Couponing Basics

How To Coupon: A Beginner’s Guide to Couponing

Never used a coupon in your life? Already using coupons, but want to take your couponing game to the next level? This beginner’s guide to couponing will teach you the basics so you can start saving money with coupons.

Keep reading for my top tips!

Get Some Coupons

  • The Sunday newspaper is a great source of coupons. Buy the newspaper with the largest circulation in order to get the best coupons. You can sometimes get them cheaper by buying a double pack. I find that a good rule of thumb is to purchase one newspaper per family member.
  • Ask your friends and family for coupons. If they get a newspaper but usually throw out the coupons, then they’ll probably be happy to give them to you.
  • Peruse the internet. There are many great online printable coupons to be found! Here is a list of legitimate printable coupon websites.
  • Check the store. There are many varieties of coupons that you can find in the store. Watch for blinking coupon dispensers, peel-off coupon pads, and peel-off coupons on product packing as you shop.
  • Download apps. Savings apps can be a great source for coupons. Many stores have their own apps that allow you to clip coupons digitally and use them at checkout.

Organize Your Coupons

  • Envelopes. You can start by clipping and putting them all in an envelope or check file. Once you’ve been couponing for a few weeks, you will need something bigger.
  • File by insert. With this method, you just file your inserts by date in a box and use an online coupon database to find the coupon you need. This method doesn’t require much work, but you might miss out on unadvertised deals by not having all of your coupons with you at the store.
  • Coupon Binder. With this method, you clip all of your coupons and file them in baseball card holders in a three-ring binder. This way, you can carry your binder to the store and have all your coupons with you while you shop.
  • Other. Here are some other ways organize coupons that Couponing 101 readers use!

Know Your Store’s Coupon Policy

  • Loyalty cards. If your store offers a loyalty card, then make sure to get one. Some stores only give the sale prices to card-holders. Loyalty cards are free and frequently work in conjunction with a store’s app, allowing you to clip coupons digitally and use them with your loyalty account.
  • Double/triple coupons. Doubling or tripling coupons is when a store multiplies your coupon for extra savings. For instance, during a double-coupon even, a store will take your 50¢ coupon and double it to make it worth $1. This is done automatically at the register; you do not have to do anything to take part in this promotion. First, find out if your store doubles or triples coupons. If they do, find out the maximum double/triple value and how many they will double/triple. My Albertson’s will triple up to 35¢ and double up to 50¢. That means my coupons that are 35¢ and under will triple and my coupons that are 50¢ and under will double. So, at Albertson’s, my 50¢ coupon is actually worth $1. They will only double/triple the first four like coupons, so if I have ten coupons for 50¢ off of shampoo, only the first four will double.
  • Stacking coupons. Some stores will allow you to use one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon per item. With store coupons, the discount is provided by the store. With manufacturer coupons, the discount is provided by the manufacturer. These can stack for big savings.
  • Printable coupons. Find out if your store accepts printable coupons.
  • Competitor coupons. Some stores will accept competitors’ coupons.
  • Expired coupons. Some stores will accept expired coupons, though it is rare.
  • Digital coupons. Some coupons can be clipped digitally and used on in-store purchases. Find out if your store offers or accepts any digital coupons.

Make a Plan

  • Weekly ads. Read the weekly store ads to see what is on sale and which stores have the best prices on the items you need. If you don’t get the weekly ads delivered, you can usually view them on the store’s website.
  • Coupon matchups. See if you can match coupons to the sale items to get an even better deal!
  • Price match. Some stores, like Walmart, will price match. This means that if grapes are on sale for 99¢/lb at Kroger, you can take the ad to Walmart and at checkout tell the cashier that you would like to price match the grapes. Show them the ad, and they will sell you the grapes for 99¢/lb versus their higher price. Price match usually only applies to local competitors. However, it can be a great way to enjoy savings even if the store offering the sale runs out of the product.
  • Make a list. Don’t go to the store without a list. Lists remind you what you came for and keep you from buying items you don’t need.
  • Rain checks. If your store is out of the sale item, get a rain check! Some stores offer rain checks that allow you to get the discounted price once the product is back in stock. Go to customer service and ask for a rain check for the item you wanted. They will fill out a piece of paper with the item details and price. Then, you can come back another day (usually no more than 30 days) and buy that item at the sale price by giving the cashier the rain check. This also gives you more time to gather coupons for the item since you can generally still use a coupon if you are using a rain check.

Don’t Be Fooled

  • 10/$10 promotions. You do not have to buy 10 items to get the $1 price! The only exception to this rule is if the ad states that you must. Those times are rare and are usually for items that are buy x get y free.
  • Rock-bottom prices. Don’t go out and use your coupon immediately! If you use that 25¢ off toilet paper right away when it’s not on sale, you aren’t reaching your saving potential! Wait until toilet paper goes on sale for, then use the coupon. If your store triples coupons, then your toilet paper coupon could be worth three times as much! Matching sales with coupons can get you a great price. Combining sales, coupons, and another promotion (rebates, double coupons, store coupons) can get you an even better price!
  • “One per purchase.” I’ve heard this so many times! Most coupons say “one coupon per purchase” somewhere in the fine print. Cashiers will try to tell you that that means you can only use one coupon per transaction/day. This is NOT true! One per purchase means that you can only use one coupon per item purchased! So if you are buying 10 items and have 10 coupons, then you can use them all! However, if you have a confused cashier, you may have to explain the meaning or speak to a manager to use multiple coupons.
  • Make a price book. Start paying attention to prices and keep a list of items you regularly buy, recording the best and regular prices for those items. This will help you determine whether sales are the right opportunity to stock up or if you should wait for a better deal.
  • Limits. Stores will sometimes put limits on the item to make you think it’s a great price. If cereal is on sale for 2/$4 you might not even notice it. But if it’s on sale “2/$4 — limit 2,” then you will likely think it’s a great price since they had to put a limit on it. Pay attention to the price to make sure it’s actually a good deal.
  • Shop early. If you have couponers in your area, then it’s best to get to the store as early in the sale as you can to make sure there’s still stock left.
  • “Bigger is better“? The cost per unit of the bigger box of cereal may be less than the smaller one, but when combining coupons with sales, the smaller box is likely the better deal.
  • Watch the cashier. When checking out, pay close attention to the price screen to make sure everything rings up at the correct price. Also, make sure that the cashier scans all of your coupons. Coupons sometimes stick together or get dropped or the cashier will scan the coupon but not realize that it didn’t go through. Kindly point out that they missed one, and they will correct it.
  • Check your receipt. Before leaving the store, look over your receipt to make sure everything rang up correctly and all of your coupons were scanned. If there is a problem, take it to customer service immediately so they can fix it. If you leave the store and come back at another time, then it might not be fixable. If the cashier missed a coupon and you notice right away, it’s easy to see the mistake. But if you come back later after several other coupons have been added to the cashier’s stack or the stack is gone, then there is no way to prove that the cashier missed a coupon.

Build Your Stockpile

  • Start slowly. Don’t buy a ton of everything as soon as you get started, or you will blow your budget! A stockpile takes time. Set aside a portion of your weekly grocery money for stockpiling and do what you can with what you have.
  • Buy for the future. If an item goes on sale for a great price (or free), then buy more than you need for just the week. Typically, sales go in 12 week cycles, so you only need to buy enough for 12 weeks. If you eat one box of cereal per week, then when you find cereal at a rock-bottom price then you should buy 12 boxes. This way, you have cheap cereal that will last you until you can buy it at a rock-bottom price again.
  • Know how much you use. Start paying attention to how many bottles of shampoo, packs of diapers, boxes of cereal, etc. you use. This will help you to have a better idea of how much you should buy and avoid going overboard! If you only eat 1 box of cereal a month, then there is really no need to buy more than a few boxes or they will just go to waste.
  • Donate it. Every couponer will eventually go overboard and buy too much of something. If there is no way you will use it before it expires, then consider donating the item to a shelter or food pantry. You can enjoy getting a good deal and helping others.

I hope these tips have been helpful! What other tips do you have that have made you a more successful couponer?

    370 Comments

  1. CouponsCry

    Really Nice Article or Idea” Honestly I’ve been looking for such enlightenment for a long time after I found this beautiful article, Well Done Job. Thanks for sharing this Article…

    Reply

  3. Priscilla J Gunter

    Is there a app or somewhere on this site that tells you the best place to use your coupon? Like the febreeze buy one get one free coupon. I’m really not sure what store to use it at.

    Reply

  5. Taylor

    I have a coupon for Krogers and it says save $2.00 on Tide detergent when you buy one – on the bottom it says use up to 5Xs in a single transaction. So does that means I can get 5 things of Tide Detergent and use the coupon 5Xs? and save $10.00? I am new at this and I am trying to understand

    Reply

  6. Shannon Wilkinson

    I read at Walmart the coupon limit is only $50.00 in coupons so does that mean I can only save a max of $50.00 with coupons? I’ve never tried before but times are hard and am desperately looking to start

    Reply

    • Meagan

      You can not double up on manuacturer coupons for one item. If you buy multiple of the same item, however, you can use a manufacturer coupon per item you buy. So if you have (4) $1/1 coupons, you may buy 4 items and use 4 coupons (one for each item). Likewise, if you have (2) $1/2 coupons, you may buy 2 items and use 2 coupons (one coupon per two items). Does this help?

      Reply

  20. Brianna

    Thanks so much for all this info! I can’t wait to get started on SAVING.

    Quick question – When printing coupons from coupons.com and you need to use multiple coupons, can you copy the coupon and use it or is that a no-no??

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Hi Brianna. Welcome to the savings adventure! 🙂 You can not copy coupons. Definitely a no-no. But you can usually print each printable coupon twice per computer. Good luck!

      Reply

  22. Adam Rector

    Fantastic resource. Love all the info on this page. I’ve only seen crazy couponing on TV, this helps to make everything much more simple.

    Reply

  23. Viviana Gonzalez

    Iv just started couponing but I dont now how it works so if you guys can help me please want to learn how give me son tips about the coupons.

    Reply

  24. Jamie

    Ok thank you, I looked in the sales ads but didn’t see anything in it that I can use my coupons on. That’s why I was wondering when they make the coupons, if it’s coupons that will match the sales prices or are these random coupons.

    Reply

    • Meagan

      The coupons are “random” but you can almost always find coupon matchups with the sales each week. But there’s also some strategy involved. You have to hold on to your coupons and wait for sales to pop up and use your coupons at the opportune time to maximize your savings.

      Reply

  25. Joanna

    I’m just researching this coupon thing and thought I’d share an app I found! It’s called favado it’s free on the App Store. You pick which stores you frequent from a list, and you get push notifications when a new ad is released. You can check each store for what the best sale items are and if a coupon is available they even tell you where to find it and if it’s a circular coupon, what date! You can even search for an item to see if it’s on sale! I work at walmart and shop daily so this is great for me because of ad match. I could go on and on but check it out, I love it and it’s great if you don’t have a ton of time to coupon

    Reply

  26. Jamie

    Sorry forgot to ask one more thing…For all the coupons on the internet and coupons from newspaper inserts etc…. how do we know those will be the items on sale at the stores? or is that why there are coupons, so they can be used for the ongoing (current) sales?

