I'm new with questions

[PeachySteph]

We're in North-Central GA and have so many store near us, I have no idea where is best to shop. We have Kroger, Publix, Food Lion, Ingles, Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid... umm that's all I can think of for now.

How would I find out if a store doubles coupons; do you ask them to or do they automatically do it?

We don't eat any frozen, prepared, boxed, etc. foods. Most everything we eat is fresh. That significantly drops the # of coupons we use. I rarely see good coupons for dairy, meat, or produce. I often have great ones for breads, etc.

Our biggest expenses are toiletries, diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, pet supplies.

How often can you write to a manufacturer in an effort to get coupons? I have a HARD time getting coupons for Pampers, but Huggies hands them out left and right -- don't like Huggies :(

I have TONS of coupons that I'm sure I will never use, but it seems like such a waste to throw them out. What can I do with them?

What about organization? I have a LARGE accordian file thingy for at-home, and a smaller wallet-sized one for at the store. My categories are too vague though, I need ideas for comonly used and specific categories.

Our family consists of myself (soon 25), my husband (25), my son (soon 4), my daughter (soon 2), one large dog, two cats, and a betta fish.
I also home school our son, but have been unable to find ANY coupons for such supplies :(

I'm sure I have more questions but can't think of them right now.
I'm off to get a sunday paper. BBIAB
Thanks for any help/advice,


~*~Steph~*~

[MrsPinecone]

Honestly, I am going to tell you to read, read, read. Most of the answers to your questions can be found in the stickies and other threads right in this forum.

Visit the forums for each of the stores in your area. Couponers never shop just one store. We cherry pick deals from all of them.

Start with this thread: http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/getting-started-couponing-basics-new-members/89883-couponing-101-couponing-basics-newbie.html

[PeachySteph]

thanks

[PeachySteph]

does anyone know any good places to buy organizing supplies? Like a 3-ring zipper binder, sheet protectors (with sections for cards/photos), etc? I wanted to see if I could find a good deal online before I went to walmart. I like my accordion file, but things are just too sloppy in there kwim?

[Josiology]

does anyone know any good places to buy organizing supplies? Like a 3-ring zipper binder, sheet protectors (with sections for cards/photos), etc? I wanted to see if I could find a good deal online before I went to walmart. I like my accordion file, but things are just too sloppy in there kwim?
Do you have a Staples near you?
I just bought a binder from there for $2.50. Three rings, a removable zippered pouch, front pockets for calculator, etc, and five expandable folders in the front. Very nice binder (comparable to Case-It) on sale for $2.50. They are Staples brand. I also got my sheet protectors with 4x6 pockets from there. They were in the $4 range for a pack of 10. (I think)

To answer your question on what to do with coupons you will not use...I have just started to trade mine (here at HCW). So far it's been a great experience. Great way for me to get rid of those coupons I won't use and get some I will.

HTH and welcome to HCW!

[PeachySteph]

Thanks for the info on staples. It seems you got a great deal! I love staples, they always have great deals. Sadly though, since we moved, our nearest staples is quite a drive away (in the busiest city). :sad: We're surrounded by Office Depots though. Our "super" walmart is pretty sad, the office/crafts section is teeny and poorly organized, same with the toys section. So I'll probably check out office depot before walmart.

I just visited the trader info thread and went to join. I figured that's all I can do with the ones I won't use. I don't personally know anyone who uses coupons, I don't understand why, so I can't give them to friends/family. :shrug7:

:thanks7:

[tmsmalley]

Aside from the advice to read the Couponing 101 threads, I recommend the following:


Pick whatever store you go to most often to start with. After you get the hang of things, you can expand to others or decide which store is best.
Doubling is a regional thing. Call a couple stores and just ask if they double coupons. If they don't, it probably isn't done in your area.
You'll be in a good position to trade once you get through the Trader in Training program.
Think about all the things in your house that you buy. There are coupons for lots of things that you use (plastic wrap, garbage bags, toothpaste, dogfood...). Plus, even if you make most things from scratch, there are plenty of coupons for flour, sugar, Bisquik, yeast, spices & seasonings, baking soda, baking powder... there are coupons around for veggies and fruits from time to time and I even find meat coupons when you really watch for them (often those are local store coupons).
Tess

[PeachySteph]

Tess,
Thanks for the info! We normally shop at Kroger for our groceries. As far as toiletries, diapers, pet supplies, etc. we've been going to walmart. But that place is dangerous and very easy to spend a lot more than you intend to. CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid have recently become quite intriguing to me. I've been keeping an eye on their fliers for two weeks now and they have some unbelievable deals. I'll most likely go to one (or more) of those from now on. We're surrounded by them.

