You are here: Home / Archives for Tip of the Day Tuesday

Tip of the Day Tuesday: Using a coupon clipping service to build your stockpile

July 6, 2010 by

I have had several people ask me about why I “pay money” to buy coupons. To them, it seems counterproductive. I can understand why, on the surface, it might seem that way, but actually using a coupon clipping service to stock up on “hot” coupons helps me to build my stockpile and save a LOT of money in the long run.

For example, in my area, Bird’s Eye Steamfresh vegetables frequently go on sale 10/$10.  My stores double and triple coupons and there are frequently coupons for $.35/1 or $.50/1 for these items which means they are free when combined with a sale price and coupons that double or triple.  So, I may pay $1-2 to get 10-20 coupons, but I end up getting 10-20 bags of vegetables ($10-$20+ value) for just $1-2.

In most areas, a Sunday paper ranges from $2-$2.50 in price.  You could buy multiple copies of the Sunday paper, but then you probably end up with a lot of coupons that you don’t need and a lot of extra work for yourself clipping all those coupons.  Using a coupon clipping service saves time and is more cost effective for me.

How do I know which coupons to stock up on?

Typically, from my experience, if there are coupons in the Sunday inserts, a sale will follow.  So, if there is a coupon in the Sunday paper for an item that your family uses regularly, it’s a good idea to purchase some extras.

If there are “high dollar” or “free” coupons for items your family uses regularly, these are also great coupons to stock up on.  Examples of recent coupons I have stocked up on include the $4 Gillette razor coupons and the $2.50 Electrasol coupons.

How do I know which coupon clipping services are reliable?

Word of mouth is a great resource!  You want to look for coupon clipping services with a good track record overall and good turn around time.  You may also want to consider location and factor that in to how long it might take to receive your coupons.

Here are three coupon clipping services that I have used and had good experiences with:


*Collectable Coupons – There is a minimum purchase amount of $2.75 to place an order.  Turn around time is quick and prices are traditionally lower than some of the other coupon clipping services.


*My Coupon Hunter ~ This is my favorite coupon clipping service.  She doesn’t have minimum purchase requirements, turn around time is quick, and her communication is great!  She ships from Florida.

The Coupon Clippers
*The Coupon Clippers ~ This was the first coupon clipping service I ever used, but their prices tend to be higher than the other two services and there are minimum order requirements ($3.94 including shipping/handling), so I don’t order from them much anymore.

How exactly do these coupon clipping services work?

The services receive a large number of inserts each week and you pay them a small fee (usually $.05-.40 depending on the coupon) to collect and send the coupons to you.  You go in and select the coupons you want, pay the shipping and handling fees, and your coupons arrive within a few days!

It seems like the good coupons are always gone – Why can’t I find the coupons I want and need?

Like everything else, there are “supply and demand” issues and if there are hot coupons, they usually go quickly.  Most coupon clipping services post their coupons early on Saturday (and sometimes even on Friday night), so it’s good to learn when they post their coupons and place your order early to make sure you get what you want.  The Sunday coupon preview is usually posted by Wednesday or Thursday, so you can also get a “heads up” on what coupons you want to get your hands on that week!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

Filed Under: Tip of the Day Tuesday Tagged With:

Tip of the Day Tuesday: Where to find coupons

June 29, 2010 by

One of the most common questions I hear from people who are new to using coupons is “Where can I find coupons?”

Here’s a list of all of the places where I find my coupons!

SUNDAY PAPER ~ One of the most common places to find coupons is in the Sunday paper.  The coupons are usually in the same section as the ads.  You can usually find one or more inserts in the Sunday paper (the exception is on holiday weekends).

There are three main inserts you will find:  Smartsource (abbreviated “SS” on blogs and message boards), Red Plum (abbreviated “RP” on blogs and message boards), and Procter & Gamble (abbreviated “PG” on blogs and message boards).

ONLINE ~ There are a number of printable coupons to be found online.  The print limit on these coupons is typically limited to two per computer.  Here are some popular printable coupon sites:

*Coolsavings.com

*Couponbug.com (you can usually print a second set of the same coupons that are found on coupons.com)

*Coupons.com

Redplum
*Redplum.com

*Smartsource.com

Also be sure to check out the manufacturer’s websites.  Look for a “savings” or “special offers” link.  Many of them offer printable coupons for their products.

