| | Getting Started ~ Couponing Basics for New Members Discuss Couponing 101: Couponing Basics For The Newbie in the Greetings & Getting Started forums; Hi & Welcome to HCW. Now that you've introduced yourself in the Welcome Wagon Forum it's time to get down to business. We suggest that you start with the directory ...  | | |   |  | 
07-08-2006, 04:15:43 PM
|
#2 | | | | Finder of Lost Posts TRADER
FORUM MODERATOR
ENTREPRENEUR
SUPER MODERATOR
SCORCHING
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,241
|  Couponing 101: Complete beginners start here!
Couponing 101: Complete beginners start here! Please do not copy or quote this information on other boards. If you have absolutely no idea how to do this ‘coupon thing’, this is the place to start! You’ve already taken the first step: you’ve found HCW! Read the Getting Started forum completely. There is a LOT of constantly updated information here. Even experienced couponers can learn a thing or two!This post was taken from hotcouponworld.com This thread is intended to give you the basic and not-so-basic tips to save a lot of money on groceries, cleaning supplies, and health and beauty products. So let’s get started! What stores do you have in your area? Make a list. It may be bigger than you think! Once you learn how to work the system, you may find yourself shopping at stores that you thought were “too expensive”, because they actually have better deals in the long run! Familiarize yourself with their coupon policies. Ask at the customer service desk. Policies vary by store, chain and area of the country. Some stores that you thought do not take coupons actually do! Did you know that Dollar General takes coupons? Double Coupons: The stores will double the face value of the coupon, meaning that your coupon is worth twice the face value. The best kind of grocery stores double coupons up to $1.00 (commonly known as Super Doubles). Many other stores double coupons up to $.50 or $.60. Some stores also have a limit as to how many of the same coupon they will double. No Doubles: Your coupons will be accepted at face value only. Triple Coupons: This rare bird comes as a promotion in certain areas. The store will triple the value of your coupon up to a certain value. In this instance, a $.50 coupon would be worth $1.50!his post was taken from hotcouponworld.com Some stores will allow you to ‘stack’ their store coupons with your manufacturer coupons for even greater savings! Some of them are: CVS, Walgreen’s, Rite-Aid, Eckerd, Toys-R-Us, Target and some grocery stores. These store coupons can come from home mailers (get on the mailing lists!), store ads, flyers and the stores’ monthly magazines. If the store has a loyalty card, get one. Or two. This is often the only way that you will get the sale prices. A very few stores-- mostly in the Midwest-- will take coupons that have already expired. The dates vary from 3 months to 6 months past the expiration date. Certain stores will accept competitor's coupons for everything from FREE gift cards with a prescription to the catalinas that print after the order.
Questions to ask: Does your store double coupons? What is the maximum value that you will double? How many ‘like’ coupons will double? Do you ever have triple coupon promotions? Do you take Internet printed coupons? (This is a big one. Many stores no longer take them.)This post was taken from hotcouponworld.com Can I combine store coupons with manufacturer coupons? Does this store take expired coupons ost was taken from hotcouponworld.com Do you accept competitor coupons?
Get the weekly ads for all of your stores! These are usually delivered in your home newspaper. If they are not, you can view them online at the store’s website. Your goal is to match the weekly sales with the coupons in your possession. You will spend less if you have a plan. Don't buy everything you need at one store just because it is convenient for you. The store across the street might have other things from your list on sale. NOTE: brand loyalty goes out the window for serious couponers! Buy what is on sale! The previews are also frequently posted in the individual store forums on HCW, and the members will help you! Make sure that you read the ads yourself, though, because a hot deal for one person might not be hot for you! NOTE: If a store has something on sale: # for $xx, you are not obligated to buy the full number to get the sale price… unless the ad says so! Something that is 10/$10.00 is actually “each item is $1”. Also, these # for $xx sales are not always the best deal. Sometimes they even increase the price for this type of sale. EX: a can of tomatoes is on sale at 5/$5.00. But since you are now so price-savvy, you know that the regular, everyday price of the item is only $.89! You know to pass on this 'sale'! Example: Finesse shampoo or conditioner is on sale at 2/$5.00= $2.50. You have a $1 off 1 coupon, and your store doubles dollars! $2.50- $2.00= $.50. That is a good deal for something that usually costs $3.49! Hamburger Helper is on sale for 10/10.00. You have a $.50/1 coupon. You store doubles that coupon, making the item FREE! This post was taken from horld.com Where do I get all of these coupons? Your first source should be the Sunday newspaper. The coupons are usually with the magazine section inside the funnies! There are three kinds of coupon inserts to look for: the SmartSource (SS), the Redplum, which was formerly known as Valassis (V), and once a month, the Procter & Gamble Brand Saver (P&G). There are no inserts on major holidays, so you might want to save your money on those days. The 2009 Schedule is on the HCW calendar or in this thread. The first key to saving money is to obtain multiple copies of the inserts-- lots of them. You want to do this as inexpensively as possible. - You probably already get a paper, either home delivered or at the news stand, so you have one set of inserts there. If you buy it at the store, make sure the coupons are actually in there before you pay for the paper!
