Couponing 101

1. Register Rewards are manufacturer coupons that can then be used to purchase anything in any Walgreens store. So, if you are purchasing an item for $5 and you are using a $3 RR to pay for it, it will then only be $2 that you pay out of pocket. They expire in about two weeks after they are issued, so make sure to keep an eye on those expiration dates.

2. Your before-tax total has to be over the amount of the RR. So, you cannot use a $3 RR to buy three times that are .99 each, because your total would go negative. In this case, your RR would beep at the register and the cashier will not accept it. A good solution to this is to purchase a filler item. Filler items are very inexpensive items (.01-.25) that can be used to make sure your total doesn’t go negative. Make sure to check out the clearance section for fillers and the seasonal section for things like pencils. So now, you could by your three .99 items, plus one .05 filler and pay for all these with a $3RR and your total will be .02 plus tax.

3. You can only earn one of the same RR in a transaction. For example, you cannot purchase five packs of Huggies and expect to get five RRs back. You will only get one. To get around this, you can do five separate transactions. Make sure to be courteous and go to the end of the line for each transaction.

4. You cannot use a Register Reward earned from an item to purchase that same item and expect to get another RR. For example, if you had already bought Huggies diapers once and earned a RR, you cannot use the RR you just earned to pay for your next transaction. If you were to do that, your new RR would not print. You can however, use a RR from another product to purchase a different product that will produce a RR. For example, let’s say that this week Dove Men’s Body Wash is $5.99 with a $6 RR making it FREE after the RR. Huggies diapers also have a RR deal this week that is giving you a $3RR when you buy one pack. You could purchase the Huggies first, and then purchase the Dove and use the Huggies RR to pay for the Dove, so your out of pocket cost for the Dove would only be $2.99 before any other coupons and tax, and you would earn a $6 RR back. This concept is called rolling Register Rewards.

5. You can use multiple RRs in one transaction. For example, if you are buying a $25 item, you could purchase that with five $5 RRs as long as you added four filler items to satisfy the coupon to item ratio which I discuss below.

There you go! Now you are all ready to shop at Walgreens. I know it might be a little intimidating, but the only way you are ever going to learn is by getting out there and doing it.  Make sure to give yourself some grace for mistakes! Trust me, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes at Walgreens and it was never something that couldn’t be fixed.

If you Walgreens vets have anything to add to this for first time WAGers, please leave a comment!

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After you start gathering your coupons the very next thing you’ll want to do is to find a coupon organization method. I cannot stress enough how important this step is. It will help keep you sane throughout your couponing journey! There are lots of different methods that can be used. First, I’m going to introduce you to the method that  I use.

You might be a little shocked by this next statement, but here it goes…

I hate clipping coupons!

I know what you’re thinking….How in the world can you be a couponer and not clip coupons?!?! Let me tell you.

Newspaper Inserts

Newspaper inserts are typically our #1 source for coupons. Many couponers spend a lot of time clipping out the coupons they need.

All I do when I get my newspaper insert is write the date on the front and file it by date. It is that simple! No clipping, no sorting, no nothing! When I need to find a particular coupon all I need to do is search for it in the Bargain Blessings Coupon database.

Printables, Blinkies, and Peelies…Oh My!
In addition to the newspaper inserts there are lots of other coupons out there. This is where my coupon binder comes into play.  All of my non-insert coupons get put into my coupon binder. I have my binder organized in alphabetical sections. I use baseball card inserts to keep all of the coupons in place. The best price that I’ve been able to find on these was through Amazon.

My Little Blue Guy
While I’m preparing for a shopping trip I pull the coupons that I plan on using and then put them into this little blue guy which is organized by store. I also keep Free item coupons in here, and my register rewards/gift cards. I bring this little organizer everywhere with me, that way if I happen to be driving by a store, I have those coupons with me and I can make a quick trip in and out.