COUPON CLIPPING SERVICES ~ Typically, the previews for coupons that will come out in the Sunday paper are available on Wednesday or Thursday.  If there are “hot” coupons for products I use and want to stock up on, I will usually buy multiple coupons from a coupon clipping service.  Most coupon clipping services charge a flat rate of $.05-$.40 per coupon (depending on how popular the coupon is).  Some of them place limits on the number of “like” coupons you can purchase and some of them also require a minimum order.  Most coupon clipping services also charge a shipping and handling fee.

Here are some of the services I have used and been pleased with:


*Collectable Coupons


*My Coupon Hunter ~ This is my favorite coupon clipping service.  She doesn’t have minimum purchase requirements, turn around time is quick, and her communication is great!  She ships from Florida.

The Coupon Clippers
*The Coupon Clippers ~ This was the first coupon clipping service I ever used, but their prices tend to be higher than the other two services and there are minimum order requirements, so I don’t order from them much anymore.

EBAY – eBay is another resource for purchasing multiple coupons.  I usually only do this if there is only one “hot” coupon I’m looking for because then I can purchase multiples (10-20) for $1-$2.  Some of my favorite “sellers” are kalamazooclipper, lisajanet81, dans-katys-coupons, and forever_johnson. If you are buying coupons through a seller on eBay, be sure to check feedback. I typically only buy coupons there with a “Buy it Now” option. Also, make sure you look at the shipping costs.

PRODUCT PACKAGING – Some products have a “peelie” coupon on the outside that can be peeled off and used toward that purchase. Many products also have coupons on the box or inside the box.

BLINKIE MACHINES – Blinkie machines are the machines you will find in stores that have the blinking red light and spit out coupons. Most of the time, these coupons are not store specific!  Typically, though, they cannot be doubled or tripled if your stores double or triple coupons.

TEAR PADS – Tear pads are coupons that are typically found on displays of products in stores. They are sometimes also found on the doors in the refrigerated or frozen foods sections.

ALL YOU MAGAZINE – this magazine is found only at Walmart and contains a number of coupons. The cost at Walmart is $2.49 per issue, but you can usually find subscriptions for $10 for one year or $20 for two years through school fundraisers. This link will tell you how you can get a discounted subscription:

FREE SAMPLES – Each Friday, I post ‘Freebie Friday’ items. Make sure you check the packaging because they usually include coupons with the free sample items.

CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER – Do you have a product that you LOVE and can never seem to find coupons for? Try contacting the manufacturer to tell them how you feel about their product. Most companies have a “contact us” link and you can easily just e-mail them. I have gotten some great (and even free) coupons by doing this. The coupons usually have late expiration dates, too! It only takes a few minutes, but it is so worth it!


TRADING FORUMS – the two I use most often are the forum on Trading Mamas and the forum on Hot Coupon World.

Filed Under: Couponing 101, Tip of the Day Tuesday

Tip of the Day Tuesday: Stretching your vacation budget

June 15, 2010 by

Now that summer has officially started for me, I am looking forward to our family vacation in a few weeks.  Since we’re on a budget, every dollar counts, and we look for every little way that we can find to stretch our vacation budget.

I have posted before about cash back sites such as Ebates, Shop at Home, and My Points.  I use these sites all of the time when I am shopping online, but I didn’t realize until recently that you can also book hotels, airfare, and rental cars using these sites!

We ended up finding a deal on a hotel that is part of the Marriott chain of hotels (we typically book through Marriott because we can usually find affordable prices at one of their chains, the rooms are typically clean, and they are family friendly).  I looked at the “cash back” offerings at all three sites and Shop at Home had the best incentive – 3% cash back, so I booked my reservation using their site. I am also a member of Marriott Rewards, and they have a promotion right now where you earn a free night at a Marriott hotel for every three “paid” nights from June 1st through August 31st, 2010 (you have to activate this promotion by June 30th in order to take advantage of it).  I also had a “bonus” promotion on my account where I will earn an additional free night for two “paid” nights from July 1st, 2010 through September 30, 2010.  So, we’ll earn some free nights that can be used toward another vacation!

