Couponing 101 - All About Kmart

Kmart is becoming more and more popular for couponing since they have started doing Double Coupon week once a month.  Here is their Coupon Policy, but remember, management has the right to accept, refuse, or limit the use of any coupon at its discretion.

Things to Remember:
1. Buy One Get One Free Coupons ("BOGO") cannot be combined (i.e., you cannot use two BOGO coupons on two items and get both for free).
2. You can stack a MF coupon and a Kmart store coupon.
3. They do not accept print-at-home coupons (non-newspaper or periodical clipped coupons) for razors, alkaline batteries, alcohol or tobacco.

Ibotta
Kmart works with Ibotta, so make sure to check your offers before your trip and see if you can match up any offers and coupons.

Double Coupon Week

Double Coupon week is an awesome time to coupon at Kmart, in fact it's the only time I coupon at Kmart.  This year they have been having it once a month, the same week that P&G inserts come out.  The basic rules are:
1. Kmart will double up to 5 Manufacturer coupons.  Make sure to give them the 5 you want doubled first.
2. Kmart will only double coupons that have a value of $2 or less.  You cannot double a couple that is over $2 in value.
3. Your total purchase price must be $25 before coupons.
4. You can only double 5 coupons per day.
5. You can still use as many other coupons as you want, but only 5 can be doubled.

If you plan your trip right, you can walk out with lots of stuff for cheap/free.


Shop Your Way Rewards/Coupons

Sign up HERE to become a Shop Your Way Rewards member.  You will need to do this in order to take advantage of Double Coupon week.  You want to do this anyway because you earn points with Shop Your Way rewards and these deals often help you get free items too.

Points are earned on every purchase you make, as well as special sales (Spend $20, get $20 in points back, etc).  Kmart will also send you surprise points, which usually have a very short time frame to use them in.  A few weeks ago they gave me $10 in surprise points I could use on any $10 purchase.  I was able to get $10 worth of free stuff!  Sometimes there will be restrictions like, $10 in Surprise Points when you spend $40 in a certain department.  This means, if you spend $40, you'll instantly have $10 taken off your total.

When you earn points from a purchase, it usually takes 24 hours to post to your account, so points are not immediately available to use.

You can also load coupons to your Shop Your Way account.  They have MF coupons and Kmart coupons that can be added.  It's a great way to add extra savings!  But remember, if you have coupons loaded to your card, the digital coupon will come off first so if you have a paper coupon you would rather use, you wont be able to.  If you have multiple coupons that are similar ($5 off $40 purchase and a $10 off $40 purchase) or for the same item ($2/1 and $1/1), the highest value coupon will be used.

Couponing 101 - All About Safeway

When I was in WA, one of my favorite stores for couponing was Safeway.  You can easily load MF coupons onto your Safeway card.  Just sign up for Safeway's Just4U and register your card.  Not only can you load MF coupons to your card, but they also give you special coupons/pricing based on your shopping history.  These coupons/pricing were created Just For You.  

Make sure to check the entire Coupon Policy before making your first trip.

Things to remember:
1. Safeway will accept a MF coupon and a Store coupon on an item.

2. If you have a MF coupon loaded onto your Safeway card, you will not be able to use another MF coupon on that same item.  Make sure you know what's on your card before going, in case you would rather use a paper coupon.

Doubling Policy:
"Check with your local store regarding “double coupon” promotions where customers will receive double the manufacturer coupon face value off the regular or club card price up to the identified limit. Not all locations offer double coupon promotions and the terms of such promotions may differ by time and store. Limitations and restrictions for double coupon promotions may change at any time. Changes will be posted in store only. “Double coupon” promotions do not apply to any internet or digital coupons except for applicable internet printed manufacturer coupons. These explanations and restrictions on “double coupons” apply to any promotion that increases the value of a manufacturer coupon beyond its face value."

Ibotta also works at Safeway, saving you even more money.

Download the Safeway App for your phone for instant access to downloading coupons to your card.

Couponing 101 - Couponing at Family Dollar, Dollar General

If you have a Dollar General or Family Dollar near you, you definitely want to check them out and watch for some hot deals.  These stores are great for couponing.  Maybe not regular, every day shopping but they come out with some awesome deals, you just have to watch for it.  So, here's some info about shopping at Dollar General and Family Dollar.

First of all, sign up for their Mobile Coupons by texting JOIN to 34898.  Sometimes you can find DG coupons in the Sunday ad and you can also print DG Coupons on their website.  While you're there, make sure to check out the Coupon Policy.

