How to Extreme Coupon
Get a cheap Sunday newspaper subscription., Sign up for store emails., Look for coupons on reputable websites., Subscribe to a coupon clippers website, such as New England coupon clippers., Check the websites or Facebook pages of your favorite...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get a cheap Sunday newspaper subscription.
Subscribe to a statewide paper and a paper from your town or a nearby town as long as the money you save from the coupons that you find pays for your subscription.
Find coupons in the inserts from companies like SmartSource.
You can usually find 2 to 3 dedicated coupon inserts every Sunday.
Check for sale fliers from your favorite stores.
These may have coupons printed across the bottom of the page or next to some of your favorite items.
Find out when your favorite store prints its sales flyer.
If your favorite grocery store prints its flier in Thursday's paper, then consider subscribing on Thursday as well. -
Step 2: Sign up for store emails.
Many stores will email coupons to you or send you an electronic copy of their sales fliers.
If you purchase or sign up for a loyalty card from a company, be sure that you provide your email address and indicate that you want to receive messages containing deals. , Some ideas include:
SmartSource.com Coupons.com Redplum.com CouponNetwork.com Groupon.com , These subscriptions will deliver coupons to your mailbox based on deals available in your region. , If your favorite companies have a Twitter feed, then subscribe so you can get a link to deals. , All You, for instance, is a magazine sold by Walmart that is chock full of great coupons. , You may find coupons on store shelves next to your favorite products.
You can also look at the front of your store for a machine that dispenses deals.
Some stores have machines into which you can insert your loyalty card and receive coupons based on your past purchase patterns. , You can scan these codes with your mobile phone and be led to an online coupon that you can use at checkout.
A QR code looks something like this:
Purchase a mobile phone app that will read QR codes, such as QRReader for iPhone or QR Droid for Android.
Tap on the app to open it.
Generally, you point your camera at the code and press the key in the bottom center of your phone to activate a scanner.
You then scan the code and the coupon or website opens on your phone.
Different apps have different instructions, so check your app to be sure. , If you have friends who also love to extreme coupon, then get together and swap coupons that you don't use for some that are more valuable to you., Note the expiration date on each.
They usually have to be used within 10 days to 3 months of the day they print out. , You can list the stores at which you most commonly shop and receive information about catalinas that they are currently printing. , Extreme couponers leave comments in the forum letting you know what deals are currently out there in the form of catalinas. , For instance, if you receive a catalina for $1 off 3 jars of applesauce, try this trick:
Come back into the store and buy more applesauce.
Use the catalina at the cash register.
If you're lucky, another catalina will be given to you after your transaction.
Go back for more applesauce as long as the catalinas keep printing.
You can usually get away with a maximum of 3 transactions per store. , For instance, if you know that your grocery store has 4 locations close to your home, then visit all 4 locations.
Use the catalinas to stock up on your favorite items.
Be aware that not every location will print the same catalinas, but if the stores are close-by, it's worth exploring. , If you receive in-store coupons for $5 off a $30 purchase, then save the catalinas for when you need to purchase expensive items, like meat or seafood.
Then, use as many as you can in 1 transaction to save money on these items. , If a store is willing to accept competitor coupons, then you can get the same deals in a different store instead of waiting on your preferred store to run a sale. , Go to a coupon forum yourself and let your fellow extreme couponers know what catalinas you found.
If you are generous with your tips, then your fellow couponers will reciprocate. , One good idea is to use a website like The Grocery Game.
This site will list the sales flyers for your favorite stores.
When you see an item in the flyer, and you know you have a coupon for that item, then it's time to save yourself some money.
Otherwise, you can do the research yourself. , Try 1 of these methods:
Use baseball cardholders inside a 3-ring binder to make your coupons easy to reach.
Then, use divider tabs to split your coupons into sections by product, by store or by another method that makes sense to you.
Use an alphabetically organized accordion file.
Place your coupons in order by product name.
Sort through each pocket weekly and put soon-to-expire coupons at the front of the pocket so you don't forget to use them.
If you can't be bothered cutting out the coupons to insert into separate card slots in a binder, simply hole punch the page and attach a pair of small scissors (such as a child's safety pair) by a string to the binder.
That way, you can cut out the coupon as you find the product. , You can do this on an Excel spreadsheet.
