Things I Love Thursday: Scotch Paper Cutter $0.50 at Walmart!

Couponing isn't exactly a chore to me (because otherwise I wouldn't do it), but I really can't admit that I enjoy cutting coupons too much. I don't mind sorting them, and I probably wouldn't mind cutting them so much if the scissors didn't give me carpel tunnel syndrome after a bit. Part of the reason is that I use these large scissors that I found in the fabric department of Walmart, and while they obviously don't fit my tiny hands, I would use no other type of scissors because they're just so sharp and so efficient. That still doesn't change the fact that my hands hurt after a while.

Enter the Scotch Paper Cutter. I think it's originally designed for holiday gift wrap cutting, but it works wonders on coupons (and actually anything else you need to cut out). It's basically just a push action, instead of having to work my fingers. I'm pretty sure that you can purchase it anytime of the year, but around the holidays it tends to be a bit easier to find and is often on sale.

Which is how I got my paper cutter for $0.50. Yes. Just two quarters. When I set out to find it at Walmart yesterday, I was expecting to have to pay somewhere in the range of $4 or $5. I had a $1 coupon from a recent insert, but honestly price wasn't the main issue here. I was just tired of using scissors, and a paper cutter that I will be heavily abusing using every week seems like a good investment.

Imagine my surprise when I found them in the home office department for $1.50! They had some in the actual aisle priced at around $4, but then at the end of the aisle on the side of the endcap they had a whole display of paper cutters, and someone had written with a sharpie $2.50, then crossed it out to $1.50.

I really didn't expect it to scan at $1.50, especially with the so "unofficial" markdown. I mean, really now...anyone passing by could have scribbled it on. But nope - it rang up at $1.50, and after my $1 coupon I ended up paying $0.50 for this couponer's hand-saving grace.

Best fifty cents I ever spent!

WFMW: Foil that stove!

I'm not a big cooker, so most of our meals are easy and quick. Dinner is not a major event in our house, and thanks to the simplicity of the recipes I rarely make a mess on the stove. But somehow, it's just inevitable. Whenever oil is involved, things just tend to just splatter everywhere. And of course, my lack of coordination when it comes to cooking instruments probably has something to do with it.

I make a serious attempt to scrub the stove every night, but I'm going to be honest and admit that sometimes I just don't have the energy to or I just plain old forget. Burnt food is near IMPOSSIBLE to get off. But I have the perfect solution: FOIL.

After the last hour-long stove scrubbing, my genius of a husband had the lightbulb idea to cover the entire stove-top with foil. At first I thought it was so wasteful to plaster our entire stove with foil, but then it dawned on me that we're not exactly replacing it on a weekly basis. Actually, we're not even replacing it on a monthly basis. The matter of the fact is that foil is just a whole lot easier to wipe down than the actual stove. And if something is just stuck for the rest of eternity, we'll just replace that particular piece of foil. It's not as wasteful as it sounds...especially when you take into account the hours and chemicals we used to scrub the stove down.

Guest Post: Entertaining on a Budget

In case you don't know, my parents and grandma have been visiting us for the past week. My grandma lives in another country, so we rarely get to see her - this was the first time that she met my husband and our daughter. This evening, my uncle and his family will be driving in from New York, and they will stay the weekend. Although they're not expecting to be entertained, they are still company and guests in my home, and to a certain degree I feel a moral undeniable obligation to play hostess, no matter how much they protest. And playing hostess is taxing - not only on your mind but also on your wallet!

When Beeb, the Super Coupon Girl, offered to scribe a guest post on how to entertain on a budget, it was just too good to be true. So, without further ado, here is the awesome budget-saving post. Take it away, Beeb!

Entertaining On a Budget

With the holidays quickly approaching, many of us are starting to plan parties and family get-togethers. If you're playing host this year, you may be concerned about the impact this will have on your budget. Perhaps you're making the family dinner on Christmas Eve, or maybe you've been nominated to cook for the annual holiday party at work. Whatever the event, if you're cooking for a crowd, it can get expensive. Sure, you're utilizing your coupon skills and shopping the sales, but it might not be enough. Here's some tips to help you stretch your dollar to the max.

Meal Plan Around Your Stockpile
Open your cupboards, and take a good look at what you've got. If you can plan some of your menu around what you already have, you'll save big. When I hosted my annual Halloween party this year, one of the things I served was “Jack 'O Lantern Toast”. I have several loaves of Sara Lee bread in my freezer that I got over the summer, thanks to a free coupon that came out in the newspaper. I defrosted one of those, and topped them with Kraft Cheese slices that had little “faces” cut into them. The cheese was also free, from yet another great coupon that appeared in the newspaper. I made a big batch, and grilled them in the oven. Not only was it a free way to make a bunch of appetizers, it was a hit with the guests!

Stuck for ideas as to what you can make with your stockpile? Check out Recipe Matcher. You can type in a list of what ingredients you have on hand, and it will show you recipes that can be made using them!

Use Inexpensive Ingredients
If you haven't built up much of a stockpile yet – or if it mostly consists of Windex – then you'll still need to purchase quite a bit of food. Think of what items you can buy in large quantities for fairly little. For example, a bag of potatoes doesn't cost much, but it can feed a lot of people. Mashed potatoes are a traditional favorite for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and baked potatoes make a great side dish for almost any meal.

Making your own soup is another great way to make a large amount of food in a cost effective way. I made a simple, delicious soup using pumpkin and potatoes for my Halloween party – have I mentioned yet how much I love potatoes?

Pasta has always been a favorite of mine to serve guests, even before I used coupons. It's easy to make in large quantities, delicious – and cost effective! This year, I got a bunch of pasta and pasta sauce for free using coupons. But even if there's no fantastic sales in your area, it's still a low cost staple that goes a long way.

Make It From Scratch
Baking your own desserts, breakfasts, or breads is another fantastic way to save. If you bought a pie at the grocery store, it would probably cost about four or five dollars. For that amount, you could buy some flour and sugar and make several pies of your own. To save even further, substitute more expensive ingredients with lower priced alternatives. Got applesauce in your stockpile? Use that in place of oil in cakes and brownies. Out of butter or shortening? Opt for margarine. Check out this great list of other ingredient substitutions.

I make a lot of pies during the holiday season, and I often get feedback on how light and fluffy my crusts are. When I tell people that I make my crust out of oil, not butter, they're always shocked. Not only is an oil crust inexpensive, it's also easier to make than a butter crust. Interested in giving it a try? Here's the recipe:

Oil Pastry
Recipe from Betty Crocker's Cook Book - makes an 8 or 9 inch one-crust pie

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (I always omit this)
1/3 cup salad oil
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Measure flour and salt into bowl. Add oil; mix until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until flour is moistened and dough almost cleans side of bowl. (If dough seems dry, 1 to 2 tablespoons oil can be added. Do not add water.) Gather dough together; press firmly into ball. Shape dough into flattened round and roll out.

Budget The Bird
The turkey is probably your biggest expense. Watch your store's sales fliers and see what kind of deals they're running. Some grocers offer special promotions where you can get your turkey for free with a certain purchase amount. Obviously, it makes no sense to spend $100 just to get a free turkey, but if you have to buy those items anyway, or if they allow coupons to sweeten the deal, it may be worthwhile for you.

Hold A Potluck
Finally, you may want to consider making your event a potluck. This could be especially helpful for family gatherings – instead of burdening one person with the planning and expense, everyone can pitch in a small amount and bring one dish.

This is also a big time saver, so it can help reduce the workload for everybody, and leave more time for what's really important during the holidays: spending time with each other.