I'm headed to office max tomorrow for my binder, etc.

ps. I spotted a couple chicken breast coupons recently! yay!

~*~Steph~*~

[cpnmaniac44]

We're in North-Central GA and have so many store near us, I have no idea where is best to shop. We have Kroger, Publix, Food Lion, Ingles, Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid... umm that's all I can think of for now.

How would I find out if a store doubles coupons; do you ask them to or do they automatically do it?

We don't eat any frozen, prepared, boxed, etc. foods. Most everything we eat is fresh. That significantly drops the # of coupons we use. I rarely see good coupons for dairy, meat, or produce. I often have great ones for breads, etc.

Our biggest expenses are toiletries, diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, pet supplies.

How often can you write to a manufacturer in an effort to get coupons? I have a HARD time getting coupons for Pampers, but Huggies hands them out left and right -- don't like Huggies :(

I have TONS of coupons that I'm sure I will never use, but it seems like such a waste to throw them out. What can I do with them?

What about organization? I have a LARGE accordian file thingy for at-home, and a smaller wallet-sized one for at the store. My categories are too vague though, I need ideas for comonly used and specific categories.

Our family consists of myself (soon 25), my husband (25), my son (soon 4), my daughter (soon 2), one large dog, two cats, and a betta fish.
I also home school our son, but have been unable to find ANY coupons for such supplies :(

I'm sure I have more questions but can't think of them right now.
I'm off to get a sunday paper. BBIAB
Thanks for any help/advice,


~*~Steph~*~

I have some of your stores but only Food Lion might get 5% of my food dollars due to the other 4 chains that we have that double and triple, but are not on your list. I can give you some general info.
The binders are good, and you can go to a baseball card shop and buy plastic pages that let you display 9 coupons per page. Suppose you had (6).25/1 Hunt's ketchup, you put those 6 in the top left pouch on the front of the page. If you wanted, when you turn that page over, you'll see the back of the Hunt's coupon at the top right. If you wanted to put some other coupon in that slot on top of the back of the Hunt's no problem. This way you could display 18 coupons front and back, 9 each side.
Using this method you could put all your breakfast coupons on one page, all baby coupons on page 2.
I've never hread of calling a company for coupons. You can go to their websites and might find internet printable coupons. I do not use them since my stores have strict policies on their use and it is not really worth it to me.

The only stores that might double on your list are Kroger, Publix, or Ingles.
Just go there and ask at the customer service desk. I can assure you the others do not double and my Target, Walmart are not very coupon friendly. They get 0 of my food dollars, I got too many stores that double and triple.

I rarely see good coupons for dairy, meat, or produce.
..............you WON't except cheese, hot dogs, lunch meat, Tyson boxed or bagged, Purdue perfect portions, fresh express salad, half and half, egg beaters, and a few others.....................

I have a HARD time getting coupons for Pampers.
................these should turn up in the P&G inserts from time to time. Or search on HCW and maybe people in other regions get them. If you really want to know if there are any pampers coupons out there, search on Ebay, under home and garden > food and wine > food coupons, I think non food coupons would be in there too.

If you have tons of coupons you have that you will never use because of the products they are good on, use Microsoft Word or Wordpad, Notepad to make you a list of the ones you can not use. Post these for trade on HCW. You'll quickly get an idea if anyone else needs those coupons. If no traders arrive, then start throwing them out, to better be able to organize the important coupons, or post the duds on HCW for free, ROAK.