Things to remember

1. They DO allow stacking of one MF coupon and one DG coupon on an item.

2. They will NOT give you cash back if the value of the coupon exceeds the purchase price of the item.

You just have to watch for deals with these guys.  Make sure to check out their weekly ad to find matchups and deals.

You can get FD Mobile Coupons by texing DEALS to 28767 or going to m.familydollar.com on your phone.

They also have coupons in their weekly ad.  Make sure to check out their Coupon Policy.

Things to remember
1. They DO allow stacking of one MF coupon and one FD coupon
2. Family Dollar $5 off $25 coupon is accepted as long as the net purchase, AFTER all other offers, (coupons and/or discounts) have been applied is $25 or more.
3. They do not talk about overages in their policy, so it is open to interpretation by employees.  You may or may not be allowed overages.

Keep an eye out for deals and always check their weekly ad for coupon matchups.

Couponing 101 - Couponing at a Military Commissary

The Commissary is a great place to coupon.  Their prices are low to begin with on most food items, so when you add coupons and Ibotta, it just makes the savings even better.

Make sure to check out their Coupon Policy.  They usually have this booklet at the stores, too.

Things to Remember
1. They do not allow stacking of coupons.  They consider "Military" and "Commissary" coupons Manufacturer coupons, so you cannot stack them with another MF coupon.
2. They DO allow overages and will give you a gift card if the overage is over $24.99.
3. They will take a coupon on a clearance item but the cashier has to manually enter the coupon since they do not actually scan the clearance products.

Make sure to sign up for the Commissary Rewards card.  You can grab a card in the store and then sign up HERE online and load digital coupons to your card.

You can also download their app onto your iPhone here.

If you have an Android, you can install the Smart Source Xpress app which will load coupons onto your Commissary Rewards card.

The Commissary is a great place for grabbing cheap/free items regularly.  Couponing at the Commissary is pretty straight forward...One coupon per item.  No stacking.  And remember, you can use Ibotta at the Commissary to save even more.

Couponing 101 - Couponing at CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens

Let's talk about couponing at Drugstores.  While they have some great deals, it can be pretty confusing. UpRewards, Balance and Register Rewards and ExtraBucks?  What exactly are they and how do they work?

Make sure to read their full Coupon Policy before planning your trip.

Things to Remember
1. In the event that any item's price is less than the value of the coupon, CVS will only accept the coupon only to the price of the item. CVS/pharmacy does not provide cash back in exchange for any coupons.

2. CVS/pharmacy accepts one manufacturer coupon and applicable CVS/pharmacy coupon(s) per item, unless prohibited by either coupon offer. 

3. There is no limit to the number of ExtraBucks Rewards that may be used in a transaction as long as it does not exceed the transaction total. 

4. Two coupons may be used on a Buy One, Get One Free promotion as long as it does not exceed the item total  - Example: Suave Shampoo is on sale for $2.00 Buy One, Get One Free and the customer is purchasing two shampoos; customer may use two coupons for $1.00 each and pay the applicable tax. 

5. Buy One, Get One Free promotions may be combined with Buy One, Get One Free Coupons. Customers are responsible for paying applicable tax - Example: Suave Shampoo is on sale for $2.00 BOGO and customer has a MFG coupon for Suave BOGO. Customer will receive both items for free but will need to pay any applicable tax. 

CVS ExtraCare

Sign up for their ExtraCare card and you will be able to take advantage of their ExtraSavings and ExtraCareBucks (ECB) rewards.  With their ExtraSavings program, you will get personalized coupons via online, on your receipt and at the ExtraCare Coupon Center.  You will also get automatic myWeekly Ad sale prices and additional savings with ExtraCare emails.

You can use your ExtraBucks like CVS cash.  Earn 2% on your everyday purchases and earn them through purchasing items that are attached to an ECB deal.  

This is how to do an ECB sale deal:

Pond’s towelettes or facial cream - sale price $5.99

Receive $2.00 ECBs when you purchase one.

Pay $5.99 OOP and receive $2.00 ECBs on your receipt. It's like spending $3.99 instead of the regular sale price because you can use the $2.00 ECBs on your next purchase.

Or let's say you grab this deal

Get $4 ExtraBucks Rewards when you spend $10 on Dial body wash, ANY Right Guard or Dry Idea antiperspirant/deodorant.
Pay $10.00 OOP (or less if you have coupons) and receive $4.00 ECBs on your receipt for your next purchase.

*Remember that you can not use ECBs on the same items (an ECB from deodorant on another deodorant). Let's take the reward example from above and combine with another ECB deal.

Listerine Total Care, UltraClean rinse or Reach floss $3.99 (plus $1.00 ECB rewards for next purchase)

Use $4.00 ECB Reward from Dial deal above.  