Some stores discount the price of the Sunday paper, or offer a special deal on two. Then you can ask everyone you know. Most people don’t use coupons, or if they do, they cut one or two and toss the rest. Get those. Ask your mother, your neighbors, your church friends, coworkers-- anyone that you can think of! If you live in or close to an apartment or condo complex, check out the recycling bins. You’d be surprised how many people just toss the whole center section! These are usually pretty clean, since recycling companies require you to separate newspaper from other recyclables. Join the “Dumpster Divers”! This is what people call it when they go to the local recycling center to poke around for extra inserts. Make friends with the people who run them if you are confronted—they can become your best friends! They might be able to tell you when the carriers come to dump their extras. There is a Dumpster Diving thread here. Ask at the local store on Sunday night or Monday morning. Many papers require that only the front page of unsold papers be returned for credit, or if they need the whole paper, they don’t want the inserts. It never hurts to ask! Look at hotels, nursing homes, McDonald's on a Sunday morning... anywhere that people sit to read the paper and leave the inserts. There are reputable coupon clipping services that will send coupons for a handling fee. Free from the sources above is always best, but sometimes you have to spend money to make money!This post was taken from hotcouponworld.com Another source of coupons is online printable coupons. There are many links to these in our database! Most sites allow you to print two copies of each coupon. One caveat, however, is that many stores no longer accept them due to fraud. You will need to ask if your store accepts these.
Once you have your coupons, you need to organize them! Some people keep the inserts intact and file them by date (SS 12/4, V 12/11, P&G 1/6, etc.) This system saves a great deal of time initially, but getting ready for shopping is more of a chore. You have to cut the coupons that you need at that time. Others clip all of the coupons from the beginning, and file them in various ways. The most popular is the "binder method": some form of 3 ring, zippable binder with baseball card and other inserts. Find the system that works best for you. You can either read this thread, or do a search on "organize", "organizing" or "binder" for more threads that apply! Make sure that you go through your coupons and weed out your expired coupons at least once a month! This prevents the task from becoming overwhelming, and prevents embarrassment at the store if you try to use an expired coupon.
Stockpile!!! The second key to saving money is the stockpile! Once you have found that great deal, you need to buy a lot of it. Not just 1 for now and 1 to have on hand for later, but 10 or 20 or more. This is the logic behind all of those coupons that you obtained from everyone you know! This is only a sensible idea if you have room to store it, and the item is non-perishable. Many of our members can tell you that you have more room than you think you do! HCW has threads on Stockpile Expiration Dates and What You Can and Can't Freeze to help you! You know what your family needs, but everyone needs toilet paper, toothpaste and deodorant! Hard-core couponers have on hand a one or two year supply of things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, body wash or soap, and cleaning supplies. When you use one of them, you can just go to wherever you store your stockpile for another. You have purchased these items at the price you wanted to pay, not the price the store wanted you to pay! Free or nearly free is better than full price any day! Once you get better at this, you will see the maximum amount that you are willing to pay drop like a rock! See our thread on Bottom Line Prices! Other Tips and Tricks of the trade: Ask for rainchecks!
Take a look here: Understanding Rainchecks Sometimes you have prepared yourself, gone to the store, and they are out of what you want. Rainchecks are the solution: they give you the sale price on the item when it is back on the shelf, even when the sale is over. You may have anywhere from 2 weeks to a year to get that price, depending on the expiration date of the raincheck. (Some stores' rainchecks never expire!) By that time, you may have newer and better coupons! Originally Posted by queenofthehivemomof5This pot was taken from orld.com - I do my shopping for stuff I already have coupons for early in the sale.
