Store Coupon Policies
Print these policies out and take them with you when you go to the store every time! Learn how to use them to your advantage! It can only help you! If you see any you'd like to add let me know!! I have compiled a buy it now price list that you can use as your guide to help you shop. Now that you're ready to go.....Happy Shopping!!
Family Dollar
Walmart
Walgreens
Target
Kroger & Affiliates
Randall’s & Safeway & Affiliates
HEB
CVS
Coupon Lingo 101
First step is to understand how to read coupon blogging formats. Most people blog using the same lingo but this is the lingo I normally see and use. I will try to make it easy for you to understand and follow.
$$/$$ – This means $ off when you spend $ amount. Example: $5/$30 is $5 off your purchase when you spend $30.
$/# – This means that you get $ off for every # you buy. Example: $5/2 would mean that you get $5 off every 2 that you buy.
B1G1 = Buy One Get One Free
Blinkie = A coupon that prints out at a machine in the store. They are located by the product associated with that particular coupon.
BOGO = Buy One Get One Free
CAT = Catalina. A coupon that prints out at the register that is either $$ off your next purchase or $$ off a certain product.
Catalina = Also referred to as CAT. A coupon that prints out at the register that is either $$ off your next purchase or $$ off a certain product. Usually only at Kroger & Randalls & HEB.
Coupon Insert – This is what comes in your Sunday paper. They are usually the Smart Source (SS or S), Red Plum (RP) and Proctor & Gamble (PG).They are also referred to as inserts, S, SS, RP and PG.
ECB = Extra Care Bucks. Exclusive to CVS. They work like cash on your next order.
ES =Easy Saver. This is Walgreens’ monthly rebate program. You can find the books by their ads in the front of the store.
EXP = Expires or Expiration Date
Internet Printable = A coupon that can be printed online. Also refered to as IP or Printable.
IVC = Instant Value Coupon. These are found at Walgreens in their weekly ads.
MFR = Manufacturer
MIR = Mail In Rebate. These are checks or coupons that the manufacturers/stores will send you if you meet the requirements on the rebate form.
OOP = Out-of-Pocket. This is the amount of money that you have spent after coupons, ECBs, RRs, Catalinas
OYNO = On Your Next Order.
OYNP = On Your Next Purchase.
Peelie = Coupons found stuck onto the product
PG = Proctor & Gamble.
Printables - These are coupons that you can print online. Also refered to as IP or Internet Printables.
Q = Coupon
RP = Red Plum. This is a coupon insert that you’ll either find in your paper or the mail.
Register Rewards (RR) = Exclusive to Walgreens. They work like cash on your next order.
SS = Smart Source.
Stacking Coupons = This is the term used when stores will let you use their own store coupons along with a manufacturer’s coupon for the same item. Example: Most Targets would let you use their $ off “specific brand” product coupons along with a manufacturer’s coupon for that same “specific brand” product.
WAGS = Abbreviation for Walgreens
YMMV = Your Mileage (Manager) May Vary. This is what you’ll see when someone finds a deal but they want you to know that your store branch may not offer the same deal.
WYB = When You Buy
Types of Coupons
1. Manufacturer Coupons – These are mostly coupons that you get from the Sunday paper. These are also known as “Blinkies”, “Peelies”, or coupons that you get in the mail from the actual manufacturer. These are the most common. Be careful not to cut the barcode or the expiration date off or they are no good to you! The retailers get $0.08 per coupon plus shipping and handling for you redeeming a coupon. So who cares if you use them…they are not losing out by giving you a deal or a free item!
2. Store Coupons – A store coupon is just that, a coupon that is issued by the store. These types of coupons might have store coupon printed on them as well as their logo on it. You can “stack” these coupons with manufacturer’s coupons for additional savings. This usually makes FREE items!
3. Printable Coupons – These are also manufacturer coupons that are printed from well-known websites such as http://www.redplum.com/, http://www.coupons.com/. These are the ones I used and are virus-free and safe to print from! Most stores will accept them in black & white and you can print 2 copies of each coupon per computer if you hit the back browser. J If you have more than one computer, you are in luck!
4. E-Coupons – These are coupons that are loaded to your store cards for stores such as Kroger, Randalls, etc. These coupons do NOT double and they DO expire! Some e-coupon websites to visit are Cellfire.Com, Shortcuts.Com, Coupons.Com, PGESaver.Com, Kroger, and/or Randall's.
