply tells you how much will be deducted from your purchase.

Wording:  This is the most important part of the coupon.  It is how you know what the coupon is for!  If the coupon says “save on ANY xyz product” then it truly can be used on any, not just what is pictured.

Picture:  The picture on the coupon can be useful if you have never heard of the product, and can help you locate the item on the shelf.  The picture helps build product recognition and is a great form of advertising for the manufacturer.  The picture is NOT what is important though.  The manufacturer’s generally put the newest or most expensive product in the picture, obviously hoping you will buy that product.  As long as you follow what is in the wording of the coupon, you can usually get the lowest priced product which is generally the better deal.

Fine Print:  The fine print is usually information for the retailers including the coupon redemption address.  There are usually one or two lines that are intended for the consumer though.  Limit one coupon per purchase? Coupons typically have some version of that statement.  I would like to explain each of them to you so that you can in turn explain them to your cashiers (which I can guarantee will happen at some point).

• Limit one coupon per purchase.  Each qualifying item(s) is a purchase.  If the coupon is for $1 off 2 boxes of cereal and you buy 2 boxes, that is 1 purchase.  If you bought 2 more, that is another purchase and you can use another $1/2 coupon.  This is on just about every coupon.  It means you can not use 2 coupons on 1 product.
• Limit one coupon per transaction.  This means you can only use one of each coupon per transaction.  Each transaction is concluded with a receipt.
• Limit one coupon per day/visit.  You can only use one of those coupons per store visit.
• Limit one coupon per person/customer/household. You can only use one of these coupons.

Many times I have had cashiers try to tell me these restrictions mean something they are not.  If it says per transaction, that’s what it means.  If the manufacturer meant person, that is what they would have written.

In the above picture you can see a basic coupon bar code.  Most coupon bar codes are comprised of five parts and a total of 12 digits.

Coupon NSC Prefix:  A number systems character (NSC) of “5″ identifies the coupon as a coupon. “99″ is another coupon prefix.  The “99″ is used for non-doubling coupons.

Manufacturer ID:  The next five digits after the Prefix are the Manufacturer’s ID.  These numbers will match the numbers on the corresponding product’s bar code.  This serves as purchase validation at checkout.

Family Code:  The next three digits are the family code.  The manufacturer assigns family codes to each of their products.  These numbers will not likely match the product since most coupons are good on more than one size and variety of the item.  The family code is what verifies that you have bought the correct item for the coupon.  Generally, if the family code has no zeros, it will only work on the exact product shown on the coupon (possibly different sizes, flavors, etc.).  If the family code has one zero, it will work on a wide variety of products.  If it has two zeros, it will work on just about any related product.

Value Code:  The next two digits after the family code are the value code.  The value code tells the register what amount to deduct.  You can click here for the value code table.

Check Digit:  The last number in the bar code is the check digit.  The check digit is calculated based on all the other numbers in the bar code.  It’s purpose is to make sure the other numbers are correct.

The bar code itself can be decoded as well, but it is complicated and I have yet to find any use for it.

So, if you are unsure if the $1 off Johnson’s Baby Products includes the Johnson’s Buddies soaps, make sure the manufacturer ID matches, and if the wording does not exclude the Buddies, you CAN use the coupon on the Buddies!   Now even though the manufacturer ID matches up with the bar code on a box of Band-Aids, the coupon is clearly not intended to be used toward them.  It is the wording that matters, not the bar code. If you were to use the Johnson’s Baby product coupon on the Band-Aids, you would be stealing from the manufacturer.

Remember, manufacturer’s began using bar codes on coupons to speed up coupon redemption.  Don’t ruin couponing for others by taking advantage of the manufacturer’s generosity.

Sources: General Graphics and AccuGraphix

“Why didn’t my Walgreen’s Register Reward print??”  I think this is one of the most commonly asked questions here on Couponing 101.  Admit it – you’ve asked it, haven’t you?  I know I have!  Walgreens register rewards are really a pain!  There are so many rules you have to remember, and for the beginner couponer – they can really be confusing!