Buy a school binder, maybe a 2 inch ring one. Go to a baseball card shop, and buy a few plastic card storage pages. The ones I have have 9 slots. Sort your coupons into categories, breakfast, baby, pet, frozen, canned items, etc. Put all your breakfast item coupons on one page, etc.

[PeachySteph]

I have written to quite a few manufacturers (via email, or contact us link) with compliments or complaints about specific products, and they send me coupons via mail (usually very good ones). I love it, but I'm wondering how often I can do this.

I have started my have list today with some of the coupons I know I wont use. I'm only about half way through though.

[PeachySteph]

another question:
Printables -- do they have to print exactly as you see them on the screen? can they be printed in black and white only, as long as the bar code can be scanned?

[mxmom99]

most IP's state on them that they can be color or B&W only. i only print in B&W.

[PeachySteph]

thanks. that's what I'll do too. My printer uses two different black cartridges so my black lasts a long time -- and is cheaper than the colors.

[mxmom99]

i also set the default on my printer to print in "draft" using less ink (but still scanable)

[PeachySteph]

ah i was wondering that too, thanks for clarifying that!

[ElisabethD]

A little off the subject, but does anybody know when new IP's come out? Like I've printed my limit for ....? Is there a time frame when they stop the old ones and put new one's out there? It's just a waste of time for me to keep looking at Q's I've already printed and no new one's. Thanks:wavehi:

[tmsmalley]

A little off the subject, but does anybody know when new IP's come out? Like I've printed my limit for ....? Is there a time frame when they stop the old ones and put new one's out there? It's just a waste of time for me to keep looking at Q's I've already printed and no new one's. Thanks:wavehi:

There may be a new one or two added here and there, but the new crop starts at the begining of each month.

Tess

[PeachySteph]

I just had my first CVS visit, it was awesome! :D
I posted my transaction in the CVS brag thread. :) Hubby's proud of me too.

[PeachySteph]

can you use more than one different ECB in one transaction?

Like I have a $2 and a $10 could I use them both? as long as my total comes to at least $12?

[PeachySteph]

another question about generalized couponing.. how do some people get so many copies of the inserts of the sunday papers?

[cookin4less]

I've heard the binder deals at Staples mentioned alot but have never been able to find a deal there myself they are always too high. You'll just have to check around and find what you need. The trading card inserts are too high at the office supply places...some of them are a little better quality maybe but not enough to me to warrant the price difference. You can get a 35 pack of the 9 slot trading card pages for $5.?? at Walmart...they are up front at the registers in the trading card section, they don't stock them in the office supply section anymore. HTH I also use some photo ones for larger noninsert q's, and have some full page sheet protectors for rebates, store coupon policies, and sales cycles.

As for meat, produce, and dairy q's they are out there. Right now there are quite a few meat q's such as $2 off meat wyb 2 Kraft products, $1 off meat wyb 1 A1, $1 off meat wyb Heinz 57, and $6 off pork wyb Kingsford and 1 other product. There are $ off milk wyb bread or cookies or cereal, etc. And you can find all kinds of q's for butter, margarine, cheese, sour cream, yogurt, etc... all the time and you have stores that double so you will find alot of q's in smaller values that will benefit you more than others. And there are q's for produce out there too...not just bagged salads either. You may have to look a little harder for them if you are in an area that doesn't put out many noninserts but there are lots of them available. Many people save lots of money while using organic products. So it is definitely doable. It is a myth and a misconception that couponing is for boxed and processed foods, there is so much more than that available.

As for writing manufacturers, every three months is a good rule of thumb. If you go to the Coupon Discussion by Source forum in the Show me the deals section and the go to the Home Mailer forum you will find alot of info on this as well as tons of links to manufacturer sites and which ones responds and the types of q's they sent.

Read through the store forums that you will be using and you will find most if not all of the answers to your questions about individual stores and their policies in the FAQ sections of each one. Good luck and take it one day, one store, and one coupon at the time.

[tmsmalley]

another question about generalized couponing.. how do some people get so many copies of the inserts of the sunday papers?

