ABC‘s of Couponing

Contents ABC‘s of Couponing ...... 1 ABC's of Couponing: A is for "All About How Coupons Work" ...... 4 ABC's of Couponing: "B" is for BOGO Stacking ...... 5 ABC's of Couponing: "C" is for Catalinas ...... 7 CVS Coupon Policy...... 8 ABC's of Couponing: "D" is for Double Coupons ...... 10 ABC's of Couponing: "E" is for eCoupons! ...... 11 http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-e-is-for-ecoupons/ ...... 11 How To Get Cash Back Shopping Online Part 1: Ebates ...... 12 ABC's of Couponing: "F" is for Freebies! ...... 14 Costco vs. Couponing: Which is cheaper? ...... 16 How To Save Time Couponing ...... 18 Get Sunday Coupon Inserts ...... 20 BEST Rates for Sunday Coupon Multiple Subscriptions in Utah & Elsewhere- read below for 6 newspaper deals! ...... 20 Don‘t live in Utah? Want to order coupons online or subscribe to a different paper? ...... 20 Utah & Salt Lake County Discounted Newspaper Prices: ...... 21 Get Red Plum:...... 22 ABC's of Couponing: Are Coupons Just for Junk Food? ...... 23 http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/couponing-101-are-coupons-just-for-junk- food/ ...... 23 ABC's of Couponing: Keeping Track of Your Savings with Coupons ...... 24 ABC‘s of Couponing ―K‖ is for ―Keeping Track of Savings‖ ...... 24 http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/keeping-track-of-your-savings-with- coupons/ ...... 24 ABC's of Couponing: "L" is for Lingo 101 ...... 25 ABC‘s of Couponing: ―L‖ is for ―Lingo‖ ...... 25 Coupon Policies List ...... 29 Store Coupon Policies: ...... 29 ABC's of Couponing: "M" is for "Markdown Schedule" ...... 31 Present Closet: ...... 31 Follow Me on Your Cell: ...... 32 Coupon Binder Organization + My Infamous Coupon Slicer ...... 33 ABC‘s of Couponing: ―P‖ is for ―Price Points for Couponing‖ ...... 34 Stock Up Prices for Couponing: ...... 34 http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/price-points-for-couponing/ ...... 34 ABC's of Couponing: "P" is for Print it Twice! ...... 35 http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/freebie-coupons/how-to-get-coupons-to-print/ ...... 35 ABC‘s of Couponing: ―Q‖ if for ―Questions Answered‖ ...... 36 ABC's of Couponing: "R" is for Rebates ...... 37 NO Beer Purchase Required Rebates: ...... 38 ABC's of Couponing: "R" is for "Rain Checks" ...... 39 Rite Aid‘s Coupon Policy ...... 40 Rite Aid’s Coupon Policy (in-depth video version): ...... 40 Seasonal Sales Cycles & Secrets ...... 42 Coupon Policies List ...... 45 Store Coupon Policies: ...... 45 ABC's of Couponing: "T" is for Train - Coupon Train that is! ...... 47 ABC's of Couponing: "U" is for Understanding Crabby Cashiers ...... 48 Coupon Binder Organization + My Infamous Coupon Slicer ...... 49 Walgreen‘s Coupon Policy ...... 50 The more you know... writing to companies for freebie coupons ...... 52 ABC's of Couponing: "X" is for "eXtreme Couponing" ...... 53 ABC's of Couponing: "Y" is for "Your Real Savings" ...... 55 10 More Ways to Save on Gasoline ...... 56

ABC's of Couponing: A is for "All About How Coupons Work"

Have you ever worried you are costing a store money by getting freebies? Or how exactly getting free items with coupons can be legal and ethical? Let‘s start at the very beginning:

Manufacturer‘s create food products, beverages, household and personal items. It costs a lot of money to do ads on t.v or elsewhere to inform consumers of these products, so another form of advertising for them is a coupon. Manufacturer’s create a coupon for an item to get the word out about the product, and get it directly in the hands of the consumer. They want you (the consumer) to use the coupons. What a better way to get the word out about your product then having people try it out! Manufacturer‘s pay for the coupon to be distributed in Sunday coupon inserts, online, or through magazine ad placements. This is to get the coupon in your hands.

After you get the coupon in your hands, you create your shopping list and may even choose to use the coupon. After you scan your coupon on the register, the store takes the amount off the total purchase. You are stoked – if you follow my site, you may have just scored a freebie by combining a store sale/coupon with the manufacturer coupon! But the store is not reimbursed yet. The coupon is sent to a coupon clearinghouse to verify it was used correctly. What is a coupon clearinghouse? A coupon clearinghouse is a third-party independent of the manufacturer and the store the coupon was redeemed at. They determine the amount each manufacturer owes each store. The manufacturer takes the ―hit‖ for the coupon, not the store. The store should get reimbursed for the amount of the coupon…but…if you scan a coupon on the wrong item, the coupon clearinghouse may find out and decide the manufacturer doesn‘t owe the store that amount for that coupon. Also, if a coupon is a photocopied coupon, the clearinghouse will know and will not reimburse the store for the coupon. This means if you use coupons fraudulently, stores don‘t get reimbursed and they lose money. That is stealing from the store! Some stores have already decided that too many fraudulent coupons are being used, and they have stopped accepting coupons printed from the internet because they are worried they are photocopies and won‘t get reimbursed. So please don‘t photocopy coupons; as a general rule, coupons can usually be printed twice online and should never be photocopied. Store coupons (coupons released by a store) are not reimbursed by the manufacturer. The store releases these to attract customers. We’ll talk more about why you can “stack” a store coupon or sale with a manufacturer coupon in the next ABC’s of couponing story. It‘s not all bad news for the stores! Many people uses manufacturer coupons legitimately and stores are getting reimbursed by the manufacturer – plus eight cents for handling. Manufacturer‘s are getting their products in the hands of consumers and are happy their ads were successful. They hope once a consumer tries a new product, they may try it again even if they don‘t have a coupon next time. Consumers are getting to try products they may have never tried before at great prices. In the end, if coupons are used properly then the consumer, manufacturer and store are stoked. Using coupons to score freebies can be done completely legally and ethically without hurting anyone involved!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-a-is-for-all-about-how-coupons-work/

ABC's of Couponing: "B" is for BOGO Stacking

This topic dives deep and stores policies may vary; I can‘t guarantee your experience will be exactly as outlined when working with Buy One, Get One Free coupons and sales, but at least I can help inform you on how theyshould work. Common question:

I‘m confused by the BOGO sales when they are matched up with BOGO coupons, how do the items come out free?

Let‘s start with the background info on how stores work. As I explained in my first ABC‘s of couponing post, stores get paid the full price of a scanned manufacturer coupon. But if a store has a sale or coupon that it releases, this is called a store coupon. This coupon doesn‘t get reimbursed – it is a form of advertising for the store. If a store has a BOGO free sale (or store coupon), they are ―taking the loss‖ so to speak on the free item. If you hand them a manufacturer coupon for a BOGO free item during their BOGO free sale, it doesn‘t affect the amount of money the store makes. Because the manufacturer reimburses them for the coupon.

True BOGO Free Sales: At most stores, if a sale is buy one get one free, you purchase one and the other is free. So if you use a BOGOfree coupon on top of the sale, both products end up free. The store gets reimbursed for the manufacturer coupon and the transaction is still profitable for the store! Even though you didn‘t pay money out of your pocket. However, not all stores ring up BOGO free store sales (or store coupons) this way. Some insist that you must pay for one item in order to use your BOGO free coupon. Rather than giving you both items for free, you buy one and then receive two free (one free for the coupon and one free for their sale).

Non-True BOGO Free Sales: Certain stores have BOGO free sales, but you don‘t have to buy 2 to get the sale price. You purchase one, and it rings up half price. Some examples of stores that work this way are Publix (except Florida locations, which are true BOGO sales), Bi-Lo, and Harris Teeter to name a few. If you use a BOGO free coupon with a BOGO free sale at these places, you will pay half price for one item and get the other item free. Can I use two BOGO Free Manufacturer’s coupons for two items? No – if you have two BOGO free coupons, you‘d have to purchase 4 items to use them both. Can you use two manufacturer coupons on a buy one get one free store promotion? Yes! Even if the store is giving one away for free, you can still use a coupon on it! So if you have two $1 off one item coupons, you could use both of them on a BOGO free sale! You just couldn‘t use two BOGO free coupons. How does using a BOGO free coupon on BOGO half off sale work? If you purchase two items that are $4, the store would ring up one item as $2. Then when the cashier scans your BOGO free coupon, it may only take off $2 for the cheaper item you bought. Other stores will take off the full $4. It depends on how your cashier rings you up. Can I use a BOGO free coupon and a $1/1 off product coupon on two products? This is the most tricky question of them all! If you have a BOGO free coupon, but you have another coupon for $1/1 on the same product, can you use the both coupons? If done on certain coupons, this is called ―piggybacking‖ and is not how the coupons were intended to use. Now I don‘t promote coupon decoding (the practice of using coupons on items they weren‘t intended to be used on) so I won‘t go into too much detail, but you can tell be the coupons codes whether you can use a BOGO coupon with another coupon or not. Most of the time you can not – if the number 14 is in the area circled in the barcode below, the coupon is attached to both products. You can‘t use another coupon on your purchase for either product. If the numbers are different, some stores will let you use a BOGO free coupon and a $1/1 product coupon when you buy two items. http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-b-is-for-bogo-stacking/

ABC's of Couponing: "C" is for Catalinas

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing GuideLet’s break couponing down to be fun and easy, not extreme and time-consuming!

This is a guest post by Melea from Freebies2Deals where she blogs about deals, freebies, and coupons. What is a Catalina?? A Catalina is a piece of paper that prints at the end of your transaction. There are 4 different types of Catalinas that may print for you:

Dollar Off Coupons: An example would be a ―$4.00 off your Next Your Purchase‖ Catalina. These can be used on ANY future purchase. Manufacturer Coupons: Sometimes you may get a manufacturer‘s coupon printed out instead. I usually buy Beech Nut Baby Food for my daughter because it is cheaper. But Gerber wants me to purchase their brand, so I will always get Gerber Manufacturer Coupons printed out of the Catalina Machine. Many times we don‘t know when or if we will get the manufacturer‘s coupons printed out after our order. Just think of it as a little surprise if you do! Store Coupons: Target is a great example of this. Instead of printing out a manufacturer‘s coupon for a brand, you will actually get a Target Coupon. These are great to get because you can use one Target coupon and one Manufacturer‘s coupon on each item. Previews of Upcoming Catalinas: Sometimes you may not get one of the 3 coupons I mentioned above. Instead, you will get a preview of an upcoming Catalina. It will tell you when the Catalina Promotion Starts and which products qualify to get the coupon. Helpful Hints on Getting your Catalina to Print Make sure the Catalina Machine is on: Before the cashier starts scanning your items, make sure the Catalina machine‘s green light is on. If it isn‘t, your Catalina will not print. And, if the Catalina machine is turned on in the middle of your transaction, chances are that you will not get it to print either. So make sure you check that before you start checking out. Double Check the Items you are Purchasing: In order for a Catalina to print, you have to purchase the EXACT sizes, quantities and brand. If the 11.8 oz Box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch is part of the Catalina Promotion and you purchase the bigger box instead, you WILL NOT get a catalina printed out. So make sure you double check sizes, brands and that you purchased the right amount. Call up Catalina: Sometimes you do everything right and the Catalina still doesn‘t print out. What do you do in that case? Call up Catalina directly at 1-888-8COUPON or email them at [email protected]. You will need to have your receipt and item handy so they can get the information from you. If you did purchase the correct brand, sizes and quantities, then they will mail you your Catalina coupon. Where you can find a Catalina Coupon List? Well, these are hard to come by as they aren‘t advertised. But you can go to The Coupon Network and click onYour Bucks. This will show some offers in your area, if you have logged into the site and entered your zip code. They are not all inclusive, but are great starting point.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/catalina-coupon-lists/

CVS Coupon Policy

Learn how to shop at CVS like a pro. Here is CVS‘s coupon policy and how to use the CVS Pharmacy Extra Care Bucks to rock those deals! CVS Coupon Policy: CVS stores accept the following types of coupons: 1. Manufacturer Coupons (this includes both coupons from newspapers / magazines / other print sources ans well as manufacturer online printable coupons) 2. Store Coupons (this includes CVS store coupons found in their weekly fliers, in-store coupon booklets, CRTs and purchase based coupons) 3. Competitor Pharmacy Coupons (they do not, however, accept any other type of competitor coupon) 4. Extra Care Bucks (called ECBs for short, they are like a Catalina from the grocery store that is printed out at the cash register on the bottom of your receipt) CVS Lingo: Extra Care Bucks (ECBs): It‘s a CVS store coupon for a discount of your next purchase order that prints at check out. They print at the bottom of your receipt and can be used ―like cash‖ on almost anything else sold at CVS (excludes gift card purchases, alcohol, prescriptions). Extra Care Bucks card: Card that will track your ECB‘s and rewards. You must scan this before your transactions to get your ECB‘s. Apply for the free Extra Care Bucks card online or in-stores. Reinventing Beauty Magazine: This is a is a 99 cent magazine available in the beauty section of most CVS stores. It sometimes comes with CVS and manufacturer coupons. Where else can you find the magazine? by the weekly flyers, with the other magazines, by the cash registers, in the cosmetic aisle. Not all stores seem to carry this magazine. Clip Free Coupon: Refers to a month long discount offered that‘s deducted automatically at checkout. CRT: or Cash register tape is a coupon that prints at the bottom of your receipt or at the Price Scanner. Price Scanner: Price scanning machines located at certain stores that serve to check the price of items and also print CVS store coupons when you CVS Extra Care Bucks card is used. CVS Store coupons: These can be stacked with manufacturer coupons for added savings. Can only use one per transaction. CVS $/$$ coupons: These coupons provide a discount once your order reaches a certain value before coupons. For example: you could save $4 when you buy $20 or more. This total is always before any other coupons. How to Shop at CVS:

In each weekly circular you will see a certain number of items that may be FREE after ECB (Extra Care Bucks). For example, notice to the right the pens are priced at .99 (your out-of-pocket cost), but when you buy those they will also generate a .99 ECB…that‘s essentially FREE after you get your ECB back.