Here are a few common reasons for your register reward not printing:

1.  You bought the wrong items. Register Rewards can be very picky!  Did you buy the exact size indicated in the ad?  What about variety? Flavor?  Sometimes more items will be included than what is pictured in the ad, but usually not.  You need to buy exactly what is pictured if you plan on convincing the manager that you should have received a register reward.

2.  You did not meet the purchase amount threshold. If the register reward requires you to spend a certain amount (ie.  “Spend $20 on xyz products and receive $10 register rewards”), you must spend at least that amount.  $19.99 is NOT the same as $20 when it comes to register rewards!

3.  You used a Register Reward from the same brand. You cannot “roll” register reward deals.  The register reward you use will cancel out the register reward that should print.  This only applies to rewards from the same brand/company.  If you use a register reward that was earned by buying a product manufactured by a completely different company, then your register reward should still print.

4.  The register reward machine was not working. Yes, it does happen!  If this happens, ask to have them re-ring your purchase at a different register.

5.  There’s a full moon, a Walgreen’s employee crossed your path, or you walked under a Walgreen’s ladder. I’ll say it again: Walgreen’s register rewards are a PAIN!  Sometimes I am completely flabbergasted, and have absolutely no idea why my reward didn’t print!

Here are some rules to remember when using register rewards:

• You cannot have more coupons than items - register rewards are coupons! So, if you are buying 1 item and using a coupon on it, you will not be able to use a register reward also.  In this instance, you would add a very cheap item to your order (called a “filler”) to even out the item to coupon ratio.
• You cannot use a register reward on an item earning a register reward for the same deal. (I know, could I make that sound more confusing?!)  Register rewards from the same company cancel each other out.  P&G makes a ton of products like Pampers and Tide.  So, let’s say you buy Pampers and earn a register reward.  Then you want to buy Tide and earn the register reward advertised for it.  Do not use the Pampers register reward!  If you do, the Tide register reward will not print!  You can, however, use a register reward that was earned by buying a product from another company and the register reward will print.  It is fairly easy to find out which company produced your register reward.  It will say something like “compliments of xyz” or look in the fine print for “Retailer: xyz.”
• They expire really fast! Two weeks is all they give you to use that register reward.  If you don’t think you will be back in time to use it, go ahead and purchase something right then and use your register reward.

I am not trying to discourage anyone from shopping at Walgreen’s or participating the Register Reward program.  I am simply trying to make sure everyone is well educated on how the system works!  If you have any other questions or if this was confusing, please leave a comment with your question or send me an email!  I want you to be able to shop at Walgreen’s with confidence!

You can find more tips for shopping at Walgreen’s HERE.

Photo Credit

Have you ever gone to the store and realized that you forgot your coupons at home?  I have!  Thankfully eCoupons will be there for those times!  With eCoupons there is no clipping and no forgetting!  Check out my guest post at Kingdom First Mom to get the full scoop on how eCoupons work!  While you are over there, be sure to enter her awesome giveaway for a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Are you having trouble printing coupons?  Do you get a “please wait” message and then nothing happens?  Or do you get asked to install the coupon printer over and over again?  Follow the steps below to avoid having these problems again!

If you are printing a Bricks coupon (url starts with “http://bricks.coupons.com/….”) you can change a few letters in the url depending on the browser you are using to make the coupon print.

Here is a Bricks coupon example:

http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qetefel30843030&bt=vi&o=56697&c=BA&p=RE9Wd6Dc

The vi in the url is the part you will change to make the coupon print for you.  Based on the browser you are using, these are the letters you should put in that spot:

Internet Explorer: vi or wi
Firefox: vg or wg
Safari: xs

Just change those key letters and you should be ready to print!

Thanks so much to Rachel at Surviving the Stores for leading me to this solution!

One question I get asked pretty often is “Should I use my coupon now, or wait?”  It’s a great question, one that I wanted to know the answer to when I first started couponing.  Should I get toothpaste while it’s 25¢, or will it be free soon?  Sure enough, I would buy the toothpaste and then it would end up being free after coupon the very next week!  Has it happened to you yet?