I also cashed out for gift cards from some of the sites I belong to so that I can offset some of the meal expenses.  I got:

$25 “Darden” restaurant gift card (valid at Olive Garden, Red Lobster, etc.) from Epoll.com
$25 Chili’s gift card from MyPoints
$20 Chili’s gift card from MySurvey
$25 Cracker Barrel gift card from my banking rewards (we earn rewards for debit card purchases through my bank!)
$10 Wendy’s gift card from my banking rewards

Here are some of the other “travel related” sites you can book services through using Ebates, My Points, and Shop at Home:

*1-800 Hotels
*Alamo Rent-a-car
*Days Inn
*Dollar car rentals
*Doubletree Hotels
*Embassy Suites
*Enterprise Rent-a-car
*Expedia.com
*Hertz
*Holiday Inn
*Hotels.com
*Hotwire
*Jet Blue
*La Quinta
*Motel 6
*Orbitz
*Quality Inn
*Southwest Vacations
*Travelocity
*Wyndham

How do you stretch your vacation budget?!

MyPoints

Filed Under: Tip of the Day Tuesday Tagged With:

Tip of the Day Tuesday: Don’t be scammed by credit card skimmers

May 4, 2010 by

In the past few weeks, I have heard similar stories from too many family members and friends.  Basically, they learned that hundreds to thousands of dollars in charges had been made to a credit card, but the credit card was still in their possession.  Most likely, they were all the victims of credit card skimming.  Although credit card skimming has been around for years, the incidents of credit card skimming appear to be increasing quickly.

What is credit card skimming?

In a nutshell, with credit card skimming, thieves typically use a small electronic device to steal your credit card information. They do this by scanning and storing the data contained on the magnetic strip.  Then, they often use this information to create counterfeit cards and the shopping spree beings.

Since we are following the Dave Ramsey plan, we mainly use cash, so I figured we were mainly “safe” but I learned that some of the more common target areas for skimmers are actually places where we still use our debit card:  gas station pumps, ATM machines, and Redbox rental units.  Other target locations include restaurants and grocery stores.

How to spot skimmers

I was surprised to find how easy it is to disguise skimming devices within the card readers of ATM machines and gas station pumps.  Some ATM machines may also contain cameras above the keypad to record your pin number as you enter it or even a fake keypad to record your information.  Even though it might take extra time, I think I might start dealing with tellers either in the branch of through the drive thru from now on!  

Check out this article on Credit Card Skimming:  How Thieves Can Steal Your Card Information Without You Knowing It.  There are some great pictures of various skimming devices.  It’s pretty enlightening!

In addition to keeping an eye out for hidden devices on card readers, you should also make sure that your credit card never leaves your possession.  This can be tricky in a restaurant where the waiter typically leaves with your card to process your payment.  All the waiter has to do is use a small hand-held skimmer and then they have all of your information. 

Make sure you watch your bank statements closely.  If you have online banking, it’s a good idea to monitor your card activity regularly.  You may also want to check with your credit card companies to see what sort of fraud protection they have in place.  Some companies will monitor your accounts and will cut off access if there is suspicious activity.


What to do if you are the victim of credit card skimming (or any credit card threat/fraud)

Contact your bank or credit card company right away ~ Contact your bank or credit card company right away so that they can cancel the card.  By law, you won’t be liable for more than $50 in charges.  If your debit card information was stolen, your bank will cancel the account, but they typically have to wait for any activity to hit your account before they will respond.  Once the fraudulent charges hit your account, they will typically place a credit on your account for the charges.

File a police report ~ Contact the police and file a police report.  Make sure you keep a copy for your records.

Put a freeze on your credit report ~ Contact all three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to put a security hold on your accounts.  This will prevent people from opening new credit accounts using your name and information.  Also make sure you check your credit report to ensure that no new accounts have been opened.