    Reply

    • Meagan

      You have to follow the sales at the stores you shop at. Grab the weekly ads or look up the weekly ads online to see what’s on sale, and then match your coupons to those items. 🙂 Good luck!

      Reply

  27. Jamie

    Hi I was wondering which coupons do we use first if we are using several different kinds of coupons? Also how do we know how many (quantity) of an item to get. Example: like how many boxes of cereal, diapers, paper towels etc…. Does the coupon tell us.

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Yes, the coupon tells you the quantity required to purchase to get the dollar amount off. So if it says $1.00 off with the purchase of 2, then you must buy 2 items to get $1.00 off. As far as which coupons to use first, I would just use the highest value coupon you have. There is a limit of one manufacturer’s coupon per item. If you have store coupons, you can stack those to maximize your savings.

      Reply

  28. kylee

    my name is kylee I am 12. I want to learn to coupon but I am confused on how people go in there get that much stuff and pay under 50 bucks. I’ve read a lot of stuff but I still don’t get how to save that much money. my mom is a single mom with 3 kids and I would like to help my mom by save her money, so if I coupon it would save her money I would like to do it how they do it on TLC if that is even possible could you give me some points

    Reply

  29. Veronica

    Hi I’m new to couponing myself. I live in Georgia my grocery stores are Kroger, Publix, Walmart the ones I do must shopping at. Kroger here has stopped doubling coupons. I’m wanting to make a grocery trip today at Kroger with my coupons plus they have a sale for a lot of coupons that I have but I’m a little nervous cause I’m new to couponing and hope I do this right. Being a stay at home mom of 3 small children and a wife saving is a big deal with only one income. Anyone in the Georgia area that could help guide me about shopping at Kroger?

    Reply

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  31. Valencia

    I want to learn to coupon, but I am so confused, and I have read so much. I don’t know where to start. I am single and do not have children, so the stockpiling is a little extreme for me, but I could do it to donate the items to charity. I also do not have the time to sit down and make binders. I really want to save money, but this is very confusing to me. I don’t know if this is something I can do.

    Reply

    • Meagan

      I always say to just do what you can within your life circumstances. Everyone’s life is different, and so couponing will look different for each person. Realistic couponing can save you a nice amount of money without going overboard. 🙂 If you don’t like the binder method, try the file-by-insert method. I personally use it and love it. It’s so much easier and takes a fraction of the time. You just file your inserts by date, and then once per week you look at coupon matchups online and clip only the coupons you need for shopping that week. I love it, because you don’t have to clip *every single* coupon. Just the ones you need each week when you’re compiling your shopping list! Be sure to check out all the different ways to organize coupons, though. I think you’ll find a good fit for you that doesn’t take too much time. Good luck!

      Reply

  32. Anh

    I heard that if you are using different kinds of coupons there is an order for the scanning to get the correct amoun deducted. What kind of coupons should e scanned first and next? Thank you

    Reply

  35. sally

    I NEED YOUR HELP:
    MY BOYS GO TO COLLEGE SOON, SO I DON`T WANT THEY START EAT JUNK FOOD EVERY DAY. I THINK DO THE FOOD IN HOME, THE PROBLEM WE ARE LATIN FAMILY AND IT VERY HARD FUND MEAT, FRUIT COUPON. I LIVE IN MICHIGAN AND THE MEAT IS TO EXPENSE, YOU KNOW ANY WEBSITE I CAN FOUND COUPON FOR MEAT AND FRUIT , FRESH VEGGIE. PLEASE HELP ME

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Hi Sally. Unfortunately, produce and meat coupons are rare. Every so often, they do come around, but not as often as other coupons do. Just keep an eye out! We post a fresh produce SavingStar coupon every week, so be on the lookout for that. Good luck! 🙂

      Reply

  36. robin

    ok we want to coupon shop but still don’t understand it so please explain to me, if an item is lets say 3.49 cents and we have a coupon for 1 dollar off how many do we get to save money

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Everybody will differ in their price point on specific items. For me, in my region with my preferences, I aim to pay no more than $1 per box ($1.50 per box on some brands that I know rarely go as low as $1). Hope this helps.

      Reply

  43. breezy nicholas

    I am a little confused on some of the coupons on the coupon clippers. It says value $1.00 and date expired and handling fee $.12. So are you saving one dollar or is that what the item cost with that coupon? What is the handling fee for?

    Reply

  44. Nikki

    I found a coupon that a says:
    use any or all coupons with one $5.00 or higher non-coupon purchase. LIMIT FIVE per coupon, per family, per visit, per day. Good only at Festival Foods – onalaska, holmen or la crosse. Good 1/26/14 – 2/1/14. 4.6 oz. cavity protection or baking soda peroxide whitening. limit 5 please
    Can you please explain what that means? I’m confused. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Hi Nikki. It looks like it’s a Festival Foods coupon that you can use on toothpaste, along with a regular purchase of $5 or more. You can only use the coupon 5 times for 5 purchases, per family. Hope this helps.

      Reply

  46. Kanna

    I have been using coupons for a few months. Actually saved some money…. and wondered why I didn’t do this sooner. I have a question… a while back someone had told me that things go on sale each month. Like toilet paper in a certain month, or summer items ( cookout type) more in the summer months. Do ya’ll have a list of those for each month or is it different all the time? I thought I would ask someone who would know more about it. Thanks! And this site is terrific! So organized!

    Reply

  47. Nikki

    So if I don’t want to miss a deal at the store, is it better to just clip all of the coupons in the inserts even if the items aren’t on my shopping list?

    Reply

    • Meagan

      There are varying opinions on that. Some people clip all coupons. Some people only clip what they need and save the rest of the insert in a filing system. It really just depends on what you prefer and what your organizational method is. 🙂 Good luck!

      Reply

  48. Maranda

    I was looking over publix coupon policy and ran across this “The order total must be equal to or greater than the combined purchase requirements indicated on the coupon(s) presented.” I wanted to know if you could help me understand what it means..thank you, and great article/blog, very helpful 🙂

    Reply

    • Meagan

      All that means is that you have to have the required dollar or quantity amount that the coupon specifies. So if you have a $1/5 coupon, you’ll need to make sure you have 5 items. If you have a $10/$50 coupon, you’ll need to make sure you are buying $50 worth of products. Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

  50. Sisilia

    This is amazing!!! I do have a question tho, does every store do rainchecks?? And what do you do if you tell the cashier that the “one coupon per purchase” means one coupon per thing you bought and they say no???

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Most stores do rainchecks, but ask the manager to be sure. If the cashier tries to tell you that, ask for a manager. If the manager gives you troubles, go to corporate and politely explain to them your frustration that the store manager at your location is not educated on correct coupon usage.

      Reply

  51. Olivia Gilbert

    My best tip for anyone that does couponing and wants a binder the best thing i found was a craft binder. They seem to be bigger and your sheets doesnt get caught in the zipper. The baseball card sheets can usually be found at dollar tree. For anyone that has a harris teeter in their area they have a great coupon policy. They do double 2.00 coupins limitof 20 per loyality card. But a good way around that is to have someone else in your family or friends to get a card and let you use theirs. I currently have 4 and only one belongs to me but this always me to go in and use 80 2.00 coupons in one trip. My last trip to harris teeter we got about 1,500 dollars worth of items( groceries and hba) for only about 200 dollars. Luckily i currently recieve food stamps so almost all of it was used with the ebt card. Also harris teeter does accept ebt and coupons on clearance items. If a item is on clearance for 4.50 and you have a 2.00 coupon during the double sale you will get that item for .50 cents. They are also open 24 hours a day so go at midnight if you canpretty much no one will be there

    Reply

  53. Sarah

    I am new at this couponing thing and I don’t know what to do. Could someone please help me through it? Even if you find coupons that are good deals could you please take a couple seconds to email me them? I have an 8 month old and in the middle of house hunting on top of work so things are a bit to crazy for me and help would be amazing. And does anyone know if “double coupons” works at Wal-Mart and could you try and teach me it, I read about it but I still don’t understand how it works.

    Reply

    • Meagan

      I recommend all the beginner’s resources. They are very clearly laid out and explained. Good luck! Walmart does not double coupons. To find the best deals, follow along daily on this site. We post about 10 deals per day of the hottest coupons, store deals, and online deals. Hope that helps some.

      Reply

  54. Nicholle

    Hi. I love your website, and was very excited about my coupon book and all the money that I can save. The only thing is I cant seem to find any good deals. I have been buying five papers for the last four Sundays and yesterday I had to throw away a whole stack of expired coupons! I was so sad to see how much money I wasted. It seems like all of the coupons are a dollar off two or more and when the product is $299, how is that a deal? I was really excited about couponing, but now I am just discouraged and overwhelmed! I live in Rhode Island. It seems like the deals in Texas are better.

    Reply

  55. Diana A.

    Love your site! It’s great to have extra resources to find those coupons. I have always been a “coupon clipper” and bargain shopper but in the past it was really hard to find the sources for the coupons except in the paper. I got back into the coupon clipping full force last November after my 23 yr old wanted to start saving MORE money. Our family watched the extreme couponing episodes to get us motivated —and then started our realistic savings. It’s been 4 months and we are at a 47% average for ALL of our shopping trips!!! We may not be seeing the “free or under $10 shopping trips but WE are estatic with what we have accomplished in such a short time. Thank you for all you do!

    Reply

  56. Chasity

    I have a question.. I have a Kroger store coupon for 1.25 off two items, and a manufacturing coupon for 2.00 off 3 items of the same.. can i use these stacked ? Can I buy 3 and get 2.00 off the three and then use the other coupon to get 1.25 off the other 2? its totally confusing me..LOL. Help!!

    Reply

  58. Heather Eitel

    Hi! I am really wanting to get into couponing. I do use them whenever I can, but the problem is that I live in a very rural area, with only a Walmart and one local grocery store. Is it even possible to really save that much? We don’t have a Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Kroger, Target or Meijer within a good distance that I can afford to drive to. This is the major thing that I struggle with, as most of the really great deals that I see on couponing sites tend to be for the above listed stores that I rarely get to. Any help or advice would be appreciated greatly!! Thanks!

    Reply

  60. Marilyn

    I recently started couponing and am building a nice stash of coupons. It seems like most of the coupons I’m

    finding are money off two items, (i.e $1.00 off any 2 swanson premium chunk chicken, or $.60 off 3 old

    paso taco products). It seems like you have to spend more. How do you use these coupons to save money?

    Any help would be appreciated!

    Reply

      • Marilyn

        Hello Meagan,

        Thans for the info. I checked out the posts in that section. So with those types of coupons you should only try to use when the item is on sale? Is it possible to use two of those coupons on two items, or would you have to buy four since the coupon is money off two?

        Reply

        • Meagan

          It’s always best to try to use coupons in conjunction with sales, to try to save as much as possible. Of course, anything saved is better than nothing, though! If the coupon is for 2 items, you would have to buy 4 products in order to use 2 of them.

          Reply

  61. Christina

    I just recently started couponing and have a good amount of coupons but when I get the sale papers and I compare the coupons to the sale price (IE: $1.00/3) you are only saving a $1.00 and in the paper it may say 3/$8.00. I’m not quite understanding how you are really saving anything other than the $1.00. It almost seems not worth it. I’m just not quite understanding the whole concept other than the obvious on the coupons and to be honest it doesn’t seem like you really would be paying anything. Any ideas on how I could use the example above and get all 3 boxes for like a $1.00 or so.