I wish that I could put together a list for you that tells you how much to pay (or not pay) for certain items.  But, really, prices will vary by region and individual.  Prices are different all over the U.S. and also vary from big city to small town.  Plus, if you are brand loyal to some products, then it may make sense for you to pay a little more for them.  So, remember that a good price for one person isn’t always the same for everyone.

After you’ve been couponing for a while you will start to see a trend in sales and coupons.  Most of the time you can expect a sale on an item soon after a coupon comes out for it.   But, how do you know if it’s the best price you’re going to get?  You don’t really.  You just have to know how much YOU are willing to spend on an item.  If the product’s price is in your target price range, stock-up rather than risk having to pay almost full price soon after.

The fastest way to learn your target price ranges is to start a price book.  Just keep track of what you regularly pay for certain items.  If you start to realize that you can get toothpaste free at least every 3 weeks, then you know that you probably don’t need to pay for toothpaste at all.  After you’ve been couponing for a while, you will have these prices committed to memory, and you will be able to tell immediately if something is a good deal or not.

You see, it’s a tricky game!  Knowing when to play your coupons is very hard to judge.  Just know that no matter if you get the product 75% off or 90% off, you are still getting a great deal!  You are saving your family money either way!

Have some Free Product Coupons?  I explain the best time to use those HERE!

Everybody loves Free Product Coupons.  Finding a coupon that will get you a product completely free, no strings attached, is like finding gold for a couponer.  Here’s a little secret: When you find a free product coupon, don’t use it right away!!

That’s right, I said don’t use it…..yet!  Here are three ways that you can get even more couponing excitement out of your free product coupon.

1.  Use it on a Buy 1 Get 1 Free sale! This is my favorite way to use free product coupons.  If I have a coupon for a free bottle of xyz shampoo, I will wait until they go on sale B1G1Free and get 2 FREE with my coupon!  How it works: you buy 2 bottles of the shampoo, the register deducts the full price of one of the bottles, then the coupon deducts the full price of the other bottle.  Your price – $0!

2.  Use it to get Free ECBs or Register Rewards. If the item can be bought at a drug store then hang on to that coupon!  I like to wait until the product is part of a special promotion.  If you have a coupon for a free bottle of xyz shampoo, wait until you can earn ECBs or Register Rewards when you buy it.  Even if you use a coupon on a product, and even if the coupon makes it free, you will still earn the ECBs or Register Rewards that are advertised!  Example: Buy xyz shampoo, Earn $2 ECBs.  How it works: You buy the shampoo, use the coupon, pay $0, and earn $2 ECBs.  Your price – Free + $2 Profit!

3.  Use it to Save on Other Items. Many grocery stores now do special sales where you have to buy a certain number of items in order to get a lower price.  For example, cereal is on sale 3 for $10, Buy 3 and save $5 instantly, final price – 3/$5.  If you have a free product coupon for the cereal, this is how it would work:  Buy 3 cereals for $10, use free product coupon (deducts full price before instant savings – $3.33), save $5 instantly.  Your price – 3 boxes of cereal for $1.67!  It would be even better if you had coupons for the other 2 boxes of cereal!

So, next time you get a Free Product coupon – make it work overtime! Don’t have any free product coupons?  Read this post for one way to get some!

*Note – beware of printable free product coupons, they are usually fake.  Never use one that is sent to you as an email attachment.

Do you have another way to use free product coupons?  Where do  you get your free coupons?

Did you know that you can get trial/travel size products for free with coupons?  Just make sure the coupon does not prohibit it’s use on trial sizes.

The end of the month is fast approaching and I bet everyone has a ton of coupons expiring!  Why not go through them to see if you have any that can be used on trial size products.  I usually wait until they are about to expire to get the travel size, just in case I can get the full size product for free instead. But, if it’s about to expire, I would much rather get a free travel size product than throw away a coupon!

Travel size products are great if you want to try something before buying the full size product.  Besides being great for travel, they are also great for keeping in your purse, glove compartment, desk, or other places you might need these items on a spur of the moment!