Guest Post: Make Your Own Baby Food

Today's guest post is brought to you by Ali Hooper of Henry's Treehouse. Since 99.5% of our days are currently made up of baby food, this is a topic of extreme importance to my family. We're still buying Gerber foods for the little princess right now, simply because I think I'll be admitted to a psychiatric hospital if I attempted to make her food on top of handling everything else, but it is something that I do want to move away from once things calm down a bit. Thank you, Ali, for this wonderful intro to baby food making!

Make your own baby food - It's good for the baby and the wallet.

It is a small miracle that I am a nutritionally-conscience mom. No lie, I ate McDonald's (or something equally artery-clogging) nearly everyday of my pregnancy. Yet the minute that precious little boy entered my world, my desire for greasy french fries fell a far second to my son's nutrition.

So in terms of his baby food, I knew that I wanted to serve him foods that I controlled – foods made with my hands, in my kitchen. This has not only benefited my growing boy, but also my wallet. Not to mention, making baby food is simple, easy, cheap, and good for the environment.

Here is how I get the most bang for my buck:

1. Basically, I consider the fruits and vegetables that we typically eat and buy those for my son. That way if he does not like something then I am not wasting food because my husband and I will eat it. Pureed "baby" food is great in smoothies and baking! You can "hide" pureed veggies in baked goods making your cookies yummy and wholesome.
2. Make sure to buy frozen or fresh, not canned, because frozen and fresh produce is often more nutritious. I buy all produce from Aldi's or Sam's Club. If buying organic is your priority, that is awesome, but I have found Whole Foods to be too expensive for my budget. Occasionally I can find organic produce at Aldi's and Sam's, but not consistently. If you live in year-round warm weather, buy your produce from a Farmer's Market. I do that in the summer months, and the produce is cheap and often organic (and locally grown, allowing us to give back to our community).
3. Choose a storage method (pureed baby food can be frozen, and I recommend this because you can make a ton at once and save it for later). I splurged on ice cube trays with lids (I found these at Bed, Bath & Beyond for under $5, and I used a 20% off coupon that I received in the mail). That might seem expensive, but the trays last for months, and you will use them over and over again. Some people use Ziplocs, which is fine, but most people throw the bag away after each use which can be wasteful.
   

For more information about making baby food, I recommend Wholesome Baby Food.

About the author: Ali Hooper is a full-time mom and wife who is in love with her boys (hubby, baby, puppy). She is a licensed School Counselor with a profound interest in the current trends and research relating to a child's health and success. You can find her discussing and processing those issues that affect her life as a mother, educator, and mental health professional at Henry's Treehouse.

Coupon Counselor: Couponing Techniques

This week we will be covering some couponing techniques that will sure to be useful on your shopping trips. If you're new to the Coupon Counselor series, be sure to check out some of our past sessions:

• The Basics: This was the first installment of the Coupon Counselor, and covers all basic and general questions regarding couponing.
  
• Couponing Dictionary: You will need to refer back to this for definitions and abbreviations that I tend to use.
  
• Coupon Systems: An overview of the coupon systems out there, and how to find the one that works for you.
  
• Prepping for coupons: how to efficiently plan (and carry out) your shopping trip.

In the coming weeks, we will start to move from the basics and get to more specific topics:

• Troubleshooting Coupons: what to do when stores refuse coupons.
  
• The CVS Handbook: how to work the ECB system
  
• The WAGs Handbook: we'll cover the ESR rebates and register rewards
• The Couponer's Bible: items that you should never pay for, never spend more than $1 on, or should never "buy" unless they're moneymakers!

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COUPON COUNSELOR GIVEAWAY

Make sure you familiarize yourself with the giveaway rules and terms. Please follow directions or your entry will NOT be counted.

Prize: Over $300 in money-saving coupons!

To enter: Leave a comment with one of your couponing techniques. It must be an unique tip - it cannot be something that I've talked about already. If someone else beat you to the punch and posted your technique idea, then just think of another one!

Giveaway ends: Tuesday 12/02/08 at 10:00 PM CST. The lucky winner will be drawn from the valid entries via random.org and will have 48 hours to get in touch with me, or else a new winner will be drawn.

PLEASE be sure to read the giveaway rules and terms.

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Today we are talking about Couponing Techniques to get the most out of your properly prepared shopping trip with your organized coupon system:

• Coupon combinations or "stacking"
• How to hand over your precious coupons
• When/where to use your coupons
• How to play the rebate game and moneymaking items
  

Coupon Combinations or "stacking"
"Stacking" refers to combining manufacturer's coupons with store coupons, and/or with store promotions and sales. MOST stores will accept a manufacturer's coupon and a store coupon for the same item. Stacking is most commonly done at CVS or Walgreens, but I have also done it at Toys r Us.

For the most part, you can combine a B1G1 coupon with a store B1G1 sale to get both items for free. You will still be responsible for tax. I have successfully done this at CVS, Walgreens, and Kmart. Be sure to read the fine print on the coupon though - most coupons have a price limit, so if you end up getting an item above that limit you will have to pay the difference.

You can also use 2 coupons during a B1G1 store promotion. You are purchasing two items, and thus you are entitled to use two coupons. It just so happens that the store is picking up the tab on one of the items.

Another combination is to use a B1G1 coupon and a $ off coupon. Again, you are purchasing 2 items so you are entitled to use 2 coupons. The logic is that you buy item A and item B. The B1G1 coupon allows you to get item B for free. This leaves item A for you to use the $ off coupon on. A rule of thumb is one coupon per item. Your item count should never exceed your manufacturer's coupon count (store coupons are a different story).

Since $/$$ coupons are store coupons, you can combine them with manufacturer's coupons to maximize your savings. However, some coupons state that your total must be AFTER all promotions and coupons (*coughWAGScough*), so be sure to read the fine print. Most stores (like CVS or Toys r Us) will go off whatever the subtotal amount is when the $/$$ coupon is scanned, so it's important to get your coupon handing-off order straight.

How to turn over your precious coupons
The most nerve wrecking part of every couponer's trip (veteran or newbie) is the dreaded check-out. Will my coupons work? Did I get the right thing? Is the cashier a jerk? You can avoid most of the stress by being organized and approaching the check-out process with a plan.

1. Have EVERYTHING ready. You should have a neat stack of the coupons you're going to use, in the order you're using them in. Have your store loyalty card out and ready, on top of your coupon stack. Behind your coupons, you should have your payment method ready. The way I see it, the cashier has to do some extra legwork on my behalf since I have so many coupons - I need to try and make it as simple as possible for them. No matter how efficient I am, the line always builds behind me just because it takes more time to scan more items (read: coupons), so the least that I can do is to make sure that I am READY. Cashiers appreciate this so much - I've actually had some tell me that they're thankful that I have everything ready, and it's awesome. They really don't mind the coupons...they just hate the mess and chaos that comes with it if the customer is not prepared.
   
2. Try not to dump all your items on the counter. I tend to line them up so the cashier scans certain items first. These items are perhaps questionably priced. It's easier to modify a transaction in the beginning, and you are more attentive at the start anyway. I've noticed when I didn't just dump everything out of shopping basket, clerks are less likely to go through my bag again to make sure I bought the item.
3. Double check the subtotal and item prices BEFORE handing over your coupons. Often times, once a coupon is scanned, you lose it. Either it's a one-time use coupon, or the clerk threw it into the drawer. Whatever the reason, it's always easier to make changes BEFORE coupons are introduced.
   
