Coupons 101
The first thing you need to know about couponing, is the different parts of a coupon and what they actually mean. Below is a picture of a coupon.
There are two types of coupons: store coupons and manufacturer coupons. Store coupons are specific to that store only, and can not be used at any other store. Target, Walgreens, CVS, and Kmart are known to use their own coupons. Manufacturer coupons can be used anywhere coupons are accepted. The store is reimbursed by the manufacturer for the full value of the coupon, so they are never taking a loss when accepting your manufacturer coupon. Coupons are usually good for about 6-8 weeks after the coupon comes out. About 3-4 weeks after the coupon is released, the product usually goes on sale, so it's best to hold on to your coupons until you
see the item on sale. You can not use two like coupons (two of the same manufacturer coupons, or two of the same store coupons on one item), but:
IMPORTANT FACT #1:You can use a store coupon AND a manufacturer coupon on the same item! Example: GE Light bulbs are listed at $2.39 at Target.
There is a manufacturer coupon from the Sunday newspaper for $1 off 1 light bulb. There is also a Target coupon for $1 off 1 light bulb. You can use BOTH of those coupons on ONE light bulb to get the light bulb for .39 cents!!!!
The expiration date is important because after a coupon has expired it is no longer valid. Stores will not accept an expired coupon. You can use the coupon up to AND including the day of expiration, but not after.
The coupon value is usually big
and bold, and will tell you the value of the coupon. Sometimes there will not be a dollar amount off, but the coupon will be offering an item free with purchase, so always be sure you are getting the right product.
Below the coupon value will be wording describing what the coupon is offering. Read this section carefully, and make sure you pick the right product, and the right number of products. Sometimes the coupon will read "$1.00 off TWO products", or "Buy this deoderant, get this body wash free". On those types of coupons, you can usually walk out with a really awesome deal. Example: You have that coupon "buy Gilette deoderant, get gilette body wash free".
That coupon is actually for the deoderant. You can use ANOTHER copuon for the free body wash. Remember, one coupon, PER item.
The fine print will tell you how the coupon can be used. A PURCHASE is one item you are buying. A TRANSACTION is all the products you are buying. If the coupon fine print says "one coupon per PURCHASE", then you can use one coupon for each product. If you have 5 Motts apple juice jugs, you can use 5 Motts apple juice coupons in one transaction. If the coupon says "one coupon per TRANSACTION", then you can only use 1 Motts apple juice coupon, for those 5 Motts apple juice jugs. You can always do multiple transactions as well, to keep your total Out of pocket expense as low as possible. Some stores have a limit on the number of like coupons you can use at one time.
The image on a coupon is important also. The picture is not always the product you need to buy. A lot of the time the manufacturer will put the most expensive item for the coupon image, but you do not need to buy that.
IMPORTANT FACT #2:If the coupon says $2 off ANY Covergirl face product, and there is a picture of a foundation that is $13.00, you do not need to buy that foundation, you can buy a blush at $6.00 and still use that coupon, becuase it is a face product.
Pay attention to the size of the product you are buying. It is almost always better to buy a lot of the smaller product than one big product when using a coupon. If you have a $1 off lotion and the small bottle of lotion is $2.99, and the big bottle is $5.99, use the coupon on the smaller bottle and you will be paying less out of pocket and getting the most value for your money. Also, if the coupon does not exclude trial sizes, most of the time you can get them completely FREE!!! Buying multiple subcriptions to the Sunday paper is one way to get duplicate coupons. Ebay is another good source for coupons. You will usually find lots of 10-20 of the same coupon, and they are very inexpensive. I try to have at least 4 of every coupon. If you can pick up four trial sizes of shaving cream, wouldn't that be better than paying for the regular size? The amount is the same, but your paying for one, and getting the other for FREE!
IMPORTANT FACT #3:
Do not be brand specific. If you've always used crest toothpaste, but you can get Colgate toothpaste for free after using coupons, then switch brands!!! I always used a certain kind of shampoo and body wash, but after I started getting so much of the other stuff for free, I decided it wasn't so important anymore to have my brands. Another good way to save money with coupons is to take note of your grocery stores in your area, and see if any of them double coupons and find out up to how much. These stores are generally more expensive than others, but if you shop the sales, and use coupons you can usually make out with some EXCELLENT deals!! For example, Prego spaghetti sauce is $3.50 at the grocery store. It has gone on sale this week for 2 for $4. You have two .55 off 1 prego spaghetti sauce. The grocery store will double those coupons, so each one is now worth $1.05 off 1 Prego. You buy two jars at 2 for $4, and after coupons and store doubling, your paying .95 for each jar. That's a
GREAT deal!!!!