Pay nothing out of pocket and receive $1.00 on your receipt from the Listerine.

**Remember, You will need to use the amount listed on the receipt at once and CVS does not refund back any ECB differences back. So if you have a $15.00 ECB receipt and use it towards a $13.99 purchase, you will not receive the $1.01 difference.

Become a CVS Adviser

Sign up to become a CVS adviser and receive survey invitations.  Throughout the year, they will send you invitations to participate in online surveys about CVS products and services. If you choose to participate in the surveys, they will thank you for your time by providing you with a self-printable CVS ExtraBucks coupon immediately after completing the survey.

Here is Rite Aid's Coupon Policy.

Things to Remember

1. Coupon redemption can never exceed the selling price of an item and no cash back is allowed.

2. When making a return for a product that had a coupon attached, Rite Aid cannot refund cash for the value of the coupon and cannot return the coupon that was used.  

3. More than one coupon can be used on the purchase of a single item under the following conditions:

*All coupons match the item being purchased.

*The total of the coupons is equal to or less than the selling price of the item before sales tax.

*No more than one “48” Rite Aid Valuable coupon, one “49” Rite Aid Manufacturer coupon, and one “5” Manufacturer coupon can be used on a single item. 

4. Rite Aid may accept up to 4 identical coupons for the same number of qualifying items as long as there is sufficient stock to satisfy other customers within the store manager’s sole discretion.

Up Rewards

How to Use and Earn Up Rewards

1. Purchase featured +UP Rewards products and receive discounts on those products simply by scanning your wellness+ card at the register

2. Earn +UP Rewards when you check out. The rewards - worth money off your next Rite Aid purchase -will load automatically onto your wellness+ card. Or, if you prefer, you can ask a store associate to opt you out of having your rewards automatically load onto your card. Your +UP Rewards will be printed on your receipt instead.

To save on your next visit to your local Rite Aid, just scan your card (or receipt) and redeem your Up Rewards.

*Remember - +UP Rewards load directly on your wellness+ card and can be redeemed after 6am local time the next day after issuance. +UP Rewards are valid for 14 days after issuance. +UP Reward will automatically be deducted from next qualifying purchase when you scan your card.

These rewards work like most others, you buy an item for (example) $6.99 and receive $4.00 Up Rewards that you can use on your next purchase.  It's like paying $2.99 because you can use the $4 Up Rewards on your next trip, just make sure to use it within 14 days!

And lastly, Walgreens.  Read their Coupon Policy here.

Things to Remember

1. The total value of the coupons may not exceed the value of the transaction. Sales tax must be paid, if required by state law.  Coupon redemption can never exceed the selling price of an item and no cash back is ever provided in exchange for any coupons.

2. When purchasing a single item, Walgreens accepts one manufacturer coupon and applicable Walgreens coupon(s) for the purchase of a single item, unless prohibited by either coupon offer.

3. When purchasing multiple items, Walgreens accepts multiple identical coupons for multiple qualifying items as long as there is sufficient stock to satisfy other customers, unless a limit is specified. Management reserves the right to limit the quantity of items purchased. Customer and employee purchases of excessive quantities of advertised items is not permitted. An excessive quantity is any quantity above and beyond normal household usage.

4. When items are featured in a Buy One, Get One Free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the items being purchased.

Sales tax must be paid for any Buy One, Get One Free coupon offers, if required by applicable state laws.

Balance Rewards

Balance Rewards are points.  1,000 = $1.  You must have 5,000 points before you can redeem for $5. Here are the other increments at which you can redeem:

10,000 Points = $10

18,000 Points = $20

30, 000 Points = $35

40, 000 Points = $50

Points do not expire for 3 years as long as the account remains active.  If the account goes inactive for 6 months, the points will expire. 

You earn points just like the other rewards programs, buy a specific item and get X points good on next purchase.  You just have to have at least 5,000 points to redeem.  

When it comes to receiving and redeeming points, you need to plan your transactions carefully.  You cannot earn more points if you pay for an item with points.  So, if you wish to redeem your points, do not do it in a transaction where you would earn points by buying a certain product.

You can sign up for Balance Rewards on Walgreens Website or in store.

You can earn extra points online by signing up for Steps with Balance Rewards.

Register Rewards
Register Rewards are Manufacturer Coupons that print out on a Catalina at the end of your transaction to use on your next purchase.  While they are MF coupons, they are only good at Walgreens.

When redeeming a Register Reward, Coupon Value cannot exceed purchase amount.  Total number of MF coupons/Register Rewards cannot exceed the number of items in the transactions.*

*This is when you may need to use a FILLER item.