*Warning* Using coupons on trial sizes may cause cashiers to develop a bad attitude, and they may try to refuse your coupons. The best cures for this are to have an example coupon handy that does say “excludes trial sizes” to compare to the coupon you are using that doesn’t say that. (If the manufacturer didn’t want you to use it on the trial size, they would have stated so on the coupon.) If the store does not want to give you the overage (the whopping 1 – 3¢ – they will be reimbursed the full amount of the coupon!), tell them you do not mind them adjusting the coupon down to the price of the product. It is store policy after all. You can also carry a copy of the stores coupon policy with you, and program the phone number for corporate into your phone. Be prepared to stand up for your savvy-shopping self! Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Have you never used a coupon before?  I remember what it was like the first time I used a coupon – it was pretty scary.  Would the cashier refuse it?  When do I give them the coupon?  Am I doing this right?  I vividly remember being scared stiff!

Sometimes I forget that a lot of my readers are brand new couponers!  Here are some coupon basics that will hopefully ease the coupon panic on your first couponing trip!

A manufacturer’s coupon is a piece of paper with a discount for a specified product printed on it.  The coupon can be used at most stores that carry the specified product.  To receive your discount you must purchase the product and give the cashier the coupon.  The cashier will scan the coupon and the coupon amount will be deducted from your purchase.  You then pay for the remainder of the purchase.

Coupons may only be used once. You may not buy ten boxes of cereal and scan the coupon for $1 off cereal ten times.  The store will only be reimbursed for the single coupon you scanned – they will then lose $9 for the nine additional times you scanned the coupon.

You may use one coupon per indicated items purchased. If you have two coupons to save $1 on one box of cereal, you can buy two boxes and use both coupons.  The coupon will say “one coupon per purchase.”  This means you may not use both $1 coupons on one box.  If you purchase two boxes then you may use two coupons.

You may not use two coupons on one item. You may not buy one package of diapers and use ten coupons on it.  You may only use one of your coupons on the diapers.  You may, however, use one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon on one item.

Coupons may not be copied.  Copying coupons is illegal. You can however obtain multiples of coupons in legal ways.  You can buy multiple papers or order multiples from a clipping service.

Read the wording of the coupon and ignore the picture! Manufacturer’s usually put a picture of their most expensive product on the coupon to make you think that is what you have to buy.  If you actually read the terms of the coupon, it will usually say “save on ANY brand xyz product.”  That means you can buy even the least expensive product and still save with the coupon!

You can use a coupon on an item that is on sale or clearance too! Occassionally I will have a store clerk tell me otherwise, but it is usually cleared up with a chat with a manager or a call to corporate.

If a product rings up higher than advertised or they miss one of your coupons, let them know!  I always read over my receipt before I leave the store to make sure everything is correct.  Any mistakes over $1 are pointed out to customer service.  $1 may not seem like much, but let me put it in perspective.  I visit roughly 3 stores per week.  If each store overcharges me “just $1″ at each visit then I am being overcharged $156 per year.  It is usually more than $1 though, and rarely takes more than a minute at customer service.

Stand up for yourself! If you are using coupons correctly then shop with confidence.  Many times the cashiers are just misinformed.  Be calm and confident when you explain why you CAN use the coupon.  If the cashier still doesn’t accept it, ask nicely to speak to a manager.  It is your money and you should not feel bad about being a smart shopper!

There are no stupid questions! If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I would be happy to answer!

I frequently get asked where I find the deals or coupons that I post about.  It is true that I don’t (and can’t!) find all the deals myself!  One of my favorite places to go to for deals are forums.  Forums are a great place to share the deals you’ve found, ask questions, browse for deals, and get to know others.  There are tons of forums out there, but here are my personal favorites:

Hot Coupon World – This is where I got my couponing start!  Great community of couponers, love the coupon trading forums, and they usually have the hottest new deals.

A Full Cup – Also a great community with wonderful coupon tools like the coupon database and Target coupon generator.

Slickdeals – This forum is my “go-to” site for finding the newest freebies and deals.  Warning – the comments on there can be harsh (I just read instead of post).  Also, they have tons of deals daily, so remember, it’s not a deal unless you need it and can afford it.  If I got in on every deal on that site I would be broke!

The Coupon Cupboard – Another great community of couponers with deals for stores all over the US.