Other Coupon Organization Options

Baseball Card Holders in a Binder
Another popular organization method is organizing your coupons in a binder that is separated by department (Dairy, Canned Goods, Household etc.). This is close to what I do above, but you would place all of your coupons in the binder, including insert coupons. For this method you will need a sturdy binder and the plastic sheets that are intended to hold baseball cards. next, separate your binder by department (canned good, dairy, frozen, household etc.) For this method, I suggest finding a good balance between complicated and simple categories. You want to make sure your coupons are easy to find for you, so you don’t want too many or too little.

Box Method
The Box method is just like the above method except your coupons are held in a little box instead of a binder.

I have tried many different methods before I settled on the one I use currently. There is no right or wrong when it comes to coupon organization. Regardless of what method you use, just make sure it works for you!

For more experienced readers, please feel free to leave a comment if you have a suggestion on another coupon organization method that you use!

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Here are even more resources to build up your coupon stock! I also wanted to emphasize that building your coupon stock pile is key to being a successful couponer. Even if you see a coupon that is for a product that are are not buying during that particular shopping trip, make sure to grab one or two, becuase you never know when the next great deal is going to come around the corner!

Blinkies are found in stores are dispensed out of the little red boxes with the red blinking light.

Tearpads

Tearpads are pads of coupons, similar to notepad or a stack of post-it notes. They can be found on the shelf or product display, and are often on cardboard in-aisle displays.

Hangtags

Hangtags can be found hanging off of a product, around a dressing bottle’s neck for example.

 

Peelies are found on products in the store. They are not always on the product they are intended for and are often used by manufactrers to encourage consumers to purchase complimentary products. For example, a Prego sauce peelie found on a box of spaghetti noodles.

Magazines

Magazines are a great resource for coupons! My favorite is All You Magazine. All You is a fantastic magazine that comes packed full of coupons in every issue. I honestly didn’t originally even get it to read, but now I look forward to getting it for more than just the coupons…there are lots of money saving articles and tips inside.

Inside Products 

Make sure to keep an eye out for coupons that can be found inside packages. Sometimes these can be found inside little plastic packages inside the product, or they also may be printed on the inside of the box.

Home Mailers

Peelies

Home Mailers are sent in the mail to you by manufacturers or by stores. I will let you know when new mailers are available to request online.

Quick Tip: Make sure that your local grocery stores have your current mailing information so you will receive the Home Mailers that they send out. I am constantly receiving coupons from King Soopers in the mail…and a lot of times they include FREE items!

With Free Samples

We post a lot of FREE samples on our site. Something I don’t mention a lot is that often the best part about getting the samples is that they can come with some great coupons! They are also fantastic to donate to our military!

From Manufacturers

Manufacturers’ are always looking for our (the consumer’s) feedback on their products and believe it or not they really do appreciate it when we contact them with our thoughts on their products. Sending e-mails to manufacturers is one of my favorite ways to gather high value and FREE item coupons! All of the coupons shown in the above picture are coupons I received from e-mailing manufacturers! I challenge you to pick two products a day, look up that product’s website and let them know what you think about their product! I guarantee you it will make checking your mail a lot more exciting! To get you started, here are 173 manufacturers that have been known to give out coupons to conusmers who contact them.

Catalinas “Cats”

Catalinas are coupons that print out at the register when you check-out. Some people thing these are random, but they are actually not random-they are dependant upon the products that you purchase.

Sometimes catalinas can be for another product (like the one pictured above) and sometimes they can be for an amount off of your order. Although most catalinas say manufacturer coupons at the top they can usually only be used at the store you received them at. Catalinas make for some of the best deals for us couponers!

If you should have received a Catalina but it didn’t print at the store you can contact Catalina at 1-888-826-8766 with your receipt information and they will send you your catalinas in the mail.