Make sure to print your “ deal scenarios.” before you go into the store. This will help you by having a plan of attack to maximize savings. View/print the deal scenarios for CVS each week once you look at the map of CVS regions and know your region: CVS Region 1 CVS Region 2 CVS Region 3 CVS Region 4 CVS Region 5 CVS Region 6

Scan the magic CVS coupon machine when you first arrive at CVS - You‘ll want to scan your ExtraCare card at the coupon printing machine inside the store. This machine is about 5? tall and is usually right when you walk in. It will print out coupons and even ECBs every now and then! Are cvs magic coupon scanner coupons manufacturer coupons? NO they are store coupons, so you can ―stack‖ them with manufacturer‘s coupons! Match a coupon with the ECB Deals to get an even sweeter deal! For example: Buy 2 Hair Care products ($5 each), Get a $5 ECB back. Say you have the $3 off coupons that commonly come in the Sunday paper, you will pay $4 out-of-pocket for both products, then you‘ll get a $5 ECB. After doing the math, you have just made $1 for your purchase (this is also known as a moneymaker deal)!! ECB’s: Is the total in the ad before my coupons are calculated or after? The total is before coupons. If a ECB says it will print for $20, then if you purchase $20 in product, but after scanning coupons you only have to pay $10, you will still get your EBC‘s! Because EBC‘s are calculated before coupons are scanned. Limits – Make sure to look at the limits of ECB‘s - in the picture above there is a limit of one per household. If the limit of the offer is more than one you can buy more than one item in the same transaction and get all of the ECBs you would expect from each offer! Warning: you will save more money by breaking off your transactions and using ECBs from the first transaction on the second and so on. That‘s called ―rolling‖. Order of handing coupons to the cashier: First hand CVS dollar off transaction coupons, then CVS store coupons/manufacturer coupons, and finally your ECBs. Use TWO coupons for Buy 1, Get 1 FREE deals - Many items often go on sale for BOGO. CVS will actually let you use two coupons, even though they are giving you one for free. NOTE: This may vary by store/manager/cashier. Roll, Baby Roll - When you use your ECB on other deals that generate more ECB this is called ―rolling.‖ Unlike Walgreens, at CVS you can ―roll ECBs‖ meaning you can spend ECBs you received from one offer to buy more of the same. Make sure to scan your Extra Care Bucks card - ECBs are tied to your Extra Care Bucks card. This means that you can only redeem them when using the Extra Care Bucks card used to earn them. No roll? You don‘t have to use your ECB‘s right when you get them. ECBs expire four weeks after the date they were first issued. Make sure to use them before they expire. Earn more ECB - Earn 2% back with every purchase in-store (get rewards every 3 months) and Earn 1 Extra Buck for every 2 prescriptions purchased in-store. Rain Checks: Don‘t leave the store empty handed if you get there and the item you want is sold out! Ask for a rain check – At cvs rainchecks never expire AND you‘ll receive ECB just like the original sale. Alright, it sounds confusing. I admit it! But shopping at CVS is one of the best ways to get free razors, hair care, cheap diapers, and more. Please leave a comment with any questions!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/questions/coupon-policies/cvs-coupon-policy/

ABC's of Couponing: "D" is for Double Coupons

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide What is a Double Coupon? First, let‘s start with what double coupons aren‘t. I have heard people think you are using two manufacturer coupons on one item. That is illegal and it not what double coupons mean. Second, I have heard people think it simply means coupon stacking (when you use one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon on one item). Stacking is valid and legal at many stores, but this is not what double coupons mean. There is no such thing as a “double coupon”. What there are, however, are stores that allow you to double a coupon. You use the same coupons you find in your local Sunday paper or print online. Certain stores will let you double the value of the coupon. When you redeem the the coupon at your local store during a double coupon promotion you will get twice the value of the coupon taken off the one item. If a coupon on a package of Huggies is $.50 off, you‘ll get $1.00 off your package of Huggies.

Some coupons say ―do not double‖ – read my post on Do Not Double coupons, why they say this, and why you can still double these in most cases! When a store ―doubles a coupon‖, the store still only gets refunded the value of the coupon from the manufacturer. They take the extra amount they doubled out of their own pockets, as an advertising expense.

You can use double coupons to get high value items free! If a razor is normally $8, but is on sale for $4 (or on sale for $8 and is BOGO free), and you have two $2 off coupons, and your store doubles up $2, they would take off $4 for each razor, and then you would get both razors free!

Do you have a list of which stores double coupons? Some stores don‘t advertise that they double- so make sure to ask! Other stores only double on certain days of the week, every week. Kmart doubles randomly, and sometimes it is up to $.99 and other times it is up to $2.00, they just advertise it in their weekly circular. Please leave a comment and let us know which stores in your area double, so we can create a master list. Here is a list of over 20 stores and whether they double or not is listed on their policies page.

Know the rules of your store before you shop: The store may limit your total coupons used to no more than 75 (or another number) per transaction or visit. Stores may limit you to no more than 4 coupons for the purchase of 4 of the same items. Each store doubles to different amounts; some stores double coupons $.50 and under, other stores double coupons up to $2.00. Some stores won‘t let you double coupons on clearance items. Sharing is caring: Don‘t go crazy and buy 100 of an item and clear the shelf. If you know a great deal is coming, ask your store to order you extra of the item. Tips for making your trip less stressful for you (and the cashier): Bring the stores circular ad that advertises the double coupons. Some cashiers don‘t know about their own stores promotions. Have your coupons out and ready to scan before you get to the register. Put the same items together when checking out, and have your coupons in the same order as your products are being scanned. Sometimes when items don‘t match-up and the cashier has to scan the register tap to find them, this will make it easier for them to find the coupons and products because they are in order. Hand the cashier each coupon one-at-a-time so that you can verify that non stick together and you are getting all your savings. Do I have to pay taxes on items I get for free? This varies by store but most registers will still ring up the total tax due. http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-d-is-for-double-coupons/ ABC's of Couponing: "E" is for eCoupons!

What is an eCoupon, Loadable or Clipless coupon? An eCoupon is an electronic coupon get online in a similar manner to a printable coupon. Instead of printing the coupon, you load it onto your store loyalty card. When you scan your loyalty card at the cash register, or give your phone number, you will automatically receive the savings if you‘ve made a qualifying purchase! There are a lot of ecoupon sites; some take savings right off your receipt and you pay less out of pocket. Others have you take the savings and put them in savings accounts. Read about each ecoupon site below and how they work.

Cellfire eCoupons: Go to Cellfire.com and enter in your store loyalty card #, then click on the new eCoupons to add them to your card. You can use these at all the stores in the picture above! Most Cellfire offers are updated every other Tuesday. ShopRite, Giant Eagle, and Shop ‗n Save grocery coupons are updated every other Sunday. So those are the days you will want to upload all your cellfire coupons before your shopping trip. Cellfire coupons used to be able to be stacked with physical copies of coupons, but recently they changed this policy. Cellfire coupons come right off your total and so you pay less at the register just like a regular coupon. Go to UPromise.com and enter in your store loyalty card #, then click on ―coupons & deals‖ then ―Grocery eCoupons‖. Then you select ALL the eCoupons. I try to do this the 1st day of every month since normally that is when their coupons re-fresh. You can use these coupons at many different stores, when you login you can enter your zip code and it will tell you the participating stores in your area. These coupons actually don‘t come off your total at the register, instead the savings are put into a college account for your children. Rite Aid accepts Upromise! Go to UPromise.com and enter in your Rite Aid Wellness store loyalty card #, then click on ―coupons & deals‖ then ―Grocery eCoupons‖. Then you select ALL the eCoupons. I try to do this the 1st day of every month since normally that is when their coupons re-fresh – I also add the coupons to my Smith‘s (KROGER) card. These also don‘t come off at the register and work just like regular UPromise coupons. Sam’s Club now has eCoupons! Well, these are pretty new so they aren‘t famous yet, but if you are a Sam‘s Club Plus Memeber you will definately want to login and load your Sam‘s Club eCoupons to your card! There are over $300 in savings on Sam‘s Club eCoupons site per year! These come right off at the register! SavingStar: These are manufacturer’s coupons. Available at CVS, Rite-Aid, Albertsons, Dillon‘s, Kroger, Ralph‘s, and many more. 1. Click the eCoupons you want to load them to your store loyalty card 2. Shop – use your loyalty card at checkout. However, no coupons will come off your total. 3. Your SavingStar account will grow with the coupons you used, and you will get to redeem them once you have saved over $5 in the form of Amazon.com gift cards, Paypal, or other payment forms! Read my How to Use Saving Star Guide! P&G eSaver: They also offer ecoupons! I don‘t use them as much, but they are worth looking at. They come off your total at the register. These offers are added to the Cuckoo Deals Coupon Database as well to make matching them with store deals even easier! This is part 5 of a 26 part “ABC’s of Couponing” series – scroll past this post to view previous posts in this series.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-e-is-for-ecoupons/

How To Get Cash Back Shopping Online Part 1: Ebates

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide Have you ever heard of Ebates? What is Ebates? Ebates is a FREE website which rewards you with CASH for clicking on their links to go to other shopping sites – you only get cash back if you make a purchase though! More details below. How do you use Ebates? Ebates is super easy to use! First sign up for Ebates; you‘ll have the option to choose between the following FREE gift cards:

If you select the $5 Ebates credit, you‘ll have $5 in your account immediately! If you choose one of the other four options, you will have to make a purchase through one of Ebates links within one month and earn $5.01 or more in cash back before you get the gift card. Most people just choose the $5 Ebates credit because you know you‘ll get it for sure; I‘d only choose the other options if you know you are making a big purchase through Ebates.

You can always click on ―My Ebates‖ ―Cash Pending‖ as shown above to see what Ebates owes you. How do you get paid with Ebates? Simple, you can click on ―My Ebates‖ and then on the right-hand side of the page click on ―Cash Back Method‖ to select your preferred payment method – check or paypal. I choose paypal. How do you use Ebates to get cash back on purchase? When you are shopping online and see something you want to buy, say from Walmart.com, you will head on over to Ebates and login. Then search for ―walmart‖ and when it pulls up, click on ―shop now.‖ It will re-direct you to the Walmart page, where you can find the item you want to purchase and buy it on Walmart‘s website. Because you went to Walmart through Ebates, you will earn a certain % of your purchase back. The % that is earned varies depending on the online store you are purchasing items from, and can range from 1%-25%. Most cash back rewards are credited to your Ebates account within 48 hours of the purchase.

When you make a purchase via the Ebates link, Ebates gets a commission from the store(s). Instead of keeping that money, Ebates shares it with you in the form of a quarterly cash back payment.

Every 3 months, Ebates sends you a cash back payment (ore deposits money into your Paypal account) for purchases posted during the previous quarter based on the schedule below. If you‘ve earned less than $5.01 cash back, they‘ll carry over your money to the next check.

Here‘s some of my favorite stores to shop at Ebates at:

Old Navy/Gap: 4% Disney: 5% The Body Shop: 5% Barnes & Noble: 4% Walgreens: 4% Walmart: 1% Sears: 2% Toys R Us: 2-4% http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/how-to-get-cash-back-ebates/

ABC's of Couponing: "F" is for Freebies!