4. Hand your coupons over ONE at a time and tell the cashier what it's for. Don't just slap your mountain of coupons on the counter, because then they will spread the entire pile out and start scanning at random. You don't want that. So in order to control the chaos, just hand over one at a time. When one is scanned, hand over another and say what's it for. I've found that it's a time-saver, since the cashier won't be standing there staring at the coupon trying to figure it out. Some of them will still do that, but generally speaking it has helped me save time and sanity at check-out.
   
5. ALWAYS HAND OVER THE STORE $/$$ COUPON FIRST. Certain coupons state specifically that the subtotal amount will be after all coupons and promotions, but for coupons that do NOT have this restriction, the system will take whatever subtotal amount when the coupon is scanned, so it is important to hand over your $/$$ first before any other money-saving coupons are introduced.
6. Hand over other store coupons. Store coupons can be combined with manufacturer's coupons, but with some store coupons the system will beep if there's overage. I don't exactly understand why (they don't either), but I'm guessing it's maybe something tied into the fact that it's a store coupon. Also, most store coupons are widely available in an ad, or the store would be willing to work with you if it's an unique coupon. I consider store coupons to be less valuable than manufacturer's coupons, and thus I fork them over first.
7. Bid farewell to your manufacturer's coupons. Again, hand them over one at a time, and make sure that the savings ring up before they move onto the next one. At least once a week they wave the scanner gun at the coupon and thinks it scanned, but it actually didn't.
   
8. Don't be surprised if your total is more than you expected. When I first started, I was always surprised that my total was so high. The culprit is TAX. There are ways that you can figure out how much tax that you're going to pay, but it's rather pointless. So just give yourself a $3 margin, and don't be surprised if your grand total is higher than you expected. Once you check your receipt, chances are things will be fine.
9. Always look over your receipt BEFORE you leave the parking lot. Gas is cheaper these days, but you definitely don't want to have to return at a later time to fix a couponing issue. The clerk that helped you is still at the store, and still remembers you and your transactions. Take advantage of that.
   

When/where to use your precious coupons
I touched on this last week in the preparation discussion, but I am willing to discuss it again since it seems to be a major concern for a lot of people. Honestly, I really do not understand why. Coupons come around again, and so do sales. It is OKAY if you miss out on coupon and sale combination. It's alright to buy the item on sale or for a rebate if you don't have a coupon.

Couponing isn't easy, especially when you're starting out. Don't make it harder on yourself trying to figure out when or where to use it. Just find the coupon, find the sale, and GO!

How to play the rebate game and moneymaking items
This month I have received $12.75 in rebate checks, but I only spent $7.52 buying the required products. Not only did I make a small $5.23 profit, but I also got the items for free. I love rebates.

The trick to making rebates a moneymaker is to only buy the product when it's on sale, or with a coupon - preferably both. I received a $3.99 check from the Zout rebate, but I bought it when it was on a B1G1 sale for $3.99. I had a $0.55/1 coupon, so my total was $3.76 with tax for TWO bottles.

I won't lie to you...you won't get rich playing the rebate game. $5.23 isn't a lot, but every bit helps - not to mention that we've gotten some fine products that we otherwise would not have bought. If you're going to play the rebate game, make sure that you read the fine print on the rebate form. Some won't accept a mailing label and everything has to be written by hand. But I've had a few where I was to fill out a form online and print it out. Also make a copy of the rebate form and your receipt - if you're given a choice, always send them a copy of the receipt and keep the original for yourself.

Moneymakers are similar to rebates, but without the wait. Moneymakers happen when you combine a coupon with a sale. Moneymakers NEVER mean money back in your hands - the system will beep if you do not have another item to swallow the difference. Most of the time it either means extra "change" to go towards your subtotal, or a return in the form of store credit (ECBs or RRs) that is greater than what you paid.

Be sure to come back next week for a guide on how to handle issues with coupons! We're going to be troubleshoot common couponing issues, so be sure to join us so you'll know what to do the next time someone denies your coupon!

Things I Love Thursday: Family-owned restaurants

We love to eat out.  We actually eat out more often than we should, and while we are working on fixing that, it's just something that our family loves and we treat ourselves to every now and then.  Our daughter is probably the best restaurant baby - she's just content to sit in her car-seat and in her lap and watch us. 

Being a military family, chain restaurants end up on our "favorite restaurant" list quite often.  We know that we can find them, no matter where we end up.  However, our absolutely favorite places of all time are small family-owned restaurants, especially Japanese restaurants.

My husband and I both love sushi, and we're both very picky on how our sushi is prepared.  We'll eat supermarket sushi, but only when we're really desperate.  So far, we've been fortunate enough to find a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant at every place we've lived in.  These restaurants are most family-owned, and every-time we go we see the same waitress and the same sushi chef.  The place is nice and cozy, and you'd have trouble fitting a party of 6+ in there.  Their prices are extremely reasonable, and we love knowing that our food is prepared when we order it, not mass produced and then heated up.

Every once in a while we'll crave some Olive Garden or some Denny's, but without a doubt, we love small family-owned hole-in-the-wall places. 

Coupon Counselor: Prep work

Last week we covered a few coupon systems that you can use to organize your coupons.  This week, we will be covering how to prepare for a money-saving shopping trip.  Honestly, I think that the preparation stage takes more work than anything else.  The preparation stage is the most important one, and it ensures your success (and sanity) when you finally get out to the store.  I will be touching on some topics that readers suggested in the Coupon Counselor giveaway 2 weeks ago - if you have any other questions regarding the preparation stage, please feel free to email me.  If you choose to leave a comment, be sure to leave your email address so I can answer your question!

Next week, we will be covering common couponing techniques to use while you're out and about at the store, so make sure you don't miss out!

Today, we will discuss how to make that all important shopping trip plan!

Where do you start from?!  I'm so overwhelmed with everything!
How do you decide which coupons to use at which stores and when?
How often do you shop?
Is it better to price match at one store or to go to different stores?
How do you tell whether or not a coupon will work?
What's an efficient way to organize everything for the shopping trip?

Where do you start from?!  I'm so overwhelmed with everything!
Start with a "goal" list of everything that you need that week.  It's a place to start from and a place to go back to if you get overwhelmed.  Your goal list should consist of everything that you need to survive for the week.  Just for the record, I never stick to my goal list because of the many steals and deals out there, but it's a place to start from. 

How do you decide which coupons to use at which stores and when?
There is no secret process to this.  Coupons will come again.  Sales and deals will come around again.  So I basically use a coupon when I need to.  My guidelines for using a coupon is very simple:

1. I need the item this week (it's on my goal list)
   
2. It's a great deal, free, or a moneymaker when combined with the current sale.
   

I will admit that there are times when I've used a coupon, and a better deal came around the next week.  But that's not a biggie, because the deal will come around again.  Besides, if I followed my own guidelines (I needed it or it was a great deal) on using coupons, I really didn't lose out.

How often do you shop?
I like to shop just once a week, and maybe twice a week if there's time-sensitive CVS or Walgreens deals involved (i.e. expiring coupons, 2 day sales...etc.).  I only go to one grocery store (the commissary) and I go to CVS on a weekly basis.  I only go to Walgreens if the deals are good enough to warrant a trip.

That being said, please don't be under the assumption that I leave my house twice a week and that's it.  I make a lot of trips out, but I try to make only one shopping-orientated trip a week. We might stop by Target or Walmart after Gymboree, but since we had to go to Gymboree anyway I do not consider those "shopping trips".

It's important to minimize your trips - gas has been going down, but it's still a hassle to go out and shop, especially if you have a young child or the weather is bad.  It really helps to save money if you're not just out strolling the mall.

