tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86079410884213101702024-03-12T17:43:52.193-07:00Coupons 101Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607941088421310170.post-61747794069241324562011-06-10T11:13:00.000-07:002011-06-10T11:13:13.712-07:00Welcome to Sassy Savers' Coupons 101!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're new to using coupons, this is the place to start! I've included tons of information about where to find coupons, how to store them, how to use them at various stores, and even how to start a stockpile! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just click on one of the links to the right to find out all the information you want to know about using coupons to help slash your grocery bill. If you still have questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.</span>Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607941088421310170.post-26764183763453055122011-06-10T11:00:00.000-07:002011-06-10T11:00:27.976-07:00Coupon Resources<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The BEST source of coupons is a newspaper!</b></span></u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newspapers will carry manufacturer coupons that can be used at almost any store. In our area, the Jonesboro Sun carries the Red Plum and Procter & Gamble inserts, and the Arkansas Democrat Gazette carries the SmartSource and Procter & Gamble inserts. <img alt="http://img.afullcup.com/images/smilies/smile.gif" height="16" src="https://docs.google.com/File?id=dctzx6gk_17dpnmzphc_b" width="16" /> <b>ALWAYS</b> be sure to check the newspaper for the correct amount of inserts so you don’t buy an empty paper.<br />
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<u><b>To find a PREVIEW of what will be in the Sunday paper visit:</b></u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This blog!! </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="http://img.afullcup.com/images/smilies/smile.gif" height="16" src="https://docs.google.com/File?id=dctzx6gk_17dpnmzphc_b" style="cursor: move;" width="16" /> I subscribe to the Sunday Coupon Preview and will always post the previews from there as soon as I get them. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.SundayCouponPreview.com (Preview pages and email signup)<br />
www.TaylorTownPreview.com (Preview Pages) Post Wed or Thur<br />
**Plese note: Coupons are regional. What is on these preview sites and what we get here may not be exactly the same. However, these are usually pretty close to what we get in our inserts, and these are actual coupons that are "out there" to be had. You can usually obtain them elsewhere if they're not in our local papers.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Printable manufacturer coupons from online sources:</b></u> When printing coupons, each computer you use will be able to print each coupon twice. Once the first copy has printed, hit the back button on your browser three times, and the coupon should reprint. Most online coupons "reset" at the first of the month, so be sure to check those sites each month so you don't miss out on the good coupons.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">www.Coupons.com<br />
www.SmartSource.com<br />
www.RedPlum.com</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Manufacturer:</b></u> Another great way to get coupons is to contact the manufacturer of the product. Send them an email through their website telling them how much you enjoy their product and would like a coupon. You could end up getting several coupons and even occasional free samples. Sign up for their emails and promotions. Always check the website for current promotions. You never know when you might come upon a coupon.<br />
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<u><b>Obtaining extra coupons:</b></u> Extra insert coupons can be obtained online from coupon clippers. Since technically, coupons cannot be purchased, sold, traded, etc...what you are paying for is for the person's time clipping and mailing them to you - not for the coupons themselves. This is what I use most of the time when there's a REALLY good coupon that I can match with an item we use and get it for really cheap or free. It's a lot more cost-effective than buying a bunch of copies of the newspaper for "that one coupon".</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">www.coupondede.com</span> - Coupons & Things By Dede - I have used her MANY times to get extras of coupons for things that we use that I know are on sale or that we will use if the expiration date is out a ways. She is in New Braunfels, TX, and ships out usually same day during the week, and they come super fast using just regular mail.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">www.lorihas3kids.com</span> - I have also used her a few times. She also has an eBay store.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">www.thecouponclippers.com</span> - Coupon Clippers </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">www.eBay.com</span> - Yes, eBay. Make sure that the seller has as close to 100% positive feedback as possible and a reasonable per-coupon price average including shipping. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Electronic coupons:</b></u> You can load e-coupons onto your Kroger shopping card. There are links to these sites from the Kroger website, where you can also print out Kroger coupons. From the Kroger homepage, click on In Store and then Coupons.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.shortcuts.com</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.cellfire.com - These can also be added to your cell phone.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.upromise.com - These e-coupons don't deduct from your shopping total, they just add the coupon amount to your uPromise savings account when you purchase an item that you have the e-coupon for.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.softcoin.com/Sites/Kroger_ECoupons/Page/HomePage/Retailer/Kroger</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></div>Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607941088421310170.post-43185267378130007882011-06-10T10:51:00.000-07:002011-06-10T10:51:44.942-07:00Plan with Coupons<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Knowing how each store uses coupons is KEY to you using coupons. Every store ad you receive will contain the information you need somewhere in small, itty-bitty print OR you can check the store websites for coupon policies. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
