I love printable coupons! The convenience of being able to snag a coupon with values that tend to be higher than the printed counterparts in the Sunday paper makes planning my shopping trip even that much more fun. I know that I am going to save even more money because I zipped through Hotcouponworld's printable links in the Coupon Resources right before running to Albertsons.
In planning a trip for today, I went to go see if there were new coupons (and there are) but I learned something interesting. I entered my zipcode in the zipcode box, and the coupons available screen changed. The zipcode entry box is at the top of the right side of the page here:
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/view.php?pg=couponsdotcom
Suddenly, there was a .50c/1 coupon for any Tree Top product. Tree Top items are 10/$10 in my area, so coupons that are good off any ONE is a great deal. Curious, I typed in my hubby's grandmother's zip code on the East Coast.Up pops new coupons for Hood cottage cheese and Perdue chicken.
It's kind of similar to the notion that there are different values and products in the printed inserts across the country, and we see those when we trade coupons. And yet there are coupons and values that come out on the East Coast that I love getting here on the West Coast.
I think too that the values are based on a region's ability to double/triple coupons. We don't have that ability here much, but I know people back east like west coast values because they fall into the range that their stores will double and triple, so we wind up doing lots of trading for them on the board.
Now I am seeing people trading printables more as well because of the value and product differences.
So I thought I would pass it along cause it was pretty interesting.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
September/October Sales advice from Hotcouponworld
Just as you know that leaves will fall off trees in October and kids will be crawling up the walls in May to be out of school in June, everything has its season and its cycle. Sales and deals are no different.
In tracking what comes on sale when for several years, you begin to see patterns develop, and you can almost predict to the week that fruit snack and peanut butter will be a hit in September, that Target will go 75% off after Christmas by right after the New Year (be there when it opens that day for the best stuff), and you should stock up on Jello in May (for all those patriotic jello recipes).
If you know the cycles and watch for them to roll in like the tide, you can literally save thousands at the store every year. From clothes, to gifts, to groceries, having a handle on the cycles will ensure you never pay full price, and never miss a deal.
For your planning pleasure, I am posting Sept/October deals. Watch for coupons that might go with the food items for an even better savings. You can refer to my blog from yesterday to find this month's printable coupons that match the sales happening right now. I'll drop in these in two-month increments so you don't get overwhelmed by the list. It will allow you to plan in managable increments.
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)
So save lots, and Happy Shopping!
In tracking what comes on sale when for several years, you begin to see patterns develop, and you can almost predict to the week that fruit snack and peanut butter will be a hit in September, that Target will go 75% off after Christmas by right after the New Year (be there when it opens that day for the best stuff), and you should stock up on Jello in May (for all those patriotic jello recipes).
If you know the cycles and watch for them to roll in like the tide, you can literally save thousands at the store every year. From clothes, to gifts, to groceries, having a handle on the cycles will ensure you never pay full price, and never miss a deal.
For your planning pleasure, I am posting Sept/October deals. Watch for coupons that might go with the food items for an even better savings. You can refer to my blog from yesterday to find this month's printable coupons that match the sales happening right now. I'll drop in these in two-month increments so you don't get overwhelmed by the list. It will allow you to plan in managable increments.
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)
So save lots, and Happy Shopping!
Monday, September 10, 2007
I'm going to try and do these generically because I realize that not everyone has the same deals as I do in other parts of the country. But in general this week, we're still in back to school mode for groceries. This is the time of year that General Mills, (and by extension, Pillsbury and all other GM brands) and Campbells run some of their best sales of the year.
First off, get some paper in the printer cause you're going to be printing some coupons (if your stores accept printable coupons).
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/view.php?pg=couponsdotcom
and
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/view.php?pg=smartsource
Ok. Have you looked those two pages over? Here's what you need to print. Any of the GM coupons from the first site....those are just plain HOT!!! $1.10 off a box of cereal? This week at many stores across the country, Curves cereal can be had for about $1.50 a box. So with the $1.10 coupon, you're looking at .40c. Even better, is if your store doubles, you might save more on this.Then there's the $1.00 coupon for pillsbury canned dough. The italian doughs like Pizza crust are on sale for $1.50 or less. Mine were actually $10/10 so I got them for free.Warm bowls, progresso soups, fruit rolls, yoplait....the list goes on and on and it's all on sale.
I went and spent $33 the other day (needed some high value items on this trip, so I spent more than if I had just bought the GM items) and I saved $115.
Switching gears, the Campbell's company has all their goodies on sale. Goldfish crackers, prego spaghetti sauce, soup....it's all on sale everywhere. In today's paper, there were all the coupons you could possibly need to use for match ups. So if you can snag some from other people who are foolish enough not to use them, then grab them and buy multiples of this stuff.My favorite deal is going to be spaghetti sauce. The Prego is on sale everywhere. It's $1.25 a jar here....it's .67c a jar with no coupons at a store called Smith's in WY if you bought 15 jars. We got coupons valued at .40c/1, and I can use a double coupon with it, so for me, I am going to pay .45c per jar after coupons for spaghetti sauce that's normally $2.69-$2.99 a jar. One jar will cover my family for about 2 meals (not all my boys do spaghetti sauce.