Is it better to price match at one store or to go to different stores?
My personal stance on this is that I would rather go to different stores than to gather up my huge load of ads and price match at a single store.  I very rarely take advantage of price match offers, and only if we're talking about a big ticket item like a camera or a TV.  The reason for this is because every employee knows how to ring you up, BUT not every single employee will know how to do price matching.  I just don't want to have to deal with waiting for a manager and going through all that trouble.  It's just not worth it to price match on simple everyday grocery items. 

How do you tell whether or not a coupon will work?
There is no concrete way of telling whether or not your coupon will go through.  I've had crisp freshly clipped coupons refuse to scan, and once I had a crumpled coupon that I found at the bottom of my purse go through with no problems.  Some stores have really specific systems, while other stores will actually let a coupon go through for an item that you didn't purchase.  The important thing is to read the fine print on the coupon.  Take a note of any specific brand line that you have to purchase, or any minimum size requirements.  If at any point you do not understand the fine print, feel free to ask the issuing company. 

I once received a coupon for Kotex products, and on the coupon it said "available at Walgreens".  I didn't know if this was an advertising thing that just means "Kotex is available at Walgreens", or if it's meant to be taken as "only redeemable at Walgreens".  So I did a google search for the coupon issuing company and sent them an email.  They said that it was just an advertising thing - and the response took all of a day to get back to me.

What's an efficient way to organize everything for the shopping trip?
Make your shopping list, and separate the coupons that you're going to use.  I use a accordion folder, and I put my "to use" coupons behind an index card.  When I put the item into my cart, I move the coupon in front of the index card.  When I go to check-out, I just grab the entire stack of coupons in front of the index card.

For stores like Walgreens or CVS where I'll only purchase "steals and deals" items, the price of each item is readily available in the ad so I'll work up an entire transaction plan.  Then I paper-clip all of my coupons behind my shopping list in the order that I'm going to hand them to the cashier. 

I do not take ANY of my other coupons with me.  If it's not on my shopping list, I don't buy it. Part of it is just to get into the mindset to stick with your shopping list.  Make it your goal to get in and out of a store as quick as possible - don't give yourself a chance to browse and pick up random items. 

If you have any other questions regarding the preparation stage, please feel free to email me.  If you choose to leave a comment, be sure to leave your email address so I can answer your question!  Later this week, I will be sharing my list of my "steals and deals" items - basically things that I refuse to pay for, things I won't pay more than $1 for, and stuff that I won't even buy unless they're moneymakers.  Make sure you're subscribed to My Precious Pennies (you can subscribe in the upper left sidebar) or keep checking back to catch that awesome list!

Saturday Sanity Saver: paci clips

It's been a tad since I participated in a Saturday Sanity Saver over at Thrifty & Chic Mom!  Maybe it's because I've been left wanting in the sanity department lately.  BUT, I do have a sanity saver this Saturday, and that would be pacificer clips. 

My little princess does not use a paci - she just never took to the paci and we just never pushed it.  One less thing to worry about.  But for some reason, I kept finding paci clips around the house.  I think I just keep getting them as gifts...but they were a bit pointless since she doesn't use a pacifier.

Well, little did I know that those "useless" pacifier clips had the potential to save my sanity.  The little princess LOVES to stick her toys in her mouth, and although she has developed a major death-grip on her stuff most of the times, every once in a while she would drop them too.  And more likely than not, she would have dropped it outside of her carseat.  This is a problem whether we're in the car, or out of the car. 

In the car means she's lost her favorite toy of the hour and will now screech because she can't reach it.  Our of the car means she's lost her favorite toy of the hour, it's now dirty after having fallen on the ground, and she will screech for the rest of the day because she can't have it anymore (or until she finds a new favorite).  Either way, it's a sanity-drainer.

That's when I started attaching her toys to the pacifier clips.  The theory is the same - you put the little strappy thing around the pacificer handle so it doesn't go anywhere.  Why can't I put the little strappy thing around something else (like a rattle, or her toy keys, or her teether) so those can't do anywhere either?

Those once-useless paci clips have saved my sanity.  She's learned to pull the paci strap to get her toy back, so there's the initial screech, and then quiet because she got her favorite toy back.  And honestly, there's no need to buy expensive looking paci-clips.  Once I ran out of paci clips to attach to whatever she's in at the moment, I just tied a piece of ribbon to a binder clip.  Of course it doesn't look as pretty, but I've got a lot better things to worry about than pretty-looking pacifier clips.  Like what else she's managed to get a hold of and shove in her mouth:

That was the most respectful picture I could find.  I have ones of intercepted French Fries and chocolate bars too. That daddy of hers need to pay attention when he eats...

The Friday Declutter Challenge: baby records

Besides decluttering my blog this week with a new design and layout, I also tackled my baby's record file. Since our royal mess of a doctor's appointment on Wednesday, I went back and cleaned it up considering we'll be referring to it on a regular basis now.

I'm just naturally an organized person, so it was never a mess or anything, but basically I kept throwing papers in there thinking I needed all of it. I sat down and got rid of a lot of duplicate paperwork (i.e. the packet they hand you every-time you get shots). Since she was born, I've always kept track of her weights and stuff, but they were on various random pieces of paper. We need a simple go-to point to see her progress (or lack thereof) over the past few months.

The "meat" of her folder is the stuff in the little 3-ring insert thingy. I made a table of her measurements at various ages, along with where they fall percentile wise. It will be a lot easier to keep track of the numbers now, instead of writing it on the first piece of paper on hand and tossing it in the folder. I mean to get to it, but let's face it...I never do. Behind my table are some growth charts, and then I kept one copy of the packet they always hand out when you go in for shots. It covers stuff like reactions and what each vaccine actually is. I never remember that stuff so it's nice to have it on hand, but I certainly didn't need 4 copies of it.

Besides just having all of her weights in one location, I also wanted them on the baby growth chart. After a bit of digging, I came across two very useful websites. Birthcare offers customized baby growth charts - simply register for a free account, enter in your baby's weight and height, and they will not only plot the data for you but also save it. It's not an exact replica of the CDC growth chart that the doctors use, but it's the same idea and the layout is just different. Personally I like this one better, since I won't go blind trying to read it.

The second tool that I found is a children's growth chart percentiles calculator from About.com. This does not produce the actual growth chart, but rather the percentiles. For me, it was important to have both on hand, because I guarantee you I will not be able to determine her percentiles from looking at the chart.

Her records file is basically just a folder. In the front flap, I keep important current information, such as upcoming appointments and her shot records. Since there's about 10 different names for shots and the combinations in which they come, I have her official shot records, and then I have an unofficial checklist that I go by.

In the back pocket, I keep old information like discharge information, test results, and the like. I also keep her Child Safe Kit in the back pocket. I am so proud of us as a family that we managed to make one, because let me tell you...trying to get the fingerprints of a 6 month old is near impossible. Most of them are smudged and pretty much useless, but the fact that we still did it was really important to us. It's all about habit. Besides, it'll be a cute keepsake =).

It's always a good idea to have a copy of your child's medical records, but it's just that much more important when you're a military family and you bounce around constantly like an aimless pinball. She wasn't born here, and the last place we were at used a different system. As a result, they had absolutely NO information whatsoever on her before we came here. They didn't even have her name - she was listed as "baby girl". But even if you're not a military family, it's really not a good idea to have just one copy of medical records, especially shot records. I have her actual shot card, and then the computer system at the doctor's has a record, and every time she gets new shots I scan the card into my computer.