Some people buy them (I buy 4 papers every week), but people that get a lot (say 20 copies or more) probably have a "source". Either they get the leftovers from the paper carrier, dig through the recycling bins, have a ton of friends and neighbors that save them ... things like that. There's a thread about dumpster diving that gives a lot of ideas on places to find lots of copies of inserts.

Tess

[shoppinglinda223]

another question about generalized couponing.. how do some people get so many copies of the inserts of the sunday papers?

I usually purchase 4-8 of the biger city Sunday paper depending on if it is a good coupon week. I usually use these for myself.

Then I ususally get anywhere from 30-70 extra inserts a week by going to my local recycling center and grabbing the Sunday papers out of the newspaper recycling bin. These are the coupons I auction or trade. However, things have been really busy for me and I have missed a few weeks going to the recycling senter since it is out of the way for me. I am considering taking the summer off since my stockpile is pretty good right now.

[PeachySteph]

hmm ok. there's a recycling center just down the road. perhaps I should pay them a visit. but check out the dumpster diving thread 1st.

[Andra]

hmm ok. there's a recycling center just down the road. perhaps I should pay them a visit. but check out the dumpster diving thread 1st.

Just be sure to check your local laws. Some places it is illegal to take anything out of recycling bins. If there is an attendant at the center, ask them.

[PeachySteph]

it's trash and recycling. hubby used to go there when we lived at our old house and didn't have trash pickup, i remember him mentioning that they do have attendants there. I will ask next monday -- when all the sunday papers are thrown out.

[isis]

can you use more than one different ECB in one transaction?

Like I have a $2 and a $10 could I use them both? as long as my total comes to at least $12?

Yes!

[PeachySteph]

yay! :dance7:

[PeachySteph]

yay! :dance7: I just called my nearest kroger (a new one) and they double coupons with NO LIMIT :biggrin:

[PeachySteph]

So, I've been studying my kroger flyer and my coupons. Here's what I've come up with.

Dial Soap 10/$10, $0.35/1 MFC doubled = $0.30 ea
Wisk Laundry Detergent (32 loads) $3.99ea, $1.50/2 MFC doubled = $4.98 for two
Kraft salad dressing (16oz) $1.69ea, $1.50/1 MFC = $0.19ea ----cant double that, right?

are any of those good?

[Andra]

So, I've been studying my kroger flyer and my coupons. Here's what I've come up with.

Dial Soap 10/$10, $0.35/1 MFC doubled = $0.30 ea
Wisk Laundry Detergent (32 loads) $3.99ea, $1.50/2 MFC doubled = $4.98 for two
Kraft salad dressing (16oz) $1.69ea, $1.50/1 MFC = $0.19ea ----cant double that, right?

are any of those good?

Where are you located? I don't know of any Kroger that doubles 1.50 q's. All the ones around here double up to .50.

[Andra]

yay! :dance7: I just called my nearest kroger (a new one) and they double coupons with NO LIMIT :biggrin:

"No limit" most likely means the number of q's you can double per transaction. Some chains limit to 20 q's doubling per day or per transaction.

[PeachySteph]

when I said "some stores wont double anything more than $0.50 ones" he said "nope, no limit" and i heard him check with someone else who was there. I e-mailed corporate just to be sure.

[PeachySteph]

also, what is this Catalina coupon thing I keep seeing mentioned?

[Andra]

when I said "some stores wont double anything more than $0.50 ones" he said "nope, no limit" and i heard him check with someone else who was there. I e-mailed corporate just to be sure.

You should ask in the kroger store forum, but my experience with Kroger is that they are poorly trained when it comes to coupons. He may not have understood the question. Another way to find out is when you go to the store and get an ad, look in the lower front corner. My store ad has the amount they double up to on it.

[Andra]

also, what is this Catalina coupon thing I keep seeing mentioned?

Catalina's are coupons that print at the check out, usually (but not always) triggered by something you buy.

[PeachySteph]

i just looked it says nothing, my ingles says $0.50 though

[hellokittygirl]

Woah if that is true about your Kroger doubling to no limit, I want to move there! :excited8:
But I've never heard of Kroger doubling like that. Did you ask about triples though? Some triple up to .39. So for the Dial Soap deal, if they tripled, you would get the soaps for free!