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide Completely free stuff comes around and I get all shaky and happy. I run and tell my husband about the freebie I‘m getting and say ―do you think it will come with some sick coupons??!?!‖ and he does this thing where he pretends he doesn‘t know me. It‘s our game really. But if you don‘t know how to tell legit freebies from fake ones, then you can lose out on the freebie game. Here‘s what you need to know:

How to determine legit freebies from spam. Creating another email account. Why companies giveaway freebies & why you want them! In order to try to save you time from signing up for non-legit freebies, I have compiled a list of ways to tell the cuckoo freebies we love, from the spam we hate.

Make sure the web URL in the address bar includes the name of the company or the brand of product. The exception is StartSampling which I have used and gotten samples from before. But most of the time, the URL will be the main company or brand name. Any freebie where you have to sign up for other offers in order to get the freebie is spam and don‘t waste your time. There are too many real freebies out there; no need to do these ones. Beware of trial offers for freebies. If they ask for a credit card number, even if they don‘t charge now they will usually charge after 14 or 30 days. As a rule of thumb I never enter my credit card number or social security number for a freebie! You may have to enter mailing address and email info – but never more! Have you seen this before? ―This promotion is conducted exclusively by (whateversite.com) and is subject to participation terms and conditions.‖ Or ―Must complete participating gold, silver or platinum offers to get this sample‖. That means it is spam. Run away! They are just fishing for your information and are wanting to sell your email address. Yes, people want to buy your email address and spam you. Beware of who is running the site! Once I saw a freebie that seemed legit, but after browsing the site I couldn‘t find any contact information. Companies want contacted by their customers, no contact info= fake company. Also, the page you are on may look legit, but I usually browse around new sites I haven‘t seen before and make sure it is current, and for example if the company sells a product you can go through the motions of ordering it. I have seen ―fake‖ freebies before for Gloves. They said fill out the form to get free gloves. The site was nice-looking and seemed alright, but if you clicked on any page but the freebie page and tried to order the gloves you couldn‘t. Huge sign of a non-legit spammer site! Go to whois.com to see how long the website has been up – only for a few days, probably a quick setup trick to get your info then they‘ll close down the site. Speaking of spams, read my post on the horrible paypal scams going on now! Why would I create yet another email account? Because for most freebies, even legit ones, they are going to ask you to sign up for their email newsletter list. If you are scoring 5 freebies a day, as we often do, that adds up quickly to a lot of emails you don‘t necessary want. I have a separate email that I sign up for all freebies with and rarely bother checking that email account. You can get a free email account at gmail.com or hotmail.com Also, set up a free voice mail box online at Google Voice and leave that number as your contact number. Many people have freebies sent to P.O. boxes, but beware as many freebies and deals state they will not ship to P.O. boxes.Speaking of scams – there is a crazy paypal scam going on if you missed my paypal scam post on it, you may want to read up! Why do companies giveaway free samples? Most companies spend millions on tv ads and other forms of getting the knowledge about their product into your heads. Why not use some of that budget and just let you see for yourself? Put the product directly in your hands. Most companies know if you like a freebies, you are more likely to buy it later. Why sign up for tiny free samples? Many free samples also include high-value coupons. This is particularly true of new products on the market. And as cuckoo coupon shoppers we can turn that free sample with it‘s attached coupon into a killer deal on a full size product!

This is part 6 of a 26 part “ABC’s of Couponing” series HERE http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-f-is-for-freebies/

ABC's of Couponing: "G" if for "Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck" Costco vs. Couponing: Which is cheaper?

―Is it cheaper to buy at a wholesale place like Sam‘s Club or BJ‘s or Costco, or to coupon?‖ I have received this email several times, and so I decided to investigate to determine where you can get the most bang for your buck. First you have to know what price you should be holding out for with a coupon deal. I have created several Stock Up prices guides and I am constantly updating them and adding new products. Email me if you find a stock up price that isn‘t on my list and you‘d like it added.

Stock Up Prices: Prices a couponer should pay for the following items by purchasing them on sale and/or with coupons: Beef, Fish, Pork & Poultry. Cleaning Supplies & Paper Products. Grocery Items. Drugstore/Hygiene items. Baby items. Next, I went to Costco in Utah and checked out several prices. Keep in mind that they do not accept manufacturer coupons. To compare apples to apples, I wrote down the price per unit.

In general, I was mortified by Costco‘s prices and found them much higher for all hygiene, baby care items, and most foods (cereal, pasta, etc…) then what I am willing to pay. Here‘s some examples:

Costco Couponing

Huggies size 3 228ct. $39.99 (or Huggies size 3 40ct. (Jumbo size) $5.50 is my price point on these, $.13 per Diapers $.18 per diaper) diaper, but as couponers we get these for even less regularly!

Similac 25 oz. $9.99 or $.40 per ounce – we get great coupons for these and Enfamil.

If you haven’t signed up for both of their mailing lists, I would! They mail out Similac 34 oz. $27.89 or $.82 per some killer coupons! Baby Formula ounce

$1.85 per roll Bounty Paper Towels $0.55 per roll

$.56/lb if you bought the largest bag at the cheapest price Sugar $.30/lb

Boneless Skinless 1.49/lb (we don’t get many coupon deals on this, but by watching sales I can Chicken breasts $2.79/lb buy when the price is low and stock up in my freezer!)

Razors Free – $.50 per razor $19.99 for set of 10 nice Gillette disposable razors

Now there are some great deals at warehouse stores: Cheese and organic produce seemed really cheap! Although Smith’s has some yummy cheese that goes on sale sometimes. Prescription medications – I couldn‘t test this one out, but I‘ve heard they are 40% cheaper then at regular pharmacies. Electronics & ink cartridges – These seemed priced fairly low! Gas savings: Gas was $.18 per gallon cheaper at Costco then the gas station I normally fill up at, thus getting a membership and filling up just for the gas savings would be worth it if you commute to work or drive a lot in general. It would take 266 gallons to ―cancel out‖ the $40 yearly membership fee. I calculated that I use around 750 gallons of gas per year. This, of course, is based on my gas mileage in my car (it‘s horrible!) and the miles I drive on average per year, so your totals may be very different! Also, if the gas station is clear out of your way and you won‘t be using it often, that wouldn‘t make sense to get a membership just for that! Gift Cards: My friends who shop at Costco (I personally only go with my friends and I don‘t have a membership) tell me they often score 20% off gift cards to various places! So where can you get the most bang for your buck? It depends on what you are buying!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-g-if-for-getting-the-most-bang-for-your-buck/

How To Save Time Couponing

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

I enjoy just hanging out with my husband and my girls; I don‘t want to spend my whole life clipping coupons and driving to 10 stores a week. My husband took the picture above of me and my daughters just hanging out. These are the best times we have and I want more. Thus I have compiled a list of inventive ways to save time couponing, since it can be so time-consuming: 1. Instead of clipping all the Smart Source, Red Plum, and P&G inserts yourself, find some friends each Sunday to do a coupon insert swap with. For example, each week I clip the Smart Source coupons and one of my friends clips the P&G and Red Plum inserts. Give them back their coupons once you‘ve finished clipping them. 2. If a store is far away, trade weeks with a friend to shop there. For example, Target is 25 miles away from me. I print out all the deals I want to get, compile my coupons in an envelope, and give them to my friend who picks up my deals for me at Target. I do the same for her at Rite Aid and Walgreens; they are also quite a drive away from our homes. We make sure to have everything organized for the person who is going to make it easy for them. We also get separate receipts at checkout to make paying each other back easier & so we can have receipts to submit for rebates that need mailed in. 3. If you have 3 copies of the same insert to clip, make sure to stack all the individual coupon insert pages that are similar on top of each other and cut them at once. 4. I always save my shopping receipts because you never know when a rebate form will appear that has an item that you already purchased on it. For example, I recently did the Coors Rebate and used a receipt for Plastic Cups that I had purchased before I even heard about the rebate. The rebate dates were so long (Dec. 15-Feb.8) it was easy to find receipts to make the rebate work. 5. Gather all the ads for deals you want to do and price match them at Target or Walmart. Remember, they won‘t price match Rite Aid Single Check Rebates, Walgreen‘s Register Rewards, B1G1 Free and other deals where an exact price isn‘t listed. I like to shop at local stores that are running the ad to support them, plus the local stores pay for their ads, but if I don‘t have time to visit them all or if the stores are too far away… 6. Use a coupon-clipping service and order coupons in bulk. Here is one of the cheapest (usually 5 cents per coupon) My Coupon Hunter here. Remember it will take a few days to get your coupons though. 7. Heather from Sweet Deals 4 Mom sent me this great idea: ―I do a coupon train with about 7 other people. When I get the envelopes of coupons in the mail, I take what I need, replace what I took and remove the expired ones. Pretty easy.‖ 8. Kristin from Making Cents Out of Life sent me her tips: ―I saves a lot of time and impulse buys just to not clip every coupon. I have a mixed method of coupon organization…when I get organized that is , where I leave them whole but I plan 4 weeks of sales as far in advance as I can. I use Cuckoo for Coupons and other forums and blogs to look ahead, clip what i need and use 4 different accordion holders to store that week‘s coupons until I need them. I keep the rest of the insert filed away and when I hear of a clearance deal I go clip. Always take a notebook and pen with you when you shop so you can write down clearance deals, and run back the next day if you really want the item. I spend less money not having my coupons with me at all times. I miss the occasional hot deal but the pay off is worth it. It‘s hard to explain in a short (for me!) paragraph but not keeping my coupons with me all the time is usually a good thing. If you really are afraid of missing a hot deal, take the inserts but leave them in the car. You still don‘t clip them but you have your box in the car so you can go out and clip the ones that you need if you come upon a clearance deal. But…I despise clipping coupons and trying to stuff them into the baseball card inserts or any other insert. Hahah. I love using them but hate clipping!‖ What ideas do you ladies have about saving time couponing? I‘d love to hear them! http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/what-is-a-coupon-train/ http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-d-is-for-double-coupons/

Get Sunday Coupon Inserts

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

BEST Rates for Sunday Coupon Multiple Subscriptions in Utah & Elsewhere- read below for 6 newspaper deals! In many of my posts, you’ll see references to use Sunday coupon inserts; look at the picture above to see what Sunday Coupon Inserts look like. Here is an example of how I tell you which insert a coupon is in when I post a deal: Buy Olay Lotion $2.99 $1/2 Select Olay Products, exp. 11-30-10 (SS 10/31/10) Final Price= $1.99 What does the pink coupon information in the deal above mean? $1/2 = $1 off when you buy 2. exp. 11-30-10 means the coupon will expire on 11-30-10 and will no longer be useable. (SS 10/31/10) means a coupon came from the Smart Source insert in the Sunday paper on 10/31/10. Inserts in the Sunday paper: SS= Smart Source, RP= Red Plum, P&G= Proctor & Gamble (once per month). Insert coupons can be used at any store that accepts manufacturer‘s coupons. Almost all grocery and drug stores do. Read more from my training guide. Now I post printable coupon deals, but since you can only print 2 per computer, and many hot coupons are only in Sunday coupon inserts, you will need to have a multiple newspaper subscription to become a cuckoo coupon shopper.