Our sales here end on Tuesday night at the grocery stores or Saturday night for the other stores (drug stores). I always hit the grocery stores one last time on Tuesday night for rainchecks. You can get rainchecks for items out of stock. That’s what they are there for.
So if "Hot Pockets" are on sale and they are out of just one flavor I get a raincheck.
Often times you can tell them that you need a raincheck for the item you want and they don't really care or check to see if its out of stock. So theoretically they don’t have to be out of stock of something in order to get a raincheck, but that is dishonest, to each his own. I personally play the your out of "Diet Coke" can I get a raincheck on the Coke products on sale for .80 cents please. Does that make sense? With raincheck now in my binder I now have TIME to collect coupons! You can trade for them or buy them! None of the rainchecks here have expiration dates on them but some stores may..I don't know. I have rainchecks issued to me from a year ago. I get rainchecks on stuff that doesn’t have coupons, too. Meat especially. When boneless skinless chicken breasts go on sale for $1.49LB I buy a bunch (40lbs or more) and freeze it... then I get a raincheck too in case it doesn't go on a good sale by the time I run out of chicken.Look for unadvertised sales! One store may have too much of a certain item in stock, and will put it on sale. Others will have items on clearance. This is why you need to have all of your coupons with you as you shop! Look for in-store coupons! There are lots of coupons to be found in stores, if you know what to look for! They may be better coupons than the ones in you binder, or may be combined with the coupons that you have for even more savings!
Note: If you find a great coupon in the store and decide to take some for yourself, couponing etiquette says that it's polite to leave some for others! - Peelies: these are the coupons that are stuck to the product. If you don't need the product now, you might later.
- Blinkies: those coupons in the SmartSource machines that may or may not have the little blinking light.
- Catalinas: these print from the machine next to the register, and are usually red, green or blue. People frequently leave them in their shopping carts-- grab them!
- Tearpads: usually these pads are on the shelf or display.
- Try Me Free or Rebate forms: these are a great way to try a new product and/or make money on a deal! Buy an item on sale, use the coupon, and send away for the rebate!
- Winetags: these are coupons that hang around the neck of wine bottles. They can require a wine purchase or not, depending on the state.
Many of the store flyers will have coupons or they will print catalinas for an amount off your next order!This po st was taken from hotcouponworld.com Keep your eyes on the cashier! Occasionally, you will run into a cashier who is a master of the sleight-of-hand. This results in some of your coupons not being scanned. Stand up for yourself and don't let it happen. If you had 10 coupons and she only scanned 9, speak up. It's your money we're talking about here. Also, many stores have a "scan right guarantee": it scans correctly or it is free, or you get double the difference back. Make sure that you get the price that you were expecting!
Buy the smallest size possible! Stores like Sam's Club and Costco may have you convinced that the bigger sizes are the better value. You're a couponer now, and you know better! A large product may be much less expensive with coupons, but the smallest size may be free! This is part of the logic behind multiple coupons. One of our members bought the 34oz coffee for a few dollars until she realized that the 11-13oz size was totally free! Don't let the cashier pull the "one coupon per purchase" line on you! One coupon per purchase does NOT mean one coupon per transaction. Each item is considered a purchase-- many coupons actually say "one coupon per item purchased, which is a much better way to phrase it. Item 1= this is a purchase; Item 2= this is a purchase; Item 3= this is a purchase; etc... Have them ring them up in individual transactions if they don't get it. To further drive your point home, you can show them a receipt that has total items purchased= xx, followed by a transaction number. Be on the lookout for those FREE coupons! You've seen others using them, and heard HCW members talking about them. Where do coupons for FREE stuff come from?This post was taken from hotcouponworld.com - The newspaper: companies will put coupons for free items into the regular inserts to get you to try the product. EX: the recent FREE Oust fan
- The mail: get on as many mailing lists as you can. Go to the company web sites and sign up for the newsletter. We have threads on Contacting Companies to Request Coupons and Baby Mailing Lists.
- Pay attention to the boards here. Members will post when companies are offering free coupons in a contest, as a giveaway, or for answering a survey.
- You can contact the companies with a compliment or complaint, and will sometimes receive coupons for a free product.