It's sales like these that are so imporant to hold all your coupons, because when they strike, they strike hard and you're chasing deals all over the place, but saving big bucks in the process.Watch for a whole blog on Sales Cycles. I've tracked what comes on sale when for the last several years, and have a comprehensive list to share so you can plan ahead for your deals.Happy Shopping!!!
First off, get some paper in the printer cause you're going to be printing some coupons (if your stores accept printable coupons).
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/view.php?pg=couponsdotcom
and
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/view.php?pg=smartsource
Ok. Have you looked those two pages over? Here's what you need to print. Any of the GM coupons from the first site....those are just plain HOT!!! $1.10 off a box of cereal? This week at many stores across the country, Curves cereal can be had for about $1.50 a box. So with the $1.10 coupon, you're looking at .40c. Even better, is if your store doubles, you might save more on this.Then there's the $1.00 coupon for pillsbury canned dough. The italian doughs like Pizza crust are on sale for $1.50 or less. Mine were actually $10/10 so I got them for free.Warm bowls, progresso soups, fruit rolls, yoplait....the list goes on and on and it's all on sale.
I went and spent $33 the other day (needed some high value items on this trip, so I spent more than if I had just bought the GM items) and I saved $115.
Switching gears, the Campbell's company has all their goodies on sale. Goldfish crackers, prego spaghetti sauce, soup....it's all on sale everywhere. In today's paper, there were all the coupons you could possibly need to use for match ups. So if you can snag some from other people who are foolish enough not to use them, then grab them and buy multiples of this stuff.My favorite deal is going to be spaghetti sauce. The Prego is on sale everywhere. It's $1.25 a jar here....it's .67c a jar with no coupons at a store called Smith's in WY if you bought 15 jars. We got coupons valued at .40c/1, and I can use a double coupon with it, so for me, I am going to pay .45c per jar after coupons for spaghetti sauce that's normally $2.69-$2.99 a jar. One jar will cover my family for about 2 meals (not all my boys do spaghetti sauce.
It's sales like these that are so imporant to hold all your coupons, because when they strike, they strike hard and you're chasing deals all over the place, but saving big bucks in the process.Watch for a whole blog on Sales Cycles. I've tracked what comes on sale when for the last several years, and have a comprehensive list to share so you can plan ahead for your deals.Happy Shopping!!!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Rainchecking - Eating Tomorrow at Today's Prices
Rainchecking. It's not in the dictionary as a real word yet, but it should be.
Rainchecking is the art of collecting rainchecks. A proficent Rainchecker is one who knows the precise time that rainchecks can be had.
Ideally, a skilled Rainchecker can capture several rainchecks for items during the same week of the sale. Then the Rainchecker will also know how to follow up on rainchecks by collecting matching manufacturers coupons to be used in conjunction with the raincheck at a later date.
Why be an active Rainchecker? Simply stated, the goal is to eat tomorrow at today's prices.
The raincheck policy for most stores varies wildly across stores and store types. Some as little as 30 days, and others have no expiration date (my favorite).
A good example of why Rainchecking can help stretch dollars and maximize sales. Today I went to Safeway and they were out of corn. At 4 for $1, in my area, it doesn't get much cheaper than that anymore. So, I captured a raincheck. Their raincheck gives me 90 days to get it used. That puts me into October when I have to use the raincheck. Corn is still flavorful then, it's just a lot more expensive. So now when the rest of the customers are buying corn for .79c each, I'll still be paying summer's price of .25c each. I will get enough that I can freeze to have for the winter right at the end of the season, so I am freezing the freshest products from the fall harvest, instead of freezing from the summer harvest and adding a few months extra time in the freezer.
The other nice thing about Rainchecking is that if you get a good one, it gives you time to get additional coupons to go with the raincheck. That way, you can get additional items, more than if you had purchased during the sale.
Also, sometimes additional offers present themselves at the current higher price, but you've got a lower-priced raincheck handy.
A good example is when there is a register coupon deal (catalina) like a buy 5 of something, get free money for your next shopping purchase. Instead of buying the 5 at today's price, you get it at yesterday's sweetheart price, making the register deal even more lucrative.
So, how do you know when to score rainchecks and not waste time making multiple trips.
First day of the sale is a great time to go. People wipe out the shelves because the store wasn't prepared for the sale. Snag a raincheck, and come back later in the week. Ask when the store gets freight deliveries and be there the night before a freight delivery because the shelf will likely be empty.
The last day of a sale is hit or miss. It could all be gone again and you might score big, or depending on when their freight comes in, you might be out of luck to fund holes in the shelves with missing products.
A few tips on scoring rainchecks...
1. If only one flavor is out, ask for the raincheck in that flavor. Just because the shelf is full of eggo waffles, if they are out of the obscure pinstripe moonberry flavor, ask for that one - most times the raincheck will cover all flavors when you return to redeem.