As you walk around, you can place the relevant coupon into a small envelope sitting in your bag or in the cart, in readiness to hand over all coupons for items you found to the cashier.
As you use coupons, mark them off your list with a pen or pencil.
When you get home, delete them from your spreadsheet. , If your store is selling cereal in a "Buy 2, Get the 3rd Free" promotion, and you have a coupon for the same cereal, then get as much cereal as you can under the terms of the deal.
Watch the language on the sale flyer to make sure the store has a reasonable limit on the amount of items that you can buy under the promotion.
Avoid buying perishable items in bulk.
For example, don't stockpile dairy or produce.
At home, shop from your stash.
If you don't know what to cook for dinner, then choose an item from your bulk purchases to avoid ordering takeout or running to the store for something you can live without. , If you have manufacturer's coupons and store coupons, then combine them to get even more money off your purchase. , If your store will let you place a bulk order for the items listed on your coupon, then don't be afraid to ask. , Extreme coupon transactions take time, and other customers will feel impatient if you hold up the line with your coupons.
Also, cashiers can become frustrated with many coupons because of not only transaction length but also confusion about store policies.
You need to go at a time the store isn't too busy to minimize conflict. , Extreme coupon transactions require clear communication.
If your children are running wild or trying to talk to you while you're interacting with the cashier, then you won't be able to concentrate on what you're doing.
Find a babysitter for your early extreme coupon adventures. , You may have to go with a brand that isn't your tried and true choice to get a deal.
As long as the difference in taste and quality is negligible, the savings will be worth it. , This is simply a safeguard against cashiers who aren't aware of store policies themselves and don't really want to have to deal with your extreme coupling.
It is far easier to say "we don't accept that" than to go to the effort of ringing it all through, so be prepared to politely but firmly clarify the appropriateness of your coupon actions by pointing out the store policy.
You will often find the policy online; if not, ask the store manager for a copy. , Stick to these good practices:
Be considerate to your cashier and to the people lined up behind you.
Never photocopy coupons.
Some stores will no longer accept coupons that even appear to be photocopied.
Avoid hoarding.
Items usually go on sale on a 6 to 8 week cycle.
Stock up on enough to take you through the sales cycle and no more.
Don't become a person who stacks cases of toothpaste under your bed.
Don't commit fraud.
Avoid using coupons for items other than the item printed on the paper.
Also, never alter existing coupons or print off counterfeits., Some stores will match and even undercut the price of the same product sold in other stores.
Just bring in a sales flyer from the competing store as proof of the price. , You might feel limited at first, but you'll come to enjoy the creative challenge of coming up with meals that your family will enjoy at a low cost. , If you can accumulate points toward a fuel purchase by shopping at a certain store, then you'll save money on top of your coupon discounts. , For instance, buy a winter coat in the spring, or purchase bedding and home items in January.
Look for big post-holiday clearance sales or summer clearance sales. , Don't go crazy with your credit card just to get bargains, but use it wisely to help yourself save money.
Some cards offer gift cards to use in certain stores or discounts on certain products.
You can also earn rewards toward restaurants, airline tickets or hotel stays. , Sometimes, a store's generic product is cheaper even than a brand-name product combined with a coupon offer.
The generic version is often comparably good, so be open-minded. , If you can't possibly use all those boxes of pancake mix, then donate them to needy families in your community. , You're probably going to have to coupon for at least 3 months to build your stockpile of goods.
Then, you will begin to see significant savings. -
Step 3: Look for coupons on reputable websites.
-
Step 4: Subscribe to a coupon clippers website
-
Step 5: such as New England coupon clippers.
-
Step 6: Check the websites or Facebook pages of your favorite companies.
-
Step 7: Clip coupons from your favorite magazines.
-
Step 8: Be observant when you walk around stores.
-
Step 9: Seek out QR codes.
-
Step 10: Organize a coupon swap.
-
Step 11: Collect catalinas after every transaction.
-
Step 12: Register on a website like Coupon Network.
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Step 13: Check forum comments on sites like Hot Coupon World
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Step 14: Slick Deals or Pinching Your Pennies.
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Step 15: Roll your catalinas.
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Step 16: Go to multiple locations of your favorite store.
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Step 17: Stack your catalinas.