Let's say you received a $2 Register Reward and you want to use it to lower your OOP in a coupon deal.  Let's say Purex is on sale 2 for $3.  You have a $1/2 MF coupon.  If you used your $2 Register Reward, that would give you the Purex for FREE (Buy 2 = $3 - $1/2 MF = $2 - $2 Register Reward = FREE).  However, the $1/2 MF coupon covers both items.  You need to add a FILLER item.  Throw in a pack of gum for $0.25 and now you can use your $2 register reward and just pay for the $0.25 pack of gum.

Also remember, when using a Register Reward, you can use to pay for just about anything in the store, except for the same item which you received the reward for.  For example, if you received the reward for purchasing Reach Toothbrushes, you would NOT receive another Register Reward if you purchased another Reach Toothbrush and used your Previous Register Reward.

Couponing 101 - Couponing at Walmart

Walmart used to be one of the top coupon friendly stores,  however, things are changing and they are becoming more strict with their policy.  Read Walmart's Coupon Policy here.  But, they still have some great potential for couponing.

Things to remember
1. Walmart will not accept a coupon if it does not scan, even if the product matches
2. B1G1 Free coupons printed at home must have a specified price
3. Walmart DOES allow overages, which can be applied to your basket purchase or given back as cash

Walmart accepts most Manufacturer coupons, as long as they meet the guidelines outlined in their coupon policy (always carry a copy with you).  Walmart does not have their own coupons, so couponing at Walmart is pretty straight forward.  One coupon per item.  Walmart will remain a great place to coupon because of their overage policy, as most stores do not allow overages or will adjust down the value of the coupon to match the price of the item.  With Walmart's Everyday Low Prices, it is pretty easy to find items you can get for free with coupons.

Walmart will accept Catalina coupons printed from other retailers as long as they state "Manufacturer Coupon".  They will also accept competitors coupons if the coupon meets these requirements: Has a specific item for a specified price (for example $2.99), Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price and they have a valid expiration date.

Ibotta
Walmart works with Ibotta, so make sure to check your offers before your trip and see if you can match up any offers and coupons.  Walmart has some exclusive offers on Ibotta, which can only be redeemed at Walmart.  Check it out.

Ad Matching
Walmart does ad matching.  Remember to bring your ad with you.  Here are their guidelines:

We gladly match the price in the following types of ads:

• Buy one, get one free ads with a specified price (Example: Buy one for $2.49, get one free (BOGO))
• Competitors' ads that feature a specific item for a specified price
• Preferred shopping card prices for specific items that are in a printed ad
• For fresh produce and meat items when the price is offered in the same unit type (lb. for lb.; each for each)

*The following are guidelines and limitations:

• We will match any local competitor's advertised price.
• We do not require customers to have the ad with them to honor a competitor's ad.
• Items purchased must be identical to the ad (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc.)

We do not match the price in the following types of competitor ads:

• Items that require a separate purchase to get the ad price (example: "Buy [item A] to get [item B] for $C")
• Items with no actual price that require a purchase to get free product (example: "Buy both [items A & B] to get [item C] for free")
• Items that require a purchase to get a competitors' gift card (example: "Buy [item A] to get a $B gift card)
• Buy one, get one free (BOGO) ads with no actual price given
• Going out of business or closeout prices
• Percentage off
• example: "All mascara, 40% off"
• Competitors' private label price promotions

We do not honor:

• Ads when the actual price for items cannot be determined
• Internet pricing
• Misprinted ad prices of other retailers
• "Going out of business" sales or "closeout" prices

Let's Talk Overages and Freebies

So, you're a newbie couponer and you're wondering...  How do people get all that stuff for free?!  Or how they get 10 bottles of laundry detergent for $1?  Let's talk about how that works.

Overages
Overages are awesome.  You'll want to check your store's coupon policy and see if they allow for overages.  Some stores do not and will adjust down the price of your coupon so you just get the item for free, no overage.  But some stores, like Walmart, allow for overages which can make for some awesome deals.  The most recent that I've come across is the McCormick Gourmet coupons (NLA, you gotta watch for when these come back around and print them ASAP).  These sell for $1 or less which gives you $1 overage for each that you buy and use a $2 coupon with.  If you were able to print 10 coupons and bought 10 spices, you would have $10 in overage that you could apply to other items.

Freebies

We all love free stuff but it isn't always so easy to come by.  You really gotta watch for the free items, people tend to jump on it pretty quick and will wipe out shelves.  Here are a couple examples of some great free items recently.

All Detergent at Family Dollar

Family Dollar had a one day deal last week.  All Detergent was on sale for $3.50 and they had a text code that gave you $2.50 off that price.  You could also use a MF coupon ($1/1) which made the detergent FREE.  

