Completed Roak!! Thanks to all who gave good advice!

[faeryedark]

Get to know the bread guy at your favourite store, and ask them when they're putting out the marked down bread, same with meat and produce, and general clearance...and cut /or keep coupons for products you see marked down alot.
Pet food/ products come to mind here.
Always check your store's coupon kiosk (if they have one) you never know when it'll sweeten the deal.
I had a $2/$5 produce purchase (from the Giant e-mail) then printed of a 50cent off coupon for their organic line and found a bunch of produce marked with clearance coupons. (It was pretty sweet)
Also,if you can get alot of free food (like the Ronzoni Garden delight pasta) I got free with a 5/$5 sale and $1 off blinkies....make a donation to your food pantry, and while you're there, explain you're a couponer...ask if they can save any coupons for you...I went from getting a few inserts...to getting a bunch from different regions, as well as home mailers...it's a win win.

[ELLE-TN]

There have been so many great suggestions here already. I think that the best advice I can give a couponer is to share the wealth with others. Last week when I was shopping Kroger mega deal I was an elderly couple buying a few marie calendars and handed them two coupons which I had actually intended to use for myself but decided to give to them as they looked like they needed to save money. Please always remember to be kind to the elderly as alot of them are having to decide to purchase prescriptions instead of buying food they need. :)

[motherofmolly]

1. another great deal is just around the corner. you might not of gotten in on this "hot" deal, but dont worry in a week there will be another hot deal.

2. sales run in cycles. once you have been doing the "coupons" for a year, you start to realize that certain sales come around at certain times of the year. dont overstock on that great deal but just get yourself enough until the sale comes around. even keeping a running log of sales will help you next year plan ahead!

[cc11395]

Ok - here's the tip of the century (hehe...hyperbole so I can win your amazing RAOK!!)...

EVERYtime I get a freebie or a super great coupon from a manufacturer - I CALL and tell them how much I appreciate it and that I likely would not have tried their product without it. Then I let them know that I am a "prominent member" of an exclusive couponing group that often review and discuss products. 9 times out of 10 I am offered additional coupons to be mailed to my home. Of those 9 times - at least 5 are for multiple more FREES!

Okay - that was seriously a tip I didn't want to give...LOL!! ;-)

[cc11395]

Okay - since you said we could post more than 1 (and I REALLY want your generous RAOK...) Here's another good one!!!

Shop at NIGHT and make friends with the folks that stock, price and put out the new coupons! It's amazing how many peelies a person can get just by chattin' up the folks that are stickin'em on the products. I have learned that they often have several additional TPs that never even get out because they don't have the time or forget about them after the initial sale.

HTHs!!

Can't wait for my PM tomorrow! (Power of positive thinking!! )

[kschick96]

Awesome suggestions listed above!!!! Great job guys!

My suggestion for saving money has nothing to do with coupons-I'm daring to be different! If you have not already, invest in a Food Saver Vac. system. This little gadget has saved us a TON of money. A few things I've used it for...

-When you have ground beef that is at the "use or throw out" point. I will brown it and food saver it and put it in my freezer to grab when I need a quick throw together dinner-you can make tacos, sloppy joes, pasta sauce, etc. I also do it with chicken breasts too-I will go ahead and put a marinate in with the chicken, so they are good to go after they thaw. Saves money from eating out when you don't feel like doing any prep work for dinner.

-We buy chicken in bulk and freeze it in right sized port.

-I stock pile flour and sugar and use it to store longer until ready to use (do not remove all air, or you will end up with a brick!)

-I have all of the cereal for chex mix and have made a batch recently, instead of letting it go bad and see if we are going to eat it-I resealed the bags and now it will stay fresher and be ready the next time we want to make chex mix.

-I do have a Sam's membership and buy stuff there I can't find in my stores on sale and use it for that.

-I make up large batches of muffins from scratch and seal them and freeze them by the dozen. Pull one out the night before a busy event the next morning for a quick and cheap breakfast.

I probably sound like a commercial, but I am shocked at how many uses and how much money I've saved by using this! :) :)

[tiggleme1]

1.My tip is to store your UNCUT inserts in a gallon size ziploc bag with the date on the outside.(File the bags by dates) When you need the q for a sale, you go to the ziploc and cut the qs you need. This has saved me tons of time and money.

2. Once the q is cut from the insert, I then put it in a purse size photo album. All I have to do is flip to the page the qs are in, slid them out and redeem them. It is so easy.

[SISSY816]

This works for me...

If I have a good, or high value coupon that is expiring...

I keep an eye out, in the store while shopping, to see if I see anyone, that could use it...(especially $$/total)

If I do ..I walk right up to them and ask....

I always get a great big smile, and that's worth more than ...$$....

If I don't ...I leave it where it will surely be seen, and hopefully used by someone...


Somewhere.... down the line a blessing will always come my way....!!


.................................

[blossomed]

how is this for a WOW! You all will win a little something and one or two a bigger something. Just PM me with your snail and if you collect any codes (so i can save on postage!!)

cc18995 - I see you already won another ROAK today so your generous heart is being rewarded!

Those of you that mentioned praying or putting out good Kharma - I think that is soooooooo true! You completely reap what you sow.

And to the PP about the Food saver - what a great sales pitch - hopefully that is one company you have contacted! Something funny - I was on here yesterday talking about stamps.com and today I got an email from them about completing a survery for them - and they will send me $50.00!!!!!!!!!!