 

Blinkies

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One of the first things you will need to do if you are just getting started couponing is to build your coupon stockpile. for the first month of your couponing journey this is what you should be focused on. Yes, there will be some deals that you will not be able to get in on becuase you do not have the coupon, but don’t worry it will not be that way forever.  Below  is a summary of the many resources you can use to build your stockpile of coupons. You can also visit the Bargain Blessings Coupon Database to search for coupons.

Newspaper Inserts

One of the most well known resources for coupons are the inserts you can find in your Newspaper. These inserts include hundreds of coupons and will be your biggest resource for coupons.


There are three primary Newspaper insert types that we see on a regular basis:

You will see us refer to these as “SS” in my deal write-ups

You will see use refer to these inserts as “RP” in my deal write-ups

You will see us refer to these inserts as “PG” in my deal write-ups

Occasionally we will see a few other inserts included in the paper. Some of these are:
Kellogs “K”, General Mills “GM” and Betty Crocker “BC”

If you do not have a subscription to the Newspaper yet, you’ll want to get one. Trust me, it will be well worth the small cost. Most major metropolitan newspapers include coupon inserts. I suggest subscribing to the paper of the largest city in your area. Sometimes local papers contain coupons, but they are often have much less than the large city papers.

Quick Tip: If you are like me and you only get the paper for the coupons, make sure to put your paper on hold for those weeks that we are not expecting any coupons. I will remind you to do this throughout the year as these weeks approach!

Internet Printables “IPs” 

 

Another fantastic way to build up your coupon stock is to use Internet Printables. There are various websites that will allow you to print coupons right from your computer!Coupons.com
Smartsource
Red Plum
Betty Crocker
Eat Better America
Boxtops 4 Education
Mambosprouts (All Natural and Organic Foods)
Manufacturer Websites

Here are a few tips on Internet Printables:

Most Internet Printables have print limit of two coupons per computer. After printing your first coupon (or set of coupons) just hit the back button on your browser to print another coupon. You might need to click refresh after clicking back.

Don’t make the same mistake I did! When I first started couponing I went through every site I could find and printed every coupon I could find. Ink costs money and if all you are doing is spending money on ink you are defeating the purpose of printing the coupons. With that said, there are still a ton of coupons that are worth printing! Just make sure the answer to at least one of these questions is yes:

1. Will I use this coupon?
2. Is it a high-value coupon?
3. Is there an upcoming deal for this coupon?
4. Is the coupon for a product I will use or I can donate?

Coupon Printing Software: Most Internet Printing websites will require you to download their coupon printing software. Don’t be afraid. If you are on a legit coupon printing website (all of those listed above) it will not harm your computer. There are thousands of people all over the country who use these websites to print coupons…they are safe!

Store Coupons

Store Coupons are great because they can be combined with manufacturer coupons (at most stores) to make for some sweet deals. Store Coupons will state the store name at the top of the coupon instead of Manufacturer coupon, so for example Target store coupons say “Target Coupon” at teh top.You can find store coupons in a variety of places including:

◦ Newspaper Inserts
◦ Store Ads
◦ In stores
◦ Home Mailers
◦ Online

eCoupons

eCoupons are also fantastic because they can be stacked on top of Store coupons and sometiems even manufacturer coupons! They just get loaded right on to your store savings card-costing you no ink and hardly any time! Then when you check out at the store the coupons are automatically get deducted from your total! Here are some resources for eCoupons:

◦ Shortcuts
◦ Cellfire
◦ P&G eSaver

I very highly suggest creating a separate account with each eCoupon website for each of your shoppers cards. For example, if you shop at Safeway and King Soopers you would want to create a Cellfire account for both cards. This helps to reduce confusion about what coupons you have on what card. You should also be sure to read through my post on How Cellfire eCoupons Work.
 

 

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So this is where it all starts for us couponers…the COUPON! I think it is important for us all to understand a little bit about those precious slips of paper we so cherish!

