Once your stocked - then what?

[Susan in WA]

Those of you who purchase multiple papers, what do you do when you are pretty well stocked? I buy 4 papers a week, I get 3 more Red Plums from my mail carrier. Two friends pass their inserts on to me, which include the inserts from their paper, plus the extra Red Plum that comes in the mail every week. Would you cut down on the papers you bought? Should I just get one? Do you ever go a few months with little coupon shopping? I hate to keep spending the money if I won't use them.

[daisydog215]

My stockpile is pretty well set too, thankfully. I get 1 copy of the Sunday paper delivered (coupons come in the Saturday version, front page/sports on Sunday). I also get 1-2 full sets from friends weekly + another friends leftovers. Each week I have to decide if I need to buy more papers or not. I check the preview threads here early in the week and then check Taylortown to see the coupons coming out based on brand. I don't worry about coupon value until I see what actually comes on Saturday morning. Now that I am stocked, I rarely buy more than 1 additional paper, only because I know I will be getting those extras. 1/4 was an exception - I bought 4 additional copies. I find that between all of my sources, I have plenty to keep and even more to trade.

[Susan in WA]

I check the preview threads here early in the week and then check Taylortown to see the coupons coming out based on brand. I don't worry about coupon value until I see what actually comes on Saturday morning. .

So you mostly are concerned with what you can match that week and not worry about weeks to come and how many qs you will have for something unexpected?

[daisydog215]

So you mostly are concerned with what you can match that week and not worry about weeks to come and how many qs you will have for something unexpected?

Sorry, that is a bit confusing. Because of the many coupons I already have on hand, both from my inserts and trading, I rarely use a coupon the same week it comes out. And trading has allowed me to have a good "in case I find a good deal" stash of Q's that are better than what come in my inserts. I try to trade so that I always have a good variety available to me.

I check for brand mainly because there are a few things I reguarly buy that only have Qs once every blue moon. But if it happens to be in that week's insert, I'll buy extra papers to ensure that I have a good supply. I'll then trade for additional Q's for that specific product.

Bit of a hijack here - The biggest surprise to me when I joined HCW was how greatly coupon values vary across the country. Checking the previews gives me a good sense as to whether my inserts are the good Qs or the not so good Qs - $/1 or $/2, etc. I then trade to get a better value Q for a specific product. And because my stockpile is in good shape, I may buy extra papers if I know that I have a coupon in my inserts that will be "hot" and good for trading. For instance, I have sworn off buying shampoo for at least the next three months, I just don't have any more room. But if I see that there is a good/great coupon for shampoo, an extra paper or two give me a better chance of making a great trade for something I do need.

OP - Our papers are $1.75, which adds up pretty quickly. My advice is that if you find you have enough for your own use and trading, if you do so, then cut back on the number of papers you buy. No need to be committed to buying 4 papers a week. Evaluate it week to week and you'll save money from the get go.

[loladooder99]

Those of you who purchase multiple papers, what do you do when you are pretty well stocked? I buy 4 papers a week, I get 3 more Red Plums from my mail carrier. Two friends pass their inserts on to me, which include the inserts from their paper, plus the extra Red Plum that comes in the mail every week. Would you cut down on the papers you bought? Should I just get one? Do you ever go a few months with little coupon shopping? I hate to keep spending the money if I won't use them.

I only stockpile when there are coupons on items that I really use. I don't buy the paper at all in my home town because I never get good inserts. I get all my coupons from ebay or from my mom who lives in a big city. So sometimes i buy a ton of one item and next dont buy anything.

[Susan in WA]

hmm I have not traded for qs or got them from a clipping service. Something to think about I guess, but maybe I'll just cut down to a couple of papers for a while. See how that goes before I break out of my comfort zone. Thanks for the input.

[Coriander]

That's what I have done. I check to see if there will be anything I might use and if there is, then I buy more papers. I have looked on e-bay for certain coupons if I don't have them but you are lucky if you have someone to give you theirs. Last week I bought one paper and saw 4 things I wanted to stockpile with using q's, then I went back and bought 7 more papers. I havent bought a paper in 4 weeks but made up for it this last time. I do find it hard to stockpile the leftover papers (snicker).

[thickbluebug]

That's the best thing about a stockpile, you can wait until a bogo sale and coupon comes back around.

I don't have some sensational story about how I never buy papers. I live in the boonies and I have always paid for papers just for the inserts. I live for the previews. Then I know how many to buy. Sometimes the preview isn't accurate for my area. We don't get all the hot q's and I still have to trade. Think swiss miss, revlon colorsilk. We do get the most of the hot ones.

how many papers:

My papers are $1. When I first started on here I was buying 5 to 20 papers a week. P&G, I bought 20 sets. Yep, I paid $40 a month for inserts.
After I got my stockpile maxed I have went down to 1 to 4 inserts a week.
Why do I still pay for papers? No where around here recycles.The food places never have inserts on sundays. I get a couple from one of my inlaws and sister. It's a drive to them and it's not regular. Someone throws out the paper b4 I get the inserts.
I have learned over the years not to skip the P & G insert. Anytime I tell my self no papers this week, I need a coupon. I do buy from ebay and trade on here, but I still come out better to buy a couple of papers every week.
My best sources on here for inserts:
Here's a shout out for reezz and ellie1912 !!! .03 coupons!!!!
I specialize my buying now only to rebate items, bogo items, or clearance.