Some Questions

[pwgcoupons]

Hi everyone...I have a few questions if you could help me I'd really appreciate it. I'm so excited about saving money I want to whatever I can with my limited time. Okay, I understand how to add coupons from the database and how to search it, but if I find a coupon I want, what do I do to get it? Can I print it, do I need to contact someone...I'm a little lost. LOL Also, what would be some good forums to follow for a newbie? I was also wondering about how involved trading coupons is? I am married, a grad student and I work part-time (seeking full-time), so time is limited in our house. LOL I really want to do it, but I don't know if I would be able to do it a lot. Just some advice is all I'm seeking. Thank you all so much in advance!

[Shadowchasy]

Hi everyone...I have a few questions if you could help me I'd really appreciate it. I'm so excited about saving money I want to whatever I can with my limited time. Okay, I understand how to add coupons from the database and how to search it, but if I find a coupon I want, what do I do to get it? Can I print it, do I need to contact someone...I'm a little lost. LOL Also, what would be some good forums to follow for a newbie? I was also wondering about how involved trading coupons is? I am married, a grad student and I work part-time (seeking full-time), so time is limited in our house. LOL I really want to do it, but I don't know if I would be able to do it a lot. Just some advice is all I'm seeking. Thank you all so much in advance!

Im not real big on the database so I can't give you alot of info there.
As for the trading let me suggest you sign up for the TNT program. You will find the link in my siggy line. You can trade in there with other TNT's, coaches, Mods. Its a great way to get started. As for how involved it is, thats up to you, depends on how many trades you want to do. In order to graduate the TNT program you have to complete 5 iTraders and after 30 days you will graduate.

For getting started I would suggest you check out the forum for your local store, and do the deals that best suits your needs and what you have coupons for. In these forums you will find the weekly ads, coupon match ups and some of the members even work out the deals for you.

Also read the Getting Started forum...coupon 101 for starters.

And just remember start out slow and work up to the other stores, don't get overwhelmed.

[3timesoccermom]

Also pwg check the Coupon Buddy section - there may be someone in your area that wants to share coupons.

[434Teresa]

when you find a coupon that you like in the data base add it to your wish whish list, then there is a tap that let you start a trade with someone for that coupon jsut click it and it will show you who has the coupon and how many they have click on the person that has the amount you want and send a message to them to start the trade...

trading coupons can take from one to three days to do it just depends on how fast you and the person gets back to each other and agrees with each other on whats being traded.

reading and learning to use this site could help you save enough money that you dont have to have a full time job so if I were you I would give it a fair shot, i know it has made a big differenace in my savings...

[tmsmalley]

When you see something in the data base, it will tell you what kind of coupon it is. So, if it is an IP (internet printable), you can just go and print it (assuming your local store takes IP's). If it is an insert, then you likely will have it from picking up the Sunday papers and can go look for it (although some regions get slightly different coupons and amounts in any given week). Or, you can look and see who has listed that they have it available to trade, contact that person and make a trade. As pp's said, to get started as a trader, you go through the Trader in Training program.

As to how much time, that's up to you. You can spend as little as about an hour a week if you want or spend several hours a day. I have a more than full time job, 2 kids, dh and occassionally even a life and manage to still save huge amounts of money in about an hour a week. If you've got more time and can go from store to store chasing sales and deals, you can do even better. Totally your call.

Best forum for newbies is to start reading "Couponing 101", then all the threads in this newbie forum, then read the forum for the grocery store near you.

Tess

[cpnmaniac44]

I was also wondering about how involved trading coupons is?

1. determine how many coupon inserts you plan to get each week, from friends, from Ebay, from other coupons users, extras your newspaper carrier might have, etc.
2. Trading on HCW involves you either
A. offering coupons you have, or
B. requesting coupons you want.

I have always preferred to send paypal handling fee for coupons I want and ask for paypal handling fee for extra coupons I have and do not need. This is preferred for me rather than trading coupons for coupons as it reduces the chance of a lost envelope when there is only one envelope per trade. Coupons for coupons is not the quickest way to find a trade.

On the trade board you can offer coupons or ask for coupons.
ex: (H)(10)$1/1 Colgate Toothpaste 5/31 (iso: pphf shipped .85)
In coupon language, you have 10 coupons and they are good for $1 off one Colgate Toothpaste and expire May 31, 2010, and you are seeking 85 cents in paypal handling fee and the .85 includes the stamp you use to send the coupons to the other trader.
reverse ex: (iso)(10)$1/1 Colgate.......ditto........(h)pphf
Here you are searching for 10 coupons good for $1 off one Colgate Toothpaste and you can trade paypal handling fee for them.
Some people will trade using stamps, or CC, and there is another method similar to paypal called RME.
3. Most people want as many coupons as they can get in one trade since they would be paying for the postage.
4. Once you get into trading you can leave and receive feedback.
5. You can expect to coupon trade values to be anywhere from .01 to .05 or slightly more, per coupon, depending on the coupon, it's value and how much time remains until it expires.

I'd determine how many inserts you will get per week. This should determine whether you are an active trader "offering" coupons to others, or you will mainly be a trader who is looking for coupons you can use.

Ex: I used to get up to 30 inserts and make 10-15 trades a week. Now I get one or no inserts. I go to a specific website and look at the coupons that will be in the Sunday paper. These are usually posted on the website by late Thursday. If I see a coupon for an item that I use, and it is in sale alot, I'll post an (iso) thread on the trading forum. Thid week, the only coupon I saw that interested me was .75/1 Red Baron Singles. I posted a thread and within an hour had traded some paypal handling fee for 14 of those coupons and they are on the way to me. Some people get the coupons early and if your grocery sales end on Tuesday like mine do, it is very possible to receive what you need before Wednesday. The Red Baron are on sale alot and the coupon is good into May so it will work for me at some point.

It's not hard and once you get into it, it won't sound or be complicated at all.

So, in review, two main questions:
How many inserts do you expect to get each week?
Do you have a paypal account?