The list below is information that I have collected myself, could change, and cannot be used as store policy.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b>Kroger:</b></span></span></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doubles all coupons up to and including $0.60 in value (making the savings up to $1.20)</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ads run Wednesday to Tuesday. Sign up online to receive their weekly ads via email, and you can view it online on Tuesday night. You can also get the ads in the Wednesday Jonesboro Sun or at the front of the store.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mega 10/$10 events – Several items in the store will be priced 10/$10 mix & match.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Daytona events – Buy any 10 (mix & match) items marked for the sale, get a certain amount off total bill. This is usually about $5 off the bill.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Catalinas: These are coupons that print sometimes in addition to your receipt at the checkout line. They’re good for various items or money off your next transaction or visit.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can also load electronic coupons onto your shopper loyalty card and they will automatically come off when you purchase the items that the e-coupons are for.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Shopper loyalty card:</u></b> This is a MUST HAVE. Not only do you get discounts throughout the store for having one, you also accrue points for each purchase you make at the rate of 1 point per $1 spent <b><i>before coupons</i></b>. If you get 100 points in a calendar month, you can get $0.10/gallon off at their gas pumps the following month. You also can get $0.03/gallon off gas at their pumps even if you don't have enough points to get the $0.10 off per gallon if you scn your shopper card before pumping.</span></div></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hays:</span></b></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doubles all coupons up to and including $0.60 in value (making the savings up to $1.20)</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ads run Wednesday to Tuesday and can be found in the Wednesday Jonesboro Sun as well as in the front of the store</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hays now includes some store coupons in their weekly ad. I have spoken to one person at Hays on the phone about stacking them with manufacturer coupons and was told that they will NOT allow that.</span></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bill’s Fresh Market:</span></b></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doubles all coupons up to and including $0.60 in value (making the savings up to $1.20)</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ads run Wednesday to Tuesday and can be found in the Wednesday Jonesboro Sun as well as in the front of the store</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bill's now includes some store coupons in their weekly ad. I have spoken to someone at the Hilltop location and was told that they WILL allow stacking of manufacturer coupons with store coupons. This is awesome news!!</span></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wal-Mart:</span></b></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One manufacturer coupon per item purchased</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accepts internet coupons</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Price matches to local store ads if you bring the ad to the store when you price match.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carries trial sizes. You can use coupons for trial sizes so long as the coupon does not specify that you cannot.</span></div></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Target:</span></b></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Price matches to local store ads if you bring the ad to the store when you price match.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accepts internet coupons.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One manufacturer plus one Target coupon allowed per item purchased.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carries trial sizes. You can use coupons for trial sizes so long as the coupon does not specify that you cannot.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gift card for products purchased deals.</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sales run Sunday – Saturday, and inserts can be found in the Sunday paper.</span></div></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">K-Mart:</span></span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes doubles coupons.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Super double events: Store will double coupons in value up to $2.00 (making savings up to $4.00).</span></div></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walgreens:</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Accepts manufacturer coupons.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sales run Sunday – Saturday.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sales insert in Sunday paper contains store coupons that can be stacked with manufacturer coupons (1 of each per item purchased).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Store coupons also found in the store (check Pharmacy and Photo counters) that are good for 1 month at a time. These can also be stacked with manufacturer coupons (1 of each per item purchased).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ads usually state a limit (usually 3) on each sale item. Depending on when and which location you visit, they will allow you to purchase more than the limit listed – especially if they are not running low on that particular item or if you’re shopping late on Saturday (the day the sale ends).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Register Rewards: These are coupons that print at the end of a transaction when you purchase so many of certain items, and can be used toward your next transaction/shopping trip.</span></div></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><br />