    Thanks!!! Any advice would help.

    Reply

  62. Ashley

    Hi question? what if you have to shop with kids? i have 5 kids 1 (3yrs) that stays at home all day 2 (5 yr olds) that only go half day so i always have kids i did a shopping trip today and saved 49.50 spent 130 but i feel like i barely got anything what can i do?

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Sometimes it just can’t be avoided. I had to shop with my kids when they were little often because of my husband’s odd work schedule. After a while it got easier, but it’s still way more challenging than shopping alone. Try to plan so that you’ll have more time to shop, since it will definitely take longer. And some moms bring snacks or small toys to keep the kids entertained while shopping. And remember, even if you don’t do your trip perfectly, any little bit that you do save is still a success!

      Reply

  63. destlaina

    i just started reading this website and i see that is about like house hold products and i was wondering if you could tell me wear i could find coupon for clothes or if you could give me any tips on how to save money shoping for clothes … im 14 and im spending to much money at the mall and i dont want to blow my moms buget thanks please help:)

    Reply

  64. andre

    hi i was shopping yesterday at walmart 12/6/12 trying to get the schick disposable razors 1.97 and gotthe coupons for 2.00 12-2 S but a slip came out of the register and said the coupon you are using does not match the items that were sold ? i check the coupon and it was the same on my sheet ? what’s the problem please help stephanie 🙂

    Reply

  66. adriana

    Hi all, I’ve decided to star couponing for fun and to save some money for my family… this couponing thing is complicated and Im a bit lost… but I will give it a try. good luck to all

    Reply

  67. Tazzi Catt

    I feel like this couponing thing is a foreign language and I am out of my leage. I can do a lot of things on the computer but finding coupons I can use isn’t one of them. Most coupons are for things I would never use. We have dogs and cats and could use lots of coupons for them, but can’t find many. also the stores in my area don’t do any double coupons, or things simular. I have cards for Kmart, and Smiths, but they are higher at the discounted store prices than Walmart is. All I seem to be able to do is check the store adds and ask the cashier at Walmart to price match. We are a retired couple, (no children, no grandchildren) and have no one living near us that can use the coupons so no point in printing. Any suggestions?

    Reply

  69. Nikki Bell

    Hello Couponers,
    I’m Nikki a 28 year old, couponing newbie and soon to be new mom (due date Sept. 20th) and I’ve been on bedrest since 18 weeks in. I haven’t been able to work or have any babyshowers :-(. and my finances are just now getting back on track Thank God, but I only have a couple more weeks before the baby comes and I dnt have ANY pampers, formula or bottles. Help me please!!!!! I need to find all the deals and Great coupons, on Pampers mostly. Any advice please email me [email protected]

    Reply

  70. Amanda

    I just wanted to say how much I love couponing. It’s the sale to coupon matchups and coupon organizing that I hate. I really want a Couponizer, but don’t have the funds for one right now. I used to coupon through couponsense.com which I haven’t seen mentioned here. I needed the extra $ I was spending on their service and the 6 Sunday papers I got each week for other things, so I discontinued my service. Now, I almost want to cry when I pay full price for anything I know I could get for free. I am slowly building my coupon pile back up, but need help on organizing them. I am trying the binder method, but it’s a pain in the butt clipping and sorting the coupons and putting them in those tiny pockets..any suggestions for a quicker approach??

    Reply

  71. Michelle6969

    Thanks for putting together this in-depth site!! It is amazing for those of us who wanted to do this but were intimidated & didn’t know where to begin.
    I am still navigating my way through all of the information, but atleast I am attempting to save my husband & I money!!!! HE LOVES THAT IDEA!!

    Keep up the great work…people like myself rely on it more than you will ever know!

    Luv,
    Michelle George-Dempsey

    Reply

  72. Chris

    PS: Awesome site, I’ve been lurking here for a few months. Interesting seeing how different stores are not only from store-to-store, but different states’ stores.

    Reply

  73. Chris

    I was dumbfounded at Giant a few weeks ago, and am still having a hard time getting back into using any coupons at all again. I had two (identical, mind you) coupons for 1.00 off two packages of Bounty paper towels, you know, one of the most popular P & G coupons out there. Well i had my two coupons for the two packs, and they told me I could only use one coupon? They didn’t get the “one coupon per perchase” either. They kept contracticting it to all heck, saying ‘that means per transaction’. The cashier called the supervisor over and everything. I wish I didn’t get in that register, the dang cashier scrutinizing the whole 4 coupons I was using that time. I left the towels there, they lost, what, an additional $12 or $13 dollar sale because of this.

    After this happened, I haven’t been using coupons because I keep second guessing myself. “one coupon per purchase” still means OCPP right?? It does in no way say per transaction/day/per person, but per purchase. /sigh. I just don’t want to go through that crap again.

    I’m not sure what the deal was, as I’ve used a lot of OCCP coupons correctly in the past, and a store that doubles coupons even? Something’s not right.

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Sounds like you were dealing with a cashier who is not properly educated on coupons. Yes, you are correct. One coupon per purchase means one coupon per item purchased. If there is a limit per transaction, it will say that. Sorry to hear about your horrible experience and frustration. Best of luck to you in the future.

      Reply

    • Meagan

      I just re-read your comment. If you were buying two packages, then they were correct that you could only use (1) $1 off 2 coupon. If you wanted to use 2 of those coupons, you’d have to buy 4 packages. You have to pay attention to quantities on the coupon. So one coupon per purchase means one coupon per specified number of items purchased. Since that coupon specified that you have to buy 2 packages to get $1 off, then you’d have to buy 4 packages to use 2 coupons. Does that make sense? Hope that helps!

      Reply

      • Chris

        I think this is where I was confused, from your guide above, the second half of it “one coupon per item purchased”:

        “One per Purchase.” I’ve heard this so many times! Most coupons say “one coupon per purchase” somewhere in the fine print. Cashiers will try to tell you that that means you can only use one coupon per transaction/day. This is NOT true! One per purchase means that you can only use one coupon per item purchased! So if you are buying 10 items and have 10 coupons then you can use them all!

        I guess I was lucky and had cashier that took the coupon off, using 1 per purchase, even if it was xx off of 2. I would use multiple, and it would work.

        Reply

  74. Darlene

    Just wondering if anyone out there has had trouble with coupons at Walmart. I had some coupons I printed off the internet to use on a purchase at Walmart. When I gave them to the cashier she told me they wouldn’t take them because a third bar code was missing. I had to have her take all of the items off of my bill. Anyone have this problem? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Meagan

      I have heard of some Walmart stores giving customers trouble with coupons. They’re just overly cautious with couponers. Next time that happens, be sure to ask for a manager right away. Hopefully they can help you a little better. Sometimes it’s just a case of the cashier not understanding how coupons work. Good luck!

      Reply

  75. Alex

    Hey.
    I’ve got 2 coupons on a BOGO. One is 75 cents off when you buy 2, and the other is 55 cents off when you buy one. What’s the best way to use these 3 deals?
    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Meagan

      The best deal would be to buy 2 products at the buy one get one free store sale. Use (2) $0.55/1 coupons. That’s the highest value deduction. If you only have one of each of the coupons you mentioned, then the best deal is to simply buy 2 products and use the $0.75/2 coupon. Hope this helps.

      Reply

  76. Morgan

    I’m new to couponing but would like to know how do I distinguish the difference between manufacture coupons and store coupons, and this is for printable coupons. Any response or idea to the answer will help 🙂 Thanks in advance 🙂

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Hi Morgan. Manufacturer’s coupons usually say “manufacturer’s coupon” on them. Store coupons will say up top “Target store coupon” or “Store coupon” or something of that sort. Good luck!

      Reply

  77. Darlene

    Don’t through those coupons away Stephanie! They can be mailed to Coups for Troops. The troops can use expired coupons up to six months expired at the commissary. That’s what I do with mine. I even have friends giving me their expired coupons to send.

    Reply

  78. Cole

    This is awesome, I have joked with my wife for a couple of years that I was going to get really into couponing A) to make up for her shopping habits and B) to show her that it is ok to look for a sale every now and then. I got into a conversation with a girl at work who coupons regularly (not overboard), but who was telling me stories about how her mother has a full grocery store in her basement of things she has basically gotten free from couponing. I have been checking out your website for a day or so now and am about to make my first coupon trip to the store. My wife, of course, thinks its hilarious that I am going to spearhead this mission for our family, but I am actually kind of pumped about it, since I am in sales and used to having to discount things for customers on a regular basis. This makes me feel like I’m getting a little bit back from all the concessions I’ve made in the past!!!! thanks so much
    Cole, NC

    Reply

  79. sammy

    hi i am new at this and this website really answers questions one question is how do you know if your store is doubling your coupons and another is so if im at walmart and and the ad has something for sale or a coupon inside, i can use that and another coupon for that item sorry, i saved three dollars the other day and my bf was laughing at me but hey you have to start somewhere it made me happy!!

    Reply

    • Meagan

      Just ask your store to see if they double coupons. Usually asking the manager is the best way to go, just to make sure you receive the correct information. Major stores like Walmart, Target, and the drug stores do NOT double coupons. Many local grocery stores double coupons, though. 🙂

      Yes! You can absolutely use a coupon on a sale item. That’s how you maximize your savings! You can also stack one manufacturer’s coupon and one store coupon per item (for stores that issue store coupons, like Target’s online coupons).

      Best of luck with your savings!

      Reply

  80. barbara chavez

    hi i want to start couponing and i found your site and i really think it’s verry helpfull. I live in riverside california, do you happend to know wich is the best newspaper to get for coupons? thanks

    Reply

    • Meagan

      I’m not sure. We’re based out of Texas. Usually just your local newspaper is great! Each Sunday, the local newspaper should have your coupons. Good luck on your savings adventure!

      Reply

  81. kimber

    I have been couponing at cvs and walgreens for about a year now, only participating in deals that free or close to it that I have the coupons for. I have not ventured into the grocery stores too much. Can you give me information on a site that lists what a good price is verses what a great price is for grocery items?
    I am also using only the printable coupons that I find thru blogs and/or what comes in my paper (1 set). Do you find it valuable to subscribe to a coupon service? I don’t typically purchase processed foods (other than cereal) and am concerned that I would be wasting my money as whole foods don’t tend to generate too many coupons.

    Reply

  82. Amanda Robison

    I have a question when printing coupons off the internet what kind of copy paper can you use to make them offical for store use? Can you use regular copy paper or is there a certain kind of paper I need to use?

    Reply

  83. Abby

    I’m pretty new to couponing. Will it be necessary for me to buy products I don’t want at times (especially at CVS)? Thanks for your website!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      No, you do not have to buy products you don’t want. Sometimes they can be helpful – like if an item will give you overage – for saving money on the items you do want. But definitely not required.

      Reply

  84. Iris

    I would like to start couponing. To get me started, I’d like to concentrate on personal care and household cleaning items. However, I have specific products and brands that I like to use. Is couponing effective if you are searching only for specific products/brands? I spend a lot time searching for coupons for specific products/brands online, and I found none. That is a little discouraging.

