If you could only offer one piece of advice...

[Mikki 316]

I'm just now learning, and something you said was interesting. Does that mean that even though the coupon was for one Kraft product that you can use the coupon for any product as long as it's the same brand?

Kool Aid was one of the items specified as a qualifier on the coupon, so that was a hidden deal (Kool Aid packets). You can only use the coupon for the items specified. Sometimes the wording is "off any" rather than off a certain size product.

[mindya10]

I used to cut all my coupons that i thought I would use -- threw away meter coupons, shampoo etc. AND IT TOOK SO MUCH TIME that I stopped coupons b/c cutting took so long, organzing, going through.

Now, I file inserts by date, go through the forums, copy and paste into word what I want and go get my coupons. It takes NO time at all. You might miss a few deals here and there but the time savings is beyond worth it.

be super nice to all the cashiers....even the dorks! They will remember you -- the good and the bad.

I do not go back to get a price fixed/change unless it's over $5. I figure I save over $700 a month (yes a month!) on all the deals, stockpile items that's it's not worth it to make an issue with it.

Try to "fly under the rader" don't have 20 coupons for the same item and and buy all 20 on the shelf.

Read the forums!

There is ALWAYS another deal...if you miss it, it will be back. One deal I missed last summer had something to do with Safeway and those plug in smelly things (can't stand them!). I had seen a ton of blkinkies and could have gottem more coupons. I forgot the deal but it was a moneymaker with catalinas for SAfeway. If I see those type of coupons again, I will be looking for a deal.

If there is a high priced coupon out or many from the same company (general mills, p&g) there probably will be a huge sale/promo coming soon.


my first comment -- since I now file my inserts I had ten of the meter coupons --- Walgreens just finished a month long $5 RR deal. I used about 5 of them (making $25 and getting a great tax write off) and saw last weeks ad where you got a $10 RR. I made $75 in RR just from that. so keep them all.

Dont' let this interfere with your time with your kids. I do my reading,organzing early Sat. morning while they are still asleep. I do look at the upcoming weeks ads so I know whether to trade or buy more coupons. Most of the time I take my kids with me (5 and 3). They are boys and very, very active/high engery. They learn about listening and obeying, they help find things, they learn about money and it's more time spent with my kids. They both will ask if we have a coupon before we buy things or if it on the list. These lessons start young!

have fun!

[jaelyns_mommy]

This isnt really a coupon tip or whatever but, sometimes you'll score a few freebies but your total afterwards doesnt look like it. I divide the grand total by # of items I bought. For instance last month, I spent $120 and got 60 things. That equals $2/item, yesterday I spent $105 and got 65 things and that equalled out to be $1.61/item. right now Im trying to get it to be $1/item in the end. I know I still have alot of work to do but thats what HcW is for :)
Also, dont feel like you have to have a huge stockpile at once, just do 1 or 2 things at a time like tp and cereal. Once you have those down then do anohter 2 things and so on and so forth. It is a long road but totally worth it in the end.