Why multiple copies of inserts? Because if you use a $2.50 Tide Detergent coupon on a hot $4 Tide Detergent sale, in a few weeks you‘ll run out of Tide. Since sale cycles are 6 weeks to 6 months, you‘ll probably have to run out and pay full price before the sale happens again. Don‘t waste your time running to the store to get a few items. You may as well stock up when prices are lowest and not have to buy again until the sell comes around. This saves you the most $$$. My suggestion: Get 1 Sunday paper for every family member. My family has 4 members, so I get 4 copies of the Sunday newspaper. When a sale is hot, I use up all my coupons and almost always have enough to use product until the next sale and not too much that the product expires before I use it. Live in Utah? I have negotiated directly with several newspapers in Utah to bring you the lowest prices possible ifyou call: 801- 344-2959 and mention my name – Deidre at Cuckoo For Coupon Deals! Don’t live in Utah? Want to order coupons online or subscribe to a different paper? Find your local paper and sign up for up for discounted subscription rates & save 50% or more on local newspaper home delivery here. Order coupons at My Coupon Hunter; a coupon clipping service. She sends clipped coupons – you have to create an account FIRST to see the coupons available! Order whole inserts through Coupons By DeDe Orlando People: Get multiple copies of the Orlando Sentinal for 50% off! And get a free Publix gift card. Utah & Salt Lake County Discounted Newspaper Prices:

The Daily Herald The Deseret News Salt Lake Tribune

1 Sunday $53 for 52 weeks/newspaper* ($1.02/paper) + Copy N/A $53 for 52 weeks/newspaper* ($1.02/paper) FREE gift

2 Sunday $106 for 52 weeks/newspaper* ($1.02/paper) + Copies $12.53/month $106 for 52 weeks/newspaper* ($1.02/paper) FREE gift

3 Sunday $14.50/month Copies U/A U/A

4 Sunday $17.00/month Copies U/A U/A

5 Sunday Copies $18.75/month N/A N/A

With the Salt Lake Newspapers gift cards are With the Salt Lake Newspapers gift cards are available in $5 increments. available in $5 increments. 1 Copy 1 Copy $5 gift card for 1 year subscriptions $5 gift card for 1 year subscriptions 2 Copies 2 Copies $10 gift cards for 1 year subscriptions $10 gift cards for 1 year subscriptions Only paper in Utah 3 Copies 3 Copies that gets $15 gift cards for 1 year subscriptions $15 gift cards for 1 year subscriptions 4 Copies 4 Copies the Red Plum insert! BONUS: $20 gift cards for 1 year subscriptions $20 gift cards for 1 year subscriptions

IMPORTANT: to get the rates seen above and get your gift card, you must: 1. Call 801-344-2959 and 2. Mention my name – Deidre at CuckooForCouponDeals! If you can‘t get through to that number, call 801-344-2923. 3. If you don‘t mention me, your rate will be higher and you won‘t get a gift card! You must sign up for 26 weeks for The Desert News and The Salt Lake Tribune to get these deals. The Daily Herald is monthly though! Weber County, Davis County and Brigham City Discounted Newspaper Subscription Prices:

The Ogden Standard-Examiner

$13.60/month 4 Sunday Copies

5 Sunday Copies $17.00/month

1. Call 801-344-2959 2. Say Deidre at Cuckoo For Coupon Deals sent you! Otherwise you‘ll pay around $17.50/month for one Sunday paper! 3. You‘ll get a deep discount on their multiple subscription prices + free online edition daily access. 4. Email me at Deidre (AT) cuckooforcoupondeals.com if you have problems and to let me know you signed up. Cache County, Franklin County (in Idaho), Bear Lake, Montpelier, & the North end (along I-15) of Box Elder County Discounted Newspaper Prices:

The Herald Journal

1 Sunday Copy $10.00/month

2 Sunday Copies

$13.60/month 3 Sunday Copies

$16.30/month 4 Sunday Copies

5 Sunday Copies $18.00/month

IMPORTANT: You will also get the online addition every day free with this subscription! In order to get The Herald Journal Multiple Sunday Paper deal: 1. Call 801-344-2959 2. Say Deidre at Cuckoo For Coupon Deals sent you! Otherwise you‘ll pay around $17.50/month for one Sunday paper! 3. You‘ll get a deep discount on their multiple subscription prices + free online edition daily access. 4. Email me at Deidre (AT) cuckooforcoupondeals.com if you have problems and to let me know you signed up. Get Red Plum: If you can‘t get the Red Plum insert in your area, you may be able to receive one copy per week mailed to you, just fill out a request for Red Plum. Does it save $$$? It‘s much cheaper to get a subscription than it is to buy the papers individually each week; I get you the lowest possible rate, under $1. My training videos here are free, my site packed with how to use your coupons is free; this is not a sales pitch! I really want you to get the best rate, plus your free gift card you can‘t get without mentioning my name! You can always cancel if you decide you aren‘t saving enough $$$ to cover the cost of the subscription. http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-u-cashiers/

ABC's of Couponing: Are Coupons Just for Junk Food?

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing GuideLet’s break couponing down to be fun and easy, not extreme and time-consuming! Question from reader Jackie:

I‘m new to couponing and am having a hard time seeing the savings. Most of the things I see coupons for are for things I don‘t use. I cook from scratch alot and there seem to be alot of ready made items with coupons. Tell me what I am missing please.

Jackie, that is a great question! The thing I personally save the most on is diapers & all baby items, cereal, big-ticket purchases, and personal care/hygeine items. Sometimes, watching for sales and knowing when the items you normally buy are at their lowest point is another way to save if there aren‘t coupons for the items you buy. There are almost always coupons for diapers. Normally, people go to the store and pay $11 or so for a jumbo pack of diapers once or twice a week. I wait for them to be on sale for $8.99, then I use a $2 or $3 off coupon, plus combine that with Rite Aid‘s catalina +UP rewards, which prints another $1 off coupon. So my ―stock up‖ price is $5.50. If you buy diapers for two years at one pack a week without looking for sales, you will pay: $1144

If you buy diapers for two years at one pack a week (or averaging one pack a week, I normally buy 3 or 4 when they go on sale then don‘t buy for a few weeks) you will pay: $572. And that’s if you’re paying $5.50 – a few weeks ago there was a deal at Target for diapers for $2.50 a pack with coupons! The story is similar with baby formula and baby foods and clothes.

Another area I save a lot of money on is big-ticket items. I don‘t save up money and as soon as I have money for an item go buy it. I had money saved up last fall for a wooden playground for my kids, but couldn‘t find a deal. Four weeks ago Toys R‘ Us had a sale where they were 30-40% off based on the set, and I had a $100 coupon! I got my set cheaper then you can buy them used – trust me, I searched KSL and Craigslist daily!!! All personal care items and non-prescription pharmacy items I get 70% off or free. You can also save the most on with coupons and watching for sales at CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens. And these aren‘t junk food – these are soap, shampoo, conditioner, razors, and toothpaste. Things we all use. Yet another great place to save money on is at dining out! I use coupons every time I go out to eat, BOGO free entrees save you a lot of dough! So in the end, will your grocery bill go down because of couponing if you eat all healthy, organic food? Not drastically. Will your costs for other necessities decrease? Trick question! At first, hold on to your seats, they will increase. Because you don‘t have a stockpile! So every good deal you see you will want to grab. But once you get a huge stockpile, your price points shift lower and lower and you spend less and less. You will see dramatic savings. For the next few days, I will be listing price points I use for determining ―cuckoo stock up prices‖ and ―great prices‖!

Ask CCD Readers: What do you save the most money on using coupons?

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/couponing-101-are-coupons-just-for-junk-food/

ABC's of Couponing: Keeping Track of Your Savings with Coupons

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

ABC‘s of Couponing ―K‖ is for ―Keeping Track of Savings‖

Have you ever had problems keeping track of how much you save and spend with coupons? I just got this spreadsheet from a reader and I thought I‘d pass it on to you; here‘s what she had to say:

Hi Deidre, I am new to couponing and was a little confused on how everyone kept deals, Wag coupons, RR‘s, Manf coupons, rebates, savings, etc straight so I came up with a spreadsheet that breaks everything down in a simple and easy to understand excel spreadsheet, it even has a total of amount saved at the bottom. The 1st tab shows a list of deals I found, the 2nd shows how I entered in everything, and the last is a blank form to use. On mine I just keep adding more tabs at the bottom for each week I shop, that way I can go back and look thru if I have a ? or problem. I would love to send it to you so you might be able to post for other newbie‘s. I might not be good at couponing (still learning) but I am good with spreadsheets. All I know is it really helped me understand how everyone came up with them.

Thanks Beth for this spreadsheet! Download the Sample Coupon Calculator here for free. It works in excel. Also, Jessica emailed me yet another grocery-savings-tracker Saving Tracker for free, also works in excel. Here‘s the info Jessica passed onto me on how she uses her grocery savings tracker: 1. Add the amount spent for all receipt 2. Add the total amount saved (usually at the bottom of all receipts) 3. Add Total Spent and Total Saved together to get the total Value 4. Divide Total Saved by the Total Value, X (multiply) that by 100 = percentage saved each week! Please leave a comment letting me know how you keep track of your savings. If you are new to couponing, please read my coupon training guide!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/keeping-track-of-your-savings-with-coupons/

ABC's of Couponing: "L" is for Lingo 101

ABC‘s of Couponing: ―L‖ is for ―Lingo‖ Coupon Jargan & Lingo on Cuckoo for Coupon Deals may be confusing:

Let’s learn what all that really means: $1/1: One dollar off one product $1/2: One dollar off when you buy two products. You must buy 2 items. +UP: These refer to Rite Aid‘s +UP Wellness Rewards program (full explanation HERE) AY: All You magazine, a magazine sold online and at Walmart which sometimes has coupons in it. BOGO (read more!): BOGO or B1G1: Both mean ―Buy one, Get one‖ and will usually be followed by ―free‖ or ‖ ―50%‖. BOGO Free means ―Buy one, get one free‖ and BOGO 50% off means ―Buy one, get one 50% off.‖ If you read my ―B‖ is for BOGO post, you are a BOGO pro! Blinkie: This is a manufacturer coupon found in-store. It is usually in a dispenser that is close to the product the coupon is for. Catalina: This is a coupon that prints after you have purchased your items. It prints on what looks like cash register tape. So it won‘t look like a normal coupon. Sometimes it will say ―$xx off your next purchase‖ and you can use the coupon on any item in the store on your next transaction or shopping trip. Other times, for example at Kmart, the coupon will be triggered based off items you have bought and will be a coupon for similar items. Often when I buy Huggies, coupons for Pampers will print out of the catalina machine. Circular: Weekly or monthly ad released by stores to let customers know of their current sales. Clipless Coupons: See ―e-Coupons‖ below Coupon Insert: These come in the Sunday newspaper. Deidre recommends buying multiple Sunday newspapers to get your coupon inserts. These are the bread-and-butter of couponing. Coupon inserts are one of the biggest weapons in a good couponers arsenal. Coupon: Entitles the holder to a discount, as specified on the coupon.

Couponing: The art of redeeming discount coupons in order to save money. Couponer: A person who collects and saves coupons to redeem them on products, such as groceries. CRT: Cash Register Tape. Usually used when talking about CVS pharmacy, CRTs print at the bottom of your receipt and are generated based on your purchasing history (seemingly random). CRTs are specific to the store where they were printed. They are usually product specific coupons, example: $1.00 off any deodorant purchase. Cuckoo: A great deal is often referred to as a ―cuckoo‖ deal and you should know it is a ―stock up‖ price. Do Not Double (full explanation HERE) : This is on some coupons, sometimes it says ―DND‖ or ―No Doubling‖ it is meant to communicate to the retailer that the manufacturer will not reimburse for any greater value than that of the coupon. A store may or may not double your coupon that reads ―do not double‖ as part of a store doubling promotion. The wording is there to protect the manufacturer. Double Coupons (full explanation HERE): Only certain stores will double a coupon. When a store ―doubles a coupon‖, the store still only gets refunded the value of the coupon from the manufacturer. They take the extra amount they doubled out of their own pockets, as an advertising expense. ECB: Extra Care Bucks. This coupons print at the bottom of your CVS receipt when you purchase items that are specially marked in their weekly circulars. E-Coupons (full explanation HERE): Also known as Clipless or Loadable coupons. Instead of printing the coupon, you load it onto your store loyalty card. When you scan your loyalty card at the cash register, or give your phone number, you will automatically receive the savings if you‘ve made a qualifying purchase! ETS: What does ETS stand for on a coupon? Excludes Trial Size! Extra Bucks: Extra Care Bucks. This coupons print at the bottom of your CVS receipt when you purchase items that are specially marked in their weekly circulars. EXP: Expires or Expiration Date

FAR: Free After Rebate. You will pay cash for the item, but receive a full rebate back, essentially making the item free minus sales tax. FF: Firefox. When a printable coupon specifies IE or FF, you must click the link that coordinates with the browser you‘re using. Handling Fee: Refers to an amount, usually $0.08, paid by the manufacturer to a store in addition to the price on the coupon. This is to compensate them for handling the coupon. IE: Internet Explorer. When a printable coupon specifies IE or FF, you must click the link that coordinates with the browser you‘re using. Inserts in the Sunday paper: SS= Smart Source, RP= Red Plum, P&G= Proctor & Gamble (once per month). Insert coupons can be used at any store that accepts manufacturer‘s coupons. Almost all grocery and drug stores do. Order your Sunday Coupon Inserts here. IP: Internet Printable coupons may be printed right from your home computer. Usually limited to 2 prints per computer, download quick and safe printing software to be able to print securely from home. IVC: Instant Value Coupon. IVCs are store coupons found in the weekly Walgreens ad. IVCs may be stacked with a manufacturer coupon. Loadable Coupons: See ―e-Coupons‖ above. MIR (full explanation HERE): Mail in Rebate, refers to rebates which must be submitted by mail. These are the traditional rebates that require you to mail in both your receipt and proof of purchase in the form of UPC barcodes.