    Reply

    • Jane Doe

      ^^ Of course you won’t be an effective couponer if you’re EXTREMELY picky… the whole point is only to shop things on SALE…

      If you want to be picky, pay for it.

      Reply

  86. Laura

    I am wondering how I can get multiple coupon inserts for free, I am not able financially to purchase the newspapers and hoping for 7-10 newspapers. I started asking stores what they do with the leftover newspapers at the end of the night, the negativity from the stores was not expected they preferred throwing them out before letting you take them. I went to a recycling plant, to “dumpster dive” I was a little shocked, they told me they didn’t allow going through their paper recyclables, nor did they know where I could. I felt like I stumbled on some big government secret and any second I was going to be pushed in a van and warned to back off, LOL, really, are these coupon inserts made of gold, why am I having such a hard time getting the papers? I can purchase a couple but that’s it. I’ve heard of people getting stacks of inserts that were just being thrown out. I am from New Jersey and told they don’t have time for this. Can anyone please tell me what I need to do?? thank you for taking time to read this.

    Reply

  87. Ashley

    I didn’t see it mentioned above, so I apoligize if it already was said, but also when your shopping pay attention to the tags- at Kroger they have the price per ounce (or something similar listed) so you can see what’s actually cheaper (I always check this when I’m buying a product that comes in multiple sizes like cereal and formula- nearly always cheaper to buy the larger size!)

    Thank for you this website- I work for Kroger and after some of the things people bring in coupons claiming that they can use (ie- expired coupons- we do not take them because we will not be reimbursed for them) it’s really nice to see a website that is extremely well-imformed and accurate and extremely user friendly! Although I know my own coupon policy, I am actually just now getting into couponing to save money 🙂 so this has been a great resource for me to learn as well! You’ve done an excellent job with this site- keep the great info coming 🙂

    Reply

  88. andrea pouso

    I’m planning on organizing my coupons in a binder and buying the sheet protectors for baseball cards and such, I am planning on buying them online as they seem to be cheaper, but I’m not sure what the right size should be any suggestions?

    Reply

    • irene

      try reading coupon 101 it’s great for information thats what i been doing and i am going to start small just to get hang of it.. maybe trying this saturday store is doing up to 10 double coupons only otherwise its only five per transaction…

      Reply

  91. irene

    i have been studying this couponing thing can anyone tell me can you use coupons for a sale of 3 cereals for ten dollars? with a manufacture coupon of 1.00 only what would total come out to be… do i need three coupons or only one i think i can only use one ….

    Reply

  93. Jonna

    Hi there. I have a Kroger that doubles coupons up to 55 cents, but does not price match. I also have a Target that price matches but DOES not double coupons. Target does allow you to use their coupons and a manufacturers coupon on one item though so. Which store would YOU shop at for the better discounts?

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      That is tough. I would really just pick whichever store has the best stores each week. Our Kroger recently stopped doubling coupons, but even before that, I still tended to shop at Target due to their store coupons and lower prices.

      Reply

  94. Syiarra

    I’m just wondering if you can use manufacturer’s coupons at military base commissaries as well? I really am trying to save and I’m looking to start couponing. Love this site and many thanks to everyone on here! You all inspire me to the fullest!

    Reply

  95. Kim

    How are Coupon Clipping services are OK?
    Most coupons say that they are void if transferred, sold, or exchanged. I would think that that means buying coupons from clipping services wrong. 😐

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Well, there is a bit of a debate regarding clipping services, and I haven’t quite picked a side yet. Clipping services are technically not selling the coupons, just charging for their time spent collecting, clipping, and shipping the coupons.

      Reply

  96. Estefania

    Can someone break down all the basics and the walmart coupon policy? I know we are talking about food here but just as an example, if I have a coupon for 6$ off on a toy that’s 21$ can I use several the same coupon to make it a “free” toy?

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      No, you can only use ONE coupon per item. Unless you have a store coupon (Target and CVS issue store coupons) and then you can use ONE store coupon and ONE manufacturer coupon per item. If your coupon is for $1 off 2 items – that coupon is counted toward both items.

      Reply

  97. Trisha

    I don’t know why I did not start couponing before now. Thank you so much for this website and all of the valuable information that it has on it. I do not have a pricebook started yet. Has anyone started a pricebook or excel spreadsheet I can download to get me started? Anything you have to get me started will be greatly appreciated!!!!

    Thank you.
    Trisha

    Reply

  98. Wendy Becker-Metivier

    I am still excited from yesterday…I went to Riteaid and got free makeup. The cashier was confused and tried to tell me that I had to pay for the items and try to buy at least $8 worth of products to get $8 off. I asked for the manager and got the deal and later got the same deal at Walmart. The cashier was also confused there saying I couldn’t use more than one coupon for product in same purchase. I was buying more than one of the same item. Anyway, she didn’t know I could comp items and use coupons on the same items also. I got my deals and still am very pleased!

    Reply

  99. kathryn

    I was wondering about the doubleing coupons do I have to buy more than 1 item for the coupon to double..like say .50 off single bar soap can I just buy that one or I have to buy 2

    Reply

  100. Conni

    Im looking for someone in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) to help me learn how to do this for my family and the womens battered shelter. Is there anyone out there that will teach me everything you know?
    Thank you so much for your time.
    Conni

    Reply

  101. Amanda House

    I am so happy I found this website. I have watched the extreme coupon show but am not interested in buying in such bulk. I am looking for good deals and saving a little extra money. Today was the first time I have ever sat down and clipped coupons. There are a few questions I have run across and was hoping you could help me out 🙂

    I have a coupon that is $8 off two covergirl face products. This means you have to buy two products? So if I bought one for 12 and another for 6 I would end up paying $10?

    Also it says “Limit of 4 like coupons” I’m not too sure what this means? I could use the same coupon up to four times?

    ALSO, ( Sorry to bombard ) at a certain store it says they are having a sale of ” Buy 1 get 1 50% off” but I have a coupon for the same product “buy 1 get 1 free” could that somehow be combined? Or another scenario ..I have a covergirl sale ” Buy 1 get 1 50% off” but then an $8 off coupon…could that be combined?

    Thank you for your time!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Yes, $8 off 2 means you have to buy 2, so your scenario is correct.

      Limit 4 “like” coupons per transaction means that even if you have 6 of those covergirl coupons, you can only use 4 at a time. So, in 1 transaction you can buy 8 covergirl products and use 4 coupons – but that’s it. If you have more, you can use them another time.

      If there is a bogo 50% sale and you use a bogo free coupon, the cashier will probably deduct the least expensive item for the “free” part which would be the item that is 50% off. So, you’re really only getting a bogo free discount. I recommend hanging onto your coupon for a better sale. As for the $8/2 coupon on a bogo 50% sale – yes, that’s fine.

      Reply

  102. Charisse

    I’ve heard from the show E.C., that if the barcode # starts with a 5, it can double, and if it starts with a 9, it can’t. Is that true or does a coupon HAVE to SAY, “DOUBLE/TRIPLE COUPON” in order to double/triple?

    Reply

  103. Vicki

    Hi. I am new to couponing and not having very good luck getting my coupons on line. Seems like every site has you “running around. Do you have a good web site to get grocery coupons without all the “running around” ? Thanks vicki

    Reply

  104. Florence Olive

    I really love your site! Not only is it helpful, but man it just breaks everything down to where I can fully understand how it all works and that I can go to my favorite stores shopping with confidence! Thanks!

    Reply

  105. Melissa

    I am fairly new to couponing. I live in a small town where Wal-Mart is our one and only option for shopping. Granted, I have saved some money by using their Price Matching policy but the problem I run into is getting my coupons to match up with the items on sale. It seems like every time the item goes on sale, my coupons are expired and Wal-Mart won’t take them. Our local paper is a terrible source for coupons so I have depended on printable coupons. My husband works in the construction industry which means we live without a paycheck for most of the winter season. We have 3 kids now and it gets harder and harder each year. This year is particularly hard and I REALLY need to cut our grocery bill. Any suggestions??? We are literally living on bologna and hot dogs now cause what I did have stockpiled is gone. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Sorry you are having difficulties. 🙁 I do think you would be fine just relying on printable coupons, but if possible, definitely get your paper anyway. And price matching is definitely good to do as well. Make sure to also sign up for all the free coupons that can be mailed to you as those are a great way to save without using any resources.

      Reply

  106. Sandra Crook

    What a great guide, thank you.
    Guess I better get a binder going.
    I think parts of “Extreme Couponing” are extreme, when one woman helped a friend and left with carts of drinks, deodorant and not much in the way of edibles. One has to be careful in couponing.

    Reply

  107. Marley

    This might be a silly question and I believe I know the answer but, I have two coupons. One says 50 cents off ONE detergant. I have another coupn for the same product that says $1.50 off ONE detergant and ONE fabric enhancer. SO if I buy the one detergant and the one enhancer, can i use both coupons resulting in $2.00 off? Thank you for your response! I started couponing last week and saved $5.00! I know that’s not alot but it is still $5.00!

    Reply

  108. Kristina

    newbie questions. I’ve just started couponing. I’ve got two weeks worth of inserts, lots of printed coupons. I wanted to take advantage of some of the match ups posted. I didn’t have the older inserts so I went to ebay to get them. They talk about different regions have different inserts. Will the coupons from any region work anywhere we find the products. Assuming there not store specific? 2nd question. I’m using a ton of ink to get started. I thought the more coupons the better so I printed things I would buy if they were a great deal. I think I’m wasting more ink/paper then I would save? Should I be printing so many or just the one’s I really use? 3rd question sorry lol If I do store cards and load the coupons. How will I know what coupons I have or don’t have? What if there’s two coupons for the same thing but different values like one $1/1 and the others is $1/2. What coupon would they use? Thanks for all the help. I’m so excited to be learning this.

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Great questions!

      1. Yes, coupons work anywhere as long as they aren’t store specific.

      2. I usually recommend that you only print the coupons you know you will use eventually OR a really high value coupon that might disappear quickly and you are pretty sure you will use it if a great deal comes along.

      3. Most ecoupon sites give you the option to print a list of the coupons you’ve loaded. As for which would come off if they are different values – I’m actually not sure!

      Reply

      • Carol

        This will depend on the store. I have two kroger stores in my area, one 18 miles s and one 12 miles n. The coupons will work in both stores, BUT when using them with sales ads the same item my not be on sale in both stores. Even though these stores are fairly close to each other, they are in different marketing areas

        Reply

  109. Lydia

    this is very informative information for us newbees. lol my Harris Teeter has triple coupons and i saved a hundred dollars that week, when your buying for a family of four with a limited budget thats great for me. Im new to this and loving it so far.

    Reply

  110. sunny

    Helpful hints: don’t forget to include the CRV (depending on state)
    CASH REDEMPTION VALUE-thats when they charge you for recycling fee; plastics;soda cans,water bottles,etc. usually .5cents each.
    I add it to my grocery list, so that I don’t cut myself short when it comes time to pay.

    Reply

  111. MoMo

    Can you please make a coupon class on video? I can’t make it to the classes that is offered. But I will buy the video? I really want to fully understand the process.

    Reply

  112. Karmen

    On the show when they buy like 40 jars of spaghetti sauce, or like how you said buy 12 boxes of cereal to last until the next sale, do they have/do you need a coupon for each item, like 40 coupons for spaghetti sauce/ 12 coupons for cereal? How do you buy so many of one item all for the same discounted/free price?

