Presentation Transcript

1. Southern calisaver’sBeginner Class

2. Coupon Myths Myth #1: Coupons are only for unhealthy processed junk foods.There are a lot of coupons for processed junk foods. However, there are just as many coupons for good healthful foods also. There are often coupons out for yogurt, bagged salads, frozen veggies (less salt than the canned veggies), & fresh fruit. Keep in mind, just because you’re using coupons and saving money, you still choose what you buy and what you eat.Myth #2: You can’t save money if a store doesn’t double coupons.My two favorite stores to shop at are Rite Aid and Walgreen’s–neither double coupons. Most of the time, I find I save more there then I do at my grocery stores that do double coupons. Most drug stores have excellent store deals, sales, and rebate programs that most other stores don’t have. More and more there are higher dollar amount coupons out which, combined with sales,  can net you excellent savings–even if your local stores do not double coupons. Myth #3: Shopping at discount stores and dollar stores will save you more money than using coupons.The Dollar Tree and other dollar stores are often just as expensive as other stores. The disadvantage is they don’t have the store deals, rebates, and sales like other stores do. As far as true dollar stores where everything is $1, I’ve found that I rarely save money by shopping there since most of the items I buy with coupons and sales, I get for less than $1 in thefirst place. After getting the hang of couponing and matching a coupon with a sale, you will find that shopping at dollar stores are not quite the bargain you thought they were.Myth #4: Only poor people use coupons.Contrary to what some may think, according to statistics, people with lower income (under $25,000/year) are less likely to use coupons.  Middle class, middle-aged people with a college background are the most likely to use coupons. Plus, when is it a bad thing to save money?
3. Myth #5: You should only use coupons for products you normally buy.After using coupons for so long now, I don’t even know what I "normally buy" anymore. I am becoming less and less brand specific the more I try items outside of my "box". By using coupons, I’ve gotten things so cheap or free that I otherwise would never have dreamed of buying or paying for–brands and products which would usually be out of our budget. I’ve also learned to be more creative in planning my menus around what is on sale and being less brand-loyal so that we can save more money by buying the brand which is the best deal.Myth #6: Generic products are always cheaper than name brand products.Yes,it’s true that generic is a little cheaper than name brand. However, generic is not usually cheaper than name brand when it is on sale andyou have a coupon. The key is to combine the store sales with coupons to get the best deals.Myth #7: People who use coupons spend more than people who don’t use coupons.If you are going to the store and buying anything you have a coupon for, especially if the product is not on sale, you will spend more. However, if you use coupons the right way by combining store sales and coupons together to get rock bottom deals, you will most definitely cut your grocery bill.Myth #8: It’s not worth it to shop at multiple stores.The main stores I shop at are wihthin a 4 mile radius from my house, so it really doesn’t take me much time to go from store to store. But even if your stores are not as close as mine, it can be worth it to shop at multiple stores. For instance, if you are able to get $100 worth of product you need for $20 and you only spent $6 extra in gas and an additional 20 minutes, then I would say that would certainly be worth it!Myth #9: You shouldn’t clip coupons for products you won’t use.Don’t dismiss a coupon just because you haven’t used the product in the past–you might be surprised at the great deal which comes along for that very product! Besides, if you have a baby and your friend has a cat, wouldn’t it be nice to swap the coupons you didn’t need so you both get more of what you do need? Myth #10: When there is a 10 for $10 sale, you have to buy 10 of that item This is not true. You can buy any amount of items within a 10/$10 sale or a 5/$5 sale for only a buck! It is definitely a myth that you have to purchase the entire advertised amount.