This is a freebie you can easily grab, as it's not advertised nor very popular, but makes for a great quick lunch.  

They are $1 at the Commissary, you can also find these at Walmart and Target.  Use $1/1 Printable Coupon and it's free!  You can also snag some Asian Garden Tai Pei for cheap, as they are regularly priced at $1.50-$2.

So that's how people do it, they get multiple coupons and use coupons that makes items free and free with overages.

Here are some of my favorite free and cheap purchases

This was one of my favorite purchases, all thanks to coupons and Ibotta.  These were purchased at Winco (in WA state), Target and Free yogurt at Safeway.

This was another fun trip, I made money off this purchase thanks to Ibotta and coupons.

More cheap items at Target and Winco, thanks to Ibotta and coupons.

This was a purchase made with Target Mobile coupons, Target Cartwheel, MF coupons and Ibotta.

Couponing 101 - How To Get Started - A Must Read For Beginners

Every day I see people asking to be shown how to coupon.  People wanting to learn to coupon.  Offering to pay someone else to teach them to coupon.  I believe 100% that you do not need to spend money, to save money.  And that you do not have to attend a class to learn to coupon.  Classes are definitely helpful but if you want to learn, and I mean really want to learn, then you can EASILY learn online, without paying someone else and without attending any classes.  That's why I created this blog.  That's why I put so much time into this for you, so you can learn without paying anything and without attending a class (because they really can be hard to find).

If you are going to learn yourself, online, you must be diligent and you must put some time into it.  Read blogs, research things, ask questions to other couponers and jump in head first.  You'll find that's it really very easy.  The hardest part of couponing is simply finding the deals and getting the coupons for the deals.  That's it.  That's all that can be difficult sometimes.

First of all, I want to tell you, that I am NOT an extreme couponer nor do I want to be.  Do I get stuff for free?  Absolutely.  Do I have more than a years worth of stockpile of anything in my home?  Maybe toothpaste, but that's about it.  Generally, you don't have to buy a massive stockpile of anything because sales do come around, again and again.  I never pay for (or pay very little for) toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, toilet paper, paper towels...  I get free/really cheap food all the time.  I am a simple couponer, I don't get anything I don't need or wont use, unless I plan to give it away (which I've done in the past many time, if I can help a struggling family, I will definitely get things I don't need).  That said, I could easily start extreme couponing.  And you can too.  BUT I want to tell you one thing that most of these extreme couponers/massive stockpilers don't...  They don't tell you how much their paid for the coupons they used.  Do they still get awesome deals?  Yes, they do.  But it's not always "Completely Free".  They either paid for the newspaper, used a clipping service, or got their inserts in bulk from a coupon fairy.

As you can see, my stockpile is modest.  This is stockpile of detergents.  It doesn't look like grocery store shelves, but it's a decent little stockpile.

My stockpile is a constant work in progress.  It's not always easy to find room for everything.

There was recently a deal at Family Dollar that would get you FREE All Laundry Detergent.  I was able to print 2 x $1/1 coupons a few weeks ago and I had those on hand already, it didn't cost an amount I can even track to print those on 1 piece of paper.  But, for those who purchased 10-20 All Detergents, well here's how much one person paid for 10 coupons on Ebay:

There was also $0.45 shipping.  So, if this person was going for the FD deal, they actually paid $11.95 for 10 All Detergent, which is over $1 each.  Again, not a bad price, but when they tell all their friends about it... They said it was completely free, which just isn't the case.  I just don't want there to be any misconceptions about extreme couponing and stockpiling.  It IS going to cost you some money, you wont actually get everything completely free.  Unless you can find someone to give you a ton of inserts, you are going to have to pay a little bit for coupons.  But hey, $12 for 10 bottles of laundry detergent?  AWESOME deal still.  Now, you can of course get coupons for much cheaper than this, through a clipping service or Coupon Fairy.

Read more about stockpiling HERE.

So, now you've heard my speech.  Let's talk about couponing.

First, where do you get coupons?  I have a whole page written up about it, check it out here and here:

Where is the best place to get coupons?  This is probably one of the first questions you will ask as a newbie couponer.  And the answer is...  All over the place.

Obviously, your first option is the Sunday newspaper.  Check out the Sunday Coupon Preview every week to see what coupons are coming up in the paper and decide if you want to buy it or not.  Remember, inserts are regional so different areas will get different coupons.  The Dollar Store sells papers for $1 but you  may have to get there early to claim yours.

There are some different clipping services online for coupons and inserts.  Many local groups, like my own, also offer Coupon Clipping Services.  However, my go to when I do not have access to a certain coupon, is Coupon Flea Market.  