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Most coupons don’t have limits on how many you can use (recently P&G started limiting their coupons to 4 per person) and many stores won’t limit your purchases either. So, if you have 12 coupons for cereal then you can buy 12 boxes.

      Reply

  113. F.Bruno

    It all sounds great but I see couponers buying multiples. I’m sure the products will expire before they even get to use them. Most times the coupons are only good for a limited time so I can’t wait til the product goes on sale. I just don’t get it.

    Reply

  114. Pingback: Question about couponing - City-Data Forum

  115. Sheryl Thomas

    Hello! Thank You so much for this website. I am finding this to be a hobby also! However, I do not have any children, it is just myself, boyfriend and our pitbull. So I don’t need to be to crazy extreme, but, I am leaving my well paying full time job and starting nursing school in September and we are TERRIFIED of losing a full time income so I am really trying to get this couponing thing down.
    The most I have saved on a $75 weekly food budget is about $15. The problem is I wonder am I really saving anything driving all around town for bargain prices, gas isn’t cheap 🙁
    How do you handle the mean, angry, impatient cashiers? I have ran into that twice where they huff and puff and embarrass me while trying to ensure my coupons are being scanned…I’ve literally experienced the following scenario .. being in line, I had a store and manufacturer coupon, it would only take the store coupon, so she was saying that it only allowed “one coupon per item” and with about 4 people behind me and the cashier saying loudly, “Tom, we got another couponer problem” (Tom was the manager). I was mortified. I was polite and everything, she was just so rude, and people behind me were huffing and puffing. It was so embarrassing. What do you suggest?

    Reply

  116. Kathy

    I have tried couponing once, but set out with unrealistic expectations, and threw the towel in when I did not reach the goals that I had set, plus all the time clipping and orgainizing and not achieving the goals was very disappointing. The information that you have provided here is excellent, and thank you for sharing your wisdom. I would really like to start again, but I am afraid that I wil be disappointed again. Where are you and do you offer classes?

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Start slow and don’t compare yourself to others! No two families will see the same savings. And remember, saving your family even $1 is great – you don’t have to have 95% savings to be successful! I do not currently offer coupon classes but I’m considering making some coupon class-like videos in the future.

      Reply

  117. Sherry L. Lynch

    Hi stephanie, my question is if I have a coupon say for 1.00 off an item, can I use that coupon for 10 of the same item or do I need 10 different coupons, one coupon for each item.

    Reply

  118. Yvonne

    Just wanted to to let beginner couponers know that using coupons will save them money. Most will not see the extreme shopping trip where they spend over $1000 and use coupons and it end up only costing them a few dollars. Those shoppers are only buying in very large quantities of 10 to 15 items and with coupons that will make their final cost little to nothing. They watch for the best price they can get for that item and most times they call ahead to make sure they have the items in stock.
    I am not saying you can’t get things for free. If you watch the ads and your coupons you can save lots of money and come out a winner. This is how I do my Christmas shopping.

    Reply

  119. deb

    Where can I get coupons like those in Ext. couponing where they bought them? I’ve tried alot of coupon sites to print coupons but they always want my information . Any ideas Thanks, Deb

    Reply

  121. Tara

    Stephanie,
    Hi! I’m am new to all of this and I got my Sunday paper today and RedPlum does not come to Southern Arkansas. 🙁 I was really disappointed. Now, I got on their website and printed some of the coupons but because I get their preview I knew all of the coupons were not on their website. ANY idea where else I can find them? Thank you so much. You website has become my go to one out there in the sea of 1000’s!!!
    Tara

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Unfortunately not all coupons are available in all areas. The coupons on the printable sites are not the same as what is in the paper. You may just have to go without. 🙁

      Reply

  122. june

    i am a single mom trying to learn how to use coupons.
    it is overwhelming, i am so confused.
    i signed up for few websites & now i am spending so many hours trying to figure out which coupons r better. i can’t print the same coupon more than once, y is that? i can’t register for free product more than once. me & my sister tried one through my email & the other through my sister’s email, it only worked out once & we r sharing the same house. each of us has a baby. moreover, how do i get 3 different coupons to purchase a product? for the past month, i get the sunday paper, but i don’t know how to cut & save the coupons? how should i know when r there going to be sales & where? how can i keep track on coupons i’ll save & sales that r going on? for example: i get emails from babies r us & i skipped through it, since i get sooo many emails. i ended up missing a great sale of 2 cases for the price of one 🙁 i am mostly interested in baby stuff: mostly diapers, enfamil, gerber jars, wipes, grocery. once in a while: baby cloths & toys. please help.

    Reply

  123. candi

    i love theese tips I have been couponing now for about 2 years and just now have decided to be an ultimate couponer by using your tips. I used to use the coupons i nthe wrong way and didn’t know it till i read your guide. Thank you, I will look for those sales and save the coupon till then. Also for those who may not have known you can buy coupons from ebay real cheap 100 for 99cents and you can type in speciffic like copon for glade and find just those coupons. May be I helpd someone happy couponing to all.

    Reply

  124. SunnyD

    How do you find out what stores double and triple coupons? Im from FL, we dont have a lot of the stores you refer to. Publix is big down here.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  125. Evelyn

    Hi Stepahine, you’ve mentioned that we need to have a pricebook for the merchandise that we usually buy. Can you please tell me what is a good price for a single roll of toilet paper and paper towel without considering a brand name? Thanks a lot!

    Reply

  126. missabella1983

    I have a question about B1G1 sales and coupons. At my store there are Ritz crackers on sale B1G1. I have a coupon for -$1/2 and a coupon for -$.50/1. Can I buy 2 boxes at B1G1 price and use both coupons? Also if I had 2 -$50/1 coupons could I use all three?

    Reply

  127. Valerie

    I have a clarifying question about couponing fine print terminology. I understand that “One coupon per purchase” means that you may use one coupon per item purchased. When a coupon reads “one coupon or offer per transaction” I am guessing it means that you can only use one of this particular coupon on the entire transaction? For example I have a coupon that reads “$1 off, 4-pk. 16-oz. Vitaminwater beverage item” in the fine print it states “one coupon or offer per transaction” so am I correct in assuming that I can only use 1 of this coupon on my entire transaction? I can not use 2 of these coupons and get 2 4-pk. 16-oz. Vitaminwaters for $1 off of each? I noticed this terminology on the Target Web Coupons that I printed. Thanks for the help. I will be heading out to do my first shopping trip soon and want to make sure I am understanding things. Happy Shopping!

    Reply

  128. Amanda

    hi, i am fairly new to couponing and trying to learn the basics. i live in South Carolina and normally shop at Bi-Lo. i have a bonus card that i use every time i go. do i scan my card first or my coupons? or does it really matter?

    Reply

  130. Samantha

    Hi Stephanie,
    Love your site first of all!! I’m reaaaaally new to couponing, in fact, I haven’t really started, doing research first. The only savings I’ve ever made is loyalty card using and just general on sale items. Is there any advice you could give me for my first ever couponing trip??

    -Samantha

    Reply

  131. Brandi

    I am new to couponing, and my question is if I have a two coupons for $.75/2 and I only buy two can I use both coupons on them?

    Reply

  132. Sally

    So i still dont understand how people get items for free, or even recieve money back on some items??? Can i use more than 1 coupon on an item? What is the best strategy for saving the most money?? Confused beginner.

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Sally, There are a few items to get items for free, the main one is waiting until an item goes on sale for less than your coupon. Floss frequently goes on sale for $1 or less and there are almost always $1/1 floss coupons available equaling free floss! You can only use 1 coupon per item/purchase. So, if you have a $1/2 floss coupon, you would buy 2 floss and that coupon would apply to both.

      Reply

  134. Yazira

    This is the best guide I’ve found so far! I’m completely new to the idea of using coupons and can’t wait to get started…but the question no one seems to answer up front (I read 5 articles here before I found the answer) is what coupons to clip/save? I’ve been list shopping and stockpiling for years without coupons so I know we’re not going to use half the items there are coupons for, it would be great if in this first article there was mention of only cutting out coupons for products I’m actually going to use. 😉 I’m subscribing to your site now.

    Reply

  135. Sky Brooks

    Just wanted to say that I am a cashier at walmart. and am planning to start couponing. Do not ever feel afraid to save yourself some money! I dont know how many times a day I have a customer apologize to me for ad matching or using coupons. Dont apologize to us for ad matching and using coupons. thats just plain silly! but dont be rude about it either. were only humans and we all make mistakes.. but I do have one thing to say about your advice on the “price matching” walmart doesnt price match. we AD MATCH. we only match the prices of ADVERTISED items in the competitors weekly ads. so if you see that a box of crackers is $1 at another store and its not advertised then we cannot match the price. But other than that I love your site and I have gotten alot of great advice. hoping I can get the hang of this soon!

    Reply

  136. Tasha

    I’ve begun to buy coupons from clipping websites and have a good bit on hand, the problem though is that i find most of them will expire long before the item goes on sale. Is that an easier way to obtain coupons during sales so they do not go to waste? or should i just go ahead and use them and save a few cents?

    Reply

  137. Leslie

    I noticed some people were asking about produce coupons and I have discovered that Driscoll Farms (which sells berries of all sorts) does have coupons available if you visit their site. Just google that name and it should lead you there. Good luck!

    Reply

  138. Tisha

    Thanks so much for the info. I just started to use coupons cause, my famile and I are in a rut with bills and are strapped with cash. But I still dont have a clue if any of the stores I go to will double the coupons or even take them all at once if their the same. I’ve asked around and only 2 of the stores (Giants and Weiss) I think double. But I would love to have an extreme couponer to help me and guide me so that I can have hands on and really understand the meanings of a coupon. So what can I really do if I have no clue what I am doing??
    Thanks.

    Reply

  139. Haley

    I dont really get how coupon database works. I thought it was where you could find a coupon and print it. Is it just showing you there was one available? For the most part I cant click on the coupon to print it.

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Haley, It shows you the coupon sources. If there is a printable coupon you should be able to click on it and print it. If the coupon was from the newspaper, it simply tells you which insert it was in.

      Reply

  140. Jennifer

    I need to know what a coupon mean when it states LIMIT ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE LIMIT OF 4 LIKE COUPONS in the same shopping trip?

    Reply

    • Tasha

      @Jennifer,
      This means you can only use one coupon per specific item, and you can only use 4 of those coupons per trip. Example: Say you have a coupon for 25c off toilet paper, that means you can only use 4 of these coupons for 4 packages of toilet paper per trip. Of course you can use less, but no more than 4. Hope this helps, sorry for the delay though 🙂

      Reply

  141. Dailyn

    I am very excited to get started and very excited that you have made this available to me to get started! I am only worried that I won’t be able to understand this fully! I wish I had somebody to just sit with and show me in person, one on one in person! But this is a great start for me! Thank you very much!!!!! I plan to get the Sunday paper tomorrow and get started!!!!

    Reply

  142. Karla

    Hi I’m new couponing and I found a promotion on “Country Crock Honey Spread” at publix is having a buy one get one free offer and I have 2 coupons one is $1.25/2 and the other is 0.60/1 my question is can i use both coupons since I’m buying 2 products? Thank you very much!!