Deal Seeking Mom Forums – The newest forum out there by one of my favorite deal bloggers.  She’s got tons of giveaways going on to promote the new forum, so it’s a great time to join!

I hope at least one of these forums will help you guys out!  Even for a seasoned couponer, it is nice to have a place to go ask your deal and coupon questions!

Many people believe that coupons are only for junk food and boxed, processed food. It is also common to hear complaints that there are never coupons for fresh produce or meat. Neither is true! You can eat healthy and still save money!

Read my tips for saving money on fresh foods over at $5 Dinners!

“Manager’s Specials”, “reduced for quick sale”, “markdown’s”, whatever your store calls them; they are great for saving money on groceries. Stores will mark down items like meat, produce, dairy, and bread when they don’t think they will be able to sell it before it expires. There is the potential to save a lot of money if you know how to take advantage of these discounts.

Meat is one of the most expensive categories in grocery budgets. Buying your meat on manager’s special will reduce your bill considerably. Check out the expiration dates though. If you buy meat that is expiring that day, be sure to cook it right away or freeze it once you get home. If you find a really great deal, stock up! Freeze it and you’ll have cheap meat that will last you quite a while! Always inspect the meat before you buy it. Expiration dates are just estimations. If the meat looks or smells bad – don’t buy it!

Produce is another budget killer. Buying produce on sale is the only way to go. Occasionally you will find markdowns in the produce department. Bananas, bags of apples and oranges, and bagged salad are a few of the items you should check for markdown stickers. Just remember not to buy more than you can eat before they go bad!

Dairy items to look for on markdown are milk, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and creamer. Make sure to check the expiration dates on these since it is harder to tell if they’ve gone bad. Some of these items can be frozen as well.

Bakery items that have been marked down can be found at nearly every store. Bread, rolls, tortillas, and desserts are popular items to look for. There will usually be some sort of rack that says something along the lines of “Ooops! We baked too much!”

Save even more on these items by combining these sales with coupons! As far as I know, stores will accept coupons on marked down items. Make sure to point out the markdown sticker to the cashier. Not all items will scan at the correct price and may need to be adjusted.

If you can’t find the markdown section of your store, ask an employee. Your store might not have one and the items may be mixed in with all the regular priced items.

Don’t see a markdown? Ask for it! If you see an item with a looming expiration date, point it out and they will likely mark it down for you. They also tend to be more generous with the discounts when you’re standing right there!

Knowing when to shop for these discounts is key. Find out what day your store marks down these items in order to get the best selection. Stores generally mark down on Tuesdays or Wednesdays after the weekend rush is over.

Do you shop for manager’s specials? Does your store have a special spot for them or do you have to search? I’d love to hear!

A dozen roses for $50? A box of chocolates for $30? Two movie tickets for $20? A nice dinner at a restaurant for an arm and a leg? No thank you!

I know that with the current state of the economy many people consider one night of frivolity out of the question. If you are one of those people then I hope these frugal Valentine’s day ideas will inspire you to enjoy the day for a fraction of the cost!

Have a date night in. Who says you have to go out to have a good time? Cook your sweetie a nice dinner, or cook it together! Use your nice dishes, light some candles, and open a bottle of wine! Now you can have a cozy dinner at home without the noise, long wait, and cost of a restaurant! Save even more by buying your dinner ingredients on sale!

Save at the restaurant. If you simply must go out to eat then you might consider going the day before or after Valentine’s day since most restaurant coupons are not valid on holidays. You can also get a $25 gift card to your favorite restaurant for just $10 at Restaurant.com! Plus, shop through your Upromise or Ebates link and get 15% back. Instead of a gift card, you could earn up to 8% for college when you eat out as a Preferred Diner and register your credit or debit cards on the Upromise site. You can also share an entree! Restaurant portion sizes certainly make this a healthier option! Or, just order dessert! It’s the best part of the meal anyway!

Enjoy a romantic movie..at home! Rent a movie, pop some popcorn and get cozy! Did you know that Redbox Rentals only cost $1? You can find great new releases and you can even reserve them online! Plus new members can get a Free Rental Code!