Print coupon online.  

You can print coupons right here on my blog (Same coupons you will find on coupons.com).  You can also print coupons on these sites:

Smart Source

Hopster -  Not a lot of selection, but you have the option to "Boost" the value of your coupons!

Save.com

Target - Target store coupons and MF coupons

Swagbucks - Earn Swagbucks when you print and redeem coupons

Mobile Coupons

Target – Text OFFERS to 827438

Family Dollar – Text DEALS to 28767

Dollar General – Text JOIN to 34898

Here are some online coupon databases, which are pretty awesome if you are searching for something particular

The Krazy Coupon Lady

Southern Savers

More and more companies are giving out coupons on their Facebook Page.  You can usually get some pretty high value coupons during special promotions.

It never hurts to just ask a company for a coupon.  I have received many coupons from companies, just for asking for coupons.  

Also check out:
Kellogg's Family Rewards
Pillsbury
Betty Crocker
All Kimberly-Clark sites (You will have one logon and password good for all the sites)

__________________________________________________________

Now that you have coupons, you need to find a system of keeping them and keeping them organized.  Most people find a Coupon Binder is the easiest and more resourceful option.  I have mine organized by Category (Food, Household, Personal Care, Baby, Pets).

On average I get 10 insert sets a week and this is the easiest way for me to store and organize bulk coupons.  You can make your own coupon binder or buy one premade.

A coupon binder is going to cost you, $10-$40, depending on what you get and who you get it from.  I sell them for $10 each.

The most important thing is to figure out what works for you and get organized.

_______________________________________________

Now that you are organized, it's time to use those coupons!

Here's some basic lingo you're gonna want to know...

$1/1 = Indicates the value of a coupon, in this case $1 off 1 item
AC: After Coupon
AR: After Rebate
CAT, Catalina: Coupons which print at the register after your purchase is made.
CPN: Coupon
DND: Do Not Double
Double: A coupon that can  be doubled in value
ETS: Excludes Trial Size
MFG, MFR: Manufacturer
OOP = Out of Pocket
P&G: Proctor & Gamble coupon insert
Q: Coupon
RP: Red Plum
SS: Smart Source
Stacking: Using a manufacturer coupon in addition to a store coupon for an even lower price
WYB: When you buy

Check out every store's Coupon Policy before you go, learn what they do and do not allow.
Coupon Policies

*I'm an working creating a page about couponing at each of these stores and I will update with a link as I complete each one.

Albertsons
CVS Pharmacy
Commissary
Dollar General
Family Dollar
Fred Meyer
Rite Aid
Safeway
Target
Walgreens
Walmart
Winco

So, now you know where to get coupons, how to get organized, how to shop at each store...  Now, how do you know where to get deals and what coupons to use?

I follow blogs.  I also find deals on my own, but I've been couponing for years.  Follow my blog and others for the best deals.  We will always give you a break down of what coupons to use, where to get the coupons and how the deal works.  If you have questions, always ask!  I have not seen a blogger who isn't more than happy to help anyone with their questions.

So, that's pretty much it.  Now go get some deals!

Awesome New Shopping App - Favado - Get Your Favorite Stores Deals, Coupons and More, All In One Place!

I want to tell you about this AWESOME new shopping app - Favado.  It's FREE and it's Amazing!

Not only will it give you push notifications when your favorite items are on sale at your local stores, but you can compare prices from different stores right in the app!  Let Favado help you "know before you go", so you’ll never miss a great price on the products you regularly purchase.

Favado tells you which store has the best deals to help you decide which stores to add to your errand list each week.

No more buying something for $3.99 at Walmart only to go to Target and find it for $2.99!  You can quickly search and find out which local store has the lowest prices for the items you buy each week. Or, rest assured knowing that you got the best deal on that last minute ingredient you had to pick up for dinner or impromptu gathering.

Let Favado help you match up available Coupons and Ibotta offers, all from the Favado App!  Even for items that will be FREE after coupons!

Favado's Core Features include:

• Compare prices: Favado features sales information for your favorite grocery,drug, and big box chain stores that touch every corner of the country. Easily compare prices on specific items or categories across multiple stores at once.
• Easy organization: Save the sales you want to your list, organized by store.Email the list to yourself and access opportunities for additional savings.
• Top deals: Favado partners with the nation’s top money saving bloggers who provide additional regional sales data. These experts pick their favorite “top deals” for the week to help shoppers save even more.
• Personalized sales: Most people buy the same items week to week. Save favorite products and brands to the “Faves” list to see stores offering sales on preferred items.
• Notifications: Hate missing a new sale? We’ll send notifications of new sales for stores you select.
• Coupon matching: Ever bought something to realize later there was a coupon for it? Stacking grocery coupons on top of sales is the secret weapon for a lot of shoppers. Favado lets shoppers know when additional savings are available and where to find them to get the best possible price. Extra savings examples include: ecoupons, newspaper inserts, even mail-in-rebate offers.