    Reply

  144. Christina

    HI….I am extremely new to this couponing and have yet to really get started but I just had a few questions I would like to ask…..Most of the stores in my area do not accept printed off coupons and I was wondering How I could get some mailed to me??….I have 4 small children with another coming and saving money is in dire need of saving lots of money….Our only income is from one job and need the extra items…..And in the stores around here they try and say you can only use so many coupons per transaction What can I do about this??

    Reply

    • Tina

      @Christina,

      There’s a great site couponclippers.com that you can select the coupons you use/need and they will mail them to you, usually takes 4-5 business days (I’m up in the upper Northwest and they’re in FL). They do charge a small fee for packaging up the coupons for you. There is also Ebay where you can buy full inserts. Protector and Gamble has a program you can sign up for and they will send you coupons. Hope this helps.

      Reply

  145. Becky

    I love this site so much I cant sleep. I am soooo ready to get started. I have a blooms, foodlion,walmart in my area. My question is can I call them and ask them for a list of their items and the prices in there store and will they give it to me or will I need to make a list of what my family uses and go the these stores and do it myself. I to am just starting couponing. I have been out of work for a yr due to an injury and not yet on disability. My husband works so hard to pay the bills and I feel that I do nothing to support my family. So If i can do this I think I will feel better about myself. I also bought 2 sunday papers and there were no coupons in them is that because of memorial day weekend and the sales they are already having?

    Reply

  146. Josie

    I am new to coupons.I like to know what websites you can get
    free coupons without using cell phone number.Also where you
    have to register or add a toolbar to your computer.Where are the
    safe websites that don’t put virises to your computer? I would
    like to find coupons that are over $1 .I live in Texas and we only
    have Walmart,Walgreens,CVS,HEB. They don’t double coupons.
    Please answer back I need help. I need to cut my grocery bill
    in half.Its us two and 3 dogs.

    Reply

  147. Karen

    OK… I’m one of the many that watched the Extreme Couponing show. One thing that show did was peak my interest in couponing. I’m a single mom raising two daughter and I definitely need every dime I can save. I will confess that until now I have hated to go to Walmart because of the lines. I’m a convenience person and have paid extremely higher prices all these years for items at the grocery store. NOT ANY MORE!!!…I have spent the day reading your entire site. One question I have…If my coupon is for 1/.75 and the store only doubles up to .49 will they give me 1.00 value for that coupon instead of just .75… or is it just for coupons .49 and under. (Also I am going out tomorrow to get 7 different items for a total of .42 oop. I don’t think that will be to bad for my first trip out.)

    Reply

  148. jessica

    Hello. Long time couponer, first time blogger! I’ve always tried to use coupons, but I’ve never been super strategic about it (stacking, matching to sales…) I just use them when I need something and happen to have a coupon for it. I’m from Ohio, where there are stores that double/triple, price match and accept competitor or expired coupons regularly… Now I live in Florida… the notorious “dead zone” for couponing. And to make it worse, I’m in Orlando, and I find that stores that normally have a double coupon policy (Publix!) do not abide by it in the center of tourist-ville! (Which is so unfair, it’s not my fault tourists come here) So, now that I have a family and some time on my hands, I want to get better about saving money, but HOW can I do that where I live?? Do you have any pointers, tips or sites that pertain to Florida couponing? I’d appreciate any info you could share, thanks!!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @jessica, Well, I don’t know about Florida specifically but I know many people who are able to save with coupons even though their stores do not double coupons. Many manufacturers put out high value coupons now (over $1) that wouldn’t be double anyway, so you can still save by using those coupons. If you have a CVS or Walgreens near you then that is also a great way to save on toiletries and paper goods.

      Reply

  149. Donald Goodin

    I see extreme couponing on TV but I don’t understand how they do it! I am disabled & my mom is 68, we need help! Is there a checklist or method so I don’t have to remember all this stuff? I have short-term memory problems from a head injury but I know I can do this if I’m given a method that I can go down a list to check off as I go. I have to go to a food bank to eat & I’d like to give back to the food bank to help others like they helped me! Pleae let me know if you can help me get started. I’ll understand if you can’t. Donnie & Billie

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Donald Goodin, It’s really not as complicated as it seems. Just get your coupons, match them to the sales (I do this for you for many stores) and go shopping! Some stores, like Walgreens, require a little more planning though.

      Reply

  150. tanya

    I have just started couponing and having a bit of a challenge, even though I love watching the “Extreme Couponing” show I really am not trying to buy in that excess of items however I would like to reduce our grocery bill from 60.00 to like $25.00 however whn i go to the supermaket i have manage to save like 20 off the grocery bill. do i need to buy like these folks to see that kind of savings and pay like 1.50 in the end? Im not totally discouraged by this but maybe someone can suggest somethinhg that i might be missing….

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @tanya, No, you do not have to be extreme to save a lot of money!! A great way to reduce your bill is to start shopping at drug stores. You can begin to get all your toiletries for free which will give you a lot more room in your budget for other groceries.

      Reply

  151. heather

    I wanted to ask you about the B1G1. If I have two coupons for $1 off any 1 salad dressing and the store has it B1G1 can I use both coupons on it since I am purchasing two of them? I am new to this and really trying to save money for a move we are about to make. The first time I went between the coupons I had and the B1G1 I saved over 70 dollars. I ended up spending 130 but I was pround of my savings. I would have spent way more without the coupons.

    Reply

    • heather

      @heather, ok so I went to Publix ( which I love this store) and used my coupons! I was a little nervous walking up to the counter with these coupons not knowing how they would respond!! I got 2 big bottles of wish bone dressing and 2 bags of denta sticks for 2 dollars!! Woo Hoo!! I was able to use my coupons and store coupon for denta sticks, I had 2 coupons for the dressing which was $1 off one bottle, and both items were B1G1. Combined savings with coupons and B1G1 I saved $10.26. This just shows you how exspensive things are!

      Reply

      • Stephanie

        @heather, To answer your earlier question – yes, most stores allow you to use a coupon on the one you’re buying AND on the one you’re getting for “free”. And great job couponing! You are so right – full price is SOOO expensive!!

        Reply

  153. Gina

    Hi, I am loving this website. I have a question about Rite Aid. I went there twice this week. The second time it didn’t register any of my UP rewards, saying that I had reached my limit on them. Do you know how long before I can earn more UP rewards on these items (Crest, Ziploc)?

    Reply

  155. Maureen Delaney

    I am new to couponing as well. I actually haven’t started yet but have been checking out many coupon sites on the computer. By far this site is my favorite. My problem is this-I registered on several coupon sites and now my Inbox on Yahoo is loaded with crap. So many of these sites have sold my email address. I am now averaging 150 new spam emails per day. How do I prevent this? Which sites, besides this one are reputable? Thanks.

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Maureen Delaney, Many times when you sign up with a site you are giving them permission to email you. Sometimes there is a little box you can uncheck to prevent them from sending you emails. You can also find a “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of most emails to click on and tell them not to send you anymore emails. I also recommend creating a “deals” email address using a free email account like yahoo or gmail. Use that email just for signing up for coupons, samples, and deals so that those emails do not clog up your regular email account.

      Reply

  156. veronica

    I am just starting and this is so confusing, they make it seem so easy on t.v and your able to double coupon at certain stores and i want to print coupons and i go to one website to print and it leads me to another website i just want to go to a website to where i do not have to complete a survey everytime idk it is just fustrating for me and need help. is there anyone in vegas who is good at this?

    Reply

  157. Angelica

    I would just like you thank you so much! I always wanted to start couponing but I had no idea of how to really use them to save me money. And since Extreme Couponing came on tv I knew I had to figure this out. Your site is just beyond helpful to me. I was completely clueless and you have totally enlightened me. You make it so simple and easy to understand. Thank you again so much!

    Reply

  158. Andrea

    What a great website! I’m also new at couponing just like the others who wrote here. Thank you so much for all the tips about organizing, planning and all the up-to-date store deals. The stores we have here are Albertsons, Walmart & Walgreens. I’m not sure if these stores doubles any coupons. But I was able to use store coupons + manufacturer’s coupons for both Albertson’s and Walgreens.
    By the way, how much time one should spend on clipping and organizing coupons?

    Reply

    • Andrea

      What I mean was, should I clip all the coupons and organize them or just clip the coupons that has deals that week?

      Reply

      • Stephanie

        @Andrea, It just depends on how you want to organize them. Some people prefer the binder or shoe box method where you clip all the coupons (minus any you KNOW you won’t use) and organize them by category or brand. Others prefer to leave the inserts whole and organize them by date and then just cut the coupons as needed each week.

        Reply

  159. Mar

    Thank u for all your advice and information!!!

    I’m new at couponing. I already got one free item and many other items at a low price on my first shopping trip. I’m getting ready for my next shopping adventure but i have a question with regard to printable internet coupons. How many same coupons can I print from “online printable coupons sites” ? I want to print at least 5 same coupons but i am not sure if I’m allow to do that. The coupon that I’m interesting can be use only at walmart do u know if i can print 5 same coupons and use the 5 at the same time. The coupon that I’m interesting is a coupon that the final price is $0.00 (free). The coupon is a Wilkinson Sword Disposable Razor $1/1 available only at walmart. Thank you so much for your help. If anyone have any info on this please reply.

    Reply

  160. TJ

    im so flustered, need advise. Im attempting at wrapping my brain around couponing for the first time ever. Ok so its super easy on any site to see how much you are saving when you start to add up the coupons, but where the heck does it tell you how much your spending? Where does it tell you how much the product is priced at so you can figure out what the price is that you will be spending. How do all these people figure out what exactly they are spending before they get there is none of these sites tell you the price of the produce in the first place. UGHHHHHHHH help me please. Times are rough and im really trying to save money if i can.
    T

    Reply

  161. tameka

    Hello i’m not a very consitant couponer, lazy @ times. It’s hard for me @ times bcause I live on a very low income. so when things i want or need do go on sale i don’t have the money for it And then i do have the money their not on sale, so how can you help me with that problem because i’m tired of paying full price on things when i do not have the money. And another question why is it so important to know what isle each item is, do not understand that ethier please explain. Thank you

    Reply

  162. Julia

    I also, like many others, watched the TLC show “Extreme Couponing” and I don’t have rose-colored glasses on thinking I’m going to get $600 worth of groceries and pay only $6.30 (although that was the COOLEST thing I’ve ever watched on TV, and I liked that he was doing it for military families..they give sooo much). So, my hubby and I want to start saving as much as we can. We just started a family with our little girl and I’m curious..where would I save the most at? We don’t have ANY double coupon stores in my area, but we have Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie (two really good places to shop at and save money without using coupons) but which would be the better place to shop? Winn-Dixie has a Customer Rewards card which is great and Wal-Mart has really good savings as well (especially on the 196 ct diapers that I buy for baby girl) but where am I going to get the most for my coupon buck? I love this site and I know your response will be fair.

    Thanks

    Reply

  163. Terry

    Hi Everyone,

    First, let me say that I love this website. It’s very helpful for the beginners. I am also new to couponing and would like to know how items are free. Based on some of the previous posts, you can not use more than one coupon for the same item. Can anyone let me know how to get the items for free.