Again, read through the Getting Started forums. If you have any questions, post away. Our mods and members are glad to help. Don't get discouraged if you aren't getting the same deals that you see on the boards. Some of us have been couponing for 20 years or more! You will get better as you learn, and a penny saved is a penny that you didn't give to the store. Also, there is no reason to start stockpiling flat out, no-holds-barred. Start out slowly if you're on a budget. You can allot $20 each month for the first few months to building your stockpile and slowly increase the amount as you become more coupon-proficient. If you miss a sale, don't worry! The deals almost always come around again-- sometimes better the next time! See our thread on sales cycles to see the best time to buy many items. Remember, everyone has to start somewhere. We're glad you started at HCW! ________________________________________ Copyright 2006-2009 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
__________________
Larissa
HCW Super Moderator
Forum Moderator for In The Family Way & Upromise
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Post content copyright 2006-2010 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
Last edited by MrsPinecone; 01-07-2009 at 02:06:40 PM.
| 
| | | | | | | |
07-08-2006, 05:53:41 PM
|
#3 | | | | Finder of Lost Posts TRADER
FORUM MODERATOR
ENTREPRENEUR
SUPER MODERATOR
SCORCHING
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,241
| Abbreviations & Acronyms
Abbreviations & Acronyms
If the abbreviation that you are looking for is not on this list, I suggest that you Google "Internet Acronyms" or something similar. If you are not an experienced Internet user, you may not know many of the abbreviations that are commonly used on the Net. We can't list them all!
Commonly Used
AC = After Coupon
ACTUALS = The actual item as opposed to a coupon for it (an item from your stockpile)
ADDIE = Address
AR = After Rebate
BIL = Brother-in-law
BLINKIES - instore smartsource coupon dispensed near product, usually from red blinking box
BOGO or B1G1F = Buy one get one free
BOLO = Be On the Lookout
BTFE = Box Tops for Education
BTW = By the way
B&M - Brick & Mortar, as opposed to an online store
CAT or Catalina = coupon dispensed at register after purchase, usually has a red border
CBAD = Chef Boyardee
CLFE = Campbell's Labels for Education
CO = cents off coupon
COH = Cut Out Hunger
CRT = Cash register tape
CYE = Check your email
DB = The HotCouponWorld database
DCRT = Dated cash register tape
DCRTC = Dated cash register tape with the price circled
DD = Dear Daughter
DH = Dear husband
DIL = Daughter-in-law
DS = Dear Son
DW = Dear Wife
DND = Do Not Double (the coupon is not supposed to be doubled)
DOUBLE COUPON = coupon that a grocery store doubles in value
ECB - CVS Extra Care Bucks earned for purchases
ENVIE = Envelope
EPOP = Each pay own postage (trading term)
ESR = EasySaver Rebate (Walgreens Monthy Rebate)
ETA = Edited to add
FAR = Free After Rebate
FIL = Father-in-law
FLIP = Food Lion Internet Printable
FREE ITEM COUPON = A coupon that allows you to get the product completely free
FSOT = For Sale or Trade
GDA = Good Deal Alert
GG = Grocery Game
HBA = The health and beauty aid section in the grocery store
HCW = Hot Coupon World
HDA = Hot Deal Alert or Home Delivered Ad
HL = Have list
HT or HGT = Hang tags for refunds or coupons hanging on a product
HTH = Hope this / that helps
IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion
ISO = In Search Of
IDSO = In Desperate Search Of
IVC = Walgreen's Instant Value Coupon ( Found in the monthy EasySaver Catalog )
IVDSO = In Very Desperate Search Of
IP = Internet Printable
JMHO = Just My Humble Opinion
KWIM = Know what I mean?