Make a card. I’ve always preferred to make my own cards. My favorite thing to do is to go through old magazines, cut out the pretty pictures, and make a collage with them on the front of the card. Then I can write my own sappy love note on the inside! It’s much more personal and my hubby actually saves them! You could also create your card on the computer with the Free EZ Cards Creator!

Looking for a Frugal Gift Idea?

With all these frugal alternatives you can now enjoy Valentine’s Day without stressing about the cost!

What are you doing for Valentine’s Day? I’d love to hear your Frugal Valentine’s Day plans!

I’ve expressed my feelings before about being an honest couponer and I want my blog to reflect that. If I feel that a coupon is not legitimate I will not be posting it. But, I know that illegitimate coupons are found all over the web and it’s not always easy to tell them apart from the legitimate ones. So, while I was wary and chose not to post a link to a great- but illegally distributed – printable coupon, I know it wasn’t hard for others to come across it and believe it to be legitimate. Read The Thrifty Mama’s post with an excellent explanation on why this coupon and all other illegal coupons should not be used. I am very thankful to her for stepping up and saying something about it!

I also want to thank Andrea at Mommy Snacks for passing along some information about E-coupon policy. Everyone has always believed that you can use a paper coupon and an e-coupon on one item – and you can. BUT, it’s not allowed. Apparently, it has never been allowed but no one knew. I understand why they wouldn’t want you to but I don’t understand how it could be avoided. If I were to load my card with a 50¢/1 e-coupon in preparation of using it at the store but later found a paper coupon for Cottonelle and wanted to use it instead, what do I do? The e-coupon is going to come off my bill whether I want it to or not. So, should I just forgo the better savings of using the paper coupon? Maybe E-coupons will soon have all of this sorted out. Now that this information has been brought to my attention I will no longer be stacking the coupons or encouraging it on my blog. You can read Andrea’s full post here.

Thanks to Andrea and Crystal for sharing this information!

Sign up for special offers from Iams

Store loyalty programs can also save you money! Many stores have Pet Clubs where you can receive special coupons or discounts.

Petsmart Pet Perks

Here are some freebies and coupons for your pet:

Free Pet Rescue Sticker

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.

To celebrate my 200th post I’ve made a video tour of my coupon binder! I hope you like it!

If my voice didn’t scare you away then please let me know what you think!

Do you have any questions about my binder? How do you organize your coupons?

Dana from Frugal in Virginia wrote an excellent guest post at Keeping the Kingdom First about Honest Couponing.

It is so easy to get caught up in getting a great deal and to be tempted to use coupons dishonestly. Do you think it is not that important to follow the “couponing rules?” Dana sets the tone of her post with this bit of scripture:

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” –Luke 16:10-13 (Holy Bible, New International Version)

Dishonest couponing affects others besides yourself. When you use coupons in ways they are not intended, it affects the manufacturers, stores, and other couponers. Manufacturers lower the value of their coupons or even stop issuing coupons altogether. Since the stores don’t get reimbursed for misused coupons, they begin to put more limits on coupons and sometimes act rudely towards couponers. Don’t let greed ruin it for others. Many people rely on coupons to feed their families.

There are so many great deals to be had! If you miss out on one deal, there is always another right around the corner. CVS deals are so plentiful that it is not necessary to use multiple cards in order to get multiple freebies. CVS puts limits on their deals for a reason. There is no need to ruin it for others by clearing the shelves and using multiple cards to get around the limits. If a coupon says that it is intended only for the varieties specified then use the coupon appropriately. Don’t stand by the “if it scans it must be okay” line. Just because it scans, doesn’t make it right. Read the fine print of the coupon. If it says limit one per customer then you should abide by the rule even if it is inconvenient for you.

How to be an honest couponer:

• Respect the limits
• Don’t clear the shelves
• Read the fine print
• Know your store policy
• Be kind to cashiers
• Let it go – there are always more deals to come!

I highly recommend reading Honest Couponing. I hope you find it as intriguing, helpful, and encouraging as I did.

Walgreens is a bit more complicated than CVS (to me anyway) because of their many varieties of coupons. Since they have had some irresistible deals lately I thought I should post a guide on how to shop at Walgreens effectively.