</div>Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607941088421310170.post-27306223549393714682011-06-10T10:31:00.000-07:002011-06-10T10:44:27.429-07:00How to Organize Your Coupons<div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Are you buried in coupons? Do coupons expire before you can use them simply because you're unable to locate them? Do you get frustrated when you're shopping and remember that you have a coupon for an item that's on sale and you can't find it? </span><span class="Apple-style-span">Well if you've experienced any of these, here are some helpful organization ideas to help you take charge of your coupon madness.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where can I keep all of my coupons?</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are many different items you can use to store your coupons. Here is a list of some of the most popular:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Recipe Box</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Three Ring Binder with baseball card holder inserts</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Accordian style File Folder with dividers</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Shoe Boxes</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Envelopes</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· 4x6 photo albums</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· Baby Wipe Box</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay so how do I organize my coupons in these devices?</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· <i><u><b>Recipe Box</b></u></i> - You'll need divider cards for your recipe box. You can purchase index cards or simply make them yourself out of cardboard. These cards will represent different categories to sort your coupons. Everybody sorts their coupons differently so there is no universal rule. Here are some different ways to label your dividers:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o Alphabetical by product name (GM, Kelloggs)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o Alphabetical by item type (Cereal, Milk, Paper Towels</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o Alphabetical by General Category (Dairy, Meat, Paper)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o Store Name (CVS, Target, Walgreens)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 72pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o Expiration Date (this might work better if you only have a small amount of coupons)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· <i><u><b>Three Ring binder with baseball card holder inserts</b></u></i> - this device allows a lot of storage space for your coupons. Many people choose this method because its so easy to see your coupons. Again, categorize them however you seem fit. Many people will carry around a dry erase marker to write notes on the baseball card inserts while they're shopping. Just a little bonus! </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Note from Sassy Savers: </b></i> This is how I personally organize my coupons. It's worked great for me for over 2 1/2 years. I purchased a zippered binder so that if it gets dropped or slides around in the car, the coupons don't fall out. :) I will post pictures of my binder soon.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· <i><u><b>Accordian style File Folder with dividers</b></u></i> - this is probably the most popular way to organize your coupons. They come in all different sizes and colors. Again, you'll need to choose categories that will make your shopping trips easy. In addition to simply choosing your categories some people go the extra step and have a folder for each store that they shop. It really depends on the number of coupons that you need to organize. Another option is to have an accordian file for "grocery items" and another for "health and beauty items".</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· <i><u><b>Shoe Boxes</b></u></i> - you can use this method as you would the recipe box method.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· <u> <i><b>Envelopes</b></i></u> - this method works well if you don't have a lot of coupons to organize. Some people choose general categories (dairy, meat, paper) and some people choose to label their envelopes by stores (CVS, Target, Grocery Store).</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· <i><u><b>4x6 photo albums</b></u></i> - this method is similar to the baseball card insert method. You have clear holders to see your coupons easier. You can also purchase 4x6 photo inserts that will fit into a 3-ring binder. Again, sorting the coupons is based on your preference.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">· <b><i><u>Baby Wipe Box</u></i> </b>- you can use this method as you would the recipe box method.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br />
</div>Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607941088421310170.post-7707739271195739972011-06-10T09:55:00.000-07:002011-06-10T10:20:53.921-07:00How to Establish a Stockpile<div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you jealous that your friend has 2 years worth of toilet paper stocked in their linen closet? Have you ever gotten out of bed in the morning and dragged your hungry self to the kitchen only to find your cereal box was emptied by your husband (or child) while you lay sleeping? Well if you've experienced either of these issues you might want to consider establishing your own stockpile. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stockpiles can be small or large depending on the needs of your family. Just to be clear, when I say the term "stockpile" I'm not referring to taking a trip to your local warehouse club for gigantic boxes of stuff; I'm referring to purchasing large quantities of stuff to be used at a later date by your family for very little out of pocket expense. Stockpiling is often accomplished by taking advantage of the best deals around. Stockpilers purchase things when the cost is at the absolute low after combining manufacturer ("mfg") coupons (sometimes double or triple the amount), store coupons, and in-store sales. Often stockpilers can get the cost so low that it's free or nearly free.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Location of stockpile</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you're considering a stockpile, you'll need an area in your home dedicated to storing your stockpile. This may not be a huge issue at the beginning, however as your stockpile grows you'll realize that your space seems to be shrinking. Some areas where a stockpile might be kept include closets, extra bedrooms, basement, garage, under the bed storage boxes, large freezer, or any combination of the above.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Types of products for your stockpile</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After you've established a workable storage area in your home for your stockpile, you'll need to determine what types of items your family will use. While paper and cleaning products are obvious, food products with expiration dates can be a bit more difficult. It may be easy to stockpile 20 boxes of Cheerios, but will your family use them all before the expiration date on the box? When stockpiling food, take into consideration your family's eating habits and expiration dates on the products. I know my family eats oatmeal more for breakfast in the winter months than dry cereal. Knowing this little piece of information helps me recognize that I need to start stocking up on cereal in February/March instead of later in the year. Some stockpilers don't get too concerned with this issue. They monitor their inventory and if a date is coming near they'll simply donate the food to homeless shelters or family and friends who can use the product before the expiration date. Stockpilers are generally very generous and love to spread the wealth.