Tag Archives: coupons

All, Cash Back, Financial, Savings

Saving Basics

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Are you looking for ways to save money? Or maybe you want to earn a few extra bucks. There’s lots of ways to do either of these. But, let’s just start with the basics. For example, saving on an order in general. In person versus online.

Before shopping anywhere, look for deals. Also, see if you can purchase a discounted gift card first. Then log into your account or loyalty app to get any deals possible. Click to activate all coupons, and offers in loyalty apps. Watch to make sure that discounts are applied at checkout. Also, always use a payment card that gives you cash back.

If it’s an in person order, be sure to get your receipt so you can submit it to different apps for more money back.

If you are ordering online, check to see if you can get another discount. You may be able to shop through a cash back app or shopping extension. Also look for coupon codes to use at checkout. Make sure your Amazon and email accounts are connected to your receipt scanning apps so you get all of your points.

For more information, see the Money Saving Tips page.

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All, Financial, Updates

Rebates Update

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I used to write quite a bit about rebates, but I have since removed all pages and posts on the subject. I just need time to clean things up a bit. Some rules have changed in the rebating world. This has caused other things to change as well. Along with this, some companies have shut down or altered their practices. I want to make sure I’m providing correct information to everyone. Thanks for your patience.

In the meantime, please check out some of the other money saving tips.

All, Cash Back, Money Apps

I Love These Coupons Emails

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I really do love getting these emails from Coupons.com.

This site have always been a great source for printing coupons. Most people don’t know that you can also link loyalty cards to your account. I have my Giant Food connected. You can then add digital coupons to your card through the site or the app. I always add all of them, just in case. Then these random emails pop up in my mailbox, like an added bonus.

Coupons.com is also another one of those sites that I use to scan my receipts. While some stores are linked, others are not. This includes Dollar General, Target, Walmart, and several more. So you’ll have to upload the receipt in this case. You also need to know the coupon that is being redeemed first because you’ll need to scan those items. It’s a little extra work, but you’re getting paid for it.

Why not sign up, if you haven’t already. If you have, make sure you’re taking advantage of all the savings.

For more like this, see the Savings Tips and the Scan Receipts pages.

All, Financial

Expired Coupons For Military Families

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I recently heard on a coupon show that military families overseas can use our expired manufacturer coupons. I looked into it and they can actually use them for up to six months past their expiration date. From what I understand, you can mail them directly to members of the military to be used in the commissaries.

If you don’t know anyone that can use them, you can still help out if you’d like. You can mail them to the Support Our Troops: Troopons Program. There’s some guidelines to this that I found on their site, so you really want to review it first. One thing to note is that they must be cut out, sorted, and labelled in a baggy. It helps their volunteers to get them distributed faster to the stores for families to access.

Please feel free to share and tell everyone.
I really hope this helps someone somewhere.

All, Financial, Updates

New Theme, Page, Updates

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If you haven’t noticed, I changed my site’s theme. I also rearranged some things and added a new page. I’m ridiculous! I’m constantly trying to make it better. I’m so OCD about everything, until my ADHD takes over.

Let me know what you think.
Feedback is always appreciated.

I really like the layout of this new theme on my laptop, but I’m not sure about the mobile view. That’s where I get tripped up. The menus and widgets show up differently. I should have checked the theme on all devices before I applied my changes, but I didn’t think about it at the time. I’ll most likely keep it for a while and experiment a bit.

What device you use the most when you’re visiting?
I can adjust more to the majority’s viewing preference.

I originally planned to add a coupon section to my Financial page, but things got out of hand. I ended up creating a new page for Savings Tips. I listed the steps that I take to help save money from before a transaction, to afterwards. I did my best to have it flow in that order. I have so much more information to add to both of these pages.

Follow me and subscribe for updates.
Thank you!

All, Financial

Coupon Mission: Update 4

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As I am moving along this journey, I am thinking I should add this info to my Financial Tips page. Or even a new page? So far I’ve had a few updates, some bloopers, and saved a bit more than usual. Nowhere near where I want to be…yet.

I would recommend learning the coupon rules for each store, as well as the different kinds of coupons/ deals, and what can be combined.

To Obtain Coupons:

1.) Subscribe to the paper. They often runs specials for weekend delivery.
2.) Dollar Tree $1 each. They have a limit of 3 per day, Saturday and Sunday.
3.) Digital coupons. A lot of stores let you clip these on their site/ app. Some have store coupons, as well as manufacturer’s coupons from the paper.
4.) Kiosk Coupons. Some stores have a kiosk that prints special coupons. CVS is one example of this.
5.) Print coupons from the manufacturer’s site. This can take some time and use a bit of ink and paper, but you can get some decent coupons.
6.) Reach out to companies to mail them. I’ve contacted over 100 companies, so I know it’s time consuming and very few companies will send you coupons. However, I did manage to get a handful of high value ones by mail from the following. As I continue to contact companies and receive more, I will keep this list updated.