Favado allows you to personalize the deals on your favorite products and make finding the best price for what you need so fast and simple. And you can compare deals and sales at the different stores in your area. And, you can build your grocery list with items you regularly buy, along with those on sale. With Favado, you can rest easy knowing that you're always getting the best deal and spending as little as possible for your groceries each week.

Time is money, and Favado is here to help you save time, and money, and more money. Favado's shopping list allows you to keep track of what you need as you go about your week. You can add a few things while waiting for school to get out. You can browse the deals and products in the top sales category while you're waiting for

Favado is so handy, and with you wherever you go, so there's no reason to miss a deal, or miss an item on your list. (Who likes having to go back to the store for that one thing you forgot!)

1. Add to List button.

2. Email your list and coupons. Share your list.

4. Mark off your list while you're shopping.

5. Clear your list.

Favado's shopping list will help you save time and sanity, as you'll never have to worry about missing an item again. And you won't have to worry about leaving your list on the counter, or front seat of the car either.

Download the app today and start saving even more!

Couponing 101 - Where To Get Coupons

Where is the best place to get coupons?  This is probably one of the first questions you will ask as a newbie couponer.  And the answer is...  All over the place.

Obviously, your first option is the Sunday newspaper.  Check out the Sunday Coupon Preview every week to see what coupons are coming up in the paper and decide if you want to buy it or not.  Remember, inserts are regional so different areas will get different coupons.  The Dollar Store sells papers for $1 but you  may have to get there early to claim yours.

If you're in an area that has lousy inserts (Like El Paso, TX) then you may want to find a local coupon group that brings in inserts from other areas.  I run a group like this myself.  

There are some different clipping services online for coupons and inserts.  My favorite is Coupon Flea Market.  

Print coupon online.  

You can print coupons right here on my blog (Same coupons you will find on coupons.com).  You can also print coupons on these sites:

Smart Source

Hopster -  Not a lot of selection, but you have the option to "Boost" the value of your coupons!

Save.com

Target - Target store coupons and MF coupons

Swagbucks - Earn Swagbucks when you print and redeem coupons

Mobile Coupons

Target – Text OFFERS to 827438

Family Dollar – Text DEALS to 28767

Dollar General – Text JOIN to 3489

Here are some online coupon databases, which are pretty awesome if you are searching for something particular

The Krazy Coupon Lady

Southern Savers

More and more companies are giving out coupons on their Facebook Page.  You can usually get some pretty high value coupons during special promotions.

It never hurts to just ask a company for a coupon.  I have received many coupons from companies, just for asking for coupons.  

Also check out:
Kellogg's Family Rewards
Pillsbury
Betty Crocker
All Kimberly-Clark sites (You will have one logon and password good for all the sites)

Couponing 101 - Couponing at Target

Target is probably my favorite place to coupon regularly.  Even without coupons, there are always some awesome deals.  One of my favorite things about Target is all the stacking you can do.  Target Store Coupons, Target Mobile Coupons, MF Coupons, Target Cartwheel, Ibotta...  Whew, that's a lot of stuff to use all on one item and it can get confusing if you aren't sure how things work.  So, let's talk about how couponing at Target works...

First, check out Target's Coupon Policy.  It's always a good idea to check out a store's policy so you know the rules.

Main things to remember
1. Target allows ONE MF coupon and ONE Target coupon and ONE Cartwheel on an item.
2. They do not accept print at home coupons for a FREE item if there are no requirements (such as "up to $3.99 value")

Target Store Coupons

Check out and print Target Store Coupons here.  You can use ONE Target Store Coupon and ONE Manufacture Coupon on an item.  This is called Stacking.  If you have a MF coupon for $1/1 and a Target Coupon for $1/1, then you can save a total of $2 off that one item when using both coupons.  If you have a BOGO Coupon, you cannot use another BOGO coupon with it but you can use a cents/dollars off coupon, as long as one is a Target Coupon and one is a MF Coupon.

Target Mobile Coupons
Sign up to receive coupons by text messages by texting COUPONS to 827438.  They have special coupon codes to text throughout the month to get special Mobile Coupons other than the regular offers, so watch the blog for these codes.  These coupons can only be used once.  Target Mobile coupons and printed Target Store coupons cannot be used on the same item, as they are both Target coupons.