4. Coupon Objections Objection #1 : I don’t have the time to clip /use coupons You haven't been broke enough You can't afford to NOT make the time Couponing, on average will save you $ a month. If you spend hours on your efforts, that is like making $ an hour. That is better than any part time job! (research statistics) Objection #2 : I don't have space in my home to build a stockpile Be creative! You will find places! Under the bed, build some shelving in a closet, garage Objection #3: I buy bulk at Costco / Sam's Club You actually aren't saving on many of the items you are purchasing a bulk store. Often times you think you are getting the best value for buying the largest quantity. That is simply not true. More often, buying more of the smaller item and using a coupons saves you WAY more!- There are a few great buys at Costco...honey, coffee... Objection #4: It seems as though everything that has a coupon is processed junk? Can you buy healthy food with coupons? Yes! There are lots of organic/healthy coupons that are released. You just have to look for them.  I shop organic at Sprouts and they have coupons released weekly on their website. Plus, they also take manufacturer coupons!  You can write the companies of the products you love and request coupons. They often will send multiple and coupons for FREE items. If you are saving tons of money on the rest of your grocery bill, you will have more to spend on the organic/healthy stuff that is on your list. I was never able to afford organic produce, dairy & meats before. Now that I use coupons and build a stockpile of other necessities, I have more wiggle room in my budget to afford these things. Check out  http://healthylifedeals.blogspot.com/ - organic coupon list as well as Trader Joe's matchups- http://www.organicdeals.com/ - mostly does matchups for stores in the midwest. Bust has a great organic coupon database.
5. Objection #5 : There are never coupons out for items my family uses Do you use toothpaste, toilet paper, deodorant, cleaning supplies? There are many coupons for items that I'm sure your family uses, you just have to look for them. Write the companies of the products you love and request coupons. They often will send multiple and coupons for FREE items. Start out slow. Maybe just start with toiletries and beauty products. Then, work your way into groceries. The more you are saving in the beauty category, the more you will have in your budget to spend on your food items. Objection #6: It seems as though you will spend more on your groceries each week if you are purchasing your weekly groceries plus building a stockpile at the same time. You may spend a bit more (or approximately the same) the first couple of months while you are starting to build your stockpile, but once you have a few items stocked up, that you won't have to purchase over the next few months, you will see your grocery bill fall lower & lower the more of a stockpile you build. Set aside a certain amount in your budget each month/week that is just dedicated to your stockpile. Say, $50 a month is dedicated to building your stockpile and you use this money to put towards items that are a rock bottom stock up price. Then, you don't just buy 1 or 2 at this price, you buy multiples. You decide the items and the price you are willing to pay. Once you can shop from your own cupboards, you won't have to pay full price for those items. The more you build this, the less & less you will spend each month. Objection #7: I am embarrassed to use coupons - aren't those just for poor people? NO! I would still coupon even if I won the lottery. It allows you to set the price you are willing to pay for something. It gives you, the consumer back the control. You aren't going to let the manufacturer or store dictate the price you are going to pay for something. That is smart! Once you see your monthly grocery bill go down & down & down, you won’t be quite so embarrassed. You will feel more proud.
6. STEP 1:CHANGE THE WAY YOU SHOP Throw everything you know (or thought you knew) about grocery shopping out the door. No more creating a grocery list and running to the store to buy items for the week, regardless of price. No more wondering what’s for dinner at 4 pm and running to the store to get those missing ingredients. No more running to the store because you’re out of deodorant and toothpaste.
7. Here’s what you need to know You will be going to the store more often. Often times visiting more than 1 store a week. You will be doing lots of smaller transactions. No more twice a month large shopping trips. You will most likely have a very intimate relationship with certain stores and the checkers who are employed there. You will have a Year Supply of Toothpaste, Soap, Razors, and Lysol Wipes (among other things) before you can blink!! Before you know it you will be saving between 50-90% at the grocery store! It’s all about shopping with coupons while a product is on sale- and STOCKING UP so you don’t have to buy something when it’s not cheap or free.
8. COUPONS! COUPONS! COUPONS! There are 3 main categories of coupons & you need them all! Sunday newspaper Coupons Internet Printable E-Coupons Sunday Newspaper Coupons Inside each Sunday paper are “Coupon Inserts” called Smart Source (SS), Red Plum (RP) or Proctor & Gamble (PG). You will want to get multiple copies of the Sunday paper.   Want coupon inserts but don’t want to pay?  Ask friends, neighbors or co-workers to save their coupons for you.  You’d be shocked how many people get the Sunday paper and never even touch the coupon inserts.