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where do I find the products to create my stockpile?</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that you've got your space and have determined what items you need to stockpile you should start reading through store ads. Some store ads will come out on Sunday in your local newspaper (Target, Walgreens, CVS). Your local grocery stores may have different sale dates so you'll need to check with your store. My grocery stores run their sales from Wednesday to the following Tuesday which results in me receiving their ad by Tuesday for sales starting on Wednesday. Almost all stores have webpages which post their ads for easy access. As you're browsing through your ads pay close attention to offers such as double coupons, triple coupons, and cash back when you buy certain products. These are the key for establishing a great stockpile for very little out of pocket cost.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Double Coupons/Triple Coupons</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stores are popular for doubling coupons up to a certain dollar amount (usually up to $.99). This means that if you're purchasing a box of cereal for $2.99 and you have a mfg coupon for $.75 off that particular brand of cereal the store will double that $.75 coupon and give you $1.50 off of your $2.99 box of cereal. Great right? Well it gets even better when stores offer triple coupons. This means your $.75 coupon would be tripled, thus giving you $2.25 off of your $2.99 box of cereal.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cash Back when you buy certain products</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stores are also known for offering cash back on your next purchase when you buy certain products. These are generally known as catalinas or if you're shopping at CVS they're known as extra care bucks ("ecb"). An example would be "Receive $5 back on your next shopping order when you buy $10 worth of General Mills products". When you combine these deals with mfg coupons your savings just increase. For example, you purchase 4 boxes of cereal at $2.50 each bringing your total to $10. You have mfg coupons for $1/each box. $10-$4 mfg coupons = $6 out of pocket less the $5 catalina/ecb that will spit out at the end of your transaction and essentially you've just paid $.25 for each box of cereal. If you do this deal several times you're creating a great cereal stockpile. Some stores will allow you to use the same catalina to pay when you're doing the same deal over and over.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Combining manufacturer and store coupons</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can also take advantage of combining your store coupons with manufacturer coupons if your store offers such coupons. A great example is Target. Target has printable coupons on their website. You can combine their store coupons (which state "Target Coupon" at the top of the coupon) with manufacturer coupons to get an incredible deal. You can also take advantage of their store sales combined with their store coupons and manufacturer coupons and watch your stockpile grow.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Multiple Manufacturer Coupons</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the most important factors to creating a stockpile that your family will benefit from for an extended period of time is having multiple mfg coupons. Depending on the size of your family, this could mean 5 or 30 of the same coupon. If you are using a $.75 off mfg coupon that results in cereal costing your family $.25 per box and your family eats a large quantity of cereal, you might want a lot of those coupons. There are several ways to increase your coupon supply.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunday Papers</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most obvious place to get extra coupon inserts is in the Sunday paper. You can purchase extra papers through your newspaper delivery company. You can also purchase extra papers at your local stores (sometimes discounted on Monday). If you're super thrifty you can get extra inserts at no cost to you. If you ask your paper delivery person they may give you extra inserts if they don't have to return them to the company. You can also ask your local stores what they do with extra papers; some throw them away and are happy to give you the inserts for free. Don't forget your friends and family. If they do not use coupons (yep, there are still some that exist) they would probably be happy to give you their inserts. If they do use coupons offer to swap ones that they don't use for ones that they do use. You can also start a coupon swap box at your work, church, daycare, library, really anywhere there might be a large number of people. If you're really brave you can venture into the world of dumpster diving (yes we do go that far). Find your local recycle dumpsters and start scavaging through to see what you can find. You might have better luck earlier in the week when Sunday papers are tossed. You might be surprised to know that many dumpster divers have been very successful at finding hundreds of inserts for free.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eBay</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">The most popular online auction site also has coupons. If a coupon exists, you can bet you'll find it on </span><a href="http://www.ebay.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span">eBay</span></u></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span">. To clarify, you're not paying for the actual coupons, you're paying for the seller's time to clip and send the coupons to you. While you may find the coupons you need on eBay, some can cost you. It's best to look for eBay coupon auctions with the "buy it now" option. These are usually a pretty fair cost and allows you to get your coupons quicker and plan your shopping trip accordingly.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Online Coupon Sources</span></b></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span">There are several online coupon sources. Some offer printable coupons that you can print off the internet. Some offer actual insert coupons for a small handling fee. Check with your store to find out if they accept printable internet coupons, as some refuse to accept internet printed coupons because of the possibility of fraud. You can check several online coupon sources on </span><a href="http://www.afullcup.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span">AFC's home page</span></u></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span">.