Manufacturer: The company who produces the brand items: Dove soap manufacturer, Pace Salsa manufacturer, etc. MFR: Some people save time by typing this instead of ‖manufacturer‖ Manufacturer Coupon: A coupon created by the manufacturer, or by a marketing company on the manufacturer‘s behalf. Manufacturer offers a discount to shoppers in order to entice them to buy their product. When a coupon is redeemed the manufacturer reimburses the store for the entire value of the coupon, plus a handling fee, aprox $0.08. OOP: Out of pocket. This refers to the amount you pay for an item, not factoring in rebates, ECB‘s, +Ups, RR‘s or any other catalina. OYNO: On Your Next Order. OYNSO: On Your Next Shopping Order. This refers to offers where you will not see the savings on that order, but on your next shopping trip or transaction. For example, spend $25 and save $10 on your next order. You would spend $25 (usually before coupons) and a catalina would print giving you $10 off your next order. One Coupon per Purchase: You can only use one coupon per item purchased. Usually you can buy multiple items and use multiple coupons in one transaction with this type of coupon. As long as you buy multiple items, you can use multiple coupons of the same type per transaction. One Coupon per Transaction: This one means you can only use one coupon per transaction, even if you have multiple items and multiple coupons. Your store may let you do multiple transactions. Peelie: Manufacturer coupons that look like stickers and are stuck on products in-store. I personally don‘t remove these and only use these if I am buying that product at that store. P&G: Proctor and Gamble manufacture a wide range of consumer goods and are one of the largest corporations in the world. Proctor and Gamble puts out monthly coupon inserts filled with coupons for a variety of Proctor and Gamble produced brands, just a few of which include: Always, Bounty, Crest, Dawn, Gillette, Olay, Pampers and Tide. PSA: Prices starting at; when a group of items are on sale, such as Fiber One products 25% off. We might write ―PSA $2.09? and list a group of Fiber One coupons. This means that the cheapest Fiber One product is $2.09 and prices go up from there. Purchase: a purchase refers to buying any item. If I buy 30 items on a single shopping trip, I just made 30 purchases. Purchase-Based Coupon: Purchase-Based coupons specify a dollar amount off a minimum dollar future purchase. Some common values: $2 off $10, $3 off $15, $4 off $20. Purchase based coupons may be used in addition to store and manufacturer coupons. Q: Coupon abbreviation – also used, Q-pon. Raincheck (full explanation HERE): A Rain Check is a written slip that you can request from a store when a sale item is out of stock. When the store restocks the item, after the sale period is over, a rain check entitles you to purchase for the previous sale price. Store may include an expiration date as well as a quantity limit on your rain check. Rain checks are usually issued at the customer service desk. Rebate (full explanation HERE): Virtually all rebates are limit one per household, and P.O. boxes are never accepted. Make sure to read the fine print- don‘t waste time or money sending in multiple rebates for the same deal, since you‘ll only get one back. Keep this in mind if you find tear-pad rebates at stores- there is no reason to take the whole stack, since you can only use one rebate. Most of the best grocery rebates are found in the beer aisle. I have a full post about those in ―R‖ is for ―Rebates‖. IMPORTANT NOTE: Virtually all rebates are limit one per household, and P.O. boxes are never accepted. Make sure to read the fine print- don‘t waste time or money sending in multiple rebates for the same deal, since you‘ll only get one back. Keep this in mind if you find tear-pad rebates at stores- there is no reason to take the whole stack, since you can only use one rebate. RR: Register Reward. These are triggered at Walgreens for buying certain products. Rolling Catalinas: refers to the practice of separating your purchase into multiple transactions in order to use register catalina coupons from your first transaction to pay for your second transaction. Another catalina prints from the 2nd transaction that pays for the 3rd transaction and so on. This doesn‘t work so well at Walgreen‘s and you‘ll need to read their store training guide full full details. RP: Red Plum. Formerly known as Vallasis, Red Plum coupon inserts and website feature coupons from a variety of manufacturers. Red Plum is part of Valassis Interactiv. SCR: Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid Drugstore monthly rebate program. Each month pick up your rebate booklet to see hundreds of dollars in possible rebate savings. Shop with coupons, save your receipts and enter quick information online. The SCR system stores all your rebates and totals them each month. Request your monthly check be mailed to you and cash it like any other check! No clipping barcodes or UPCs, no mailing or stamping an envelope. Stacking Coupons: Stacking coupons refers to using both a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on one product. Nearly all stores will allow you to ―stack‖. Only one manufacturer coupon may be used per item. Store Coupon: A coupon created by the store to entice you to buy a certain product at their store. Stores receive no reimbursement from store coupons. Store coupons may be found in the weekly ad, printed online or downloaded as e-coupons. Store Loyalty Card: A free card which you present at checkout to receive additional savings. Fill out a short application to receive a loyalty card at your local grocer. If you don‘t want to carry the card, the cashier can look up your preferred card by entering your ten digit phone number. Sunday Coupon Inserts: In many of my posts, you‘ll see references to use Sunday coupon inserts; look at the picture above to see what Sunday Coupon Inserts look like. Here is an example of how I tell you which insert a coupon is in when I post a deal: Buy Olay Lotion $2.99 Use the $1/2 Select Olay Products, exp. 11-30-10 (SS 10/31/10) Final Price= $1.99 What does the pink coupon information in the deal above mean? $1/2 = $1 off when you buy 2. exp. 11-30-10 means the coupon will expire on 11-30-10 and will no longer be useable. (SS 10/31/10) means a coupon came from the Smart Source insert in the Sunday paper on 10/31/10. Transaction: a transaction refers to your entire purchase, especially the payment you make for that purchase. If I buy 30 items and then pay the cashier, I just made one transaction. Tear-Pad:At many locations in supermarkets there are tear pads with rebates or coupons on them. These are often found in the beer aisle or at the customer service desk. Remember, almost all mail-in rebates say ―one per household, no P.O. boxes allowed‖ so don‘t bother taking all the tear-pads. Leave some for other shoppers. Stockpile: Buy items when they are at their lowest prices and buy enough to get you through to the next big sale, so you never have to pay full price. SS: Smart Source. A marketing company, like RP, Smart Source coupon inserts and website feature coupons from a variety of manufacturers. Smart Source is part of News America Marketing Co. Tear Pad: At many locations in supermarkets there are tear pads with rebates or coupons on them. These are often found in the beer aisle or at the customer service desk. Remember, almost all mail-in rebates say ―one per household, no P.O. boxes allowed‖ so don‘t bother taking all the tear-pads. Leave some for other shoppers. WAGS: Abbreviation for Walgreens Drugstore UPC: Universal Product Code. Bar code printed on product packages that can be scanned electronically. WYB: When you buy. ‖Save $10 wyb 3 items‖ would mean: Save $10 when you buy 3 items. YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary. Usually means a deal is for clearance items and since it‘s not advertised in the circular, there is no guarantee that your store will have the same deal. Thanks to The Krazy Coupon Lady for a starting point for this list!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/coupon-lingo-101/

Coupon Policies List Store Coupon Policies:

Albertson‘s coupon policy AAFEX (Army and Air Force Exchange Service) Bi-Lo coupon policy Bloom coupon policy Bottom Dollar coupon policy Cub Foods coupon policy CVS‘s Coupon Policy & How to Shop at CVS Dollar General coupon policy Earthfare coupon policy Family Dollar: (view their policy on their site here) Farm Fresh coupon policy Food Lion coupon policy Fred Meyer coupon policy Fresh Market‘s coupon policy Giant Eagle coupon policy Hannofords coupon policy Harris Teeter‘s coupon policy Harveys coupon policy HEB coupon policy Home Depot coupon policy Hy-Vee Coupon Policy Ingles coupon policy Kmart‘s coupon policy King Scoopers coupon policy Kroger coupon policy Lowes home improvement coupon policy Lowes Foods coupon policy Macey‘s coupon policy Meijer‘s coupon policy Military Commissary coupon policy Office Depot coupon policy Office Max coupon policy Petco coupon policy PetSmart coupon policy Price Chopper (NorthEast USA) Publix coupon poilicy Rite Aid coupon policy- (video training here) (simple text explanation here) Safeway Coupon Policy Shopko coupon policy ShopRite Coupon Policy Smith‘s coupon policy Staples coupon policy Target‘s coupon policy Toys R Us coupon policy Walgreens coupon policy- (video training here) (text walk-through here) Walmart‘s coupon policy- (video training here) (simple text explanation here) Whole Foods Coupon Policy Winco‘s Coupon Policy Winn Dixie coupon policy http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/questions/coupon-policies/

ABC's of Couponing: "M" is for "Markdown Schedule"

This is part of the “ABC’s of Couponing” series Did you know that the best time to stock up on many items is after they are necessary? It seems odd, but it‘s not hoarding to buy items when you don‘t need them, if you plan on saving them and using them when you do need them. Right after major and minor holidays, you can find items on markdowns or clearance that are holiday themed. You can score amazing deals and get stocked up for next year! Here‘s my list of when to buy items on markdowns:

The mark down schedule for Christmas decorations, lights and candy by store for the day after Christmas: Walmart: 50% off, $1-7 select clothing Target: 50% off Kmart: 50% off Lowes: 60% off - including select electrical cords! These come in handy all year long. Home Depot: 50% off Big Lots: 50% off Rite Aid: 50% off Walgreen’s: 50% off candy only – all other merchandise shipped back to their headquarters. CVS: 50% off – will go down further in 2 days As time wears on, the price drops continue:

3 days after Christmas, Target and most other stores drop clearance to 75% off. One week after Christmas, it is 90% off, although most of the good items will be long gone at that point. The same discounts schedule applies to most Holiday merchandise after each Holiday during the year.

Here are some of the particular items I get on clearance after holidays and when seasons are ending; a lot of them are good all year round it‘s just best to buy them at these times:

After New Years: diet aids, computers After Valentine‘s Day: candy, chocolates, lubricant, perfume March: winter sports equipment, winter clothing (buy for next year) April: wallpaper (I don‘t know why. But my mom own‘s Ard‘s Glass & Paint and sells wallpaper, she says April is the time to buy it!), Jewish foods, Easter eggs After Memorial Day: BBQ utensils, Raid/Off bug repellents and sunscreens June: umbrellas, pianos, dairy products, summer clothes After July 4th: American flags, fireworks, air conditioners, hamburger meat August/September: bathing suits, camping gear, breakfast foods, school supplies After Halloween: candy, Halloween decorations, costumes, crazy makeup, hairdye After Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving decorations, lot‘s of great deals on tableclothes October: rakes, school supplies, outdoor furniture, bikes After Christmas: Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, lights, toys, organizers (big plastic ones go on great deals), storage shelves Present Closet:

You may hear me saying ―I‘m throwing this in the present closet!‖ on many posts. I buy items, especially toys that I don‘t need at that moment, but they are on a cuckoo deal. I put them in my present closet, and then when my daughter gets invited to Birthday parties or Christmas rolls around, I already have a stockpile of great gifts that I got at insanely low prices. This particularly applies to after Christmas markdowns as I have scored amazing toy deals on them. http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-m-is-for-markdown-schedule/

Never Miss a Deal!

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

Subscribe in a reader to my blog! First sign in to Google, then click the Subscribe in a reader link, then click on the Google button and it will add my blog to your reader! You will NEVER miss a deal – you‘ll be notified first when deals are out.

Did you know you can download the free Cuckoo for Coupon Deals toolbar? It is powered by Alexa.com and is completely safe; it doesn‘t contain any spyware. It will automatically show the latest posts, plus you can click on it to go straight to certain store deals, new coupons posted, freebies, or online deals.

The little blue diamond icon is a fun feature where whatever page you are on, you can click on that icon and add the product on that page to your Amazon wishlist.

Download free CCD toolbar here. Follow Me on Your Cell: Also, to follow my site on your cell phone, just bookmark this URL on your phone to go straight to my page:http://m.wbx.me/cuckooforcoupondeals

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/never-miss-a-deal/

Coupon Binder Organization + My Infamous Coupon Slicer

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

Click here to watch my in-depth coupon clipping slicing & organizing video. It covers: 1. Where to get coupons (I have negotiated the lowest multi-copy Sunday rates here!) 2. Coupon binder vs. filing method 3. Slice Coupon Cutter (no more scissors for me!) 4. Pre-sorting categories as you slice coupons 5. Showing my coupon binder & categories I use (view them HERE) I have gotten so many emails asking about my Slice Coupon Cutter – you can scoop up a slice safety cutter here on Amazon.com for just $6 plus free super saver shipping! UPDATE: I got a new binder cover from Coupon Clutch that you‘ll love- check it out below!