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Step 18: Bring your catalinas to a competitor.
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Step 19: Share the wealth.
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Step 20: Wait for a good sale.
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Step 21: Organize your coupons.
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Step 22: Write or print out a list of your current coupons.
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Step 23: Purchase multiple items.
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Step 24: Stack your coupons.
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Step 25: Order items that are sold out.
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Step 26: Go during off-peak hours.
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Step 27: Leave your kids at home.
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Step 28: Be open to various brands.
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Step 29: Know the store's policy and have a copy of it with you.
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Step 30: Use appropriate coupon etiquette.
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Step 31: Know if your store price matches.
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Step 32: Plan your menus around store sales and your coupon inventory.
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Step 33: Shop at stores that offer discounts on fuel.
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Step 34: Know when items go on clearance.
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Step 35: Take advantage of credit card rewards.
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Step 36: Compare prices of brand-name items to generic items.
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Step 37: Donate some bulk items to charity.
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Step 38: Have realistic expectations.
Detailed Guide
Subscribe to a statewide paper and a paper from your town or a nearby town as long as the money you save from the coupons that you find pays for your subscription.
Find coupons in the inserts from companies like SmartSource.
You can usually find 2 to 3 dedicated coupon inserts every Sunday.
Check for sale fliers from your favorite stores.
These may have coupons printed across the bottom of the page or next to some of your favorite items.
Find out when your favorite store prints its sales flyer.
If your favorite grocery store prints its flier in Thursday's paper, then consider subscribing on Thursday as well.
Many stores will email coupons to you or send you an electronic copy of their sales fliers.
If you purchase or sign up for a loyalty card from a company, be sure that you provide your email address and indicate that you want to receive messages containing deals. , Some ideas include:
SmartSource.com Coupons.com Redplum.com CouponNetwork.com Groupon.com , These subscriptions will deliver coupons to your mailbox based on deals available in your region. , If your favorite companies have a Twitter feed, then subscribe so you can get a link to deals. , All You, for instance, is a magazine sold by Walmart that is chock full of great coupons. , You may find coupons on store shelves next to your favorite products.
You can also look at the front of your store for a machine that dispenses deals.
Some stores have machines into which you can insert your loyalty card and receive coupons based on your past purchase patterns. , You can scan these codes with your mobile phone and be led to an online coupon that you can use at checkout.
A QR code looks something like this:
Purchase a mobile phone app that will read QR codes, such as QRReader for iPhone or QR Droid for Android.
Tap on the app to open it.
Generally, you point your camera at the code and press the key in the bottom center of your phone to activate a scanner.
You then scan the code and the coupon or website opens on your phone.
Different apps have different instructions, so check your app to be sure. , If you have friends who also love to extreme coupon, then get together and swap coupons that you don't use for some that are more valuable to you., Note the expiration date on each.
They usually have to be used within 10 days to 3 months of the day they print out. , You can list the stores at which you most commonly shop and receive information about catalinas that they are currently printing. , Extreme couponers leave comments in the forum letting you know what deals are currently out there in the form of catalinas. , For instance, if you receive a catalina for $1 off 3 jars of applesauce, try this trick:
Come back into the store and buy more applesauce.
Use the catalina at the cash register.
If you're lucky, another catalina will be given to you after your transaction.
Go back for more applesauce as long as the catalinas keep printing.
You can usually get away with a maximum of 3 transactions per store. , For instance, if you know that your grocery store has 4 locations close to your home, then visit all 4 locations.
Use the catalinas to stock up on your favorite items.
Be aware that not every location will print the same catalinas, but if the stores are close-by, it's worth exploring. , If you receive in-store coupons for $5 off a $30 purchase, then save the catalinas for when you need to purchase expensive items, like meat or seafood.
Then, use as many as you can in 1 transaction to save money on these items. , If a store is willing to accept competitor coupons, then you can get the same deals in a different store instead of waiting on your preferred store to run a sale. , Go to a coupon forum yourself and let your fellow extreme couponers know what catalinas you found.
If you are generous with your tips, then your fellow couponers will reciprocate. , One good idea is to use a website like The Grocery Game.
This site will list the sales flyers for your favorite stores.
When you see an item in the flyer, and you know you have a coupon for that item, then it's time to save yourself some money.