5. Catalinas – Catalinas or CCM are coupons that print out after your receipt at the registers. They are incentives to come back to the store or could be $$ off your next purchase so watch out! If you have a problem, the phone number to the Catalina company is 1-888-826-8766. Some stores that print CATs are Kroger, Randall's, HEB, and Walgreens just to name a few.
Do’s and Don’ts for Coupons
1. You should never see a coupon on your screen before you print. Real internet printable coupons will have a coupon printer that you have to install on your computer to print coupons. This prints the barcodes on the coupons and only lets you print the coupon twice.
2. Don’t copy or scan a coupon. That is not a valid way to use a coupon and your store may not take it.
3. Print coupons from well known websites like Red Plum, Coupons.com, or Smart Source.
Stockpiling 101
So the idea of couponing is to build a “stockpile” or “food supply” in your home of items that you have gotten for free or almost free. When you “stockpile”, the items you get are items that are at their lowest price. So, in turn, you buy as many as you have coupons for with the mindset that you aren’t going to buy them again until they are at the lowest price.
I am currently stocking up on enough items to last my family of 4 for like 3 months. This stockpile includes food, toiletries, and any other commodity that we could need. Even if I don’t use or need the items, but I can still get them for free, I still buy them.
So first step to start your coupon stockpile is to get coupons! Below are places that you can get coupons from:
Newspaper on Sunday
Internet Printable Sites
Manufacturer Websites
In-Store Coupons
In the mail
Magazines (All You Magazine)
E-Coupons or Loadable Coupons
Last Resort: Coupon Clipping Sites for those hard-to-find ones!
It took me about a month to get a good stash going. I have been buying about 5-10 newspapers when they have good coupons, usually at the beginning of the month. A good rule of thumb is to buy one newspaper for each member.
So for example, sales are cyclical. About every 3 months, every item in a store will be on sale at some point. So let’s say that I have 10 coupons for Softsoap that are worth $0.50 each and Randall’s has them on sale 10/$10. I can use my $0.50 coupons, that Randall’s will double up to $1.00 which makes the handsoap now FREE! Now I don’t have to buy hand soap again for another 3-6 months, or until it goes on sale again. At this time, Randall’s is the only store that will double & triple coupons. Kroger does not do it anymore.
The thing to realize is that you CAN use a STORE coupon & MANUFACTURER coupon.
When building your stockpile, set yourself up a budget. It can get easier to overdo it since there are rock-bottom priced things all the time! Over time the key thing is to stock up on things to make your grocery bill lower in the long run. Try to buy things at the lowest possible price and as many as you can or have coupons for!
Make a list of what you have, what you need, and what you have coupons for before you go to the store so that you don’t buy double of something that you already have too much of.
So now that you have a foundation of the goals here start off small. Start by learning one store and one drug store. Start by saving $50 a week and build yourself up. I think if I can save $400 a month I am working a nice little part-time job while doing what I do best….SHOPPING!!
Organize your coupons
There are different ways to organize your coupons. You have to find a method that works for you though. I am using the binder method for now. I have a 3-inch, zippered binder with 24 dividers, organized by the way I shop in the store. I recommend using plastic dividers as the paper dividers will tear and wear out easily. I also recommend using a type of zippered binder such as "Case-It" binders. I am currently looking for a “Case It” binder since it can hold 2 binders in 1 and has a zipper and a strap! I saw some of these at Staples last week for around $20.00. I am using photo pages that have 4 coupon slots on each side for the bigger coupons. I am also using baseball card style pocket holders for smaller coupons. They sell them for cheap on ebay or in the baseball card section at any store. I got mine at Walmart for around $3-4 a pack. I also used a label machine to label my dividers neatly and legibly. I carry a pair of scissors with me as well as a pocket calculator and a pen and highlighter just in case. My current binder also has divider slots in the front so I keep all of my sale papers and coupon booklets in there, handy for price matching!!
This is how I have my binder set up:
Coupon Policies
Shopping Lists
Rebates
Rebates
Fridge & Freezer Food
Breakfast Food
Beverages
Chips & Snacks
All other food
Paper Products
Cleaning Supplies
Detergent/Fabric Softener
Pharmacy
Dental Products
Razors
Bath Stuff
Shampoo
Hair Products
Make-Up
Baby Stuff
Clothing
Clothing
Outdoors
Retail Stores
Restaurants