9. COUPONS! COUPONS! COUPONS! Internet Printable Coupons Next you need to learn how to print coupons from home. Printing coupons is safe, free (minus ink and paper costs) and easy!  The first time you print from any source, you’ll be required to download quick and safe printing software so that you can print securely from home.  You can print 2 internet printable coupons per computer. Once you print the first, hit backscreen 3x to print a second. Or go back to the homepage to print a second. Best sources for Printable Coupons: Coupons.com Redpum.com Smartsource.com
10. COUPONS! COUPONS! COUPONS! E- Coupons Coupons that can be added & loaded directly onto your shoppers card. E-Coupons are accepted at Ralphs, & Vons. Albertsons also has it’s own e-coupons called Avenu. Sites to load E-Coupons: Cellfire.com Shortcuts.com Pgesaver.com Other Places to get Coupons: Store booklets Sometimes filled with both store & MQ Friends, family, co-workers, coupon train Recycling center Local gas station - what do they do with the Sunday papers they don’t sell?
11. How to load e-coupons onto your shoppers card
12. Anatomy of a Coupon Expiration Date: All coupons have an expiration date.  If the coupon’s expiration date is 10/6/2009, you can use the coupon until 11:59 pm on 10/6/2009. Value: How much will be deducted from your purchase. Terms: How you know what the coupon is for.  If the coupon says “save on ANY xyz product” then it truly can be used on any, not just what is pictured. Image: The picture can be useful if you have never heard of the product, and can help you locate the item on the shelf.  Advertising for the manufacturer.  The picture is NOT what is important. The manufacturer’s generally put the newest or most expensive product in the picture, obviously hoping you will buy that product.  As long as you follow what is in the wording of the coupon, you can usually get the lowest priced product which is generally the better deal.
13. Anatomy of a COUPON Fine Print:  Information for the retailers including the coupon redemption address.  There are usually one or two lines that are intended for the consumer. Limit one coupon per purchase?Coupons typically have some version of that statement.  Limit one coupon per purchase: Each product in an overall transaction is considered one purchase. If the coupon is for $1 off 2 boxes of cereal and you buy 2 boxes, that is 1 purchase.  If you bought 2 more, that is another purchase and you can use another $1/2 coupon.  You can not use 2 coupons on 1 product. Limit one coupon per transaction: This indicates that only one like coupon may be used in a single transaction. Each transaction is concluded with a receipt. Limit one coupon per day/visit: You can only use one of those coupons per store visit. Limit one coupon per person/customer/household: You can only use one of these coupons.
14. Anatomy of a COUPON Not valid on travel/trial size: This means the coupon cannot be redeemed on a trial size item. If it does not have this verbiage, and does not specify a size, then any size (even trial) is applicable. Do not double: The do not double wording is the one exception to the terms dictating coupon usage. Coupons that specify "do not double" will still double automatically at most stores, provided the first number in the barcode is a 5. This is because the store is offering the discount on the doubled portion, so it's at their discretion to allow the doubling. If the barcode starts with a 9, the coupon will not double automatically.