Companies Sending Coupons In The Mail:

* Blue (dog food) * Bush’s * Celestial Seasonings * Chicken of the Sea * Daisy * Frito Lay * Hostess * Hungry Jack * Juicy Juice * Kellogg * Ocean Spray * Quaker * Tyson
And, I also received a Degree deodorant sample.

In Addition to Coupons, Save Even More Money:

1.) Use store loyalty programs. Most have them. You can save at the time of sale, as well as on future purchases. This can be done online and in store.
2.) Use apps to find coupon codes and deals. This helps you to save at checkout online.
3.) Use cash back apps/sites. I have several that I use, depending on the store. This can be done online and in store.

One example I have is when I order Domino’s. I log in to use my loyalty, which gives me points towards a free pizza. I use the online coupon to get the 3+ items for $5.99 each. I then buy a Domino’s gift card which gives me 7.8% cash back. When I checkout on my phone, I use Samsung pay and get a percentage back from that. I have my PayPal business card attached, which also gives me cash back.

Going forward, I’m moving all of this info to a page and will just post updates as far as my progress. Subscribe to my blog stay informed.

All, Financial, Updates

Coupon Mission: Update 3

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I feel like this should be a Bloopers edition….

It’s been over a week since my last update. I saved some money, but nothing went nearly as planned. Anxiety, stress, and memory lapses really did not help my mission.

Before I left the house, I prepared myself. I already had all my notes on each ad. I also wrote a list of the items I needed to buy there. When I folded it up, I could see my list. Then I clipped my coupons to the back. I did this with each ad, with the feeling that I was about to accomplish something.

With my organized stack in hand, I started at Dollar Tree. I planned to get Renuzit air freshers for $.67 each, with a buy 4 get 2 coupon. Except, I never brought the coupon and completely forget about it. When I grabbed the air fresheners, I couldn’t figure out why they weren’t marked down. I convinced myself that it will come down at the register. They didn’t, of course. But hey, I did grab a bag of Chex Mix that was much cheaper than Rite Aid.

I quickly moved on to Dollar General. They were out of a few of the items I needed. I grabbed what I could and checked out. As I put my cart away, I realized I left my coupons on the counter. So none of those were used. The cashier nicely said I could use them next time. I just smiled and agreed, as I beat myself up inside for being so mindless.

Next was Rite Aid. I’m not used to this store, so I struggled to find some things. I’m also not sure how much I really saved, compared to what I normally pay. Then, I bought the wrong razors. I had coupons for $5 & $4 off. Except one was for disposable razors, so scratch that. I still saved with their sales and my one coupon though. They were regularly $13.49, but I paid $6.14 each. Not too bad, considering. With this visit, I saved a total of $23.87. Plus I have $8 towards my next trip.

Giant was my last stop. It wasn’t as great as I wanted it to be. A few of my coupons were rejected. I also got confused over an Air Wick oil starter kit deal in the ad, listed at 2 for $6. There was no picture in the ad and no sales marked on the items. I found a kit for $13.99. I didn’t think it was right, but grabbed it anyway to ask the cashier. She had to get a manager, who approved it. Honestly, I think it was a misprint. I also had a $2 coupon, so I got 2 for $2 each! (Orig 2 x $13.99 [27.98], on sale 2 for $6 – $2 coupon = 2 for $4.) With this trip, I managed to save $75.64 off my bill of $352.02. That’s 21.49%. It’s a start.

Then of course, once I got home, I scanned all of my receipts with at least six different apps to get even more cash back.

I know I could have done a lot better. I’m still working on my process of doing things to be faster and more efficient. I really need to focus more. I learned that I need to print more coupons, take them with me, and remember to use them! Then I need to pay more attention to the details on the coupon and store rules. Also, I should probably compare prices a bit more. Stupid mistakes that I can easily work on. Baby steps.

Financial

Financial Babble

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Since my last coupon post, I have contacted about 30 more companies. I didn’t receive any more coupons through the mail since Monday. I broke out of my shell for a moment. I made a post in a neighborhood app and a Facebook neighborhood group requesting any unwanted coupons. I actually received a few responses. Oh and I contacted a nearby friend of mine who has great experience in couponing. I have a bit more confidence in my journey. That’s my coupon update, which I didn’t see a need for it’s own post.

In other financial news, I recently received a call from my credit card company regarding a lower rate. I called them back today and found out it was a fraud call. However, while I had them on the phone, I asked what offers were available to me. It didn’t cost anything, but a few extra minutes. They upgraded me to a higher rewards card, so I’ll be receiving more cash back. It was totally worth those few minutes.

Every single day, I’m working on our finances. Whether it’s ways to save money or make money. I rarely impulse buy. I will jump through hoops to save. Then of course, the best part, the shopping while knowing that we have the extra money to do so. It makes it all worth it. Especially knowing what it’s like to not have the money. I’m grateful for anything extra I can do to better my family. Every little bit really does help.