LFE = Campbell's Labels for Education
LMK = Let Me Know
MIL = Mother-in-law
MIR = Mail In Rebate
NAZ = Name, address, zip code
NED = No expiration date
NP = No problem
NBPN = No Beer Purchase Necessary
NWPN = No wine purchase necessary
OAS = a coupon that is good on one purchase, any size
OOP = Out of Pocket
OOS = Out of Stock
OP = Original Poster; Author of a thread
OSI = On a single item
OYNO = On your next order
OT = Off Topic
P&G = Proctor & Gamble Sunday supplement coupons
PEELIE = coupon that you peel off the package
PITA = Pain in the ***
PLMK = Please Let Me Know
PM = Private Message
POP = Proof of purchase
PP = purchase price
PPHF = Paypal handling fee
PSA = Prices Starting At or Public Service Announcement
Q or QUALIFIER = The POP required for a refund offer that is physically taken from that package
RAOK = Random act of kindness
RC = Raincheck
RP = Red Plum Sunday Supplement Coupons
RR = Register Rewards
SAHM = Stay At Home Mom
SAHW = Say At Home WIfe
SASE = Self Addressed Stamped Envelope
SCR = Rite Aid Single Check Rebate
SD = Store Display
SF = Store form
SIL = Son or sister in law
SMP = Specially Marked Packages
SS = Smart Source or Sunday Supplement coupons
STACKING = Some stores allow the use of more than one coupon per item, IF the coupon itself does not restrict such usage.
SUPER DOUBLES or DOUBLES = coupons that are doubled $1 + in value (ie, a $1 coupon = $2, etc)
TEAR PAD = A pad of refund forms or coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display
TIA = Thanks in advance
TMF = Try Me Free
TRIPLE COUPON = a coupon that a grocery store triples in value
TYVM = Thank you very much
V = Valassis Sunday supplement coupons
WINE TAG = coupon, usually for $ off any meat, cheese or produce.
WL = wishlist
WPN = Wine purchase necessary
WSL = while supplies last
WT = winetag
WYB = When You Buy
YGEM = You've got a email
YGPM = You've got a private message!
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary= success of the attempt may vary at your store
YVW = Your very welcome
Store Abbreviations
ALBIES = Albertsons
CVS = Consumer Value Store
HT = Harris Teeter
KG = Kroger
KM = K-Mart
ST = Super Target
SWM = Super Walmart
SW = Safeway
WAG = Walgreens
WD = Winn Dixie
WM = Walmart
TG = Target
________________________________________
Copyright 2006-2009 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
__________________
Larissa
HCW Super Moderator
Forum Moderator for In The Family Way & Upromise
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Post content copyright 2006-2010 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
Last edited by MrsPinecone; 01-07-2009 at 02:09:03 PM.
| |
| | | | | | | |
07-09-2006, 04:36:16 PM
|
#4 | | | | It's not quarts, it's cuties! TRADER
FORUM MODERATOR
ENTREPRENEUR
SUPER MODERATOR
SCORCHING
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,938
| Organizing Your Coupons
Need Help getting organized? Check out the thread below for some great ideas! Organizing Your Coupons
Last edited by YouPdWhat; 02-19-2008 at 09:13:53 PM.
| |
| | | | | | | |
07-16-2006, 12:08:08 AM
|
#5 | | | | Finder of Lost Posts TRADER
FORUM MODERATOR
ENTREPRENEUR
SUPER MODERATOR
SCORCHING
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,241
| Couponing 102:Trading, Rebates, and Tracking Your Savings
Couponing 102:Trading, Rebates, and Tracking Your Savings Introduction Now that you have learned the basics of couponing, you are ready to take it to the next level: tracking how much you spend (and save) and trading for the coupons that you need and do not have. Tracking Your Savings Once you know how to save the money, the next logical step is to keep track of exactly how much you save!It is up to you what values you consider savings. I personally use the regular retail price of the item, and then I deduct store card savings and sales, and then coupons. My reasoning is that although I would disdain to pay regular retail, never say never! If I had to run to the store and grab something, and didn’t have coupons and the item wasn’t on sale, that’s what they would make me pay. I also never count a Catalina or similar register reward as savings on the deal that earned it. For example, many people list their CVS Extra Care Bucks as making a particular deal “FREE”. While I do consider them as part of the rationale for doing a deal in the first place, I don’t count them on the actual deal. ECBs can expire, Catalinas can be lost… you get the picture. Also, applying it to the deal that earned them can skew your savings picture, since you will undoubtedly count them as savings on the purchase in which they are redeemed. Then you are counting them twice—once when you earned them and once when you spent them. Rebate Tracking-Free software to help you keep track of the “who, what, where and when” of your rebates. This
It is always good to keep track of your outstanding rebates. You wouldn’t want to lose out on any money that you might have coming to you! There are many schools of thought on price books. Some people swear by them, but I am not one of those people. They are a colossal amount of work to create and maintain. I tried to start one, and gave up very quickly. Prices change too fast for a price book to be useful to me. After a short while, you begin to know what is a good deal just by looking at the shelf tags. Trading for Coupons Regional Variation in Coupons Since you have undoubtedly become addicted to HCW like the rest of us, you may have noticed that people in different areas of the country often get different values for the weekly insert coupons or weekly sales. There are a couple of reasons for this: - Competition: some markets are much more competitive when it comes to grocery stores. If a store has to compete against 4 other major chains in the area, their sales and promotions are going to be better than a town where they are one of 2 stores.Conversely, if there is little to no competition, there is no need to attract customers with hot sales.
