Showing posts with label Beginning Couponing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beginning Couponing. Show all posts

Saturday, April 9, 2011

What do coupons look like?

In an earlier post we talked about all of the different types of coupons but I thought it would be helpful to know what each kind looks like as well. I found a blog with some great examples, see source at the bottom of the post.

Newspaper Inserts



This is an example of what the inserts will look like when they come in your newspaper.



This is a great example of what the actual coupons will look like once you cut them out of your newspaper.

Internet Printable Coupons



There will be slight variations as to what each Internet Printable looks like depending on where you print from but for the most part, they will look exactly like this or very similar.

Blinkie Machines



These machines will hold coupons that could potentially save you money, even down the road. I often will grab a few copies of the coupon if it's for something I might buy and I keep them in my binder for later. Often these machines will have a blinking light on them to draw your attention, hence the name.

Peelies on Product



Common couponing courtesy says you should only take these coupons if you are going to be buying the product. 

Tearpads



These will usually be found next to the product the coupon is for. These are also ones that I like to take a few copies and keep for later use. Please remember to leave some for others though.

Catalinas



These are coupons that will print from a special machine after you have finished your order. I most often get them at Smith's, Walgreens, and Target. They can be just a manufacture's coupon, or a coupon for a specific amount back on your next order, or sometimes they will just be advertisements for upcoming sales. 

Walgreen's Register Rewards



These will print out of the catalina machine and they are for a specific amount off your next purchase.

Printed on Receipt



I haven't seen as many of these at Target recently but that is where I see them most often. They are Target coupons that can be used on your next order. They will print off after your receipt. 

Store Ad



Many store ads will have store coupons in them. Sometimes they will be manufacturer's coupons so just make sure you read the print. You will need the coupon to get the deal but you can often find a copy of the ad in the store or the cashier will have one handy if you forget yours.

On Product



These are the coupons that can be found either on the packaging or in with the product. They are often rare coupons and can be higher value than coupons you can find on the same product.

Mail



Smith's often sends out packages of coupons that look very similar to these. They are usually for products that you purchase a lot of. Sometimes they are great coupons and sometimes they aren't but they don't cost you anything to print or to buy (like the paper) so they are great to hang on to.

Those are all of the main types of coupons that you will find and hopefully since you know what to look out for, you'll start to find it very easy to locate all of these great coupons.

All pictures taken from Schmidt Family Blog.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Store Guides

Collin over at Hip2Save has some great store guides that she has put together. These store guides go into depth with almost every single detail of how to shop at each store. One thing Collin suggests is starting with one or two stores as you are learning how to coupon and then branch out from there.

You can click on the logos below to be taken to the individual store guides on Hip2Save.





What is couponing?

Couponing has many definitions and it is a great way to save some money. Whenever you use a coupon you could consider it couponing but the best way to save the most money is by matching coupons with store sales, rebates, and other promotional offers to get the lowest possible price and help you stock up on much needed supplies.

Where can you find coupons?

Once you start looking for coupons you will probably realize that they are everywhere! It's surprising the places that you can find coupons but as you train yourself to be on the lookout for them, you'll spot plenty to be able to make couponing seriously beneficial. This is just a basic list of places that I regularly look for coupons.

- Sunday Newspaper: In our area you can choose from the Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune, or Daily Herald. In the section with all of the ads for the week you will find the coupon inserts. The main inserts you'll find in all of the papers are SmartSource, Proctor & Gamble, and from time to time there will be a General Mills insert or coupons in the Parade magazine. The Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune both have the exact same coupons in them. The Daily Herald is the only paper in the area that still gets the Red Plum insert.

- Internet Printable Coupons: There are many websites that exist just so you can print coupons. Some examples of these are Red Plum, Coupons.com, and SmartSource. You will also find links to coupons from blogs like Utah Deal Diva or Hip2Save. You will almost always be able to print two copies of a coupon from each computer in your house. In order to do this, you just need to hit the back button on your browser or go back through the link you originally followed.

- Mailers: From time to time you'll get samples in the mail or different advertisements for local companies. DON'T JUST THROW THEM AWAY! Often, even when a piece of mail looks like junk it will hold a very valuable coupon inside.

- In Magazines: There are magazines like All You that focus on coupons. Just because a magazine doesn't focus on coupons though doesn't mean that you won't find coupons in it. Keep your eye out for actual coupons or coupon codes for online sites that you visit.

- Inside products or on the box of a product

- Shopper Cards: You can load coupons to your Smith's card to be used at Smith's on websites like Cellfire or Shortcuts. You can also find coupons on the Smith's website.

- Weekly Store Advertisements: Make sure you pay attention to see if the coupon is a store coupon or a manufacturer's coupon. There is a difference between the two and at many stores you can stack store coupons with manufacture's coupons for an even bigger discount.

- In Store: There are many different places to find coupons in stores. One of these is Catalinas (CAT). These are coupons that print out from a special machine after you have completed your order. They may be a manufacturer's or store coupon for a different product or they could be for money off your next order. Another place to find coupons in stores are on blinkie machines or tear pads. These will be located in the aisle close to the product the coupon is for. Always keep your eye out for these coupons! Even if you don't want to buy the product right now, you can always keep the coupons to see if a great sale will come up. The last place you will often find coupons in stores are peelies. These coupons will be on the product itself. Coupon etiquette says you should only use these coupons if you are planning on purchasing the product. There is nothing more annoying than going to the store and finding something that should have a coupon on it but it has been taken.

Couponing Terms

There are so many different terms associated with couponing. When reading blogs about coupons or trying to figure out coupons it's almost like you need a dictionary. This post is a list of common coupon abbreviations that will hopefully help you translate what you see online into words and concepts that you can easily understand.

Sunday Newspaper Insert Abbreviations
- GM = General Mills
- PG = Procter and Gamble
- RP = Red Plum
- SS = SmartSource
Dates for each insert can be found on the side (similar to binding) in very small print

Walgreens & Rite Aid Jargon
- RR = Register Reward (Walgreens Catalina coupons)
- +Up = +Up Rewards (Rite Aid coupons for a discount on your next order)

Other abbreviations & Money-Saving Terms
- B1G1 or BOGO = Buy one, get one free
- B2G1 = Buy two, get one free
- Filler = Item purchased to reach a minimum total to get a "deal"
- GC = Gift Card
- IP = Internet Printable
- MQ = Manufacturer's Coupon
- OOP = Out of Pocket (the amount you pay out of pocket)
- Stacking = Using both a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon on one item
- TMF = Try me free offer
- YMMV = Your mileage may vary - deal may work for someone else but may not work for you

This list of terms was taken from hip2save.