Here‘s a video of me and my new coupon binder when I first got it! Note, I use the same organization system as seen in the video above, I just got a binder that looks cuter for shopping! I hope you enjoy the video and leave me any questions you have or suggestions!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/videos/video_coupon_binder_organization/

ABC‘s of Couponing: ―P‖ is for ―Price Points for Couponing‖

Stock Up Prices for Couponing:

By stockpiling while something is at a CUCKOO price, you won’t have to pay full price when you have to have it.This will eliminate running to the store when you are out of something, and will cut out those impulse buys. That‘s why I recommend getting 4-6 copies of the Sunday paper with my discounted prices. Prices a couponer should pay for the following items by purchasing them on sale and/or with coupons (I update these regularly):

Beef, Fish, Pork & Poultry price points list. Cleaning Supplies & Paper Products price points list. Grocery Items price points list. Drugstore/Hygiene items price points list. Baby items price points list. If you look at those lists and can‘t find an item, let me know and I‘ll add it‘s price point! Also, I recommend printing these lists and carrying them around in case you see an unadvertised sale so you know if it‘s a good deal or not.

In my weekly deal matchups, I put CUCKOO final prices in pink so you will know to stock up because that is about as low as you will find that item for. http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/price-points-for-couponing/

ABC's of Couponing: "P" is for Print it Twice!

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

For smartsource, coupons.com, bricks.com, and redplum coupons, after you print them hit the ―back‖ button on your browser to print them one more time. You can print each coupon twice! Don‘t hit the back button multiple times, just hit it once. A pop-up may appear that says ―resend‖ or ―cancel‖, hit ―resend‖. You can only print coupons twice per computer. You also should never photocopy coupons. This is illegal and could get you in serious trouble. Coupons have a unique identifier, so if you photocopy them then that number is the same on both coupons. The manufacturer will not reimburse the store for the multiples, the store will lose money and this is essentially stealing from the store. Not to mention, they may decide to stop taking printable coupons altogether.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/freebie-coupons/how-to-get-coupons-to-print/

ABC‘s of Couponing: ―Q‖ if for ―Questions Answered‖

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

How do you calculate your final prices on Cuckoo Coupon Deals? Final Prices can get confusing when the items listed are part of a store promotion. Here‘s an example of a typical store promo: Buy 4 participating items and save $4.00 instantly at the cash register. Final price would be after the $4 is taken off. Here is another common store promotion. Spend minimum of $30.00 on participating products and receive a catalina coupon worth $15 on your next order. We report final prices based on the assumption that you will do more than one transaction while ‗rolling‘ your $15 off catalina from one transaction to the next! On the below scenario, your first transaction you will actually pay more ($1.25 out of pocket) for the Nature Valley Granola Bars. But you will complete your first transaction by receiving a $15 coupon good toward any next purchase (excludes alcohol and lottery tickets). The savings we report on Cuckoo for Coupon Deals factors in the $15 catalina coupon. On your second, third, etc transactions, your actual out of pocket will match our reported final price because you‘ll be redeeming your $15 catalina in addition to manufacturer coupons.

What does it mean to “roll” a catalina? This refers to the practice of separating your purchase into multiple transactions in order to use register catalina coupons from your first transaction to pay for your second transaction. Another catalina prints from the 2nd transaction that pays for the 3rd transaction and so on.

When a store promotion specifies Spend $25, save $10, does the $25 have to be my total after I present my coupons? No! You only must reach a minimum of $25 before tax. You may pay with as many coupons as you have. Even if your total after coupons is only $11.00, you will still save that advertised $10.00.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/questions-answered/

ABC's of Couponing: "R" is for Rebates Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

Let’s break couponing down to be fun and easy, not extreme and time-consuming This is a guest post by Jamie of Time 2 Save Workshops. She teaches how to give through couponing. Now, let me start by assuring you we are NOT suggesting you take up drinking What we ARE suggesting, is that you look in unlikely places for great coupons! You may not think that some of the best coupons can be found between the Old Milwaukee and Budweiser…. but you‘d be wrong! The beer aisle is one of the first places I head to in the grocery/drugstores/gas stations to check for tearpads. While most of them are rebates for buying beer (or a beer + food combo) – there are often regular coupons that say specifically ―No Beer Purchase Required‖.

Isn’t that awesome??

My favorite ―beerpad‖ of the year so far is the Pabst Blue Ribbon tearpad. It is good for $1 off ANY fresh or frozen pizza priced at $1.99 or more. That can make for GREAT deals during a BOGO sale, or paired with deals like the Bi-Lo pizza meal deals we see so often. Another tearpad I just found this week was at a gas station down the road. It is good for $.59 off Lance Peanuts(Which are exactly $.59) And although Miller is depicted all over the coupon – it simply says ―Compliments of Miller Lite‖. That means FREE PEANUTS! I hope you start taking a closer look at the ―Beerpads‖ in your neck of the woods! NO Beer Purchase Required Rebates: Super-Cool Fact: Most beer rebates require you to purchase a certain amount of alcohol in addition to meat, soda, snacks, etc… However, in some lucky states (AL, AR, CT, HI, KY, ME, MD, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OK, UT (yeah! that‘s where Deidre is!) and WV) you are not required to purchase beer in order to get the rebate. The law prohibits it. Which means, you can buy the item – and NOT the alcohol – and get money back! Example of a Beer Rebate in a “lucky state”: Purchase Heineken 12-Pack + $7 worth of Deli Meat – Get a $5 Rebate. You are a lucky duck, and were buying deli meat anyway Send in the rebate and your meat receipt = Super cheap deli meat for you!

There are folks that save TONS using these beer rebates, they even look for them on Ebay! Our friend Kristen is one of these savvy shoppers in a lucky state, and she suggests searching the term ―Beer Rebates‖ to find them. Let us know if you find any good ones in your beer aisle!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/un-extreme-couponing-where-the-best-rebates-are-the-beer- aisle/

ABC's of Couponing: "R" is for "Rain Checks"

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

Let’s break couponing down to be fun and easy, not extreme and time-consuming! Have you ever ran to the store to score an awesome deal, then find the store is sold out? Before you start to pout, think about getting a rain check.

A rain check is a slip of paper that you can get from a store when they are out of an item that is on sale. The slip of paper allows you to come back when they have the item back in stock to purchase it for the sale price. Often the store associate will sign the piece of paper to verify it since it won‘t have a barcode.

So even after the sale ends, you can come back and get the item for the sale price! Sounds great, but keep in mind:

Check your coupons expiration dates! No use going through the trouble of getting a rain check if the coupons you need to get the cuckoo deal will be expired by the time the store is back in stock. Items on Buy 10, get $4 off sales usually you will not be able to get rain checks on, unless you plan on getting all 10 items on the raincheck. Clearance items aren‘t valid for rain checks. Only sale prices. Register rewards from Walgreens, and +UP rewards from Rite Aid are not eligible for rain checks. ECB‘s at CVS are eligible for rain checks. I cut the ad out so I remember what it is I wanted, and what the limits are so when I go to redeem the rain check I make sure to get the correct items and ECB‘s. Next time you are in a store for a sale and it is wiped out, think about getting a rain check! Then when you go to use the raincheck, tell the cashier before you swipe the groceries so the cashier can scan them correctly.

If you go back to the store and the items still are not back in stock, make sure to request to have the rain check expiration date extended. On great sales you may have to extend these for several weeks.

To view individual stores rain check policies, view my store coupon policies! View more of my coupon training posts!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/un-extreme-couponing-rain-checks/

Rite Aid‘s Coupon Policy

Rite Aid’s Coupon Policy (in-depth video version): In-store coupon stacking policy: Will take all manufacturer coupons (learn how to get sunday coupon inserts), and you can stack it with a Rite Aid in-store and/or circular coupon (even if it says ―manufacturer‘s coupon‖ on it!!!) OR Video Values coupons. Video Values coupons can no longer be stacked with Rite Aid in-ad coupons and coupons from the Flu Shot Coupon booklet. Video Values Coupons: You can visit Rite Aid‘s Video Values website to get video values coupons, which can be ―stacked‖ with manufacturer‘s coupons: 1. You must create a username and password and login. 2. Then you will watch video, normally 30 second product clips, and at the end of the video you will type in a code to verify you watched the video. 3. Then you can click on ―My Rewards‖ and it will show all the coupons available for you to print. 4. Print them right from your computer and take them to the store. 5. $1 off any purchase of $1 or more Rite Aid Video Values coupons have appeared.These coupons can be applied to virtually any deal scenario BUT can only be used once per Wellness card, so just plan on using one when you go in. 6. Watch enough videos for 20 credits, and you‘ll get a coupon to print for $4 off a $20 purchase or $5 off of a $25 purchase! These make for hot deal scenerios! UP+ Rewards (UPR): The +UP Reward consists of a coupon or a number of coupons that print at the bottom of your receipt and can be used on your NEXT purchase. Tear the coupons off your receipt and hand them to your cashier when you are ready to use them; they will scan like regular coupons. These coupons are a set price off any transaction you choose to scan them on. $2 UP reward would mean $2 off the purchase; you could purchase anything $2 or more, and $2 would be taken off the purchase. Each advertised +UP Reward is limited to 1 per wellness card (unless otherwise stated). For example, if you purchase 2 bottles of Clariol in one transaction, you will only receive 1 $1 +UP Reward. So if you are interested in purchasing more than one of the same +UP Reward item, be sure that you purchase each item in a separate transaction! If you can get multiple UP rewards in one transaction, it will say so in the weekly circular and I‘ll tell you in my weekly Rite Aid deals post. Frequently Asked Question: ―For the +UP rewards that have a dollar amount attached, like ―Spend $15 get a $5 +UP‖, does that have to be in one transaction, or does it keep track via your Wellness card that you have already purchased qualifying items, and once the dollar amount is reached, you get the +UP?‖ Answer: It has to be done in a single transaction. Rite Aid receipts don‘t keep track like CVS/ECB spend X deals do. Can us ―UP‖ rewards on the very next purchase. You can ―roll‖ your UP catalina rewards and save them for about 2 weeks (this is how long they are usually valid) and wait for another hot sale to use the UP rewards on. This often leads to lots of freebies! “Wellness Rewards Card” must be scanned to get in-store best prices and UP rewards. These are free and you can sign up for them in-store. Plus they give you up to 10% off everyday purchases! BOGO: When items are featured on a Buy One, Get One Free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the item being purchased.— more BOGO info: If a customer presents a Buy One Get One Free coupon for the purchase of two items that are on a Buy One Get One Free promotion; we accept the coupon, essentially making both items free, although you must pay tax if applicable. UPDATE: They changed the policy so you can no longer use a BOGO free coupon on a BOGO free promotion Will take printable Internet coupons Don‘t need to have as many products as coupons like Walgreens! Rite Aid may accept up to 4 identical coupons for the same number of qualifying items as long as their is sufficient stock within the store managers discretion. Single Check Rebates (SCR) ***I have a picture-by-picture walk-through of how to do SCR’s here!: Short version: You can use a coupon for an item and still get your Single Check Rebate. Example: Item is $2, with a $1 single check rebate. You can use a $2 off coupon, then enter your receipt into the online single check rebate program and get $1 back via check in the mail. In essence, making $1 off of the transaction. Since you enter the receipt # online, you don‘t have to mail-in anything to get your rebate; thus saving you even more money! Requesting Your Single Check Rebate: As you make purchases throughout each month, you can save your receipts and enter them online all at once at the end of the rebate program period (typically this is the end of the month). If you prefer, you can enter your individual receipts each time you make a purchase throughout the month (there is no limit to the number of receipts you can enter); I prefer this option as there is less of a chance that I will lose the receipt(s) or forget to enter it. At the end of the month, request your rebate by clicking the request rebate button. Do NOT click the ―request rebate‖ button if you are planning on purchasing more Single Check Rebate items before the rebate program period has ended as Rite Aid ONLY allows one submission per household. Single Check Rebates are quite difficult to explain, please watch the video I made explaining them! SCR‘s are huge money- savers. Does not match competitors ads or prices Does not take other stores in-store coupons Rainchecks: Rite Aid rainchecks should be issued for the ―after UP rewards‖ price on them, so you are essentially getting your UP+ rewards! Also, rainchecks will be honored for all rebate offers (SCR‘s) during any promotional rebate period. Rainchecks must be used within 30 days of issuance to purchase the product on rebate and qualify for the rebate. Your receipt must state “Raincheck” under the participating rebate product item to qualify for rebate.Remember: • If you purchased the item on raincheck within the valid rebate dates then the rebate item will show on your account. • If you purchased the item on raincheck outside the valid rebate dates then you will need to resubmit your receipt information to Special Services for manual processing. UPromise has teamed up with Rite Aid. Login to your Upromise account (or create one), then: 1. Enter your 11-digit Rite Aid Wellness Card Number (numerical digits only) 2. Click on the ―My Account‖ link (upper right corner) 3. Click on ―Add Grocery Card‖ link (on the left side bar) 4. Simply select the eCoupons for products that you think you will purchase. These stay the same all month, so I login on the first of the month and select them all, then if I happen to buy that item, the coupon gets used. 5. Buy activated eCoupon products at Rite Aid, and then scan your registered card at check-out and get college savings! 6. Remember, UPromise coupons CAN be stacked with in-store and manufacturer‘s coupons. 7. The UPromise coupons don‘t come off your total, instead they are put in an account for your children‘s/grandchildren‘s college fund.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/questions/coupon-policies/rite-aids-coupon-policy/