[PeachySteph]

:giggle2: it's most likely too good to be true. I'm going to assume there's a limit of $0.50 like publix until I hear back from corporate.

Does anyone feel silly walking in with a big binder full of coupons and letting it "ride" on your cart? I felt silly doing it in CVS last night, but still did it.

[loladooder99]

another question about generalized couponing.. how do some people get so many copies of the inserts of the sunday papers?

I buy mine on ebay. Thats the only way i get coupons unless they are mailed to me. because 99 percent of the time the newspaper on sunday only has one coupon i will use and Im not paying 1.50 for one coupon.You can go on ebay and get 20 coupons or more for 2.50.

[PeachySteph]

Does anyone feel silly walking in with a big binder full of coupons and letting it "ride" on your cart? I felt silly doing it in CVS last night, but still did it.

any advice on this? i felt silly in Kroger too :emb77:

[PeachySteph]

another question: (sorry)
With stores that double to $0.50. Would they double a $1/2? technically it's a $0.50 Q per item :shrug7:

[cookin4less]

any advice on this? i felt silly in Kroger too :emb77:

I do it all the time. Yeah at first you might feel silly. But I decided that I wasn't going to worry about it. It was easier for me to take it in with me than to pull the coupons that I thought I would need and refile the ones that I ended up not being able to use or not having my q's when I found something unadvertised in the store. It saves my family alot of money, so I figured it was worth feeling silly.

Now it doesn't bother me, it's just what I do...part of my shopping routine. And I've actually had quite a few people comment on it, customers, cashiers, and managers say they wish they were that organized. I even had one lady and her hubby chase me down in the parking lot of Wags one day and ask if she could see my binder and how I had it organized. :giggle2: She said she wanted to find a way to organize her coupons so that she could get better at using them.

another question: (sorry)
With stores that double to $0.50. Would they double a $1/2? technically it's a $0.50 Q per item :shrug7:

No, they double coupons up to .50 in value per q not .50 per item. Would be nice though. :whistle67: HTH

[PeachySteph]

thanks for the advice. and the story :) I try to tell myself, "I may feel silly and get weird looks, but I am getting a lot more for my money than most ppl. So silly or not, it's worth it"

I'm sure I'll overcome it soon enough.

[isis]

Have you ever gotten a new car and all of the sudden, it seems like everybody around you is driving the same thing? I think the same holds true for binders. I was nervous taking mine in the store too, but after I got over whatever was holding me back, I started spotting other people with their coupon carriers. Not always binders, but accordian files, boxes and once I saw a lady with her coupons shoved in a tote bag. Each catagory was in a ziploc baggie.
So yeah, once you get over that hump, it'll be second nature to take the binder in the store with you :)

[PeachySteph]

thanks, these responses have made me feel better about it.
I'll be going to CVS and Kroger in 2hrs or so. I have to clean up this house first.

[scissorbill]

I plan my trip ahead of time and hand carry my coupons. I do keep my binder in the car though. I would feel silly but I also have 3 boys so I can't get distracted in the store or they'll break something!

[PeachySteph]

I have gone a few times now and feel much better about it. Ppl have made encouraging comments to me too. lol "i wish i was that organized" or "oh wow look at that!"
I have also spotted a few other couponers. Some with totes and others with accordion files. None with binders yet.

I even helped one guy in CVS find a good razor for himself. I suggested a good disposable that my husband uses, and he said he was thinkiing about trying the fusiion but it's just so darn expensive. So I gave him one of my $2/1 coupons. He was quiite happy! :biggrin: He also said he'd switch to the disposable I recommended after he was done with that fusion. :smile: Feels good to help.

[PeachySteph]

I visited Dollar General yesterday. I didn't see a whole lot that would have made a good deal but I did get something.

2 Fab Laundry Detergent (49 loads ea) $4.25
= $8.50
- $1/2 MFC
= $7.50 OR $0.07 per load

Please tell me I got a good deal. I'm pretty sure I did.