Decluttering is important, but just as important is making sure that important documents cannot be lost forever. Even if all you have is a copy of something, it's better than nothing at all.

Things I Love Thursday: Ink Refills

Printers are relatively cheap. You can get a decent printer-scanner combo for under $50. It's the ink that gets you. A single ink cartridge can run you anywhere upwards of $30. Many places like Staples, Office Max, and even Walgreens offer ink refills, but they charge something around $10 for each refill. And even then there are cartridges that they can't refill. Generally, it all gets expensive QUICKLY.

So last year when our printer died, I wanted to find a good investment of my money. I'm not out to print works of art, so quality wasn't a main concern. I just wanted something that will print my day-to-day black and white coupons stuff, and the occasional color document. I wanted a printer that used refillable cartridges, and I wanted to be able to refill them at home with a home-refill kit. I ended up buying a Lenmark scanner/printer combo, and a Nukote refill kit.

We bought the printer last April, and we have NEVER had to buy an actual ink cartridge replacement. The printer was under $50, and the Nukote refill kit cost around $20. I'm still using the same Nukote kit that we bought last year with the printer, and I print a lot of crap. Aside from the black-and-white coupons, I like pretty things, so I end up printing my own note-cards, address labels, color menu plans...etc. It's true that I don't NEED any of these things in color, but it makes me happy and I can print away knowing that I can just refill the cartridge if it runs out.

Now, I won't lie to you. It took me an hour the first time I went to refill a cartridge. They include some very detailed instructions, but it still took me a while to figure out what to do. But once I got the hang of it and drilled the necessary hole in the necessary place, and snapped off the cover, it's a piece of cake to refill the cartridge. Last week, it took me a grand 5 minutes to refill both cartridges. It takes a bit to figure out how hard to squeeze the bottle, so the first few times you're bound to make a mess, but now I've got it down to an art and there's pretty much no spillage at all.

And don't listen to all that techno-babble crap about how refilling your own cartridges will cause your printer to start degrading or result in poor quality printouts. I've been doing this for a year and my printer is as healthy as ever. I've also never had problems with quality - I printed off about 20 Halloween card covers just last month, and they turned out perfectly fine. And earlier this year, I printed my daughter's baby announcement card using refilled cartridges, and everyone seriously thought I had them professionally done.

It took a while to get the hang of it, but it's so easy now I would NEVER think of actually buying a cartridge or having it "professionally" refilled. I love my ink refills!

Coupon Counselor: the basics (& a giveaway!)

I am starting a new series on My Precious Pennies called "The Coupon Counselor", which will be a tutorial of how to use your coupons wisely and save the most money. If you have a question or couponing dilemma, feel free to contact me - each "lesson" will be held in a question and answer format, and I would love to add some reader questions in there!

Until November 5th, leave a comment with your own couponing question, and be entered in a drawing to win $400+ in coupons! Great chance for you to get some of your questions answered, as well as win a bunch of coupons to start your own stash with! All of the coupons are good for at least a month, and by $400+, I mean I counted until I hit $400 and I just got plain old tired of counting. I have no idea how much is actually in there since there was still a hefty pile after I hit $400, but it could all be yours by simply leaving a comment with a coupon-related question. I'll draw a winner via random.org sometime on Wednesday 11/5.

If you have been wondering about the coupon craze and have been wanting to join but just didn't know where to start, now would be a perfect time to start. As the Coupon Counselor series progresses, we will start to address more complex subjects, so hop on-board now and grow with us! Just to give you a preview of things to come, here are some future lessons:

• The CVS Handbook - everything you ever wanted to know about CVS and the Extra Care program, and then some.
• The WAGs Handbook - how to navigate Walgreens Register Reward program and Easy-Saver Catalog.
• Coupon system - find the coupon system that works for you!
• Store policies - we will cover the coupon policies of popular stores like Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and more!
• Coupon combinations - learn how to combine manufacturer's coupons with store coupons for maximal savings!

Today, we will be covering the very basics of couponing - where to get them and what to do with them once you get them!

Where do you get coupons?
How do you get multiple copies of a coupon?
Which coupons are actually useful?
When do most coupons expire?
Should I clip the coupons?
How much of a time-commitment is this couponing thing?
Will I actually save money using coupons?
How can I get a coupon for [insert brand/product here]?
Is it worth it to buy coupons online or trade them?
What can I do with all of my unused coupons?
Your question here!

Reader Questions
Is it worth the hassle?
How do you keep your coupons organized?
Where do you find mail-in rebates?
How often do you organize your coupons, take out expired, and put in [them] their places?
Do you print your coupons in color?
How long does it take you to figure out what you will buy where, each week? Do you just get faster as you go?
Do you ever have weeks when you just don't clip coupons, or shop with them?
Is it okay to use different coupons on the same item? For instance, using a newspaper coupon with a printable coupon, e-coupon, or catalina coupon?
Do you know which chain of dollar stores carries it and when is the best time to go purchase it?
How do you keep track of which ad the coupons came from?
Do you print coupons and clip? Do you just print as you need them?
I have the hardest time sitting down with the sales ads and my coupons and deciding what to get where. How do you make that work for you? How do you decide which coupons to use where? How do you make that time for it?
How [do you] "grow" your coupon pile without spending money to buy them?
Why do some coupons say on them "do not double"?
Do you dumpster dive and if so, is it worth the time?
What do you actually bring with you to the store to organize your coupons?
Is [getting things for free or even getting money back] typical or is this something that happens every once in a while?
Is there a time that you actually go through all of your coupons to make sure you are not missing anything?
Are you to the point where you only buy things on sale?
Can B1G1 coupons be used on B1G1 [sale] items [so] you get them for free?

Where do you get coupons?
The easiest place to find coupons is in your Sunday newspaper. I suggest getting a subscription - it will be much cheaper. I currently get the paper on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday for $0.50 a week. Try to put in your subscription order online so you can use a promotional code - retailmenot is a great source for promotional codes...that's where I got mine to get my papers for $0.50 a week! If you would rather buy your paper every week, check out the Dollar Tree - they often sell Sunday papers for $1.00.

You can also print coupons online through sites like coupons.com or smartsource.com. Check out SmartSource's letter to retailers regarding the use of Internet printable coupons. You will have to download some (safe) software in order to print the unqiue barcoded coupons, because you are limited to 2 coupons per computer. If for some reason you are unable to print them, you can also request for a hard-copy to be snail-mailed to your house here. Companies often post money-saving coupons on their websites, or send them out via email newsletter, so make sure you're signed up for those emails! Don't forget to join the loyalty programs of your favorite stores and brands for some exclusive savings.

Keep an eye out when you're shopping - often you can find tearpads, peelies, or blinkies (coupon machines) on the shelves. Some companies will also take out ads in magazines and include a coupon. All You is a magazine with some GREAT coupons, but I've seen some valuable coupon inserts in family magazines as well.

Back to the questions!

How do you get multiple copies of a coupon?
The simplest answer to this question is to BUY MORE NEWSPAPERS! But there are also many ways to get your coupons for free. You'd be surprised how many people do not take advantage of the hundreds of dollars of savings that comes to their doorstep every Sunday morning, so put out the word that you use coupons and start asking your friends, family, and neighbors.

Since there is a limit of 2 printed coupons per computer, there is no way to get multiple copies of an internet printable unless you have access to multiple computers. Try to see if there's a computer lab at your local library with printing capabilities, or you can always ask your friends or family to print them for you.

Please do not try to duplicate a printable coupon. Each printable has an unique pin number and other identifying factors. The company can trace which computer printed which coupon, so if 20 of a coupon start popping up, they will know where it originated and will block that computer from printing coupons in the future.