Seasonal Sales Cycles & Secrets

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

Target Holiday Clearance Schedule (most stores are similar) 50% off – marked down on the day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days 75% off – marked down on the fourth day after the holiday, usually lasts for three days 90% off – marked down on the seventh day after the holiday, usually lasts for 1-3 days JANUARY - Historically, Quaker has hot deals on cereal/all items. We see Pepsi/Tostitos go on sale mid-January (again, rebates abound for these). Other items of note this time of year are chili, side dishes, anything for hearty/warm meals. • Post-Holiday Sales • White Sales • Sports and Weight Loss Equipment • Computers • Winter Apparel and Accessories · Organizers, Rubbermaid totes, shelf organizers, planners, filing cabinets FEBRUARY – many of the same food items as January • Electronics • Floor Coverings • Housewares • Furniture • Candy and Chocolates MARCH - Frozen food month. You‘ll find many stores are offering free freezers or fill-a-bag deals. Between March and April, look for spring cleaning deals, so many cleaner items will be on sale. With Easter, looks for eggs, ham, Kraft products to cycle into good sales. Paper products like towels, napkins, plates are starting to come on strong. Beverage items. • Spring Apparel and Accessories • Winter Sports Equipment • Gardening Supplies • Luggage APRIL – • Spring Apparel and Accessories • Coats and Hats • Paint • Wallpaper • Jewish Foods and Eggs MAY – get ready for summer! Here come loads of deals on BBQ sauce, frozen veggies, baked beans, and condiments of all kinds, summer-time meats (ribs, hotdogs, and ground beef). Also with all the holidays, look for tons of paper goods that match the holiday and pick them up after clearance. These deals generally continue through September! • White Sale – Linens and Towels • Spring Cleaning Supplies • Auto Maintenance • Home Maintenance • Sodas & Bottled Water, Hotdogs, Hamburger Meat, Condiments, Paper & Plastic plates & cups * Raid/Off bug repellents and sunscreens JUNE – • Summer Apparel and Accessories • Pianos • Television Sets • Building Materials and Hardware • Dairy Products JULY – • Air Conditioners • Summer Sports Equipment • Sportswear • Craft Supplies • Sodas, Hotdogs, Hamburger Meat, Condiments AUGUST – • White Sale – Linen and Towels • BBQ and Patio Equipment • Back to School Supplies • Bathing Suits • Fresh Fish and Vegetables • Breakfast foods (Cold cereal-Juice-Waffles-etc) • Cold lunch items for in lunch boxes SEPTEMBER – back to school; time to fill up on snacks! Pudding cups, Capri suns, fruit snacks, cereal sales start up hard again, peanut butter/jelly. Also, like clockwork, there will be Prego coupons in August, and plan on getting lots and using them in a hurry before they expire in September when the spaghetti sauce goes on sale. Sauce wars between Ragu and Prego this month. Campbell‘s soups will go on as well and there will be coupons in the end of August for these as well. Lunchables are on sale this time of year, too. • Back to School Supplies and Apparel • Gardening Supplies • Housewares • Bicycles • Canned Goods

OCTOBER - Stock up on holiday foods – Stove Top, turkey, instant mashed potatoes, broth, cranberries, marshmallow, ice cream, pie shells, whipped cream, pudding. Look for great Kraft deals again this time of year. Piggyback those Kraft coupons when you can. Crackers are a biggie – going on for $1 or less a box. Lots of extra deals like $ off cheese WYB crackers. The real kicker is the after Christmas food deals! Save your coupons because pie fixings, fried onion, broth and canned green beans will be on deep discount. I got those onions for .50 a can, normally almost $4. These generally continue through December. • Cars • Houses • Fishing Equipment • Crystal, Silver, and Glassware • Candy · Baking/candy-making items (choc chips, sprinkles, vanilla, corn syrup, nuts, etc) NOVEMBER – • Winter Apparel and Accessories • Quilts and Blankets • Heating Devices • Turkey, Sweet Potatoes • Canned goods (soup, chicken broth, condensed milk, veggies etc) • Baking goods DECEMBER – • Toys • Gift Items • Party ware • Post-Holiday Sales • Party Foods, Baking Goods, and Various Meat • Canned goods (broth, soups, etc) Year-round: after a holiday, you can always pick up cheap cookie dough and any food related to a holiday. Continual sales: candy, popcorn, chips, anything snacky, cereal (heavier in the fall/winter, but still around in the spring). Produce: Cheapest when they are in-season (see picture above). You can stock up and can what you don‘t use for later. I am new to canning but I have done strawberry freezer jam – its the easiest! I personally don‘t can food as except this and Huckleberry jam… Wow just typing the word Huckleberry has my mouth watering! Frozen food sales: seem to centralize on a brand and the switch brands the next month. I think the manufacturers buy slot time for sales. So last month, Stouffers was on sale hard, now lean cuisine is. Save the entire frozen coupon and then keep checking back for the brand of the month. Frozen pizzas: go on sale in the fall and then again the spring; not often in the summer because people don‘t want to turn their ovens on in the summer. By all means, this isn‘t everything that you can get on sale, but if you follow the cycle and stock up (I never buy BBQ sauce in the winter), then you can get where you have enough on hand and only need to refill when the items are in season. The result is that you spend less and less with each successful cycle.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/seasonal-sales-cycles-secrets/

Coupon Policies List

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide Store Coupon Policies:

Albertson‘s coupon policy AAFEX (Army and Air Force Exchange Service) Bi-Lo coupon policy Bloom coupon policy Bottom Dollar coupon policy Cub Foods coupon policy CVS‘s Coupon Policy & How to Shop at CVS Dollar General coupon policy Earthfare coupon policy Family Dollar: (view their policy on their site here) Farm Fresh coupon policy Food Lion coupon policy Fred Meyer coupon policy Fresh Market‘s coupon policy Giant Eagle coupon policy Hannofords coupon policy Harris Teeter‘s coupon policy Harveys coupon policy HEB coupon policy Home Depot coupon policy Hy-Vee Coupon Policy Ingles coupon policy Kmart‘s coupon policy King Scoopers coupon policy Kroger coupon policy Lowes home improvement coupon policy Lowes Foods coupon policy Macey‘s coupon policy Meijer‘s coupon policy Military Commissary coupon policy Office Depot coupon policy Office Max coupon policy Petco coupon policy PetSmart coupon policy Price Chopper (NorthEast USA) Publix coupon poilicy Rite Aid coupon policy- (video training here) (simple text explanation here) Safeway Coupon Policy Shopko coupon policy ShopRite Coupon Policy Smith‘s coupon policy Staples coupon policy Target‘s coupon policy Toys R Us coupon policy Walgreens coupon policy- (video training here) (text walk-through here) Walmart‘s coupon policy- (video training here) (simple text explanation here) Whole Foods Coupon Policy Winco‘s Coupon Policy Winn Dixie coupon policy

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/questions/coupon-policies/

ABC's of Couponing: "T" is for Train - Coupon Train that is!

Hello Coupon Friends, My name is Lea. I do a coupon train. Coupon trains are simply a way of exchanging coupons by postal mail. While this is not a new concept and predates the Internet, the Internet has opened up opportunities to better connect savers. This means those “Great Coupons” that aren’t available in your local paper, supermarket, or even mail just may be in someone else’s. That pile of “free” products or coupons you were going to discard may be exactly what someone else is looking for. Add in a few more people, and you may just have a savings Dream Team! Coupon Trains – The Basics Every train is different, depending on who needs what, when, why, and where! Whoever starts up a train usually defines the specific goals and rules for that group. There are a few key fundamentals to consider before you decide which train is right for you. Basics of the Coupon Trains – The basic coupon train begins with a group of 3 – 6 members at different mailing addresses. An envelope of coupons (typically 40 – 200) is mailed from the “conductor” to the first person on the “train route” (mailing list). That person takes out the coupons they want and replace them with other coupons at least equal to the number they took out. They then mail the envelope (“envie”) to the next person on the route, who does the same. Ideally each person keeps the envelope for no longer than 1 – 3 days, and pulls out any expired coupons. The train needs to keep moving along, since the idea is to send and receive those much- needed coupons before the next sale, or the expiration date. Coupons expire quickly, so the train is only worthwhile if the coupons can be received, matched up with sales, and redeemed before they expire. We host all the state but Hawaii and Alaska, Sorry! Most of all, remember that the coupon train is a team effort! It should be enjoyable, rewarding, and bring SAVINGS to all the members. If you have any questions about the train, just ask! Email: [email protected] On Facebook Freecoupontrain-Personal Blog Thanks so Much, Lea Note from Deidre:

If that coupon train fills up, and there are more people who want to be involved, please leave a comment for other readers and a way to contact you below! Maybe Hawaii or Alaska people who want to start one locally??

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/what-is-a-coupon-train/

ABC's of Couponing: "U" is for Understanding Crabby Cashiers

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing series Call it the ―TLC Extreme Couponing Effect‖. People are getting upset when they start out couponing and aren‘t spending $.03 for $2,000 in groceries. People‘s expectations have become unrealistic; leading them to unethical and sad behavior.

People start out couponing breaking all the rules, some of which are:

Taking newspaper inserts out of papers: whether it is taking inserts out of Newspaper stands, or out of your neighbors papers, it is not ―taking‖ it is ―stealing”! Trying to use two manufacturer‘s coupons on one product. Even if they are for different amounts, you can never do this! Trying to use a manufacturer‘s coupon on the wrong product. We call this ―Pulling a J‘aime‖ and is highly unethical, maybe even illegal… Trying to use store coupons at stores that don‘t accept competitor coupons. People get mad at cashier‘s for not accepting coupons. People are starting to throw fits even. And that brings me to my main point. If you‘re a cashier, you are suddenly thrown a whirlwind of people trying to use coupons unethically and you have to try to weed the good from the bad coupons. So let‘s all start being a little nicer to cashier‘s! It‘s not their fault if their store has a bad coupon policy. It‘s not their fault if a coupon doesn‘t scan. It‘s not even their fault if they don‘t know their own store‘s coupon policy. Usually, it is their manager‘s fault for lack of training.

With the TLC effect, cashier‘s are getting trained to scrutinize every coupon better and hopefully they can help cut out coupon fraud. But let‘s give them the benefit of the doubt and not get emotional over things not going our way at the register. Even the best couponers find that for some reason or other coupons they were planning to use don‘t get accepted. There will be more deals. You are still saving more then before you started couponing.

Be a happy couponer! Bring a copy of your store‘s coupon policy with you to the store and kindly explain to them if they are in the wrong. http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/how-to-save-time-couponing/

Coupon Binder Organization + My Infamous Coupon Slicer Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

This is my in-depth coupon clipping slicing & organizing video. It covers: 1. Where to get coupons (I have negotiated the lowest multi-copy Sunday rates here!) 2. Coupon binder vs. filing method 3. Slice Coupon Cutter (no more scissors for me!) 4. Pre-sorting categories as you slice coupons 5. Showing my coupon binder & categories I use (view them HERE) I have gotten so many emails asking about my Slice Coupon Cutter – you can scoop up a slice safety cutter here on Amazon.com for just $6 plus free super saver shipping! UPDATE: I got a new binder cover from Coupon Clutch that you‘ll love- check it out below!

Here‘s a video of me and my new coupon binder when I first got it! Note, I use the same organization system as seen in the video above, I just got a binder that looks cuter for shopping!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/category/videos/

Walgreen‘s Coupon Policy

Walgreen’s Coupon Policy (Walgreens video training here)

Ever seen the coupons that print out of machines after you make a purchase? These are what will turn you into a cuckoo coupon lady – at most places these are called Catalinas, but at Walgreen‘s they are Register Rewards. At Walgreens, you can get a ―Catalina‖ coupon called Register Reward. A Register Reward is a coupon that prints after you make a qualifying purchase. It is typically good for ―X‖ amount off of your next transaction. Pictured below is what the ad will look like in the Walgreen‘s Circular. When you buy the advertised item, after paying, you will receive a coupon (Register Reward) to use on your next purchase.

Here are the rules for using Register Rewards (commonly referred to as RR‘s) at Walgreen‘s:

1. You can only get one Register Reward per promotion in a single purchase. You can buy 2 of the same item, but they would have to be rung up separately. You can get multiple Register Rewards in one purchase when you buy products from different promotions. 2. You cannot use the exact Register Reward on the same promotion in a following transaction. Ie.. if you buy Olay and get a RR (Register Reward) you cannot use that RR to buy another Olay. If you do so, you will not receive a second RR. You either have to pay for the soap and accumulate the catalinas for a different purchase, or you‘ll need to use the catalinas from a different promotion to pay for the second Olay.

