Where Do I Find Coupons?

Coupons are everywhere! If you’re not looking for them, you often don’t see them when they are right in front of your face. So where can I find them?

1. Newspapers:

Every Sunday The Advocate should have coupon ‘inserts’. An insert is a booklet of coupons. The 3 common inserts found in the newspaper are: Smart Source (SS), Red Plum (RP), and Proctor & Gamble (P&G Saver or PG).

P&G Saver: This comes out once a month on the first Sunday of the month. It contains coupons on Proctor & Gamble items such as Tide, Downy, Dawn, Crest, etc…

Smart Source: Usually comes out every week with varying quantities of coupons in each.

Red Plum: This area received notice on 7/21/09 that Red Plum insert would no longer be in the Sunday paper. Instead it is going to come via snail mail when you receive your grocery store ads.

The only exceptions to when they are in the paper are holidays.

How many papers do I buy? I normally get one paper and find the coupon booklets and see if there are any extremely good coupons in that week’s insert. For example: There was a coupon recently for $2/1 any size A-1 Steak Sauce. Now I know that Target has the smaller bottles of A-1 for $2.09 regular priced. That would make each bottle .09 each. So that week I purchased 10 newspapers. I purchase mine at Wal-Mart which has the cheapest price on newspapers in the area. Just the savings on the A-1 paid for the papers and there were the remaining coupons as well to save even more money.

Each person will need to determine for themselves how many papers to buy but I recommend at least 4.

2. The Internet: There are so many good websites, but I would start out by searching the following:

http://www.coupons.com/
http://www.eversave.com/
http://www.redplum.com/
http://www.coolsavings.com/
http://www.boodle.com/
http://www.couponbug.com/
http://www.valpak.com/
http://www.couponsurfer.com/

These sites and many others have online coupons that you can print. You are usually allowed to print 2 copies of each coupon but no more. The second copy must be obtained by hitting your back button on your browser after you print the first, you will then need to refresh the page and a second copy will print out. If you try to print out more, the screen will normally pop up a message that says, “Sorry, you have printed the maximum number allowed.” If you really want to print more, go to a different computer.

****Word of Warning – Fraudulent Coupons:

Many people have been scanning internet printable coupons or copying them on color photocopiers. It is ILLEGAL to copy or scan coupons. Many stores will no longer accept internet printable coupons because of this. Each internet printable coupon has a code that can link that coupon to your internet protocol address. Please do not do this as it hurts everyone when stores crack down on coupon usage.
3. Tearpads: Have you ever seen coupons on a pad generally attached to a cardboard advertisement for that product in the store on one of the aisles? That is a tearpad. When I go to a store I keep my eyes open for them because I have found some great coupons. I normally will take no more than 4 coupons, always making sure that I leave some behind for others. Always be kind and leave some behind!

4. Peelies: Peelies are simply coupons that are found stuck on a product. Now let’s talk about removing a peelie and taking that coupon but not purchasing the product right then and there. Many people say that it is unethical to take peelies off a product without buying that product. Others will tell you to take some as long as you plan on buying that product in the future. What I will tell you is – do not take all of them. Try to limit yourself to 5 and leave the peelies for others that are going to be purchasing the product at that time.

5. Blinkies: Blinkies are machines that spit out coupons are usually situated around the product featured on the coupon. These are always found in the stores and never anywhere else. I stand at the machine and wait for it to spit out 5 or 6 coupons and go on my way.

6. Catalinas: Have you ever seen the little gray machine that sits next to the register and sometimes it will spit out a coupon for $1 off on your next purchase of a brand of item. That machine is called a Catalina – therefore the coupons that come out of the machine are called Catalina coupons.

7. Sample Displays: Many stores (not Wal-Mart) will have a sample day, usually Saturday or Sunday. Many times there are good coupons at those displays. Make sure to ask the person attending the display if they have any coupons and if so do they mind you having a couple.

8. Snail Mail or Email: Contact the manufacturer of all the products you buy. Check the back of boxes and bags to find the 800 number or look them up on the internet. Tell them how wonderful (or terrible) their product is, and ask if they have any coupons or coupon booklets they can send you. Also ask them to place you on their mailing list for any promotional items.

*I highly recommend setting up a special email account either with Yahoo or with Google and only using that email address for these promotions. The account that I use for promotions gets on the average of 200 emails a day. I do not recommend using the same email address that all your friends and family uses to contact you.

9. EBay or a Coupon Clipping Service: Many people swear by these. Usually these are the most effective if you have a specific coupon you are looking for.

Some of the coupon clipping services that I recommend are:

http://www.coupondede.com/ – you can purchase individual coupons and entire inserts. With fast and inexpensive shipping, you will find that you can have the inserts with the highest value of coupons delivered straight to your door for less than the cost of the paper.

http://www.thecouponmaster.com/ – allows you to order multiple specific coupons for a small handling fee.

http://www.thecouponclippers.com/ – also allows you to order multiple coupons for a small handling fee.

10. Coupon Swap Parties: Ok this way is definitely the most fun. Get together with a bunch of your friends that also coupon and trade coupons. If you don’t have an infant in diapers but your friend does and she has the pet food coupons you need – Trade with each other.

Now you know where I get all of my coupons!