Double coupons: the areas where stores double coupons often get the $1/2 coupons for an item, rather than $.50/1, for example. Why? Because Chain X doubles coupons up to .99, and they don't want to double if they don't have to! The HCW Coupon Database What is the database used for?The database lets you know what coupons our members have found. This lets you know if there is a better-value coupon (or a coupon at all, for that matter!) for which you might want to trade. EXAMPLE: Your store doubles coupons up to .99, and the value of the insert coupon in your local paper is 1.00/2. It's worthless to you for doubling purposes. By checking the HCW database, you discover that another area got the .50/1 coupon. Now you can either check people's HAVE lists or post an ISO (in search of) of your own, in hopes of trading for what you need! The database can be accessed through the Coupon Resources dropdown menu in the top toolbar. How to Search: Enter the name of the product that you are looking for and hit SEARCH! - If you get too many results, try to narrow your search by choosing a category or adding terms.
If you don't find what you are looking for, use fewer, simpler, or partial words. You can search just through Expired coupons by checking the expired checkbox. You can search for coupons from a particular insert by entering the date in the COMMENTS box and searching. Use the MM-DD-YY format followed by SS for Smart Source, V for Valassis or P&G for Procter & Gamble. How to Enter a Coupon into the Database: Detailed information on how to properly enter coupons into the database may be found HERE. Please read over this information before you attempt to enter coupons. Coupons that are entered are subject to verification by the Super Moderators prior to going “live”. Duplicates and incorrectly formatted coupons will be deleted, so please be sure that you are entering information from the coupon correctly. The HCW Trader Group and Trading Rules To be able to trade at HCW, you must be a member of the Trader Group. To join the group, please follow the procedures outlined HERE. The HCW Trading Rules may be found at the top of the Trading Forums. Please be sure to read the rules prior to conducting trades. How do I start trading? Trading is very simple. You can just search the trading forum for someone who has the coupons that you need, or post an ISO (In Search Of) list. You contact the person who has your coupons and work out a trade that is fair to both of you. Exchange addresses via PM, and mail your trades. Be sure to leave feedback once the trade is complete. That’s it! There is no rule as to what constitutes a “fair trade” for everyone. Some people prefer to trade coupon for coupon, some coupons for a handling fee, or others for stamps. Tips for Trading 1. Please mail trades promptly - There is no reason that a trade should not be mailed within 24 hours, unless it is a weekend or holiday. - If you are unable to mail an agreed-upon trade within 24 hours, please let the other person know via PM or email when you will be mailing the trade. Many people need coupons for a sale and need their trades mailed ASAP, not 3, 4 or 5 days later.
If you are short on money for stamps, can't get to the post office in a timely manner, or what ever the reason for not mailing a trade in a timely manner, please let the other person know. Most people that you will encounter on HCW are generous and understanding, but bad feelings start to occur when communication is not there. 2. Please respond to PMs in a timely fashion - Not responding to PMs is usually a tell-tale sign that someone is not doing something right. Most trades on HCW are done via PM, and that is the preferred way of communicating a trade. You need to check your PMs. Moderators and Admin also communicate to HCW members via PM most of the time. We all know that emergencies happen and internet access is not always reliable. But as soon as you can, please let someone know that there is a problem with your completing a trade. Most public libraries have internet access, so if you are without access at home please make an effort to log into HCW and let others know that there is a problem. It happens; we understand. We at HCW can see if you have visited HCW, if you have been on HCW but are not responding to PMs, it raises a red flag. If you get a PM from a moderator with the title "A bad trade has been reported against you", please do not be offended. We maintain a Bad Trader list, but give people PLENTY of time to fix a trade before they are listed on the bad trader list. Please respond to the PM and let them know if you are fixing the trade or what else is happening.
