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

[blossomed]

In HONOR of my 300th post (yikes I got a lot to say)! I present my RAOK. Post here your very very best tip!! The one that saves you the most money! The one that is sort of a secret and you don't want to share it cause your afraid it might dry up! Tell me. I've read the books, the ALL you, and I want to go to the next level but I need your help. Refer me to old threads on HCW.

I will pick a winner based on my going WOW! that is a goood one! Winner will be picked on November 4th at 11 AM EST.

I will then tailor the prize pack to you! I will go through your wish list and posts and make match ups! It will take at least 3 stamps maybe more to get it to you! I'll go through recycle bins finding the kind of codes you collect! I'll print all the printables! I'll return your WOW with a WOW!

[okcoupondiva]

The one thing I do to help our bottom line is to email manufacturers about their products. Sometimes I give them a compliment and sometimes it's a complaint.
In the last week I have received coupons for Free hair color, chef boy ardee (4 cans), jolly time popcorn, one a day vitamins, snuggle fabric softner and arm and hammer baking soda. Plus I've received lots of high value coupons. Yesterday I received $10.00 in coupons from Campbell's soup good for any product.

[CW&M Mom]

Keep an eye out for $1.00 off 1 coupons. That is what probably saves me the most money. Try not to use the ones that are coupons for $1.00/2 or 3 unless it's with some generous deal.

[greenfrog57]

I always go the last day of the sale (even if I've been there earlier in the week). Either, I get lots of leftovers (still on the shelf deals) or a raincheck. I almost prefer rainhecks because I can continue to trade for coupons to match the sale after the sale ends. File your rain checks the same way you file coupons so you don't lose out on the special deal!

[busyasabeecrg]

I, too, recommend and do the 3 above good ideas

However, this is what really pays off for me "big time". I keep a box of $1/1 and 50/1 coupons (2 of my stores double 50c) in the car at all times for items in addition to sale items for the week, that if it makes the item free, I will buy it. I know where to find the mark down baskets as well as mark-down meat, refrigerated, deli, dairy, bread, etc. items and can do match ups to get about $75 a week in frees. I was in "coupon heaven" when one of my chain stores discontinued their Muir Glen and Health Valley items due to a new Sprouts store opening across the street. Marked to $1 each, matched with my coupons, I got 77 free soups and canned tomatoes.

DH took me to my MRI for my injured knee day before yesterday, and he hates shopping, but knew it was really helpful to have him help me in and out of the car and push the cart, so he agreed to it...and lo and behold...a store shelf stocker wheeled out a cart full of mark downs, just as we finished choosing our produce. No price higher than 99c for organic brands like Arrowhead Mills, Nature's Path, Imagine, Country Choice, Lundberg, Teeccino, several misc. tea brands and King Arthur Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour, which I usually don't buy at $4.50 a bag, but at 99c It went directly in my cart!!

He went out to the car to get the "organic" box of coupons and we ended up
with $68 of free mark downs of the very best stuff. Added to the Michael Angelo entrees being on sale for $2.50 each and I used my $3/2 coupons,
I got 20 entrees for $1 each to help out while I am hobbling around!!
He kept saying he "brought me luck" LOL of course I agreed! Didn't want to spoil it for him by saying our stores all do this...sometimes the mark-downs are mediocre and sometimes great...when they just want to move the stuff!

blossomed, I am so happy you want to learn all our secrets...HCW is the most amazing site and you will learn with time that there are lots of members who get fantastic deals in a myriad of ways...so use as many as will work for you

[myun]

My tip is actually similar to what okcoupondiva said about emailing companies, except I call the companies and simply ask if they can send coupons. I have found after many experiences that calling a company and asking for coupons is actually producing more results than emailing. Emailing can be good but sometimes it's too impersonal.

Like, for example, I call Purina every month and ask for coupons to be mailed to me and they happily send out (2) $2 coupons for any brand Purina pet food or (2) $2 off coupons for Tidy Cats litter. The reps have told me to call once a month for coupons and I do. However, one time I sent an email instead and the reply said it's not their policy to send out coupons to consumers. That's the difference with getting an impersonal email and talking to a real person on the phone.

Turkey Hill dairy is another company that's very generous with sending out coupons. If I call and ask a question about their products, they send me coupons.

If I'm calling a company because I'm hoping to get coupons, I tell them that. Sometimes talking to a person at one of these 800 numbers actually can help. They're real people too and they like to be treated as such :) . If they can relate to your situations, they can often help with advice and/or coupons.

Sorry, I don't have any links to old threads because I'm still finding stuff on here for the 1st time. Blossomed, you posted a very unique and interesting raok! :)

[shelleyf]

This is what I do and works miracles for me.

I am a giver and I pray alot. I believe in you reap what you sow so I sometimes give my FREEs away in trades as extras. I like to surprise people:) Yes I do want my FREE's but when God tells me to give it away I do. Sometimes the same day or a couple later I get an even better FREE or the same one in the mail unexpectedly. You can never outgive God. I also pray specifically for certain things in my stockpile and I am getting the deals miraculously the next week since I have been praying faithfully. These are my top things to do.

[nerdy]

Read the posts on HCW for information!

[pokey]

It is important to have your extra coupons with you.

I have ran into some good mark-downs and learned the hard way that I needed to carry my extra coupons in the car.

[434Teresa]

Save gas and price match sales books at wamart unstead of running to three store for one or two items at each store.