Couponing Basics

 If you are just beginning to use coupons, start slow, it takes time, but you can do it. 

Couponing will change your life in many ways.  

The goal is to purchase items when they are at the rock bottom price.  You are changing the way you shop by purchasing the items in quantity.  How much you purchase depends on how much you use.  Buy enough to last you through the sale cycles of the stores, usually 6-8 weeks.  AND, determine the amount of storage space you have. 

How do I start?

Purchase the Sunday newspaper. 
ALWAYS purchase the paper in multiple of 2's.  
If you have a choice of newspapers, choose the one from the larger metropolitan area.  Believe it or not, there is a difference.  The coupons for larger cities have higher value coupons.  It is usually much cheaper to subscribe to the paper and have it delivered.

I purchase 4 newspapers, rather, I have them delivered.  Every Sunday morning, I check to be sure I have received all of the coupon inserts.  If I do not have them, I immediately call for a redelivery.  Several times I have been told my account will be credited.  I never accept a credit because I purchase the paper for the coupons.  And my delivery person finally understands that I will call continually or chase them down when they drop off the replacement.  Yes, I have really done that!

There are TWO main coupon flyers

• SS = Smart Source
• RP = Red Plum

Secondary flyers:

• P&G = Proctor & Gamble (usually the beginning of the month)
• GM = General Mills
• The Parade or The USA Today (in the Florida Today newspaper) may have coupons as well

How do I organize my coupons?

There are many ways to organize your coupons.  Some people clip and file every coupon in a myriad of systems.  I started in that frame of mind, but quickly was converted to only clipping when I am going to use the coupon.  

My system:  

Instead of storing 4 coupon inserts, I combine them into one large insert with like pages together.  Write the date on the front--very large.  I only cut out coupons when I need them.
Other popular systems:
Use baseball card type binders to carry with you.
Devise a system that works for YOU!

Set up a junk e-mail address with Google, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.  

As you begin your journey into couponing and saving money, you will be bombarded with opportunities to request free samples which usually arrive with great coupons.  TRUST ME, you don't want to give out your primary e-mail address.

AutoFill Programs:

These free sample or coupon requests can be very time consuming.  You should use an autofill program.  My favorite is Last Pass.  This is a web based system and I can use it on any computer.  
I have also used RoboForm, and the form fill in Firefox.

Set up a Facebook account for couponing:

Create a Facebook account where you are your ONLY friend. 
Use your correct address
Add NOTHING else--no pictures, etc.  
This will prevent your friends possibly getting spammed.

Set up a Google Voice account:

I rarely give my real phone number.  I use 555-1212 most often until I discovered Google Voice.  This is a REAL phone number that you control.  I love that it sends you transcripts of the messages to your gmail account.

A typical post of a deal at Publix brackets are explanations

BOGO Items: [buy one get one free]

General Mills Cereal at $3.69 [product and sale price]
Cheerios, Original or Multigrain, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Golden Grahams, or Cinnamon Toast Crunch, 8.9-12.8 oz,
-$1/2 General Mills Cereals SS 5/02, 3/28 (makes it $1.34) [coupon found in SS=SmartSource from 5/2/10 and 3/28/10]
-$1/2 General Mills “Shrek-Tacular Savings” booklet   [Flyer found in Publix stores]
-.55/1 Cheerios printable or printable   [print these coupons from the links]
-.55/1 Cinnamon Toast Crunch printable or printable   [print these coupons from the links]

Coupon Lingo/Abbreviations:

B1G1 or BOGO - Buy one get one free

B2G1 - Buy two get one free

Blinkie - Coupon dispenser in store usually has a red blinking light

Catalina - Coupon dispensed at register after purchase.

ECB - Extra Care Bucks-CVS 

FLIP - Food Lion Internet Printable

GDA - Good deal alert
GM - General Mills coupon insert

Insert - Coupon booklet in Sunday newspaper

IP - Internet printable

MIR - Mail in rebate

MM - Money Maker

MQ - Manufacturer Coupon

OOP - Out of pocket

Overage - Using coupons, usually both store and manufacturer, that add up to more than the price of the item

OYNO - On your next order

Peelie - A coupon that you peel off the package. 

PG or P&G - Proctor & Gamble Sunday insert coupon.

Printable - A coupon that you print from the internet and your computer. 

PSA - Prices starting at

RP - Red Plum Sunday coupon booklet

RR - Register Reward, the name of the Catalina promotion at Walgreens.

SS - SmartSource

Stacking - Some stores allow the use of more than one coupon per item.  This may consist in using any or all of the following:  Store coupon, Manufacturer coupon, Competitor coupon

Tearpad - A pad coupons found on a store shelf or display. 

TMF - Try me free, a form that you mail in with required information to receive the full purchase price back via mail. In essense, a rebate.

WAGS - Walgreens, a drug store. 

WYB - When you buy

YMMV - Your mileage may vary - the success of the attempt may vary at your store.