Back to the questions!

Which coupons are actually useful?
All coupons are useful - yes, even those penny coupons. Stores will often have double (or triple) coupon events, so it pays to hang onto your coupons. Also, what you might not buy in a million years might be a necessity to someone else. And you never know when something might go on sale at Walgreens or CVS that will become free (or even a moneymaker) after store promotion and manufacturer's coupon.

Never throw a coupon away - there are so many ways to "use" a coupon. You can exchange them, give them away, or even send them overseas to help out military families overseas. You can read more about the Coupons for Troops program here.

Back to the questions!

When do most coupons expire?
Internet printables mostly have a rolling expiration date of 30 days - meaning they will expire 30 days from whenever you print them. Most coupons expire within a month or two of when they come out, but some manufacturer's coupons that come with samples or as peelies can have an expiration date a year or two later! This is because they cannot possibly know when the product is going to sell or the sample will be sent out, so these coupons often have a longer "lifespan" than others.

Back to the questions!

Should I clip the coupons?
This is a matter of personal preference, but I generally recommend it. By clipping the coupons, you have an idea of what coupons you actually have on hand. Clipped coupons are also easier to sort and manage, and it actually cuts down on your planning time. Clipping coupons is a great thing to do while watching TV, or if you have young children you can practice cutting skills with them. If they're just starting out with scissors, I wouldn't let them clip an actual coupon in case they cut through it or something, but they can definitely cut out pictures on the rest of the page!

In order to participate in the Coupons for Troops program, you coupons must also be clipped. This is the same if you decide to participate in a coupon exchange. Clipped coupons just take up less room and are easier to manage!

How much of a time-commitment is this couponing thing?
This can vary from person to person - if you've got 10 sets of inserts to clip every week, I'd say you're spending a bit of time on this couponing thing. On average, I spend about 30 minutes a week - and this includes clipping, sorting, organizing, and eventually pulling them back out to do my shopping plan. It might seem a bit tedious at first, but think about the money you're saving as an hourly wage. By using my coupons in conjunction with store promotions, I can save over $30 in a single store visit. Sometimes I even get "paid" to shop since I'll have overage after rebates. $30 for 30 minutes of work is not too shabby of a deal.

If you're just starting out, don't give up. It can seem a bit overwhelming and pointless at first, but as you start to do it more and find your own rhythm, things will go a lot faster. It used to take me 30 minutes JUST to clip the inserts because I was so overwhelmed with the clipped coupons floating around aimlessly on my table. I was so paranoid that I'd throw away a coupon accidentally. Now that I've found my system of filing them as soon as I clip them, it doesn't take nearly as long.

Back to the questions!

Will I actually save money using coupons?
YES! Coupons are actually a form of advertising, and you'd be in real big trouble if you bought everything that you had a coupon for. However, if you're CAREFUL and WISE about your coupon usage, you could save hundreds of dollars a week. Like I mentioned, I can easily save $30 by using coupons in conjunction with store promotions. The trick is to keep your coupons and to only use them when:

1. The item is a necessity that you need to buy regardless (i.e. diapers, dog food...etc.)
2. There's a HUGE sale on the item that will make your OOP (out-of-pocket) cost ridiculously low (or free) if you use the coupon on the sale price.
3. There is a MIR (mail-in-rebate) for the item. Most rebates will give you the sale price of the item, so you get it for free and you "make" however much your coupon was for.

Remember that the point is to save money, not to get rid of your coupons the fastest. It's okay to have a huge stash of coupons, and it's also okay to be left with a bunch of expired coupons at the end of the month. Coupons will be issued again - they are RARELY a one-time deal. I used to feel compelled to use every coupon that I had because it was like wasting money in my mind, and I was so afraid that I would never see the coupon again. Then I started sending my expired coupons to troops overseas with the Coupons for Troops program, and I got EXCITED at the amount of coupons that I can send to them!

Back to the questions!

How can I get a coupon for [insert brand/product here]?
If you really really want a coupon for a certain product or brand, you can always write an letter or email to the manufacturer asking for a coupon. There's no harm in asking - the worst they can do is say no! Just do a google search for the product or manufacturer's name, and follow the contact directions on their site. Write a short email or letter letting them how much you love their product, and request a few coupons for your own use and to share with family and friends. You never know...you must just get a stash of coupons! Can't hurt to try!

Back to the questions!

Is it worth it to buy coupons online or trade them?
Personally, I do not buy or trade coupons online, but there are plenty of sites for this. There are coupon trains where members just throw a bunch of coupons in the envelope and take out the ones they want, and then they send it off to the next person in the train. Then there are coupon trading message boards where you can post what you have and what you would like.

It really depends on whether or not you would use the coupons. I definately wouldn't go out trying to get 5 copies of every coupon. The only time that I bought a coupon was when I need to purchase a travel system, so I bought a 20% coupon for $1 and ended up saving over $20. I personally just don't have the time or energy to spend hunting coupons down. I'm comfortable with the coupons that I have, and I've learned that if I don't have a coupon for a sale...it's not the end of the world. The coupon will be back. The sale will be back.

Back to the questions!

What can I do with all of my unused coupons?
Send them to military families overseas with the Coupons for Troops program! Military commissaries (grocery store) overseas take expired coupons, but since the families there don't exactly get the Sunday paper. Their only source of coupons are from generous folks who are willing to send them. There are certain bases that do NOT have a commissary and only have an Exchange - which is a really high priced convenience store. The Exchange does NOT take expired coupons, so please send any of your unused unexpired coupons to them. For more information, check out the Coupons for Troops FAQ! Thanks so much for helping our military families!

Back to the questions!

Your question here!
Do you have a question about coupons that was not answered here? Contact me and I'd be more than happy to answer it personally, and maybe even include it in this FAQ.

Back to the questions!

Reader question: Is it worth the hassle?
Amber asked the question: "I have heard of stores accepting competitors' coupons, but have never
tried it. Which stores do this, and would it be worth the extra hassle?". I do not know of any stores that accepts competitors coupons except for Lowes and Home Depot, but sometimes the store will advertise it in their local ad. You can always check out the store's website, and send them an email. If anyone knows of stores that will accept competitors' coupons, please leave a comment!

As for whether or not it's worth the extra hassle, I'm going to answer this question broadly so that it encompasses everything coupon-related. Your time and sanity is more valuable than money. I'm the mother of an infant. I don't have much sanity left and I treasure every single one of my few workable brain cells. If the whole "hassle" is to go a mile down the road to a different store, then by all means it's worth it. If the "hassle" is to go 10 miles out of your way and then have to sit at customer service for 30 minutes, then it's not. Think of your coupon savings as wage. Is your saving/earnings per hour WORTH the work and trouble you're putting forth? Sometimes it's worth it...sometimes it's not - that's a daily judgment call that couponers have to make.

Back to the questions!

Reader question: How do you keep your coupons organized?
I use a customized shoe-box with envelopes, but you can read about the different systems that I've tried in the past here. I don't use expanding files because there's simply not enough room. I also didn't like being confined to a certain number of files - with my current system I can add as many categories as I want, and it's as simple as tossing another envelope in.

I organize my coupons as I clip. Cut them out, and then place them in their category envelope. Categories range from broad descriptions ("dishwasher" or "laundry") to brand specific ("Huggies") or item specific ("razors"). I made the system, so I know exactly where each category is. I've also used it for a while now.

This is related to the "Should I clip the coupons?" question, but I tried the clipless way for a week or two. It drove me crazy because I had absolutely NO idea what coupon was in where. And even when I knew what insert to look at, I couldn't stand flipping through the thing repeatedly.