Walgreens Weekly Ad Coupons:

These are coupons found in the weekly store ad. They usually advertise a price (ie: Dawn Dish Liquid 99¢) and most have a limit on how many items you can buy with the coupon. You must use the coupon in order to get the advertised coupon price. If the coupon says Dawn Dish liquid 99¢, limit 4 then you can buy 4 Dawn and use the one coupon. Once the coupon is scanned it will subtract a certain amount that will make all 4 Dawns 99¢. If you buy more than the limit then you won’t get the sale price for all the items. These coupons can be combined with all other coupons. Also, you don’t have to cut them out! Just show the cashier the coupon you want to use and they will scan it or type in the coupon code.

Walgreens EasySaver Catalog Coupons:

The Walgreens EasySaver Catalog is found at the front of the store with the Walgreens Weekly Ad. The front of the booklet has Walgreens coupons called Instant Value Coupons – IVC. These coupons can be combined with manufacturer coupons. They usually have a limit of how many items you can use one coupon on but sometimes will work for more than the limit. I recommend doing separate transactions if you want to get more items than the limit. These coupons do not have to be clipped either.

Walgreens Register Rewards:

Walgreens Register Rewards – RR – are manufacturer coupons that print out when your transaction is complete. They are coupons that are used on your next purchase. When doing a deal that earns Register Rewards you CAN use coupons! Coupons have no effect on the deal. If the Reward doesn’t print then you either bought the wrong items/not enough items or there is a problem with the system/Catalina machine. Usually the manager will resolve it. When you earn a Register Reward you can use it to buy other items that earn Register Rewards, but not on the same deal. For example: Buy Tylenol for $3.99, earn $3 Register Rewards. Then buy Gillette Razor for $7.99, use $3 RR from Tylenol, earn $4 RR for Gillette. You cannot use the $3 Tylenol RR to buy more Tylenol and earn another reward. Using the Reward will cancel out the Register Reward that you should be earning. But, you can use Register Rewards on OTHER deals earning Register Rewards.

EasySaver Rebates:

In the back of the EasySaver Catalog you will find rebate offers. These offers are good all month (usually). Walgreens usually has a couple of Free -after-rebate (FAR) items each month. Rebates can be mailed in or submitted online. It is very easy to submit online and it means you get to keep your receipts (in case you want to send them in for other rebates). You can choose to have a check mailed to you or have your rebate put on a Walgreens Gift Card. The gift card is the best option because you get a 10% bonus! Then once you get your gift card you can use it to pay for the next months rebate items. You can use coupons on rebate items. For example: Almay mascara $6.99 & earn $6.99 rebate. Use a $1 coupon to pay only $5.99 and still earn the full $6.99 rebate.

Coupon Rules:

Walgreens registers will not let you use more coupons than items purchased (excluding Walgreens Ad Qs & IVCs). So, you can buy 1 item, use an IVC and a manufacturer Q and it will be fine, but if you try to use a RR too it will not let you. Add a cheap candy or pencil to your order and the register will accept the coupon. If you want to buy 1 item you cannot use 2 RRs to pay for it because the number of coupons is exceeding the number of items.

Coupon Order:

The best order to give the cashier your coupons is Manufacturer Coupons, then IVCs, then Walgreens Ad Qs, then Register Rewards. That way there is a possibility for overage (not all stores will allow it though). For example: Gum is regularly priced $1.19, use a B1G1 coupon which will deduct $1.19 then use the Walgreens Weekly Ad Q that makes the gum 2/$1 which will deduct $1.38 from your order. That means you get the gum free plus 19¢ overage.

My Walgreens Deal Posts:

Walgreens deals are generally the same in all states (double check your ad though). When I post a deal, I post in this format:
Item & Price
-Coupon to Use
= Price After Coupon
Rebates or RR Earned
= Price after Coupon & Rebates/RR

This way you can see what you will be paying OOP (out-of-pocket), the rebates & RR that you should earn and the final cost.

If I missed anything let me know. I also LOVE questions! If you have any tips feel free to share!