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Mar

      @Terry,

      Check the price of the item. Example I got a body wash for free at walmart because the body wash was at $2.97 and i had a coupon of $3.00. I always carry my coupons with me because u never know when u can find a good deal. Beside match your coupons with sales check ur newspaper or the sales from the store u want u can go online and check. Hopefully this help u.

      Reply

  164. Michelle

    Online coupons question here for a newbie clipper.

    I have never printed online coupons before and don’t know if they have expiration dates or how long they typically stay online. Should I print them way ahead of time hoping to use them at a much later date when prices are rock bottom just like we do the paper inserts? Or should I only print them when I’m making my shopping list and matching deals with coupons (but may miss out on some that have gone offline).

    Thanks so much for this great site!

    Reply

  165. Nancy

    I can see it’s going to take a while before I’m making significant dents in my grocery bill. So far I’ve only been able to clip coupons from 2 inserts and what came in the mail this week. Not a lot in there that I would normally buy and I don’t want to start buying just to use the coupon. None of the stores around here double coupons. I did get a coupon policy from the Stater Bros manager (he didn’t even know they had one) and Winco says they flat out don’t. So we’ll see when I do my first shopping trip how well I do. I only get paid once a month so I have to wait until then to even attempt this but I’m looking at as time to get better prepared.

    Thanks for a simple, basic site that in’t giving me an a rose colored view of couponing.

    Reply

  167. Melinda

    I am new to “serious” couponing. So if I have a coupon that says save $ .50 on 3 boxes of cereal, does that mean I get $ .50 off each box of cereal or $.50 of the all three. For example if each box costs $3.99, do i receive $ .50 off each $3.99 box or $ .50 of $11.97 (total of 3 boxes)?

    Reply

  168. david

    Hi! I just started getting back on the track of couponing. I got the Sunday papper today which has always been the number one sorce in a lot of peoples books.
    But there are no coupons in there. Anyone know why that is?????

    And great site by the way. You coupon data base rocks!

    Reply

  169. Victoria

    I just started using coupons and have been saving 20-30 dollars a week on my grocerys it just seems like im paying a lot more on my grocerys now than I did before. Am I doing something wrong ? I do look for the best deals at the different stores

    Reply

  170. Mulan

    Great site! I have a question: do you recommend any particular order when using manufacturer and store coupons? For example, should I use all store coupons first then move on to manufacturer’s coupons? Or should I group all coupons according to product? Also, I’ve noticed on the show “Extreme Couponing” that many of the shoppers tend to use their club discount cards AFTER everything has been rung up but BEFORE using their. Is there a reason for this? When I shop, I usually give the cashier my card before anything is rung up and then, after everything is scanned, I give them a bunch of coupons all mixed up. I have a feeling I’m missing out on more savings by doing it this way. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Mulan, I think they give their card last because they want to see the pre-sale totals (gives more of a “wow” factor). Usually the order you give your coupons doesn’t matter unless you’re shopping at Walgreens where it’s usually better to give the manufacturer’s coupons first.

      Reply

  171. Judy

    Thanks for writing up all this information for us! I, like some others, don’t need 100 boxes of cereal, laundry detergent, but I think I can save some money here. I liked your video about the baseball card holder for your coupons, too. Great idea. I saw on Extreme Couponing that those ladies did that, as well. I don’t have 35 to 45 hours a week to coupon. But, I do think I can follow your model of realistic couponing. I’m excited to try my hand at this. Appreciate your kindness!

    Reply

  172. lisa

    Just getting started. I notice you list Kroger as one of the stores you show matches for. In Arizona, we have Frys, which is owned by Kroger. I imagine the sales may be different, but shouldn’t the store coupons still work?

    TIA

    Reply

  174. Ramie

    Thank you so much for doing this! I recentely started watching the show and got hooked to the idea but have realized that my small family doesn’t need 52 gallons of laundry soap and some of it is unrealistic. I am newly pregnant with my first child and am eager to start couponing and excited to start saving more money especially with today’s economy. So again thank you 🙂

    Reply

  176. Brandi

    Is there another coupon clipping co you recommend? I registered with The Coupon Clippers and never received my approval. I also emailed their CS to follow up and have not heard back. It has been a week now. Any suggestions? THANKS for the AWESOME blog!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Brandi, Hm, that is strange. I’ve also ordered from Taylortown Preview with no problems. There are many others out there but I have not ordered from them so I don’t feel comfortable recommending them yet.

      Reply

  177. Helena

    Thank you for such an awesome site! I just started couponing and made my first trip to Safeway with my coupons. I’m thrilled to state that I saved 48% off my grocery bill – that includes saving on fresh meat and wine with a couple of my coupons! I even got a Chex Mix for free by using my club card. All things that I would have bought anyway and will use over the next few weeks. I invested around 4 hours reading this site, printing out coupons, $1 for the Sunday paper, clipping coupons, getting organized, etc. It was an awesome feeling seeing the total go down by so much.

    Reply

  178. Amy

    I LOVE your site!! i just started couponing and am alittle nervous when i go to the store now with coupons. But using coupons my first week and doing the things i learned on here. I saved $30.00 from our weekly grocery budget! that is just awsome. I just wanted to thank you for having this site!

    Reply

  179. Tisha

    This website is awesome!!!!! I am new to couponing and I searched many site but none compare to this one it was so helpful thank you so much for all the tips

    Reply

  181. Julie

    I’m very new at this. I used coupons on my last shopping trip and saved about $14.00. We are military and budgets are tight so we do our shopping for a 2 weeks period. My budget is around $150 but would like to spend less than that. I now uderstand that I can only use one manufactorers coupon and one store coupon for one item. But on some of my coupons it says: Limit one coupon per purchase of products and quantites stated. Limit 4 like coupons in same shopping trip. So does that mean if I use 4 coupons I have to buy 4 items or can I use 4 coupons on 1 item? I think I know but I just want it clearified. Thanks.

    Reply

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  183. jaime

    So i want to start couponing and i just called all 3 grocery stores in my town (2 albertsons ans a stater brother) And all of them said that they do not stack or double coupons. Do i need to speak with a manager…or is it unusual stores do that?

    Reply

  185. Hopeless Mom

    I read that the weekly ads run on a 12 week cycle. I am new at this and trying to figure out a way to save some grocery cash. Does the cycle start by calendar year? Did you figure the cycle out after you started coupon(ing)?
    I am so grateful for your advice. 🙂

    Reply

  186. Katrina

    If I have a coupon loaded on my Dillons card and also a manufactures coupon can I use the manufactures coupon plus the coupon that’s loaded on my card for one product? I’m not understanding if the coupons loaded on my card are manufacturers coupons or store coupons. I’m brand new at doing this and just started doing all my reasearch this weekend. I love your site, it has helped a lot. Thank You!

    Reply

  187. Gail

    I am new to this. Until recently I was able to print my coupons at work but recently there has been a crackdown and now I am unable to download them onto my computer and then print them. I would like to use my home email but we have no printer at home. Is there a way I can save them and email them to myself at work to print them? Thanks for any help you can give me!

    Reply

  188. Tara

    I am new to the whole couponing thing and have a couple questions. Am I missing out on coupons by not getting a Sunday paper? Or am I able to get all the the coupons in the Sunday paper through the various coupon websites (ie. red plum, smart sources)?

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Tara, I know some people who don’t buy a paper and just use printables and that works for them. I find that a lot of good coupons are only available in the newspaper though, so it depends on whether you think it’s worth it or not.

      Reply

  189. J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog)

    Excellent tips! My local stores are ShopRite, Price Chopper, and Hannaford. I know that ShopRite does double coupons up to .99 cents, but I am not sure about the others. I’ve never tried to use multiple coupons for one item, but I am going to try this for coupons that don’t specify that you can’t. 🙂

    Couponing just make sense no matter how much money you have! (cents, heh)

    Reply

  190. Maiera

    First I wanted to say thank you for the website. It is very useful.

    Secondly, I just wanted to add if someone does go overboard there is a website called freecycle where you can give stuff away and people will come to your house it pick it up. Very convienent.

    Reply

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  192. Melissa

    Thank you for the awesome guide. 🙂 ^ Margaret, $7 is great! That’s nothing to stick your nose up at. I know it’s not *extreme*, but we’ve all got to start somewhere. I saved $5 dollars the other day. I got some things free. It takes time, a lot of planning and watching, and experience, from what I’ve read.

    The problem for me is, I buy lots of fresh produce and don’t usually find coupons for that kind of thing. I’m also super busy with work and school that I don’t have time to commit to watching all the store prices(I shop at a lot of different places), then comparing them, then watching for sales, then finding coupons, etc. etc. Those who save tons of money-I give props to you for the dedication!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Melissa, Melissa, produce coupons ARE pretty rare, but I find that I save so much in other areas that I’m able to pay the money for fresh produce that I may have skimped on before. If you have an Aldi near you, you might check there, they usually have great prices on produce.

      Reply

  193. Margaret

    I’m just starting and I’m having the hardest time wrapping my head around couponing. I understand how it should work, but I’m not having any luck. I think the last time I went to the store I only saved $7. Do you have any suggestions?

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Margaret, I think that people have a warped view of couponing, especially after the extreme couponing show. $7 is really great! If you are just starting out, don’t expect to go the store and save $100s on your first trip! It takes time and you will get the hang of it eventually! 🙂

      Reply

        • Stephanie

          @Gail, I don’t keep track of expiration dates. Probably the majority of what I clip is thrown away. But that’s OKAY. If I used them all I would go broke! I just clip them just in case a great sale comes along. If there is a coupon I really want to make sure I use because it’s free/high value/or a coupon for something we use regularly, then I’ll put it in a separate place that I can flip through easily.

          Reply

  194. coleen

    Hi stephanie!..I’ve asked u a few questions here recently and I just wanted to share with u my 1st couponing experience!!our local grocery store just had a 3 day sale they had grands biscuits on sale for 79cents each..I had coupons for $1/2 making them.29!!!..also a sale on totinos pizzas for .88 I had coupons for $1/5making them .68!!..thanx for all of ur help so far ur AWESOME! ~coleen~

    Reply

  195. Jenelle

    I went to my local grocery store’s website and found some E-coupons, however, they state, “limit 4” for example. If I had more than one (let’s say 3) of those coupons for said item, could I essentially use all 3 of the coupons to get 12 of the items? I’m totally new to this and my current financial situation is motivating me to save money wherever I can! Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Jenelle, I’m not really sure I understand your question. Most eCoupons can only be used once, but if you had 2 of the same eCoupon that you loaded from 2 different eCoupon sites, then you could probably buy 2 of those items and use both eCoupons.

      Reply

  196. Coleen

    so, i have a question about the double couponing thing…my local stores only double coupons up to 49cents… so if i have a coupon for $1 off of an item…will it double it up to the 49cents making it $1.49 off of the item??? or will it only double a coupon that is actually 49cents or under??

    Reply

  198. Christine

    I’m new at this 2 and am very motivated to do this after I also watched TLC’s Extreme Couponing.

    I found a coupon online that I can have clipped and it is for Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables and it says for “Any 5”. Do I have to buy 5 and then get the $1 off or can I just buy 1 and get the $1 off just that one box?