15. STEP 3:WHEN TO USE YOUR COUPONS So, How and When DO you use coupons to get these deals? The Big “Secret” is MATCHING COUPONS WITH AWESOME SALES and PROMOS! Study the weekly Ads for the grocery Stores you shop at and wait for an item you have a coupon for to hit rock bottom price. Once it does, you match your coupon to that item and you suddenly have a VERY cheap item, plus you have multiple coupons, so you get to stock up at this awesome price. Stacking Coupons My favorite coupon secret! Stacking simply means using 1 Manufacturer Coupon and 1 Store Coupon on 1 Item!! Target, Albertson’s, Vons, Ralphs, Walgreens, and Rite Aid (to name a few) all have store coupons and allow them to be stacked with a manufacturer coupon! (You can never use 2 manufacturer coupon on 1 item… but most stores allow you to use 1 store and 1 manufacturer coupon on the same item). Double Coupons Some stores double coupons up to a certain value.  This means that one $0.50 off coupon will become $1.00 off, etc.  For example, Ralphs and Vons in So Cal will double (up to a dollar) the first of any like coupon used. The matching coupons following will be held at face value. The purpose of Southerncalisaver.com is to show you exactly where to find the best coupons and when and where to use them.  Josie reports on most of the local stores in So Cal. Most national stores operate on a Sunday-Saturday Sale Cycle (except Rite Aid which is Friday-Thursday). Albertson’s, Vons & Ralphs, and most other grocery stores operate on a Wednesday-Tuesday Sale Cycle. It will take a while to figure out when something is a good deal. When I first started couponing, I found toothpaste for $1/tube and I thought I scored- so of course, I bought like 20 of them. Then as time went on, I realized that you can get free toothpaste all the time! So, be willing to overpay ($1 for toothpaste is really cheap for all our non-couponing friends- so don’t feel too bad!) and if it helps, start making a list of things you will never pay for again!
16. What you can & can’t do with your coupons Q: Can I stack 2 manufacturer coupons on the same item. A: No. Even though one is an internet printable and one is a insert coupon, you cannot combine them.   These coupons are essentially the same coupon. Q: Can I use $.50/1 and $1.00/2 on two products? A: No you can only use $1.00/2 or (2) .50/1 – each coupon attaches to an item. Q: Can I stack a MQ and a store coupon together on the same item? A: Yes! Most stores allow you to stack a store with MQ.
17. Step 4:Learn the lingo “Couponer’s Lingo” is enough to make any Coupon Virgin’s head spin! Here’s a glossary to help you get started… $1.00/1, $2.00/1, etc: One dollar off one product, two dollars off one product, etc. Blinkie: A machine found at grocery stores that spits out coupons. BOGO: Buy one, get one.  Will usually end with “free” or “half off” meaning buy one, get one half off, or buy one get one free. B1G1, B2G1: Another way to write ‘buy one, get one’.  The “B” stands for “buy”, the G stands for “get”. B1G1= Buy one, get one.  B2G1= Buy two, get one B2G2= Buy two, get two Catalina Machine / Coupon: A machine located at most registers that produces long receipt like coupons that can be used on a future purchase. ECB:  Extra Care Buck CVS pharmacy program. EXP: Expires or Expiration Date. Hangtag: A coupon found hanging from the neck of an item. IP: Internet Printable coupons may be printed right from your home computer.  Usually limited to 2 prints per computer. MIR: Mail in Rebate, refers to rebates which must be submitted by mail.  These are the traditional rebates that require you to mail in both your receipt and proof of purchase in the form of UPC barcodes. MM: Money Maker. MFR: Manufacturer abbreviation.
18. Still learning the lingo… OOP: Out-of-Pocket; refers to the amount of money you will pay a store to make your purchase.  Does not include and after-purchase savings, coupons or rebates. OYNO: On Your Next Order.  Store promos such as Spend $25, save $10 on your next shopping order.  OYNO refers to savings that you will not see on your first transaction, but that may be applied to your next purchase. Peelie: A peelable coupon found on a product. P&G: Proctor and Gamble manufacture a wide range of consumer goods and are one of the largest corporations in the world.  Proctor and Gamble puts out monthly coupon inserts filled with coupons for a variety of Proctor and Gamble produced brands, just a few of which include: Always, Bounty, Crest, Dawn, Gillette, Olay, Pampers and Tide. RR: Register Rewards.  Walgreens drugstore rewards program, and version of the catalina coupon. RP: Red Plum. Red Plum coupon inserts and website feature coupons from a variety of manufacturers.  SCR:  Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid Drugstore monthly rebate program.  SS: Smart Source. A marketing company, like RP, Smart Source coupon inserts and website feature coupons from a variety of manufacturers. Smart Source coupon inserts can be found in most Sunday papers. YMMV: Your mileage may vary.