3. FILLER ITEMS: You have to have as many items purchased as coupons (RR is considered a coupon)! If you bought one Olay and tried to use a coupon and a RR to pay, it would not be accepted. You would need to buy one more item – called a ―filler item‖ so you have 2 products and 2 coupons. The extra item you buy doesn‘t have to match up with any coupons! I receive this question a lot: if a RR is going to print at Walgreens, do you need a filler item for your coupon ratio? The answer is no, the RR that is supposed to print has no bearing on your coupon ration. This means if you are purchasing 2 products with 2 coupons, you can still expect RR‘s to print (no filler items required!) However, if you want to pay for the 2 products with 2 coupons and an RR, then get a filler item. 4. Register Rewards and coupons can not be applied towards sales tax. You will always have to pay the full tax amount for every purchase even if the products were free. 5. Walgreens coupons from their weekly ad and/or coupon booklets (learn more about those here) available throughout the store, from the pharmacy, or even from a $0.99 Children‘s activity booklet do NOT count towards your coupon to item ratio. (In other words, the register will not beep if you are using more Walgreen‘s coupons than items. Remember though, that Register Rewards and other manufacturer‘s coupons can only be used once per each item purchased). 6. Walgreen’s offers a 15% discount to military personnel/dependents on Tuesdays: The days might be different depending on locations in Yorktown Va it‘s every Tuesday – so ask you local Wags! Register Rewards can save you a lot of money but are somewhat complicated. Make sure you understand how they work before you get started!

Walgreen’s Coupon Policy: I recommend that you print a copy of Walgreen‘s coupon policy and bring it with you while you shop. If any issues should arise, this coupon policy should definitely help clear things up! Walgreen‘s will take all manufacturer coupons, and you can stack it with a Walgreens in-store coupon, but you must hand them the Walgreen‘s in-store coupon FIRST! will take printable Internet coupons you must have as many products as coupons. If you are stacking an in-store coupon with a MFR coupon, make sure to have ―filler‖ items. These items don‘t have to match up with any coupons, they just make it so that you don‘t have more coupons than products purchased. Register Rewards (RR) are coupons that print when you buy the right products to trigger them. These will count towards your coupon total, so if you are buying 1 item and using a coupon, in order to get a register rewards for that item you must also buy a filler item so that you have as many products as coupons for the transaction, otherwise your register rewards won‘t print. BOGO: When items are featured in a Buy One, Get One Free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the items being purchased. That means if you have a BOGO Free Chips sale, and chips are $2, and you have 2 $1/1 Chips coupons, you can use them both with the BOGO Free sale to score free chips! do not match competitors ads or prices do not take other stores in-store coupons do not take other stores catalinas Rain Checks: Walgreens does issues rain checks! Rain checks are good for in-store purchases only and valid for 30 days. You won‘t get the RR, so if it‘s just for a sale item with no RR, get the raincheck, but if you‘re looking for the deal with a RR, you won‘t get it. Walgreen‘s Coupon Policy on their site. Important reader update:

1. Register Rewards are now to be scanned first, then MFG coupons, and WAG coupons/in-store coupons last. This way it is easier for the register to accept the MFG coupons because it will take off according to the amount left on the item for the WAG coupons and therefore the coupons won‘t have to be modified. 2. Coupons can no longer be modified for a lower price. Ex: An item is on sale for 3.99 and you have a $4 off coupon. In order to use it, you must buy two items: One will be free and the other will cost 3.98. Because the coupon applied to both items, a second coupon cannot be used for the additional item.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/questions/coupon-policies/walgreens-coupon-policy/

The more you know... writing to companies for freebie coupons

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing Guide

There is so much information to learn about couponing! One thing I just realized I have never have talked about is writing to companies to express dislike/problems or great news about their products.

My sister once got a bad bag of Stringster‘s String Cheese. She emailed the company and complained, and they sent her tons of coupons for free string cheese!

Why would companies send you free coupons? Companies want to hear from customers. Research varies, but some studies show only 8% of people with problems with a product complain to the company directly! Most people just stop using the company‘s product and/or take it back to the retailer. To the company, that 8%represents a lot of people. For every bit of feedback they get, they know a lot of other people feel the same way. Hearing from you is invaluable to them! Whether you write to them about a great experience or a horrible dud product, they are happy to hear from you because even if you never use their product again, they want to know what people are saying about it. Most companies happily offer freebie coupons to people who write to them and tell them about the company‘s products. Some companies only send out high-value coupons, but that is better than nothing!

How does this affect couponers? You can write to companies to get great freebie coupons or high-value coupons! Always write the truth, of course. Sometimes people pick a specific day, like Writing Words Wednesday, to write to companies. Let me know if you try this and what great coupons you get!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/the-more-you-know-writing-to-companies-for- freebie-coupons/

ABC's of Couponing: "X" is for "eXtreme Couponing"

Part of the award-winning “ABC’s of Coupons” series

I try to make couponing un-extreme and un-complicated, not extreme and time consuming. In order to achieve extreme coupon transactions without the headache, I have a few tips: Be Prepared For Entire Lifestyle Changes: You aren‘t going to start saving without trial and error, and without taking the time to ―learn the ropes‖. This is not a get-rich- quick-scheme. Being a Couponer is a way of life. An entire new way of life isn‘t going to start out immediately and you can‘t dive in half way. If you really want to save time couponing, you need to know all the rules before you start. I have store coupon policies for several stores – print them and take them with you shopping. I have a FREE 36-page ABC‘s of Couponing guide which teaches how to do the deals. I also list the deals at 72 stores nationwide – scroll over ―Find My Store‖ at the top of my site to see all the store coupons and deals on my site; I add new ones weekly. If you haven‘t taken the time to learn how to coupon, and you want to show up at the store and save a bundle, you may be in for a big surprise. It is possible to save time and money couponing, but it won‘t happen without full preparation.

Start with ONE Store: Learn how to coupon at one store. Each store works differently and if you try to run around doing deals at 5 stores your first week of couponing, you will most likely fail. Pick one store and learn their rules and do some shopping trips there. Also, keep in mind you can miss some deals. It isn‘t saving money if you jump in the car and go in for just one deal. You‘ll miss some, but you‘ll save in the long run. And trust me, the deals come around again so don‘t feel bad if you miss them at first. After mastering one store, start adding more to your resume.

“But Deidre, what store should I choose?!?!?“ – First, don‘t choose Sam‘s, or any other wholesale club. I recommend choosing one of the 3 following depending on your needs and which is closer to you: Drugstores – Walgreens, CVS or Rite Aid are my favorites. You can score nearly free health and beauty items each week; but a word of caution, these are also the hardest stores to learn how to do. I havetraining posts and videos for each and definitely learn one at a time. High-low Grocery Stores – the grocery stores you commonly associate with high prices are also the ones that have some of the best grocery deals! They have high every-day prices to ―compensate‖ for their drastic sales. They expect you to make impulse buys when you go in for the great sales. This is why they have ―loss leaders‖ or ads on their circular which are amazing, to get you in-store and then hope you buy regularly priced (expensive!) items while you are there. But not anymore, now that you‘re a couponer you know better! Examples of these stores are Publix, Kroger, Safeway, & Albertson‘s to name a few. Super centers - Target, Walmart etc… often have some great deals and their rules are pretty straight-forward compared to the other options, but actually the savings often won‘t be as great as at high-low grocery stores. Plan Your Trips: Will you need “filler” items to bring your totals into correct amounts? No one wants to end up at the cashiers browsing candy for filler items because they haven‘t planned their shopping trip! Examples of why you‘ll need a filler item: At Walgeen‘s, you need to have as many items as you have manufacturer‘s coupons and register rewards that you are going to be using to pay for the transaction (not ones that you expect to print). This means if you are buying 6 items and have 6 coupons and 2 register rewards that you want to use to pay for the transaction, you‘ll need two filler items. Don‘t waste your filler item on something you don‘t need. Gellitin is found at many Walgreens for around $.20 and is more useful to you then candy. I have even bought Sunday papers as filler items at a grocery store where I needed my total to be over $50 to use a $5 off coupon.

Avoid End Caps! End caps are displays at the end of aisles. Before you were a couponer, you thought these were great deals. These usually aren‘t and are a great way to end up over-paying for items you could have gotten cheaper later when you found a sale stacked with a coupon. Avoid Impulse Buys! This goes along with my last tip of avoiding end caps, because those are usually where you will do an impulse buy. Check your stock up price list and then see if the ―deal‖ paired with any coupons you have is a stock up price. If not, pass on the sale. More deals will come along later. Have Your Coupons Ready: Don‘t be the lady at the checkout sorting through coupons and holding up the line. Every time I am at a store and find an item on my shopping list, I pull the coupon(s) I am using and put them in a tab at the front of my binder. Then when I get to the register, all my coupons are in one place and ready to go. Let‘s make couponing fun, one coupon at a time! If you have more tips to share, please post a comment.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-extreme/

ABC's of Couponing: "Y" is for "Your Real Savings"

Part of the ABC’s of Couponing ebook

Here‘s some coupon savings calculators and spreadsheets to help you calculate your spendings and savings. Some things to keep in mind: How much did your coupons cost? I go on a per-month basis. I spend about $17 a month getting 4 copies of the Sunday newspaper each week. So when I calculate my savings at the end of the month I subtract $17 from my amount saved. How much extra gas did you use? Often driving to multiple stores to get deals uses more gas then a regular shopper. This should also be calculated. How much ink and paper did you use? I normally get paper free after rebates at Office Max and Staples, so my only cost is ink. Do you insure your stockpile? Some people have insurance on their stockpiles, well you need to subtract that from your savings. (I do not personally but some people on Extreme couponing said they do…) Lost time: you can‘t put a dollar amount on this. Sometimes deals take too long to do for the amount you are saving. Never let couponing take over your personal, family, and spiritual life. With all that in mind, are 100% savings possible?? YES! Some deals you end up making money on, which cover your gas money to get to the store. Also, with online deals 100% savings are easy to calculate and I post as many of those as I can find! But there‘s tons of amazing deals in-store too.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/training/abcs-of-couponing-y-is-for-your-real-savings/

10 More Ways to Save on Gasoline

Photo credit: Open Travel Info I growl every time I have to get gas lately. It‘s creeping back up to $4 per gallon again. That‘s two gallons of milk (or one if you live in Florida – I can‘t believe milk is sooo expensive there!).

I was searching for ways to save money on gas, and here‘s my favorites. My first 10 gas saving tips are here. 1. Say no to brand names: They all use the same refineries and pipelines! 2. Highway travel: exit at a moderately sized city. Supposedly their gas is cheaper. Head for the city center. Two sources told me this is the way to go. 3. Checking the air in your tires: tip from my reader Amy: We have a Hyundai Elantra and recently went from Utah to San Diego, I kept telling hubby to do the air in the tires but he didn‘t when we first headed on our trip. On our first fill up we calculated we got about 33 miles to the gallon…he filled our tires and our mpg jumped! We averaged around 37-38 mpg the rest of the trip and just recently I hit 40 mpg so fill those low tires to help with gas mileage! 4. Get ride of the junk in the trunk: Less weight is better. I have a stroller and subwoofers I don‘t even use in my trunk – time to take them out! 5. Scooter: One of my readers got a scooter just for her husband to go back and forth from work, at 56mpg that can save a lot on gas! Make sure that the cost of the scooter doesn‘t out weigh the savings. For $879 you can get a 100 MPG scooter! 6. Tailgates down – sunroof up: Supposedly having the tailgate of a truck down reduces wind resistance (this was dis-proved by mythbusters though according to some of my readers, so go ahead, leave it up!) Sunroofs should be up. 7. Steady does it: Drive steady, no quick starts or fast stops, stay at the same mph as much as possible. 8. But I love my A/C! Air conditioning can reduce gas by 10-20%. Roll down the windows if possible. 9. WHAT? Keep windows closed: Ok so the next tip is that windows open on the highways can reduce gas by 10% because of drag. So A/C or windows down? ?? Here‘s what Open Travel says “I believe that opening your windows at low speeds and using the air conditioner at high speeds gives you better fuel economy.” 10. Windows down a tiny bit: Keep your windows down just a bit so the air can circulate through your car while you are parked. This makes sense. Still wondering about 8 & 9… Ask CCD Readers: How high do you think gas prices are going to get??? Thanks to Tree Hugger.com and Open Travel Info for some of their suggestions!

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/ask-cuckoo-readers/15-more-ways-to-save-on-gasoline/