3. Please keep records of your trades - Keeping records of your trades helps you know if a trade is missing or late. It also can help you in your dispute if someone reports a bad trade against you. There are many ways to keep track of your trades. Use a simple notebook and a pen; set up PM folders for each trade and delete them as trades are done and all have received their end; keep a record using your computer or email address book or copy each PM to notebook or Word and save it on your computer. Things that you should keep track of are 1. HCW user name 2. Mailing addresses 3. Who is sending what to whom 4. Date the trade was made 5. Date your end was mailed. Things that you might find helpful to keep track of are 1. How many trades you have done with this person 2. Date trade was received 3. If feedback was left and given.
4. Please check feedback - If you have never done a trade with someone please check their trader rating link. If you have done a trade with someone but it has been a while, check their feedback. It only takes a few seconds. The link is the little number next to their user name in any post. If someone you are considering doing a trade with has no feedback on HCW, please ask them for feed back from any other coupon trading sites. If a person has no feedback anywhere, it is up to you if you would like to hold a trade until their end arrives. If you are going to hold your end of a trade you need to communicate that to the other person. It is not proper etiquette to hold a trade without the other person knowing about it. Also, check the Bad Trader list to keep you familiar with who is on the list. Note their city and zip, just in case someone on that list has started using a new ID. It happens.
More helpful tips for trading If you are putting postage on yourself and are doing a large trade it might be good to make a small investment in a kitchen scale so that you can weigh your envelopes and ensure that they have the correct postage. It is a good idea to have on hand .41 cent, .60 cent, and .01 cent postage stamps and to look up the postage rates on www.usps.com If you have a way to print directly on the envelope or on labels, it is often a good idea to do so. That way any mailing address mistakes are not your fault if the person did not type out their address correctly. Please include your HCW user name inside or on the envelope somewhere (if it is a HCW trade, of course). Some people have trade slips; some people print it somewhere on the envelope. We are not mind readers, so please include your user names on all trades and RAOK's that you send. You can not expect feedback if the other person does not know who sent the coupons! When sending someone your mailing address via PM or email, it is advisable to type it out in all capital letters and include your zip code+4 to help with a speedy delivery.
Example: JANE DOE 1234 MAIN STREET
CITYNAME AZ 12345-6789 ________________________________________ Copyright 2006-2009 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
__________________
Larissa
HCW Super Moderator
Forum Moderator for In The Family Way & Upromise
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Post content copyright 2006-2010 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
Last edited by Cin42382; 03-05-2009 at 08:13:18 PM.
| |
| | | | | | | |
07-11-2007, 05:54:46 PM
|
#6 | | | | Finder of Lost Posts TRADER
FORUM MODERATOR
ENTREPRENEUR
SUPER MODERATOR
SCORCHING
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,241
| Couponing 103: Rebates, Refunds and Special Promotions
Couponing 103: Rebates, Refunds and Special Promotions Coupons are great. But there is more to life than just coupons! I know. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? You have made it through Couponing 101, and know how to combine sales and coupons to maximize your savings. It is saving you a ton of money and you love it. There is more money on the table, though, and Couponing 103 will tell you how to get it. Other ways that manufacturers get you to try their products are rebates, refunds and special promotions. These are offers that will get your money back in the form of a check, give you coupons for free items, coupons for amounts off, or send other free items through the mail. What do I need to get my money back? Official forms: these have a place for your name, address and zip code. Some may ask for more information, such as a phone number, email address or a date of birth (many beer company rebates require your birth date). Proof of Purchase: something that proves that you actually bought the item. CRT: proof that you paid for the item.
Where do I find the forms? In the store: Here you can find rebates that are similar to forms of coupons: Tearpads, Peelies, Hangtags and Specially Marked Packages. These can be found on the products themselves, on the displays, or at the customer service desk. Some stores are better at putting these out than others. If you read about a rebate on HCW, you might want to ask your store if they have the forms hidden somewhere. Online Printable Forms: These can be found on company websites.You may see television commercials or magazine ads directing you to the site. Inserts: Rebate forms are frequently found in the same Sunday inserts as the coupons. Magazines: Forms may also be found here. “No Form Required” Offers: These are great!