All, Financial, Updates

Coupon Mission: Update 2

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I don’t have much of an update, but I have made some progress.

So this weekend, I got the Sunday paper ads and coupons. I checked what deals I could get at Rite Aid and if it’s worth going through the trouble this week. It was, so I focused on their ad and what coupons I had on hand. I finally went shopping today and ended up spending $19.92 on Crest, ZZZQuil, 3 Pantene, and razors. I saved $22.37 between store deals and coupons. I also now have purchases tallying towards cash back. For example, spend $50 on P&G items and get $15 back. Not too terrible for my first trip back on the mega coupon wagon.

Yesterday, I received a stack of mail full of coupons from Daisy, Celestial Seasonings, Bush’s, Juicy Juice, Kelloggs, and Hostess. They also sent me letters advising of where I can get more coupons. I even got a few recipes too. I’m going to send out another batch of requests soon. Once I get through my list, I’ll post all of the companies that send me coupons.

The next thing I need to figure out is my plan for printing coupons. Since I rarely print, I have a subscription that allows me to print 15 pages a month for free. If I will be printing coupons, this will definitely increase fairly quickly.

Like I said, it’s not much of an update. But it is definitely progress.

All, Financial, Updates

Coupon Mission: Update 1

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I recently posted that I’m on a mission to be a for-real couponer. I already save money literally everywhere else in our household budget, so it’s time to take on that ever growing grocery bill.

Granted, I do buy a lot of items. My cart is always overflowing and I usually fill both refrigerators, freezers, pantry, cabinets, and then some. It just bothers me, knowing that I can save so much more. I use my store’s loyalty program and buy things on sale. I just really need to use more coupons. The issue is finding ones that we can actually use.

Since my last post, I have reached out to 46 companies requesting coupons. For the majority of them, I just had to fill out forms on their sites. I also created a new email address specifically for this. I’ve already received several responses. A bunch said they would mail coupons to me. Most of them advised that they could not send anything, but then they directed me to where I could get their coupons. Some companies post them on Facebook, while others are sent via their newsletters. I’ve also found some that have points programs. When I’m more organized, I can post more detailed information of what I’ve found.

I recently went grocery shopping and don’t have a ton of coupons, so I won’t have any major progress yet. I just have to stay focused and remember that the end results will make all of this worth it. I am also going to begin couponing at the pharmacy again. I did really well with it before. That will help me stay on track in the meantime.

For more ways to save money, visit the Financial Tips page.

All, Financial

Mission to Extreme Couponing

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I’ve been flip flopping with coupons over the years. I don’t mean using some coupons here and there to save a few bucks. I mean the legit couponing, where you pay virtually nothing. When I used them religiously, I did fairly well. But certain things have caused me to fall off the wagon.

There was a time when I clipped every coupon. I got the big hot pink binder to file them and a smaller one to take to the store. I wandered through the aisles, attempting to follow my list, while checking deals, and fumbling through a binder full of coupons. No matter how prepared I thought I was, it was very overwhelming for me and I could never manage it properly. I get confused, forget to use a coupon, or get stuck calculating if it was even worth using. By the end of the shopping trip, I saved very little, was super stressed, and didn’t even buy all the things I needed. I ditched the binders and used a small envelope organizer. That didn’t help at all. Eventually I realized it was causing me way too much anxiety. From then on, if I managed to use a coupon I would just appreciate the savings.

Sometime later, I started using the Krazy Coupon Lady site/app. It really helped me a lot, giving me some guidance to get a handle on the process. KCL shows you where to find deals, coupons, policies, etc. I was getting about 20 packs of newspapers every week. I focused on CVS since it was the pharmacy I used, it was familiar to me, and they always had decent deals to begin with. I made my list of items with notes, got my coupon stack, and went shopping. I actually was able to get nearly all of my items for free. On some trips, they even paid me.

This was a wonderful thing…when it worked. A lot of times, I would sabotage myself by screwing something up or getting side tracked. The store would be out of an item and I’d have to rethink things, then my anxiety would take over. I ended up slacking off. Then there was no CVS where I moved to. I have a Rite Aid, but never really attempted it there. Or anywhere else.

I’m tired of seeing $300 grocery shopping bills. It’s out of control. I do buy a decent amount of stuff to stock up and fill both of our refrigerators, freezers, and pantry. But still, this is a huge amount of money when I know for a fact I could save more.

I am on a mission to be a for real couponer. I save money literally everywhere else on our household budget. I’ve done some research and made some notes. I already do the majority of the following, but I do need to start contacting companies and purchase more papers. Let’s see how much I can save going forward. I’ll be keeping a closer eye on this.

  • Newspaper inserts.
  • Get extra newspapers from Dollar Tree for $1 each.
  • Print coupons from the manufacturer’s site.
  • Reach out to companies to send you coupons.
  • Use apps for cash back.
  • Use store loyalty programs.

For more ways to save money, visit the Financial Tips page.