2. Talk a walk up and down each aisle and look for holes on the shelves. Even if it isn't for something you use, if it's a hot enough deal, you can use it as a raincheck to trade with someone else.
3. Be sure to bring a pad and paper so when you walk through the store looking, you can write down the ones you need and the details so it speeds up the cashier and you don't miss a raincheck because you forgot about an item before you got to the cash register.
4. When you get home, either organize the coupons you do have that match the sale, or find them quickly. Some great ways to do that is by trading, getting extra inserts from friends and neighbors, or by printing your own coupons By having an arsenal of coupons, you'll be sure to maximize your opportunity for savings!
Rainchecking will give you sale prices when there is no sale for an item you're looking for. Don't forget that it's a sure fire way to save big bucks at the store.
Rainchecking is the art of collecting rainchecks. A proficent Rainchecker is one who knows the precise time that rainchecks can be had.
Ideally, a skilled Rainchecker can capture several rainchecks for items during the same week of the sale. Then the Rainchecker will also know how to follow up on rainchecks by collecting matching manufacturers coupons to be used in conjunction with the raincheck at a later date.
Why be an active Rainchecker? Simply stated, the goal is to eat tomorrow at today's prices.
The raincheck policy for most stores varies wildly across stores and store types. Some as little as 30 days, and others have no expiration date (my favorite).
A good example of why Rainchecking can help stretch dollars and maximize sales. Today I went to Safeway and they were out of corn. At 4 for $1, in my area, it doesn't get much cheaper than that anymore. So, I captured a raincheck. Their raincheck gives me 90 days to get it used. That puts me into October when I have to use the raincheck. Corn is still flavorful then, it's just a lot more expensive. So now when the rest of the customers are buying corn for .79c each, I'll still be paying summer's price of .25c each. I will get enough that I can freeze to have for the winter right at the end of the season, so I am freezing the freshest products from the fall harvest, instead of freezing from the summer harvest and adding a few months extra time in the freezer.
The other nice thing about Rainchecking is that if you get a good one, it gives you time to get additional coupons to go with the raincheck. That way, you can get additional items, more than if you had purchased during the sale.
Also, sometimes additional offers present themselves at the current higher price, but you've got a lower-priced raincheck handy.
A good example is when there is a register coupon deal (catalina) like a buy 5 of something, get free money for your next shopping purchase. Instead of buying the 5 at today's price, you get it at yesterday's sweetheart price, making the register deal even more lucrative.
So, how do you know when to score rainchecks and not waste time making multiple trips.
First day of the sale is a great time to go. People wipe out the shelves because the store wasn't prepared for the sale. Snag a raincheck, and come back later in the week. Ask when the store gets freight deliveries and be there the night before a freight delivery because the shelf will likely be empty.
The last day of a sale is hit or miss. It could all be gone again and you might score big, or depending on when their freight comes in, you might be out of luck to fund holes in the shelves with missing products.
A few tips on scoring rainchecks...
1. If only one flavor is out, ask for the raincheck in that flavor. Just because the shelf is full of eggo waffles, if they are out of the obscure pinstripe moonberry flavor, ask for that one - most times the raincheck will cover all flavors when you return to redeem.
2. Talk a walk up and down each aisle and look for holes on the shelves. Even if it isn't for something you use, if it's a hot enough deal, you can use it as a raincheck to trade with someone else.
3. Be sure to bring a pad and paper so when you walk through the store looking, you can write down the ones you need and the details so it speeds up the cashier and you don't miss a raincheck because you forgot about an item before you got to the cash register.
4. When you get home, either organize the coupons you do have that match the sale, or find them quickly. Some great ways to do that is by trading, getting extra inserts from friends and neighbors, or by printing your own coupons By having an arsenal of coupons, you'll be sure to maximize your opportunity for savings!
Rainchecking will give you sale prices when there is no sale for an item you're looking for. Don't forget that it's a sure fire way to save big bucks at the store.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Printable Coupons - Grocery coupons at the click of your mouse helps you save money!
Internet printed coupons, which once seemed such a strange concept, are now fairly commonplace amongst shoppers, and even retailers.While some retailers have been burned by fraudulent printables that were being rampantly copied and printed a few years ago, and have since adjusted their policies, many stores still are willing to take them in some form or another.What's the big deal about printing a coupon from home? Big dollars saved for one thing! Internet coupons tend to have higher values than their Sunday paper counterparts. Most always, they can be doubled for additional savings. And unlike having to pay full price to get the Sunday paper, for the cost of a print, you can pick and choose from the coupons that are available and only snag the ones you're interested in using. Additionally, you can print two of the same coupon by simply going through the steps of highlighting the coupon a second time, and hitting print a second time.Internet coupons can be printed in either black or white, or color.
For the cheapest way to print, pick black and white and use scrap paper.
For a list of printable coupons online, click here for our printable forum page
For the cheapest way to print, pick black and white and use scrap paper.
For a list of printable coupons online, click here for our printable forum page
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