Basics to couponing!
Here it is the absics to couponing! First off know your prices at different stores.
Couponing takes time and strategy and LOTS of patience!
Couponing takes time and strategy and LOTS of patience!
So i've compiled a to-do list to get you started!
- Sign up with your local grocery stores reward program
- Sign up with all the drug stores reward program (Walgreens does not have one)
- Get a binder! (Nothing special)
- Get 2 packets of baseball card holders (cheaper @ walmart by the baseball card section)
- Buy dividers for your binder!
- Subscribe to All you Magazine
- Get the Sunday paper
Now you'll be on your way to couponing! Next you need to learn the language of couponing! This is fun! Just like the cute little text messages LOLz!
Thanks to southernsavers.com for chart!
| B1G1, BOGO, B1G1F | Buy 1, Get One Free | PG, P&G | Proctor & Gamble Sunday Insert Coupons |
| $/$$ | Dollars off when you buy XX dollars | RP or V | Red Plum Sunday insert coupons |
| .50/1 | Fifty cents off one items | SS | Smartsource Sunday insert coupons |
| .50/3 | Fifty cents off 3 items | Peelie | Coupon that you peel off the package |
| Catalina | Coupon dispensed at the register at the time of purchase (on separate paper) | Blinkie | Coupon dispensed near product, in the store (usually from a “blinking” red box) |
| Tearpad | Pad of refund forms or coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display | eCoupon | Found on the Internet but different because it is uploaded to a card |
| IP | Internet Printable | FAR | Free After Rebate |
| MFR or MQ | Manufacturer or Manufacturer Coupon | MIR | Mail in Rebate |
Store Specific Coupons
| FLIP | Food Lion Internet Printable | ECB | Extra Care Buck (CVS) |
| IVC | Instant Value Coupon (Walgreens store coupon, found in Walgreens Easy Saver Catalog and on in store tearpads) | RR | Register Rewards (these are Catalinas that print out at Walgreens) |
| +UP | Rite Aid Plus Up Reward | SCR | Single Check Rebate (rebate system at Rite Aid) |
Common Phrases
| DND5 | Coupon states Do Not Double, but the bar code starts with a 5, meaning most computers will automatically double it | YMMV | Your Milage May Vary (you may find the item priced differently or it may not work for you the same) |
| OOP | Out of Pocket | NED | No Expiration Date |
| Regional | Coupon value only distributed at a certain time | UPC | Universal Product Code a bar code on the product |
| WYB | When you buy | WSL | While supplies last |
| SASE | Self Addressed Stamped Envelope | CRT | Cash Register Tape (coupon that prints on receipt) |
| BTFE | Box Tops for Education |
Some FYI things alot of people don't know: I have alot of people think that you are only allowed to use ONE coupon for ONE transaction. This IS NOT true. You are allowed to use multiple coupons for ONE transaction. Now some stores allow you to stack manufacturer's coupons with their coupons. And some even do price match guarantee!
Now for the low down on each store:
Walmart:
Walmart is known for their price match guarantee! Which btw is amazing! The only thing I don't like about Wally World is that you can't stack coupons. (Stacking coupons- using a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon) But they do accept competitors coupons as long as it has a readable barcode :) but they will enter it in as a manufacturer coupon so you can't use another coupon on that item :(. Also WalMart offers overage which means that if your coupon exceeds the amount of the product you are using it on the overage goes towards the rest of the purchase.
Target:
Target allows stacking coupons :) Which can get you some good deals!! Target has their own coupons which means that you can use their coupons stacked with a manufacturer coupon! You can print their coupons from home or from the store! I like to print them in store so I don't waste my ink!
Harris Teeter:
Harris Teeter doubles coupons up to .99cents daily and only 20 coupons/day. Which is still amazing! Now they do have double coupon weeks where they double coupons up to $1.98! ANND they have triple coupons where they triple 20 coupons up to .99cents/day! Now I don't know if they do overage, but if they did it would be awesome!
Walgreens:
Walgreens allows stacking of coupons as well! So every month they have several coupon books come out as well as every week they have in ad coupons (can find them in the ad). The coupon books they have are the one that's right by the weekly ads, the baby book, and the pharmacy coupon book. Now you can use one of their coupons plus a manufacturer coupon! For example: I bought a Neutrogena product for $5.99 used the coupon $3.00 off any Neutrogena manufacturer coupon and the Walgreens $2.00 off Neutrogena coupon and it made my purchase only .99cents! They also have a rewards program that gives you money for buying certain products, it's called register rewards. Now they thing with this program is that you have to pay out of pocket (OOP) for the item then you get the coupon for X amount of dollars towards your next purchase. Now beware with doing this type of transaction that if you have more than one item that qualifies for register rewards you have to do them in seperate transactions in order to receive all the register rewards. But also know that you can use coupons to make your intial purchase cheaper!
CVS:
CVS has a rewards as well and it's call ECB (Extra Care Bucks). You have to get registered for this one! Now just like Walgreens you have to pay OOP. The ECB's will print out on your receipt! So keep your receipt! Also when you go into CVS be sure to scan your card at the coupon kiosk because everytime you visit you get a coupon! CVS also allows you to use their coupon along with a manufacturer coupon! Also something I thought was pretty cool and I didn't know until recently. CVS also has a drink rewards program everytime you buy a drink using your ECB card it goes towards a free soda!
