Thursday, December 8, 2011

What and How of Couponing

Newspaper Coupons

What’s a coupon insert?
Coupon inserts come in your Sunday newspaper. Find them amongst the retail ads. They are nearly always put out by one of three companies:
SS: Smart Source
RP: Red Plum
PG: Proctor & Gamble (once per month)

How do I get the coupons?

Subscribe to the newspaper! In fact, we suggest you subscribe to 4-6 copies of the Sunday paper.
Talk to your local convenience store or hotel to see if they’ll give their old papers to you.
Check coffee shops and fast food restaurants where you’re a patron.
Ask your friends, family, co-workers, church members if they’ll save their inserts for you.
Buy coupons (pay a handling fee) by purchasing coupons from sites like thecouponclippers.com
Purchase off the stand from stores like Walmart that sell the Sunday Paper all week.

How do I get a coupon from an old date? Like SS 8/30?

When we refer to a date, this means the coupon came from a Sunday newspaper insert. You need to start saving all your coupon inserts and either clipping and organizing by category or organizing un-clipped coupons by date. If you have not been saving your inserts or if you’re new and we post about a coupon from a past week, you’ll be a bit out of luck. Always consider buying clipped coupons online if you want an item badly enough.

Where are my inserts?

Holiday weekends carry no inserts. If you didn’t receive your inserts on any other week, contact your newspaper provider and request they be delivered to you. If you are purchasing off the stand, you MUST check your paper for coupon inserts before you pay. Once you pay for your newspaper, you are out of luck if there are no coupons inside.

How do I get a preview of the upcoming coupons?

Check out TaylorTownPreview.com or SundayCouponPreview.com and watch for the Sunday insert preview each Saturday.

Why didn’t I get the coupons I saw in the preview?

Coupons and values vary by region. If you live in an area that doubles all coupons $0.50 and under, you will see more $1.00/2 coupons to prevent you from doubling. Just like store prices and promotions, coupon values also vary based on grocery competition in your area. The more stores you have aggressively competing for your business, the better for you!

What can I do with my expired coupons?

Donate them to a military family stationed overseas! Coupons may be used up to six months past their expiration date at overseas military commissaries. Join KCL in donating to US Air Force Okinawa, Japan. At the end of each month, send your coupons to our expired coupon rep who’ll mail them to Japan once per month. More info here


Printable Coupons

How do I find printable coupons?
Printable coupon database is your one-stop for the most user-friendly and comprehensive printable coupon list on the web! In addition to coupons from a variety of manufacturer’s sites, the database provides coupons from sources such as these:
Coupons.com
SmartSource.com
RedPlum.com

How many times may I print each coupon?

You can print nearly all coupons two times per computer by using the back browser (the little < sign in your toolbar). Hit the back button and then click “resend” to print the coupon a second time! Some printable coupon sites, you have to manually go back and reselect the coupon a second time.

How can I search the printable coupon database?


Hold down Ctrl + S. This will bring up a search box, then you can search the database for a particular brand or product.

What does it mean when a coupon says “Do not Double”?
This is meant to communicate to the retailer, they will not be reimbursed for any greater than the value of the coupon. A store may or may not double your coupon that reads “do not double” as part of a store doubling promotion. The wording is there to protect the manufacturer.

eCoupons

What is an eCoupon?
An eCoupon is an electronic coupon get online in a similar manner to a printable coupon. Instead of printing the coupon, you load it onto your store loyalty card. When you scan your loyalty card at the cash register, or give your phone number, you will automatically receive the savings if you’ve made a qualifying purchase.

Where do I find eCoupons?
ECoupons may be loaded to your store loyalty card from the following sources:
Cellfire.com
Shortcuts.com
PGeSAVER.com
Upromise.com


Let’s go Shopping!

How do you calculate your final prices?


Final Prices can get confusing when the items listed are part of a store promotion. Here’s an example of a typical store promo: Buy 4 participating items and save $4.00 instantly at the cash register.

scenario1

Here is another common store promotion. Spend minimum of $30.00 on participating products and receive a catalina coupon worth $15 on your next order. We report final prices based on the assumption that you will do more than one transaction while ‘rolling’ your $15 off catalina from one transaction to the next! On the below scenario, your first transaction you will actually pay more ($1.25 out of pocket) for the Nature Valley Granola Bars. But you will complete your first transaction by receiving a $15 coupon good toward any next purchase (excludes alcohol and lottery tickets). The savings we report factors in the $15 catalina coupon. On your second, third, etc transactions, your actual out of pocket will match our reported final price because you’ll be redeeming your $15 catalina in addition to manufacturer coupons.

scenario2

What does it mean to “roll” a catalina?


This refers to the practice of separating your purchase into multiple transactions in order to use register catalina coupons from your first transaction to pay for your second transaction. Another catalina prints from the 2nd transaction that pays for the 3rd transaction and so on.

When a store promotion specifies Spend $25, save $10, does the $25 have to be my total after I present my coupons?

No! You only must reach a minimum of $25 before tax. You may pay with as many coupons as you have. Even if your total after coupons is only $11.00, you will still save that advertised $10.00.

How do I know which coupons I can use together to “stack”?


You may only use one manufacturer coupon per item. A manufacturer coupon and a store coupon may be used together to purchase one item as long as neither coupon prohibits it.

Manufacturer coupons will state “Manufacturer coupon” across the top of the coupons.

Newspaper insert coupons: 99% of the time these are manufacturer coupons. Occasionally, Target will have store coupons in the Sunday paper as well.

Printable coupons: Again, most printable coupons are manufacturer.

Blinkies: Blinkies are manufacturer coupons

Tearpads: Tearpads are manufacturer coupons

Peelies: Peelies are manufacturer coupons

eCoupons: eCoupons are manufacturer coupons

Store coupons

Coupons in store weekly ad
Coupons printed from store website, example Safeway.com

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