19. Picture of Peelie & Blinkie
20. STEP 5: GET ORGANIZED Option 1 – Coupon Binder Pros: Less time preparing for your shopping trip. If you see an unadvertised deal, you can take advantage. You can be a coupon fairy in the store. Organized. Cons: Takes time to clip & organize. Binder doesn’t fit well in shopping carts. Heavy – it’s like lugging around an extra child. Have to clean out expired coupons. What you need: 1 ½” or 3” binder Baseball card holders Tab dividers calculator
21. Option 2 – File by Date Pros: You don’t have to clip a ton of coupons each week. You don’t waste time clipping coupons that you will later throw away. You won’t have a bunch of loose papers / coupons floating around. Once you see a deal you want to jump on posted on Southerncalisaver.com, you can go right to your files, pull out the proper insert by date and clip away. Cons: More time preparing for your shopping trip. You won’t have all your coupons with you at the store. You may end up making more trips to the store to pick up that unadvertised deal. You still have to have a second organizational method for printables, catalinas & store coupons. What you need: Organizational folders with dates on them. A place to store your folders.
22. Josie’s Coupon organization “the caboodle”
23. How to begin organizing If you’re organizing  by date, drop it into your file system by date & insert. If you’re organizing by category, start clipping the coupons you want to file and put the coupons into their corresponding category. If you get multiple copies of each insert, lay the insert out on the table, tear the inserts apart, and stack the matching pages together. Be careful not to ruin barcodes. You now have 5 copies of the 1st page in a pile, 5 of the 2nd page in a pile, ect. I keep my cover page in tact as to create a nice “book like” cover – since I save the unclipped portion of the inserts. Clip your coupons and file them away! If you want to save the rest of the insert, put the remaining unclipped coupons back in the cover and file by date.
24. Step 6:TIPS FOR shopping
25. Step 7:tips for checking out Get Organized Before you Leave the House. Make a list. Catalina – Separate Transactions If you’re organizing your coupons, unclipped, by date,  now you’ll want to clip your coupons before heading to the store.  Those who organize clipped coupons by category may also want to ‘pull’ the coupons they plan to use.  Place the coupons in an envelope or in an empty clear sheet protector at the front of your binder. These coupons can also be used in place of your shopping list. Choose the time of day to shop wisely. I have found that early in the morning, or late at night is best for me. You and your checker will be less stressed out if there is not a line behind you. If you have BOGO coupons, give these to the cashier first. Also, tell them the price of the item. Most will be very appreciative of this, and it will save them the time of scrolling through the screen for the price of the item. If you have a cart full of groceries and lots of coupons, and you know you are going to be slow… Warn the other shoppers who get in line behind you.  I always just nicely apologize and tell them they may want to choose another line, because I am going to be slow.  Sometimes, they smile and say “That’s okay, I’m not in a hurry”, or other times they thank me and move to another line. If someone is behind me, I usually pass the time for them by checking out their cart and seeing if I have any coordinating coupons to give. This is often so appreciated, plus it usually sparks a conversation about couponing (which is always a fun time passer). Take it up with the Management - Do not be afraid to ask for a member of management to come clarify something for you. Often, you know more about the store coupon policy then the checkers, so don’t be afraid to nicely ask for a manager to explain something to you.  Many times, I have had them call over a manager, and it ends with the checker saying “Huh, I never knew that!” PRINT THE STORE COUPON POLICY AND KEEP IT WITH YOU.  This has saved me so many times. I always carry store policies in my binder and if I need to, I will reference it at the check out. I always think I should make copies to give to the checkers because clearly some of them have never read it!! Don’t be Afraid to Profile & make friends with your cashiers. Which checker looks like he / she is having a good day? A bad day? Learn the names of your favorite cahiers and always look for them when you jump in line.