Here is the dictionary’s definition:
coupon[koo-pon, kyoo-] -noun
a portion of a certificate, ticket, label, advertisement, or the like, set off from the main body by dotted lines or the like to emphasize its separability, entitling the holder to something, as a gift r discount, or for use as an order blank, a contest entry form, etc.


And here is a couponer’s definition:
coupon[koo-pon, kyoo-] -noun
CASH

That’s right…. coupons equal cash. The more you use, the more cash stays in your pocket! This might seem really basic, but I have to admit that before I started this all I really didn’t understand the true value of the coupon.

When I go to the grocery store and my total drops from $106 to $45 after coupons that is $61 back in my pocket! $61 that we can use to take a fun outing for the day, deposit into our savings account, or make an extra payment on our mortgage! Had I not handed over that little stack of coupons that $61 would belong to the store and be forever gone from our bank account!

So here are what all those little numbers mean on your coupon…

(5)- This number will always be a 5 or a 9. A 5 means that the coupon can be doubled and a 9 means that it cannot be doubled.

(12345)- This is the Manufacturer Code that determines which products a coupon may be used for.

(678)- This is the Family Code and determines which grouping of products a coupon may be use for.

(90)- This is the Value Code that tells the register how much to deduct from your total. There is a chart that these numbers correspond to. For example this “90″ means that the coupon has a value of .90. A coupon with a Value Code of 74 is worth $5.

(0)- This is a calculated number used by the manufacturer. It has no real relevance to us couponers.


Note: The above is informational purposes only and should not be used to circumvent the text ($1 off a Jumbo Pack of Huggies) in any way. Couponers should always be ethical and use coupons only as they are intended to be used.

Did you know that there is a whole process that the coupon goes through before and after you hand it over to the cashier?

First, the marketing department at a manufacturer decides that they would like to run a coupon campaign for one or many of their products. They then contact a coupon distributor such as Coupons.com or SmartSource (newspaper insert) and arrange to have the coupon available to consumers. That is how the coupon ends up in our hands!

After you give the coupon over to the store they will send it to a Clearing House which sorts through the millions of coupons to ultimately determine how much is due to the store from each manufacturer. That report then gets sent to the manufacturers who cut a check to the store for the coupons that they submitted.

This is the one thing I wish more cashiers were more educated on! They often do not understand that the company they are working for (The Store) will ultimately be reimbursed for the coupons.

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It is truly incredible what is possible with coupons. Another question we seem to get a lot is if it is all too good to be true. Could there really be hobby that costs me nothing and saves me thousands? YES! Just a little effort can add up to a lot of savings! I have cut my food and grocery budget from $550 per month down to under $150 per month since the beginning of 2009!

We NEVER pay for items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, lotion or shavers (among many other things)! Imagine if all you did was cut these five items out of your budget!

And that is just for a family of two!

The blessings of this hobby/lifestyle has allowed us to do the following just during my first year of couponing alone:

◦ Create an Emergency Fund
◦ Pay off our car loan
◦ Pay for all our Christmas gifts
◦ Save enough to re-carpet our house
◦ Significantly increase our ability to give to friends and family in need

My hope is that my story will inspire you to give couponing a try this year. Even if all you do is one deal per week, I promise, it will be worth it!

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When I talk to people about my love of couponing we sometimes get asked if it is really worth it. My answer? Without a doubt…YES!

Another common quesiton is if we are getting things we really need or just a bunch of junk food. For today’s Couponing 101 Post I wanted to share with you a few of our successful shopping trips that I had during my first six months of couponing. I hope this will debunk the “coupons are only for junk food” myth. As you can see from the pictures below, everything we get are products that our families will use or we can donate!

Target $2.18 (Saved $102.69!)

$8.46 at King Soopers (Saved $365!)

$2.21 Money Maker at Rite Aid

$10.81 Money Maker at Rite Aid

$15.64 Money Maker at Walgreens

$40.00 at Kohls (Saved $211!)
 

 

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