As with any other offer, if you find a rebate form in a store, please take only what you can reasonably use and leave some for others. If the forms are still there the next time you shop, take a few more. Taking the entire tearpad is greedy and rude. Proofs of Purchase Proofs of Purchase are also known as “qualifiers”, since they are what you need to qualify for the money back. There are a variety of things that can be required as a proof of purchase for your rebates. The most common POP is the UPC symbol from the package. UPC stands for Universal Product Code, and is the bar code that is scanned by the cashier when you check out. Other possible POPs are: box tops, weight circles, special POP seals, foil caps or even plastic caps. This is not an inclusive list, but gives you an idea of what they might ask for. Rebate forms are very specific as to what is required. Be sure to send what they ask for, or your rebate will be denied. Storing Proofs of Purchase You can store your POPs in many ways. Snack sized zipper bags or envelopes are common ways to save the UPCs from various products. Make sure to write on the back of the UPC the name of the product that it came from, so that you aren’t caught staring blankly at yet another bar code and wondering what it was for! There is also a UPC Database here to help you identify those mystery UPCs that you found in the bottom of your kitchen drawer. Cash Register Tapes (CRTs) The vast majority of offers require you to submit the dated ORIGINAL cash register tape with your POPs and the form. The rebate will be rejected if you send a photocopy of the receipt. What is there to do if you have several rebate items in your cart, all requiring a receipt for a different rebate? One way around this is to get individual receipts for each item that requires the original for a rebate. It doesn’t take much longer to do 2 or 3 transactions rather than one, and you will have the receipts that you need for your rebates. Another way to get a separate receipt is to ask if you can get a copy from the cashier at the time of purchase. Many stores can print either a duplicate receipt or what is known as a rebate receipt. It is a good idea to save ALL of your CRTs. You never know when you will run across a rebate form for something that you bought last month. As long as the items were purchased within the dates on the rebate form, you can send for the rebate. You can save receipts in an outgrown accordion coupon file or a 12 month check file. The receipts go into the appropriate month, and you will have them just in case. How long does it take? Rebates and special promos are not for those who need instant gratification. The forms usually state how long it will be before you can expect your rebate. It can be anywhere from 2-12 weeks. You need to be organized! Organization is the key to making sure that you get the rebates that you send for. Before You Mail the Rebate - Make sure it’s good in your area— you are out your time, effort and a stamp if you submit a rebate that is only good in a particular region!
If it says one per household, sending in one for each person in your house will not get you multiple rebates. Is the form filled out properly? Read the fine print. Send everything that you need to send. Make sure that you are not using an address label to fill in the information if it must be handwritten. Are the POPs correct and accounted for? (You can tape UPCs to a larger piece of paper so that they don’t get lost.) Is the CRT within the purchase dates, an original (if required), and are the appropriate items circled, underlined or highlighted as required? Have you made a copy or scanned all of the required items before you seal the envelope? If your rebate is denied or never arrives, you will have proof that you completed the requirements. Did you seal the envelope and put on a stamp?
After the Rebate is Mailed Rebate Tracking-Free software to help you keep track of the “who, what, where and when” of your rebates. This
Other Helpful Tips for Rebates Envelopes: Make sure that you are using the correct size envelope for the rebate. Some of them actually DO specify what size to use, i.e. business sized, etc. Buy in bulk to save money, or use them as fillers to get to the amount needed for $/$ coupons.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Copyright 2006-2009 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to repost is denied.
__________________
Larissa
HCW Super Moderator
Forum Moderator for In The Family Way & Upromise
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Post content copyright 2006-2010 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
Last edited by Cin42382; 03-05-2009 at 08:14:52 PM.
| |
| | | | | | | |
08-03-2007, 03:35:28 PM
|
#7 | | | | Finder of Lost Posts TRADER
FORUM MODERATOR
ENTREPRENEUR
SUPER MODERATOR
SCORCHING
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,241
| Stockpiling: Everything You Need to Know
Stockpiling: Everything You Need to Know Information on everything from building your stockpile to storage ideas to expiration dates can be found here: ________________________________________
Copyright 2006-2009 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
__________________
Larissa
HCW Super Moderator
Forum Moderator for In The Family Way & Upromise
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Post content copyright 2006-2010 MrsPinecone @ HCW. Permission to quote or repost is denied.
Last edited by MrsPinecone; 01-07-2009 at 02:12:08 PM.
| |
| | | | |
| Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | |
|
Re: Couponing 101: Couponing Basics For The Newbie 