26. Step 8:BUILD YOUR STOCKPILE By Stockpiling while something is at a ROCK BOTTOM price, you won’t have to pay full price when you have to have it. This will eliminate running to the store when you are out of something, and will cut out those impulse buys. How do I recognize a stock-up price? You need to build a price list.  Whether you write it down, or keep it in your head (like me), try to begin paying attention to the prices of the foods you buy most often. It’s Best to Not be Brand Specific. Your couponing efforts will be much more successful if you can buy whatever brand is cheapest. Everyone is allowed to stay brand loyal to a few items– you don’t have to give up everything you love, but try to be open to trying other name brands. Purchase coupons off a coupon clipping site
27. Josie – How to build a stockpile
28. Stock up prices: Groceries: Chicken Breast Boneless/Skinless $1.70-$1.97 lb Ground Turkey $2.50 20 oz package Ground Beef $1.80 -$1.99 lb. Hot Dogs .25 Chips: $1 a bag Crackers: Free- .75/box Yogurt .25 a cup Cereal: Free-.50 box Juice: $1 a bottle Milk: This one is hard but I try not to pay more than $2.50/gallon Canned Veggies: Free-.25 Toiletries: Shampoo: Free Toothpaste: Free Deodorant: Free Razors: Free-.50 Make-up: Free Baby wipes: Free-.25 a tub Diapers:$3.50 a bag or less than .17 a diaper Household: toilet paper: .35 a roll Paper Towels: $2 for a 8 pk Cleaning supplies: Free-.50 a bottle Dish washing Detergent: Free-$1.00 a bottle
29. STEP 9: RAIN CHECKS One of the best kept secrets to couponing! A Rain Check is a slip of paper that you can get from a store when they are out of an item that is on sale. The slip of paper allows you to come back when they have the item back in stock to purchase it for the sale price. Rain Check policies will vary by store so make sure you check each stores rules before using them. Some stores have an expiration date on the rain check and others (like Walgreen’s) don’t. Also, some stores will put a maximum quantity amount per item. Points to Consider: Make sure that the coupons you are using on the item you need a rain check for won’t expire before the store gets the items back in stock. No use going through the trouble- just to have expired coupons! Most of the time don’t bother getting a Raincheck for something that is also included in a Promotion (Like spend $10 Save $4 Instantly). The Rain check is valid for the Sales price only. They can not honor a promo that has ended with a rain check. Tip: When redeeming your rain check be courteous of the checker and let them know you will be using one- BEFORE they start to ring you up. They are going to need to manually enter in the amount- and they will love you if they don’t have to go back through at the end of the transaction to void and re-enter the correct amount. How to use Rainchecks: If you find something that you are totally brand loyal to, or something that will be great in your stockpile, won’t expire and it is out of stock… Take the opportunity to get a Rain Check for the maximum quantity allowed. Then collect your coupons (or purchase multiples on Ebay or at a coupon clipping service), go back when they are in stock (or consider special ordering) and add that baby to your stockpile!
30. STEP 10: FINDING BALANCE When you first started couponing you will no doubt be so excited about all the money you are saving- that you may feel the urge/ need to cash in on EVERY deal at EVERY store! You may find yourself shopping at Albertson’s, Ralphs Stater’s, Vons, Target, Wags, Rite Aid, and CVS all in the same week (true story). Obviously, it won’t take long before you completely have “coupon burnt out”. Choose just a couple of stores a week to focus on. These stores may be different from week to week based on the store circulars and deals to be had. Also, it’s best for you coupon virgins to learn 1 store at a time. You will get WAY too overwhelmed if you are trying to learn every policy all at once. The easiest way to choose a store is to just pick what is closest to your house. You will be wanting to go often, so it makes sense to not have to travel very far. Another key to finding balance in couponing- is to remind yourself that this most likely isn’t the last time you will see products at this price! If you miss a deal this time…don’t sweat it, give it about 6-12 weeks and you will absolutely see this deal come around again!