Expiration dates don't matter much to me. Just because you have a coupon does not mean you're HAVE to use it. Let it expire if you don't need the item, and then donate it to Coupons for Troops.

To be completely honest, you just have to find the system(s) that work for you. Keep an eye out for the "Coupon System" lesson in an upcoming Coupon Counselor!

Back to the questions!

Reader question: Where do you find mail-in rebates?
Unfortunately, there is not a "go-to" spot for mail-in rebates. I try to share whatever rebates that I come across, but they can be found just about everywhere. Some rebates require an original form, which can be found in your Sunday coupon insert, on a tear-pad in the store, or as a peelie on the actual product. Then there are some rebates that can be found online at the manufacturer's website. I've even seen a company use SmartSource to print the rebate. And then were are what I call "word-of-mouth" rebates - they are rebates that require you send in nothing more than a proof of purchase and an index card with your information.

Rebates are generally issued for new products as a "try me free" marketing campaign. When in doubt, check the manufacturer's website. Some rebates are a money-back guarantee and requires you to be dissatisfied with the product in order to submit for the rebate. Most companies offer some type of money-back or satisfaction guarantee, so if you are disappointed with the product, contact the manufacturer by email or phone and inquire about a guarantee.

In the future, I will be doing a whole lesson on rebates - where to find them, how to request them, and the tips and tricks to earning money from rebates!

Back to the questions!

Reader question: How often do you organize your coupons, take out expired, and put in [them] their places?
I clip/organize coupons every Sunday morning when I get the inserts from the paper. If I get coupons during the week, they go into a "drop box" (old coffee can) - I'll organize those on Sunday with the rest of my coupons. I organize as I clip - I made my system and I have it memorized by now, so after I cut them out they go directly into the corresponding envelope. My policy is that I will handle a coupon once - I'm not for cutting everything out, setting it in a pile, and then organizing. That takes way too long in my opinion.

If I come across a coupon that I KNOW I won't use, I set them aside for Coupons for Troops (or to give away). Those don't even make it into my coupon box. At the end of every month I go through each envelope and yank out the entire stack of coupons - I'll go through them and weed out the ones that are expired and send them to Coupons for Troops.

During the week as I pull together my deals and my coupon match-ups, if I notice any expired coupons I'll put them in another old coffee can for Coupons for Troops. I normally only send out coupons once a month, so it's important for me to have a "drop box".

Back to the questions!

Reader question: Do you print your coupons in color? I've read conflicting opinions on if color printing is more likely to be accepted by the stores. What do I do if the store says they have to be in color even though it's stated on the coupon that it can appear in black and white?
I print my coupons in black and white on my printer's lowest quality setting. Some coupons will actually say "can appear in black & white". Very few coupons require color printing - the only one that comes to mind is the McDonald's sandwich coupon from a while ago. I recommend that you print SmartSource's letter and keep it with you - it states that "SmartSource coupons are printed on copier paper and may appear in color or black and white".

If your black and white coupon gets denied at a store, I encourage you to contact corporate customer service and inquire about their policy regarding internet printables. If you get a response that black and white is alright, print that email with you and take it with you to the store next time. If the reply is that managers are free to set their own rules, there's really nothing else you can do except to perhaps find another store to take your business to. For you brave ones out there, you can try emailing corporate and complaining - if you have to adhere to the rules of the coupon (i.e. one coupon per purchase), then the store should have to adhere to the rules of the coupon as well (i.e. black & white is acceptable). Of course, do at your own risk, and I can't guarantee what type of response you'll receive.

Back to the questions!

Reader question: How long does it take you to figure out what you will buy where, each week? Do you just get faster as you go?
It's hard to say how long it takes me to make my plans, but I would say probably an hour. It does get faster as you go, because your eyes get used to looking for specific things, and you tend to develop an informal system of how to go abouts it. At first it took me over 3 hours to get my CVS deals together, just because I was SO overwhelmed with the coupons and ECBs - I literally had to take a break and come back to it. However, it now takes me no more than 30 minutes...it's become second nature to me. It helps if you clip your coupons on a weekly basis - then you'll have a good idea of what you have and how much of it you have.

Back to the questions!

Reader question: Do you ever have weeks when you just don't clip coupons, or shop with them? I think sometimes I need a break!
Yup, there's definitely weeks that I skip couponing. I try not to skip clipping just because it piles up and you never want to sit there having to clip 3 weeks of coupons (like I did for hours after I gave the clipless system a try). This past week I didn't use ANY coupons at the commissary, and last week I skipping WAGing (Walgreens). It's important not to feel burned out when you're doing this - while you ARE saving money, I'm assuming it's a hobby for most of us and should never seem like a chore.

Back to the questions!

Reader question: Is it okay to use different coupons on the same item? For instance, using a newspaper coupon with a printable coupon, e-coupon, or catalina coupon?
The general rule of thumb is one coupon TYPE per item. If you get a Target store coupon, feel free to use that with a manufacturer's printable coupon because Target accepts a store coupon along with a manufacturer's coupon. You can view the email that I received from corporate here.

As far as catalina and e-coupons, it depends on how your store views them. If they view them as store coupons and it is their policy to take a store coupon along with a manufacturer's coupon, then you should be fine. However, some stores will only take one coupon PERIOD. My advice is to email the store's cooporate office and ask them, and then print out the response email to carry with you.

Back to the questions!

Reader question: I've read that some people buy their Sunday newspaper at the dollar store. Do you know which chain of dollar stores carries it and when is the best time to go purchase it?
I purchase my additional Sunday paper from the Dollar Tree on Saturday. However, not ALL Dollar Trees carry the Sunday paper - it just so happens the one near Gymboree does, so after we go for our Gymboree class on Saturday afternoon I swing by to pick up a paper.

When you purchase it is really up to you - I've never really heard of a store sold out of papers. That being said, I also wouldn't recommend going out at 10pm to buy one either. If you are unsure about whether your local dollar store carries the Sunday paper, call the store and ask them. A phone call is cheaper than gas (and your time spent running to the store).

Back to the questions!

Reader question: How do you keep track of which ad the coupons came from?
I don't. I get the paper delivered every week, so if I'm reading a coupon match-up on a site or something, the ad date doesn't really help me find it because I know I have it and it's been clipped. I just look in my coupon box for that item category or brand. I tried a clipless system for a while, but it was so hard because I had no idea where the one coupon was in the entire insert and ended up flipping through it about 30 times.

Back to the questions!

Reader question: Do you print coupons and clip? Do you just print as you need them?
I print as I need them. Printables are useful, but for the most part I haven't found a printable that just fell off the face of the earth when I needed it. Printables generally have a rolling expiration date, so if you sit down and print out the entire listing at one go, you run the risk of that coupon expiring before you use it, and then being unable to print more since you reached your print limit.

Back to the questions!

Reader Question: I have the hardest time sitting down with the sales ads and my coupons and deciding what to get where. How do you make that work for you? How do you decide which coupons to use where? How do you make that time for it?
I limit myself to a just three stores for sale/coupon match-ups - those being the commissary, CVS, and Walgreens. I do go to other stores, but I'm just not going to pour over the ads. When I'm looking at the ads, I look for things that would be close to free, free, or money-makers. When I'm looking at the commissary sale list on-line, I tend to look for things that we use and are on sale. When I look over the other ads it's mainly a hobby/game to me - thanks to my extensive stockpile we have very few actual "needs" (with the exception of food, of course).