Sometimes you'll get a store offering a buy one get one free sale, and you will have a buy one get one free coupon for the same products. If so.... YOU'VE HIT THE COUPONING JACKPOT!!! The register will ring up both items at $5 each. At the end, it will automatically take off one item for the buy one get one free sale. You hand the cashier the buy one get one free coupon, and the register has to take off the other $5 for the item, making BOTH ITEMS FREE!!! An example of this is there was a buy one get on free on all Hasboro card games that came out in the Sunday newspaper. Toys r us was having a buy one get one free sale on all hasboro card games. I used 5 of these coupons at Toys R Us to get 10 card games, completely FREE!!!!
see the item on sale. You can not use two like coupons (two of the same manufacturer coupons, or two of the same store coupons on one item), but:
IMPORTANT FACT #1:You can use a store coupon AND a manufacturer coupon on the same item! Example: GE Light bulbs are listed at $2.39 at Target.
There is a manufacturer coupon from the Sunday newspaper for $1 off 1 light bulb. There is also a Target coupon for $1 off 1 light bulb. You can use BOTH of those coupons on ONE light bulb to get the light bulb for .39 cents!!!!
The expiration date is important because after a coupon has expired it is no longer valid. Stores will not accept an expired coupon. You can use the coupon up to AND including the day of expiration, but not after.
The coupon value is usually big
and bold, and will tell you the value of the coupon. Sometimes there will not be a dollar amount off, but the coupon will be offering an item free with purchase, so always be sure you are getting the right product.
Below the coupon value will be wording describing what the coupon is offering. Read this section carefully, and make sure you pick the right product, and the right number of products. Sometimes the coupon will read "$1.00 off TWO products", or "Buy this deoderant, get this body wash free". On those types of coupons, you can usually walk out with a really awesome deal. Example: You have that coupon "buy Gilette deoderant, get gilette body wash free".
That coupon is actually for the deoderant. You can use ANOTHER copuon for the free body wash. Remember, one coupon, PER item.
The fine print will tell you how the coupon can be used. A PURCHASE is one item you are buying. A TRANSACTION is all the products you are buying. If the coupon fine print says "one coupon per PURCHASE", then you can use one coupon for each product. If you have 5 Motts apple juice jugs, you can use 5 Motts apple juice coupons in one transaction. If the coupon says "one coupon per TRANSACTION", then you can only use 1 Motts apple juice coupon, for those 5 Motts apple juice jugs. You can always do multiple transactions as well, to keep your total Out of pocket expense as low as possible. Some stores have a limit on the number of like coupons you can use at one time.
The image on a coupon is important also. The picture is not always the product you need to buy. A lot of the time the manufacturer will put the most expensive item for the coupon image, but you do not need to buy that.
IMPORTANT FACT #2:If the coupon says $2 off ANY Covergirl face product, and there is a picture of a foundation that is $13.00, you do not need to buy that foundation, you can buy a blush at $6.00 and still use that coupon, becuase it is a face product.
Pay attention to the size of the product you are buying. It is almost always better to buy a lot of the smaller product than one big product when using a coupon. If you have a $1 off lotion and the small bottle of lotion is $2.99, and the big bottle is $5.99, use the coupon on the smaller bottle and you will be paying less out of pocket and getting the most value for your money. Also, if the coupon does not exclude trial sizes, most of the time you can get them completely FREE!!! Buying multiple subcriptions to the Sunday paper is one way to get duplicate coupons. Ebay is another good source for coupons. You will usually find lots of 10-20 of the same coupon, and they are very inexpensive. I try to have at least 4 of every coupon. If you can pick up four trial sizes of shaving cream, wouldn't that be better than paying for the regular size? The amount is the same, but your paying for one, and getting the other for FREE!
IMPORTANT FACT #3:
Do not be brand specific. If you've always used crest toothpaste, but you can get Colgate toothpaste for free after using coupons, then switch brands!!! I always used a certain kind of shampoo and body wash, but after I started getting so much of the other stuff for free, I decided it wasn't so important anymore to have my brands. Another good way to save money with coupons is to take note of your grocery stores in your area, and see if any of them double coupons and find out up to how much. These stores are generally more expensive than others, but if you shop the sales, and use coupons you can usually make out with some EXCELLENT deals!! For example, Prego spaghetti sauce is $3.50 at the grocery store. It has gone on sale this week for 2 for $4. You have two .55 off 1 prego spaghetti sauce. The grocery store will double those coupons, so each one is now worth $1.05 off 1 Prego. You buy two jars at 2 for $4, and after coupons and store doubling, your paying .95 for each jar. That's a
GREAT deal!!!!
Sometimes you'll get a store offering a buy one get one free sale, and you will have a buy one get one free coupon for the same products. If so.... YOU'VE HIT THE COUPONING JACKPOT!!! The register will ring up both items at $5 each. At the end, it will automatically take off one item for the buy one get one free sale. You hand the cashier the buy one get one free coupon, and the register has to take off the other $5 for the item, making BOTH ITEMS FREE!!! An example of this is there was a buy one get on free on all Hasboro card games that came out in the Sunday newspaper. Toys r us was having a buy one get one free sale on all hasboro card games. I used 5 of these coupons at Toys R Us to get 10 card games, completely FREE!!!!
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