Coupon Beginnings

Coupon 101

 Every coupon situation is different. Your strategy will be based regionally and locally limited depending on stores available. Laying out the vocabulary is always the first thing you need to learn so that way you can build on a strong foundation. 

NEWSPAPER COUPONS 

These come in your Sunday papers except during select holiday weekends. You can find the yearly coupon schedule for inserts HERE. And you can actually get a preview of the weeks possible upcoming coupons by going to Sunday Coupon Preview. These coupons are normally manufacturer coupon. These coupons begin with either a "5" or a "9". Even if they say redeem only at such and such store, check the barcode to see what it begins with. You will mainly use these type of coupons and there are different ways to acquire your Sunday paper inserts. You can subscribe to your local newspaper, buy it out of the dispensers, buy at gas stations and dollar stores, or you can get inserts from friends and family who subscribe but don't use the inserts, strike up a deal with a newspaper carrier for unused papers, and you can even go extreme and dumpster dive at your local recycling center. It is a good idea to get anywhere from 3 to 10 papers if you are going to stockpile items in order to maximize your savings. There are 4 major inserts. Smart Source, Red Plum, Proctor & Gamble, or General Mills. You can stack this coupon. 

STORE COUPONS

This type of coupon is store specific and in order to make sure it is you can look at the barcode. If it is a "5" or "9" then it is a manufacturer coupon that has a specific store logo on the coupon. That doesn't mean you can use it anywhere cause if a cashier actually notices a different logo they may not allow it just cause they don't know about coupons and don't think managers know anymore than the cashiers do about coupons. You can find these in your weekly ad or booklets that your store may produce monthly, or just during certain times of the year. You may be able to get more than one of these if you are able to acquire lots of booklets but stores reserve the right to say that you can only use one per transaction. Even if your store doubles that doesn't mean they double their own coupons. You can stack this coupon. 

PRINTABLE COUPONS

You can find these on the internet by either going to a specific brand site, a products Facebook site, a stores website, and at websites dedicated to just printable coupons. Internet coupons can be store coupons or manufacturers. You can find store coupons on a grocery store or drug store website. Most other websites that coupons can be found on are manufacturer coupons. You are mostly limited to 2 printable coupons of the same coupon. They do this cause internet coupons are limited on how many can be printed. If you want more you can always print from another computer. There are components that every paper coupon should have to make it valid but internet coupons must also have other items on the coupon to make sure it is usable. You can verify your coupon Here. The veri-fi code is just below the expiration date. This veri-fi code is different for EVERY coupon, even the like coupons. They can be in black & white or color. 

ECOUPONS

You do not have to print these coupons. You can go to a website that will load them to your loyalty card and when you scan the card your coupon will be used if you purchase that product. You have to check the website to see if they sponsor your store. Down here in the south I'm only able to use one store from from site that does the automatic savings. The automatic saving websites areCellFire, Shortcuts, and P&G eSaver. There may be more but these are the most popular and are actually legit. Upromise uses the ecoupon concept but instead of instant savings, it takes a few weeks and then they put it as a way to save for college. I enjoy Upromise cause all the stores I shop at accept these and even though I don't get the automatic savings I do still get savings. Check your coupon policies to see if you can stack these.  *Update* Stores are now giving exclusive e-coupons for reward card holders. Store such as Food Lion & Bi-Lo. 

CATALINAS 

Also known as register prints. These are the coupons that are printed at the register when you checkout and these are considered store coupons. You can use these before using other coupons in order to get savings. There are specific guidelines on how many in one transaction you can use depending on the store.