I'm not going to lie to you - it's very time consuming and overwhelming at first. Eventually it gets easier once you get into the groove of things, but it still takes time. I do it whenever I can, but what I've learned is to complete it in one sitting. If you leave it and come back, you have completely lost your train of thought and you might as well start from scratch. When you're first starting out, pick a store to "specialize" in. When I first started, I only did CVS. Then I branched out to the commissary, and now I play at Walgreens as well. Forget what everyone else is doing and know your own limits. I promise, you won't be doomed to an eternity in hell if you don't take advantage of every deal that ever comes along.

As far as what coupons to use where, I don't have a guideline for that. I use whatever coupon at whatever store that will get me the most savings. Sometimes a better sale/coupon match-up comes along, but it's not the end of the world that I didn't save that extra $0.50.

Back to the questions!

Reader Question: How [do you] "grow" your coupon pile without spending money to buy them?
My recommendation for growing your coupon pile without spending money to buy them is to get a coupon buddy. Find a local friend that also likes to coupon, and get together once a week or so to exchange coupons. Your friend doesn't have pets, and thus have no use for pet coupons - but you do. Or you don't like yogurt, but your friend likes yogurt. Find out each other's needs, and do a a simple exchange of coupons.

There are also online coupon trading groups and coupon trains that you can become a part of, but I personally do not participate in any of those programs. It just takes too much time and effort. With a local friend, it's easy enough to meet up and exchange coupons. Or if there's a sale and I don't have the coupon to match it with, I can always give my friend a call. But with online ways, by the time my coupon is ordered and mailed to me, chances are the sale is over already.

Another way to increase your coupon stash without spending money is to get your friends, neighbors, and family members to give you their coupon inserts if they don't clip coupons. You can also enter giveaways around the blogosphere to try your luck at winning some!

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Reader Question: Why do some coupons say on them "do not double"?
The company reimburses the store for the value of the coupon, plus a processing fee. When stores double (or even triple) coupons, the store is responsible for the difference. Honestly, this makes no sense to me because the manufacturer doesn't care if the store doubles coupons or not - their expense is the same. The only reasoning that I can come up with is that manufacturers don't like people being able to get items for free with coupons, OR they do not want complaints from the stores about people getting stuff for free. Anyone more knowledgeable in this field care to tackle the question?

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Reader Question: Do you dumpster dive and if so, is it worth the time?
No, I don't dumpster dive, but from my conversations with people that do, whether or not it's worth your time is a matter of personal opinion. I certainly wouldn't depend on the dumpster for my weekly supply of coupons - you never know what you could find. You should also be aware that you could find many weeks of expired coupons before you find a set of useful ones, but you can always donate those to Coupons for Troops.

It's rather hard to say whether dumpster diving is worth it, just because the experience can vary drastically based on location. You may have a very neat and orderly area where it's a simple matter of sorting through papers, or your dumpster dive experience might be just that - going through trash and kitchen leftovers for a paper. Obviously the first scenario is preferable to the second, so whether or not you decide to dumpster dive depends greatly on your situation and the amount of effort you would be willing to invest.

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Reader Question: What do you actually bring with you to the store to organize your coupons?
I bring a small accordion folder with me to the store. Each store that I frequent has an individual slot, and in that slot I keep index cards as separators. In front of the index card are my "register" coupons (i.e. coupons for items that are in my cart), and behind the index card are my "list" coupons (i.e. coupons for items that are still on my list, or I couldn't find).

When I'm going to CVS or Walgreens, I bring a transaction plan with me. Basically I paper-clip together everything that I need for each individual transaction together. For CVS, this includes all of my coupons, any store coupons that I have, and the ECBs that I plan to use. For a store (like the commissary) where I just have a rough shopping list versus a solid transaction plan, I just throw all the coupons in there and shift them in front of the index card as I shop. When I'm ready to check-out, I can just grab the entire pile of coupons in that section.

I do not bring my entire stash of coupons with me into the store. Whenever I'm shopping I have the baby with me, and I simply do not have the time to be standing there in an aisle trying to make a coupon match-up. No deal is worth a melt-down. If something just seems like it would be awesome after a coupon, I note down the price and check it against my coupons when I get home. Since I started doing this about 2 months ago, I've only made ONE repeat trip out to the store with my newly found coupon. And that was just for Glade Plugins - something that was not a necessity and I could have lived without. I made the "repeat" trip just because it happened to be on my way - I wouldn't have done it if it required that I go out of my way or make a special trip.

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Reader Question: Is [getting things for free or even getting money back] typical or is this something that happens every once in a while?
Getting things for free is something that happens at least once a week. Between all of the different stores out there, you can count on at least one freebie a week by matching sales with coupons. However, please consider the fact that the term "freebie" is used loosely here. When something is "free", often it is free after things like RR (Register Rewards from Walgreens) or ECBs (ExtraCare Bucks from CVS). With the exception of rebates, you will never get money back by buying something. It is possible to have overage, or have something be a money-maker (i.e. pay $4 and get $5 in RRs or ECBs), but again, money-maker is a loose term because the cashier's not going to hand you money along with your receipt.

That being said, it is definitely still worth your time to take advantage of those "free after [blank]" deals. Not only are you getting something for "free", you can use the RRs or ECBs to buy something else. A lot of times I will buy something that I don't need/use just for the ECBs. I end up donating the item, and using the ECBs to buy something that I do need (like diapers). By taking advantage of free item deals, our family is able to give back to the community, because otherwise we would not be able to give to charity with our extremely limited income situation.

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Reader Question: Is there a time that you actually go through all of your coupons to make sure you are not missing anything?
Nope. If I miss a deal, I miss a deal. It's not the end of the world. Deals will come around again, and coupons will be issued again. Most of the time the items that I buy with coupons are things are not necessities. I might be buying toothpaste this week, but it's not as if we're running out of toothpaste...I'm just buying it to add to my stockpile (or to donate) and because it's free or a money-maker. If something happens and I miss the coupon or I can't get to the store, I missed out on some free toothpaste but it's not like we won't have anything to brush our teeth with tonight. I'll just get it the next time a toothpaste deal comes around, because it will. I have a USPS box FULL of toothpaste, and I'm constantly giving them away to the USO...and I have never spent a penny on any of them. Trust me, deals will come again.

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Reader Question: Are you to the point where you only buy things on sale?
To a degree, yes. We are fortunate enough to really want for nothing in our lives. As far as basic toiletries, I have an entire closet of stockpiled items. I will NOT buy anything like toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, air fresheners...etc. unless I can turn a profit from them somehow. Food/menu items are the one thing that I will make an exception for - I do not menu plan around an ad, I menu plan around our lives. But since I do take advantage of sales and stockpile during those weeks, I can feed the family with healthy nutritrious meaty meals for under well under $50/week. And as far as non-coupon items (like toys or clothing), I weigh the current price with the liklihood of it going on sale and our current need.

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Can B1G1 coupons be used on B1G1 [sale] items [so] you get them for free?
Yes, you can use B1G1 coupons in conjunction with B1G1 store sales to get the item for free. One thing to look out for is whether or not your B1G1 coupon has a dollar limit. Some coupons say "not to exceed the amount of $" - in that case, make sure you grab an item that's under the amount. Personally, I have gotten "free" items from CVS, Walgreens, and Kmart by combining B1G1 coupons with B1G1 sales. Thanks to the B1G1 magic, I basically never pay for cosmetics anymore.

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I hope that you will be able to benefit from these basic couponing guidelines - check back soon for the next installation of Coupon Counselor for a dictionary of acronyms and abbreviations!