</span></span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You need to remember when you're creating a stockpile you may walk out of a store with 20 boxes of cereal and nothing else, but take into consideration how long those boxes will last your family. In addition to the needs of your family, think about organizations that can benefit from your stockpiling abilities. If a box of cereal costs you little or nothing out of pocket, consider picking up a few extra boxes for your favorite charity. While it's great to know you have 20 boxes of cereal in your pantry for your family to choose from at breakfast time; it's much more rewarding to know that by donating just one box of cereal to a family in need you've given them breakfast at a time in their life when they would otherwise go without. Pay it forward.</span></div><div style="font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your routine weekly shopping trips to one store may gradually turn into daily shopping trips to multiple stores to take advantage of different deals. Don't be alarmed, this is the normal routine of a serious stockpiler. Happy stockpiling.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>This article was originally authored for afullcup.com by AngieP.</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
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</span></span></div>Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607941088421310170.post-30170186636125749832011-06-10T09:40:00.000-07:002011-06-10T09:41:17.296-07:00Maximizing Coupon Savings<div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are like most people, you clip a coupon here and there and feel great about saving your 50 cents. You probably have also seen those die-hard coupon clippers in front of you in line at the grocery store who have a coupon for everything. Have you ever wondered to yourself, "How do they find all those coupons and save so much?" Today is your lucky day. Here are the keys to couponing success!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>You obviously need to take the time to match your coupons to items you buy.</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Maximizing your savings means matching the coupons to items when they are on sale. If you save 50 cents off Ziploc bags, it is a better deal to save that 50 cents off the sale price than full price! (<i><b>Note from Sassy Savers: </b></i>There are TONS of blogs and websites out there that do this for you. I suggest finding a few you like and follow them via email so you don't have to look for the deals...they come to you!)</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Horde all the coupons you can find!</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b>Coupons are found in more places than just your Sunday paper. Look for coupons online, at the grocery store, attached to products you recently bought, attached to bottles of wine (this varies by state), and through coupon clipping services. If you horde all the coupons you find, you'll be able to trade away coupons you'll never use for multiple copies of ones you will use. I don't have any pets, but I love to trade those coupons for diaper coupons to keep my little one dry! A great resource for finding coupons you're looking for is AFullCup.com. Since the membership is free, it is a great one-stop shop for all your savings needs (and not just at the grocery store)!</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Stockpile items that have a long shelf life.</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b>Shampoo, razors, canned goods, soda, soap, laundry detergent, diapers, perfume, gifts, lotion, cereal, the list could go on and on. When a good sale pops up, get a fistful of coupons and go stock up! When cereal went on sale $10 for 10 boxes, I got 30 boxes, matched a coupon to each, and watched the cashier's jaw drop. 3 months later, I'm still enjoying it!</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Rebates are the frugal couponer's dream! </b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The triple threat: sale, coupon, rebate! Partial rebates definitely add to the savings and sometimes combined with the coupon and sale actually end up being full rebates. Find an item on sale, clip the coupon, send in the rebate. I often get items (like my contact solution) for the cost of one postage stamp!</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Sometimes spending more means saving more.</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> My local grocery store often hands out dollar off coupons if your total is higher than the stated amount. Recently, the amount was $180. For a family of three, I rarely get $180 worth of groceries at one time. However, if I am getting $20 off of $180, why not take the time to see if there are some areas of my stockpile getting low and add them to my grocery cart to bump my total up so I can save that additional $20 I would not have before? Don't let this be a trap. Only get what you have a coupon for and what is already on sale!</span></li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Don't be loyal to one store.</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It is so tempting to save some time and shop only at one store; however, this mentality keeps you from maximizing your savings by having multiple sales available to you at once-after all, not all sales are created equal!</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>Ask for the coupon policies at your store.</b> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some supermarkets double coupons. If yours doubles up to $1, a .50 cent coupon (which can be doubled) is more worthwhile than a .55 coupon (which will not double) for the same item. My local supermarket takes expired coupons up to 6 months old! Maybe yours takes competitor's coupons!</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>The more you coupon, the more you save</b></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>.</b> It is an investment of time, but just like most things in life the more you put in, the more you get out! The more you coupon the better you get. Why not go to AFullCup.com and start your savings today?!</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span">This article was written for AFullCup.com by Mandiedq</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></div>Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607941088421310170.post-6935773556698011052011-06-10T09:15:00.000-07:002011-06-10T09:15:27.985-07:00Be In the Know About Coupons<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s always great to save money and everyone wants to save money, right? Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are using coupons:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