    Reply

      • Christine

        @Stephanie, so if I had 5 of those coupons could I use them all on the 5 boxes saving me $5 on the original total price of all 5 boxes?

        Original prices: $2,$2,$2,$2,$2 (=$10)
        Stack of same coupon: -$1,-$1,-$1,-$1,-$1 (= -$5)
        Checkout price: $5

        Can I do that? Just want to make sure before buying 5 of the same coupons from a clipping service.

        Reply

          • maria figueroa

            I went to the supermarket a couple of days ago and saw how much i saved (I saved $ 56.00 from 125.and some change ) of course it wasn’t like the extreme couponers, now i carry my coupon carry case ( purchased @ the dollar store) in my bag everywhere i go.

  199. Lacey

    Ok I’ve just recently starting collecting my coupons and got a good stack going on. But I’m still a little confused on some things of couponing. I see all these people on tv getting this stuff for almost nothing. So here is my question…Say I have a coupon for $1.00 off 3 boxes of cereal. I have two coupons could I use the coupon to get $2.00 of instead of a $1.00. That will really get my price down…is this how all this works? Thanks for your website it has really helped me alot!

    Reply

  200. kim

    we have no stores here that double coupon the closest one is over an hour and they only take 20 at a time any suggestions . no grocery stores i should say have not looked at cvs or walgreens yet

    Reply

  201. Lori Spurgeon

    I too watched the extreme couponing show and was blown away. I need to start saving money due to an illness that has put a strain on my income. I live in Ottumwa, IA and we only have Wal-Mart( which we do get a 10% discount at), Hy-Vee, Walgreens, Aldis, Fareway, Target, and K-Mart. I have tried to use coupons in the past but I can’t find them for the items my family uses and space is a major issue. Do you have any suggestions on how I find local coupons? I will be going back to work soon working 15 hour days with only Sundays off so I don’t have much time to search or shop. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

    Reply

  202. charney

    so i hav eto say that i too watched the TLC episode and have a desire to work on my couponing. we live way to close to pay check to pay check and we have to do something. i have gone to the point of grounding myself from walmart because i cant control myself and i love to have a stock pile so when i want to make something i can just make it. i think that if i really work on the couponing that it will help with my self control and my budget.
    i want to learn so anything that i can learn.
    one thing that i noticed in the show was that most of the stores i dont have regular access to and i dont think like walmart for example does double coupons and etc.

    Reply

  203. Noemy

    I watched extreme couponers on cable this Friday, what i want to know is how do they do it to spend 638.00 and pay 2.67 in the end? Thats what i would like to accomplish.

    Reply

  204. Lindsey

    This is a great site! I am very new at this (used coupons once or twice in the past) and I saw TLC’s Extreme Couponing with my husband the other night. I really want to start couponing and that show was just the motivation I needed… the only problem we have is storage space! I’m sure I won’t be as extreme as some on the show, but their pantries were like little mini marts! Is that how every couponer’s home is? My goodness, we definitely don’t have the room for anything like that, but I do really want to save money!

    Reply

  206. Karla Sue

    Free source of coupons for people in the Dallas area!
    Most people probably already know about this, but I just figured it out this week. The Dallas Morning News has an edition called The Briefing that delivers Wednesday thru Saturday, and the Saturday paper comes with coupon inserts. Best part is, it’s free! You can sign up for it here:

    http://www.dallasnews.com/briefing/

    I signed up on Wednesday morning, and Thursday morning I got the first paper. Just thought I’d mention it for anyone who like me didn’t know about a free source of coupons. Now if only I could get them to deliver multiple copies…

    Reply

  207. Bree

    Do you purchase by unit price or overall price?
    For example: at Walmart the bigger box of soap powder is cheaper by load, but the smaller box is cheaper by price tag. What’s your method for determining which one to use the coupon for?
    Also, if you don’t have a coupon does it make a difference on which one you purchase?

    Thanks in advance,
    Bree

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Bree, It depends. In most cases, it is cheaper to buy the smaller package when you have a coupon, unless there is a sale on the larger package that brings the cost per unit lower than the smaller package with a coupon.

      Reply

  208. Kristen

    “10/$10 promotions. You do not have to buy 10 items to get the $1 price! The only exception to this rule is if the ad states that you must! Those times are rare and are usually for items that are buy x get y free, final price 2/$5, etc. ”

    I’m not sure I completely understand how to do this..
    Could you explain this a little more clearly for me? I’m sure it makes complete sense to everyone else, but I’m just a little slow at all of this

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Kristen, Most stores advertise that items are on sale 10 for $10. This basically means you get each item for $1, but you do NOT have to buy 10 items to get them for $1 each.

      However, occasionally the store will specify that you are required to buy 10 (or 3 or 5 or whatever) to get the sale price. Sometimes it will be advertised like this: Soup $1.25 each! Buy 8 and get 2 Free! Final Price = 10/$10! So, in that instance, you would have to buy 10 to get the $1 sale price.

      I hope that helps!

      Reply

  209. Amanda

    I really appreciate your guides! It is very helpful for us beginners! Could you please explain how the following work:

    1) I have a B1G1 1/2 off coupon for an item advertised as B1G1 free OR vice versa (B1G1 free coupon on B1G1 1/2 off item)?
    2) I have a coupon for “ANY Noxzema product” with a picture of a face cleansing product shown, will I be able to buy a Noxzema shaver product with this coupon?
    3)I have a Manuf. coupon that has a Kroger logo on it, does this mean this coupon could be used ONLY at Krogers?

    Thanks again! Keep up your great work! 🙂
    -Amanda

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Amanda, Great questions!!

      1. Using a b1g1 free coupon on a b1g1 50% off sale is kind of pointless. The coupon will deduct the item that is the lowest value, so it will deduct the item that rings up 50% – which would just make it the equivalent of a b1g1 free sale. I would save your coupon for a better deal. And I have never seen a b1g1 50% off coupon, but it might work on a b1g1 free sale depending on whether or not your cashier allows it.

      2. As for the “any noxema product” coupon, it really is up to you. I would say that the coupon is probably intended for facial care products, but since it says “any” then technically you can use it on the razors. You might have a hard time getting the cashier to take it though.

      3. The Kroger logo coupon depends. If it is a regular coupon that you clipped out of the paper or got in the mail and says “manufacturer coupon” on it, but does not say “use only at Kroger” or something like that, then you can use it anywhere. If it is a “catalina coupon” that prints at the register when you check out, even though it says manufacturer coupon, it can only be used at Kroger.

      Hope that helps!!

      Reply

      • Kristine Dillon

        @Stephanie, Does the catalina coupon with the Kroger name on it that printed from the register, mean it’s a store coupon or is it still a manufacturer’s coupon?

        Reply

  210. Pingback: How to Start Saving: Using Coupons to Save on General Goods

  211. Amanda

    What happens if you run into a problem with the cashier refusing to accept MANY of your coupons, would you skip on purchasing the items all together or buy them anyway (w/o coupons)? How would you handle this situation?

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      @Amanda, It depends on the item. If it’s something I had to have right then – like diapers or milk or whatever, I would go ahead and buy it. If I was just buying the item because it was cheap or free after coupon, I would ask them to remove it from my order. Then I would try again to buy it the next time I went to the store.

      Make sure to make customer service aware of your experience so you hopefully won’t have as many problems the next time you try to use coupons there.

      Reply

  212. Jennifer

    What kind of binder do you have? I like the idea of one that is nylon and zips up and has extra p0ckets like yours does.

    Reply

  213. Joann

    So, as a “newbie” do i understand that if a coupon is say $1/2 you could use TWO coupons, one for each of the two items? AND if you are buying at Target and had Target coupons, you could potentially use FOUR coupons on the TWO items?
    Thanks.

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      Joann,

      No, the $1/2 is being used on both items, so you could not use another manufacturer coupon. If you had a Target coupon for $1/2 you could use that one as well. 2 items = (1) $1/2 manufacturer coupon and (1) $1/2 Target coupon.

      -Stephanie

      Reply

  214. Stephanie

    Wylene,

    Do you mean, for example, a 75¢/1 and a $1/1 on the same item? No. You can only use 1 manufacturer coupon (regardless of value) on the same item. If you have a store coupon, however, it can be used in addition to the manufacturer’s coupon.

    -Stephanie

    Reply

  217. Stephanie

    Kellee,

    I have experienced that before and it is always very frustrating. The cashiers don’t realize that they will still be reimbursed for the amount of the coupon – regardless of the sale/clearance price. In the instances that the issue isn’t resolved by speaking to a manager, a call to corporate usually does the trick.

    -Stephanie

    Reply

  218. Kelllee

    Thank you for all the tips. I am fairly new at couponing and encountered a little problem today.
    I went to the Randalls in my area and got several items from the clearance bin which I had coupons for but the cashier said that I was not allowed to use coupons on items that were reduced. I asked to speak to the manager and he said the same.
    I wanted to know if you have ever experienced this problem and if so, what was the outcome.

    thanks so much

    Reply

  221. Jamie

    I have been couponing for about 2 months now and just LOVE this guide! I’ve cut my grocery bill in half. But I still have the same question that Shellina did. What do you do to get a ton of stuff for practically nothing? How do all of you do it? I want the secret!

    Reply

  223. Jen

    I am also new at couponing. This website is great and answered most of my questions I had. I think it’s wonderful that there’s information out there that we can have access to.

    Reply

  224. Shellina Reed

    I am a benninger at couponing I would love to save more at the grocery store. I get the items on sale and I use the coupons but my grocery bill is still high. Can you help me save more money each month. I had watch the 2 women on the news and they only spent $1.34 at the grocery store. Please email me back with an response.

    Reply

  225. Menu Maker Mom

    Awesome guide!! I have been couponing for 25 years and can’t imagine shopping any other way. I get amazed that my friends pay waaayyy more for the exact same groceries as I do!

    I wish we had a Kroger to shop at. Down here in South Texas, we have HEB, Super Wal Mart, and Super S.

    Menu Maker Mom
    http://menumakermom.blogspot.com

    Reply

    • Lyndsay

      @Menu Maker Mom, I have JUST started coupoing recently… I attempted a major couponing trip this last month and although I saved nearly $200, we spent almost triple that, which is not how it is suppose to go. I was proud, yet I am still trying to grasp how to get our grocery budget to where we can be comfortable. I could really use your help!!!

      Thanks,
      Coupon Newby

      Reply

    • cristina

      Hello, my name is cristina. I also live in the south texas area. I would love to learn how to clip coupons. Please help me. If you would like call me at 210-398-0070. I don’t give out my number. But i would really appreciate it if you could show me how it’s done. Thank you! Cristina Mata

      Reply

    • Jeannie Smith

      Hi, Amy, just wanted to share something with you. I got this great coupon organizer from couponizer. It’s wonderful! I love saving money, and it’s already helping me to save even more. My best saving so far was the day that I spent $149.00 but saved 84%!!! The web site is the couponizer.com

      Reply

  227. Sara DMS

    Thanks for the guide! I just started couponing this week and really appreciate the tips, especially info such as sales going in 12 week sales. I read your posts every day because I’ve found them so helpful!

    Reply

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Couponing101.com is a free resource for all who are interested in learning more about couponing and saving money.  Couponing 101 offers a variety of money-saving strategies that encourage and motivate readers to get creative and explore different savings techniques.

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