Creatively Frugal Coupon Use
How do you creatively use
coupons to make your dollars go farther?
"I watch the sale ads (which for our area come out on Sunday) and
match a sale item with a coupon. Our stores double up to $1 off (.50
coupon). Occasionally we get triple coupons at Kroger's (about once every
3 or 4 months). When I use an item frequently and it's on sale, I
stockpile using double or triple couponing. I also watch out for rebates
on an item. A lot of the newer products have a "Try Me Free"
rebate by sending in a UPC and cash register tape, so you basically get
the item free once you receive the refund or gain a profit if you use a
coupon as well." ~ Debi
"I have the Sunday paper (only) delivered to my house and clip out
every coupon I feel I can use. I wait for items to go on sale and then buy
the smallest size container with the coupon I have in my coupon organizer.
My coupon organizer is categorized and I go through it once a month and
weed out the expired ones. Even if a coupon is expired I still use it
because 80% of the time it's accepted anyway! We don't have any double
coupon stores in WA state so I can't do that. But whenever my family goes
out to eat, no matter what kind of a restaurant it is, I always fill out a
customer comment card and most of the time I receive a coupon in the mail
for a free entree! Also, trade coupons with neighbors and friends, you'd
be surprised how many people are clipping coupons just like you!" ~
SC
"I watch the sales flyers for grocery stores, then go through my
coupons and match up coupons with sales. Recently one of our local grocery
stores had a ‘buy one get one free’ sale. I looked through and matched
up coupons
with the ‘buy one get one free’ items, and of course other sale items.
Before coupons and sale prices, my total bill was $154.88, after sale
prices my total bill was 98.61, after coupon deductions, my final total
bill taxes included, was $85.67. This particular store also offers double
coupons. I could have also, if I would have had them, used a coupon for
each item, the bought one and the free one, this would have almost doubled
by coupon savings, which would have been another $6.19, as some of the
coupons were for $1.00 and the store does not double them. But then my
final cost for $154.88 worth of groceries would have been $79.48. Almost
half price!" ~ Karen
"I wanted to respond on the topic of creatively frugal coupon
use. I'm fortunate that in the suburban area where we live, there are
many grocery stores, which makes for lots of competition. They all have
great ‘loss leaders’ each week, and I make the rounds, getting the
best deals from each store. (Sometimes I truly feel like the woman in
Proverbs, ‘bringing my food from afar’ :::grin:::)
Anyway.... back to the couponing subject. My favorite thing is to find a
coupon for a product that's on special as a ‘loss leader’ at one of
the local stores, especially one that doubles the value of coupons. I
had one of those great deals last week. My husband and I love the Roman
Meal hearty natural grains varieties of breads, but we don't usually
indulge in them because of the high price, normally $2.59 per loaf.
However, last week, a store ran them at buy-one-get-one-free, so I
decided to pick up a couple of loaves. Then, I discovered that each loaf
contained a 50-cents off coupon inside. So, I went back and purchased a
few more loaves, then took them home and removed the coupons, went back
and purchased additional loaves with the coupons. Now, they're in my
freezer, and I have enough ‘good’ bread to keep DH lunch-happy for a
good while.
Getting the initial loaves for half price ($1.30) was good, but when I
went back with the coupons and got an additional 50 cents off on each
loaf, that brought the price down from the original $2.59 to just EIGHTY
CENTS per loaf! This particular store is one that does not double the
coupons... if it were, I'd have paid just 30 cents per loaf. Now THAT is
power shopping!" ~ Lynn
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"Where I live, Sunday papers go on sale for half-price on Monday.
SO, if on Sunday, I find several coupons that I can use, I buy extra
papers on Monday. The coupons correspond with the sales at my local
markets, so I can stock up on sale/coupon items such as soap, laundry
detergent, toilet paper, etc. I can use name brand items at a fraction
of the cost. Works great!" ~ Cathy
"When I shop for groceries, I scan all three supermarkets
circulars to see who has the lowest prices. I match up my coupons to the
sale items and shop only at the store that offers double values. Double
coupons sometimes makes items for free! Also, its good to keep your eye
out for non- advertised in store specials. Sometimes, I get lucky and
have several of the same coupons for an item that may cost next to
nothing." ~ Anonymous
"Stores in my area only double coupons up to $1.00 (if I have a
$.75 coupon, they only give me $1.00 of instead of $1.50). So if I have
a coupon for $1.00 I sometimes take it to the Dollar Store first."
~ Jasmine
"Coupons are great for trying new or name-brand products you
normally wouldn't try!" ~ Leslie
"I use coupons only on things that are on sale. You would be
surprised at how many needed things come on sale every week.
For example, last week we were able to buy a nice brand of shampoo for
$.16
cents! It is quite common for us to pay no more than $1.00 for double
rolled toilet paper as well.
The best way to do it is to watch the newspaper for store coupons that
you can use with the manufactured coupons. We are also blessed with
double coupons in more than one chain of our stores.
At first it's a little bit of work cutting out and sorting all of the
coupons (my girls love to cut them out for me and that helps quite a
bit!) but once all the hard work is done,
looking over the ads and getting coupons
together doesn't take as much time as you would think!" ~ Mrs. J.
Editor's Note: Thanks to everyone who took the time to share
his or her ideas!
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