Using Mobile Coupons
There will be a link in the text message that opens an image like this (only you will see a full barcode at the top):

The Target associate will scan the barcode and any coupons that can be applied will be.  You can also copy the web address and type it into your home computer and print out a copy of this, so they can scan it like a regular coupon or you can take a screen shot and save it as a picture for quick access, especially a good idea if you are using multiple Target Mobile Coupons.  

Target Cartwheel

Sign up for Target Cartwheel here.  Target Cartwheel is another way to get extra savings at Target.  Browse through their offers and Add them to your cartwheel.  Once you've added all the offers you can, you can print out your Cartwheel (there will be a barcode at the top of the page) and this is what the associate will scan.  You're barcode wont change even when you make changes to your offers, so you can reuse the same print out over and over.  Have the associate scan your cartwheel last, they must scan all coupons before you can scan the cartwheel.  You can also download the Target Cartwheel app on your phone.  I love this app because I can make changes to my Cartwheel while I'm in the store.  You can use a Cartwheel offer with a MF coupon and/or a Target Store Coupon, making a triple stack of savings.

EXAMPLE:

Strawberries $1.99

Target Cartwheel - $0.10

Target Mobile Coupon - $1.00

MF Coupon - $0.75

Final Price = $0.14

Ibotta
Target works with Ibotta, an app that you download to your phone that gives you CASH back for items (It's cash, not coupons).  Not only can you redeem any of the regular offers Ibotta has at Target, but they have special Store Extras that can only be redeemed at Target.  Since Ibotta is a Cash Back offer, not a coupon, it can be used regardless of any coupons you use.

EXAMPLE
Kids Cliff ZBars $2.99
MF Coupon - $1.00 (x2)
Target Store Coupon $1/2
*Buy 2 boxes, use 2 MF coupons and 1 Target coupon
Pay $3.98
Ibotta Offer $1 Cash Back
Ibotta Bonus $1 for buying 2
Final Price after rebate = $1.98 or $.99 each

Read more about Ibotta here.

And I think that about covers it...  Questions?  Let me know!


NOTE****Totally Target is an awesome page to follow for everything Target related!

Couponing 101 - All About Ibotta

Ibotta is my favorite app for saving money and I would say, probably the best app out there for cash back rebates.  I mean, c'mon.  What other app gives you money back for shopping?  AND gives you bonuses just for redeeming multiple offers?  Since May of 2013, I have received over $540 back from Ibotta.

So, what is Ibotta?

Ibotta is an app that you download to your phone that gives you CASH back for items (It's cash, not coupons), so you can use it regardless of any coupons.

I LOVE IBOTTA!  Oh. My. Goodness.  It has quickly become my favorite was to shop and save money.  Within the first month I got over $60 cash back from them.  I didn't even spend that much money on items.  I got a lot of free stuff after getting the cash back.  They paid me to take stuff home!  How awesome is that?

Is Ibotta Really Free?

Yes, yes, yes!  Completely free.  You just download the app to your phone, link it to your Facebook and Twitter (Optional but you'll need to to complete some of the offers) and give them your email address that is linked to your Paypal account (this is just so they can send you money!).  You can also choose Gift Cards as a payment method.  The minimum payout is $20.00.

Where can you use Ibotta and how does it work?
Ibotta is adding new stores all the time!

Currently you can redeem offers in these Categories:

Inside each category, you will find a list of participating stores.  Choose which store you would like to shop at and see the offers available.  Some will be general offers that can be redeemed at any store and are listed under every store.  Then there will be "Exclusive" offers under some stores that can only be redeemed at that store.

Click "Unlock" on the item you want to redeem.

It will either Unlock right away

Or have you complete a task, like Watch a video or read a recipe, maybe even leave feedback.

Now, go buy your items!  Most of Ibotta's offers are items that you buy and use anyway and now you have a way to get money back on the things you normally buy!  Remember, Ibotta can be used regardless of any other offers, specials, sales or coupons used.  This is a great way to end up with free items and even overages.

Once you purchase the item, you click "Redeem" in the app and scan your receipt, then the barcode on the item purchased (It will walk you through this process).

After the receipt is submitted, it takes up to 48 hours to process (Mine have processed within minutes at times!).  Once it is processed, you earn the money that was on the offer!  Once you have $20 you can have them send it to your Paypal account or choose a Gift Card.  It's that easy! 

Ibotta also has fun Teamwork Bonuses that give you extra money back when you redeem certain amounts of rebates, etc.  Check it out every month and see how much extra you can make!

How do you get Ibotta?

Go here to sign up and download the app!

Ibotta works at most retailers, just check the list and make sure the store you want to shop is there before making purchases!