Otherwise, you can do the research yourself. , Try 1 of these methods:
Use baseball cardholders inside a 3-ring binder to make your coupons easy to reach.
Then, use divider tabs to split your coupons into sections by product, by store or by another method that makes sense to you.
Use an alphabetically organized accordion file.
Place your coupons in order by product name.
Sort through each pocket weekly and put soon-to-expire coupons at the front of the pocket so you don't forget to use them.
If you can't be bothered cutting out the coupons to insert into separate card slots in a binder, simply hole punch the page and attach a pair of small scissors (such as a child's safety pair) by a string to the binder.
That way, you can cut out the coupon as you find the product. , You can do this on an Excel spreadsheet.
As you walk around, you can place the relevant coupon into a small envelope sitting in your bag or in the cart, in readiness to hand over all coupons for items you found to the cashier.
As you use coupons, mark them off your list with a pen or pencil.
When you get home, delete them from your spreadsheet. , If your store is selling cereal in a "Buy 2, Get the 3rd Free" promotion, and you have a coupon for the same cereal, then get as much cereal as you can under the terms of the deal.
Watch the language on the sale flyer to make sure the store has a reasonable limit on the amount of items that you can buy under the promotion.
Avoid buying perishable items in bulk.
For example, don't stockpile dairy or produce.
At home, shop from your stash.
If you don't know what to cook for dinner, then choose an item from your bulk purchases to avoid ordering takeout or running to the store for something you can live without. , If you have manufacturer's coupons and store coupons, then combine them to get even more money off your purchase. , If your store will let you place a bulk order for the items listed on your coupon, then don't be afraid to ask. , Extreme coupon transactions take time, and other customers will feel impatient if you hold up the line with your coupons.
Also, cashiers can become frustrated with many coupons because of not only transaction length but also confusion about store policies.
You need to go at a time the store isn't too busy to minimize conflict. , Extreme coupon transactions require clear communication.
If your children are running wild or trying to talk to you while you're interacting with the cashier, then you won't be able to concentrate on what you're doing.
Find a babysitter for your early extreme coupon adventures. , You may have to go with a brand that isn't your tried and true choice to get a deal.
As long as the difference in taste and quality is negligible, the savings will be worth it. , This is simply a safeguard against cashiers who aren't aware of store policies themselves and don't really want to have to deal with your extreme coupling.
It is far easier to say "we don't accept that" than to go to the effort of ringing it all through, so be prepared to politely but firmly clarify the appropriateness of your coupon actions by pointing out the store policy.
You will often find the policy online; if not, ask the store manager for a copy. , Stick to these good practices:
Be considerate to your cashier and to the people lined up behind you.
Never photocopy coupons.
Some stores will no longer accept coupons that even appear to be photocopied.
Avoid hoarding.
Items usually go on sale on a 6 to 8 week cycle.
Stock up on enough to take you through the sales cycle and no more.
Don't become a person who stacks cases of toothpaste under your bed.
Don't commit fraud.
Avoid using coupons for items other than the item printed on the paper.
Also, never alter existing coupons or print off counterfeits., Some stores will match and even undercut the price of the same product sold in other stores.
Just bring in a sales flyer from the competing store as proof of the price. , You might feel limited at first, but you'll come to enjoy the creative challenge of coming up with meals that your family will enjoy at a low cost. , If you can accumulate points toward a fuel purchase by shopping at a certain store, then you'll save money on top of your coupon discounts. , For instance, buy a winter coat in the spring, or purchase bedding and home items in January.
Look for big post-holiday clearance sales or summer clearance sales. , Don't go crazy with your credit card just to get bargains, but use it wisely to help yourself save money.
Some cards offer gift cards to use in certain stores or discounts on certain products.
You can also earn rewards toward restaurants, airline tickets or hotel stays. , Sometimes, a store's generic product is cheaper even than a brand-name product combined with a coupon offer.
The generic version is often comparably good, so be open-minded. , If you can't possibly use all those boxes of pancake mix, then donate them to needy families in your community. , You're probably going to have to coupon for at least 3 months to build your stockpile of goods.
Then, you will begin to see significant savings.
About the Author
Alexis Scott
Creates helpful guides on cooking to inspire and educate readers.
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