Filed Under: Tip of the Day Tuesday

Tip of the Day Tuesday: Where to find coupons

April 20, 2010 by

One of the most common questions I see from people who are new to using coupons or who want to get started using coupons is “Where can I find coupons?”

Insert Coupons ~ Almost every Sunday with the exception of holiday weekends, there are inserts in the Sunday paper that contain coupons.  The three inserts that typically come in the Sunday paper are:  Smartsource (the abbreviation for this on message boards and blogs is typically SS), Red Plum (the abbreviation for this on message boards and blogs is typically RP), and Procter & Gamble (the abbreviation for this on message boards and blogs is typically PG). 

I got a subscription to my Sunday paper for $40 for an entire year, which is less than I would have spent to buy the papers individually each week.  Many “dollar” stores also have the Sunday papers available if you want to buy multiple copies and get multiple insert coupons.

Coupon Clipping Services ~ If you feel like the coupons on the Sunday paper aren’t really for items you use or buying papers and clipping coupons is overwhelming, you may want to check out a coupon clipping service.  This allows you to pick only the coupons you want.  The cost per coupon is typically minimal (ranging from $.05-.08 on average) although the cost may be more expensive for “hot” coupons (ranging from $.25-.40).  Some of the “hot” coupons I have gotten in the past include high dollar Electrasol coupons (I was able to get boxes of Electrasol for $.25 each), Buy One Get One Free Purex coupons (which allowed me to get free Purex when paired with a BOGO free store promotion), and free dog food. 

I have had many people ask me why I would “pay” for coupons when I’m trying to save money.  I understand.  At first, it seems a bit counterproductive.  But, if I’m able to pay $.25 for a coupon and get something that I need and will use that is normally $3-4 for “free” then it is worth it.

I also try to stockpile items which means that I stock up on items when they are on sale and when I have coupons to match with them.  To do this, I need multiples of coupons.  Another benefit of coupon clipping services is that you can get coupons that may not have been available in your area.  Coupons are often regional which means that some areas don’t get certain coupons at all and also that amounts will vary from region to region.

Here are two great coupon clipping services: (I have used both of them multiple times)

*My Coupon Hunter (unlike most coupon clipping services, she doesn’t have a minimum purchase requirement and typically doesn’t limit quantities – her turn around time is fast and she ships from Florida)

*Collectable Coupons (turn around time is fast, prices are typically less than My Coupon Hunter, but there is a minimum purchase requirement of $2.50)

Online ~ There are a lot of great printable coupons online!  These coupons typically have a print limit, and lately the “hot” coupons have been going quickly, so if you see a link for a coupon that you think you’ll use, print it right away!

Here are some great sites where you can print coupons:

Coolsavings.com (must register)

Coupons.com

Redplum.com

Smartsource.com

Slick Deals also has an A-Z printable coupon list that has been a great resource for me!  Also, check out manufacturer’s websites.  They often have a “savings” or “special offers” link with printable coupons.

Facebook ~ Lately, Facebook has been offering a number of “hot” printable coupons and mailer coupons for become a fan of company’s pages.

Blinkie machines ~ Blinkie machines are the machines you will find in stores that have the blinking red light and spit out coupons. Most of the time, these coupons are not store specific!  These coupons do typically specify “do not double or triple.”

On the packaging of the actual products – Some products have a “peelie” coupon on the outside that can be peeled off and used toward that purchase. Many products also have coupons on the box or inside the box.

Magazines ~ More and more magazines are starting to include manufacturer’s coupons.  All You Magazine always contains a number of “hot” coupons.  I have also found great coupons in Family Fun Magazine and Family Circle Magazine.

Ebay ~ Believe it or not, you can get coupons on eBay.  Keep in mind that you are not paying for the actual coupons.  You are paying for the seller’s time to gather and clip the coupons.  If you do decide to buy coupons on eBay, make sure you check the seller’s feedback!  If you need the coupons quickly for a big sale, you will also want to see where they are shipping from to make sure that they will arrive in time.

Tear pads – Tear pads are coupons that are typically found on displays of products in stores. They are sometimes also found on the doors in the refrigerated or frozen foods sections.

This post contains affiliate links.

Filed Under: Tip of the Day Tuesday