1. <b><u><i>Don't use a coupon just because you have it.</i></u></b> Wait until the item the coupon is for is on sale and you know you're getting the best price.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
2. Expect to get items for free; do not expect to get items for a negative amount (overage).<br />
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3. <b>Do not photocopy a coupon</b>. This is considered coupon fraud and can be tracked back to who has done it.<br />
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4. To get the maximum amount out of your coupons, you should expect to complete smaller transactions. Some stores have limits on the number of like coupons that can be used per transaction.<br />
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5. Coupons are not cash but do have a monetary consequence attached to them. The manufacturers of the product listed on a coupon foot the bill for coupon usage.<br />
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6. To get the best use of coupons you will need to break away from product loyalty! (Please keep family allergies in mind when trying new products.)<br />
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7. Clipping and using coupons takes TIME. The more you coupon, the more you save. It is an investment of time, but just like most things in life the more you put in, the more you get out! The more you coupon the better you get.<br />
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8. You have to have the coupons to get the best deal.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Stockpile items that have a long shelf life. Shampoo, razors, canned goods, soda, soap, laundry detergent, diapers, perfume, gifts, lotion, cereal, the list could go on and on. When a good sale pops up, get a fistful of coupons and go stock up!<br />
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The way I do things may not work for you, so please don’t stop there! Find a way that does work. It can be fun to save money with coupons; you will have to take the time and effort to find the way that works for you and stick to it!<br />
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<b>Do you want to know it all?!</b><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.afullcup.com/">www.AFullCup.com</a></span> - It’s a forum FULL of the best of the best “Coupon Queens </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(and Kings)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">” from around the country and they are all willing to share their information (and coupons) with YOU! There is a part of the site dedicated to each store (i.e., Target, Wal-Mart, Kroger, etc...) that has sale/coupon match-ups, shopping lists, etc...and is the site that really helped me get started. Be sure to bookmark this site. Registration is FREE.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</b></span></div>Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607941088421310170.post-55966817234430403752011-06-10T09:14:00.000-07:002011-06-10T23:46:48.323-07:00Coupon Lingo<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deal sites and blogs (and even coupons) have a lingo all their own. Here's a list of some of them and what they mean. Feel free to ask or comment on any others you may or may not know about and I'll add them to the list.</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coupon lingo:</span></b></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 22px;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">P&G</strong> = Procter & Gamble Sunday insert</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 22px;"><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">RP</strong> = Red Plum and <strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">V</strong> = Valassis (these are used interchangeably to refer to the same insert)<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 22px;"><strong style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">SS</strong> = SmartSource</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>$1/1, $1/2, etc. </b>= One dollar off one item, one dollar off two items, etc.</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>2/$1, 3/$2, etc. </b>= Two items for one dollar, three items for two dollars, etc.</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BOGO or B1G1 </b>= Buy one item get one item free</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>B2GO or B2G1 </b>= Buy two items get one item free</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Blinkies </b>= Grocery/drugstore coupon dispensers with blinking lights</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Cat </b>= Catalina coupon, prints from a separate machine when your receipt prints</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>CRT </b>= Cash register tape, usually used when referring to CVS coupons that print with receipt</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>ECBs </b>= ExtraCare Bucks, CVS loyalty rewards system</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>ESRs </b>= EasySaver Rebates, Walgreens monthly rebates program</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>FAR </b>= Free after rebate</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IPQ </b>= Internet printable coupon</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>IVC </b>= Instant Value Coupon, Walgreens’ store coupons found in ads and ESR booklet</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>MFR </b>= Manufacturer</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>MIR </b>= Mail-in rebate</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>OYNO </b>= On your next order/transaction</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>OOP </b>= Out of pocket</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Peelie </b>= Peel-off coupon found on product packaging</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>PSA </b>= Prices starting at</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>RRs </b>= Register Rewards, Walgreens’ Catalina coupons</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>SCR </b>= Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid monthly rebates program</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>UPC </b>= Universal Product Code, bar code on a product</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>WT </b>= Wine tag, no alcohol purchase necessary to use these coupons</span></div><div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>WYB </b>= When you buy</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>YMMV </b>= You mileage (or manager) may vary, some stores may allow you to do a deal, some may not.</span></div>Sassy Savershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03627440420600732434noreply@blogger.com0