Here is your 2012 Sunday Coupon Insert Schedule. This is just an idea of the inserts we will see each week, if you have a coupon binder you might want to print out this schedule so you know what’s coming each week!

Download and Print the PDF File

January
1 — (2) Redplum & (2) Smart Source & P&G
8 — Redplum & Smart Source
15 — Smart Source
22 — Redplum & Smart Source
29 — Redplum & Smart Source

February
5 — Redplum & Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
12 — Redplum & (2) Smart Source
19 — Redplum
26 — (2) Smart Source

March
4 — Redplum & Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
11 — Redplum & Smart Source
18 — Redplum & Smart Source
25 — Redplum & Smart Source

April
1 — (2) Redplum & (2) Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
8 — No Inserts (Easter)
15 — Redplum & Smart Source
22 — Smart Source
29 — Redplum & Smart Source

May
6 — Redplum & Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
13 — Redplum & Smart Source
20 — Redplum & Smart Source
27 — No Inserts (Memorial Day)

June
3 — Redplum & Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
10 — Redplum & Smart Source
17 — Redplum & Smart Source
24 — Redplum & Smart Source

July
1 — No Inserts (July 4th)
8 — Redplum & Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
15 — Smart Source
22 — Redplum & Smart Source
29 — Redplum & Smart Source

August
5 — (2) Redplum & Smart Source
12 — Redplum & Smart Source
19 — Redplum & Smart Source
26 — Redplum & Smart Source

September
2 — No Inserts (Labor Day)
9 — Redplum & (2) Smart Source
16 — Redplum & Smart Source
23 — Smart Source
30 — Redplum & Smart Source

October
7 — Redplum & (2) Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
14 — Redplum & Smart Source
21 — Redplum & Smart Source
28 — Redplum & Smart Source

November
4 — Redplum & Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
11 — (2) Redplum & Smart Source
18 — Smart Source
25 — No Inserts (Thanksgiving)

December
2 — Redplum & Smart Source & Procter and Gamble
9 — Redplum & Smart Source
16 — Smart Source
23 — No Inserts
30 — No Inserts

Thanks, Sunday Coupon Preview

I had a lot of confusion on Facebook this morning and several great questions that I wanted to address quickly. I mentioned a coupon for B1G1 Free Honest Tea and someone commented that this was a “14″ coupon so it couldn’t be stacked with another coupon. That had everyone confused :) So I wanted to quickly explain what the “14″ meant.

First I want to say that I Do Not Promote Bar Code Decoding which is a practice that some people have used to commit Coupon Fraud. This involves using coupon bar codes to use coupons on products they were not intended to be used on. You can read more about that here. I do however think there are 2 things that are important for you to know so that you can avoid problems at the register so that being said I’m purposely being very vague in this post.

Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupons and the Number 14

Most Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupons only attach to 1 Item at checkout allowing a second coupon to be used on the item you are actually buying. This is similar to when we use a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupon and a $1/1 Coupon.

There are some specific Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupons that attach to both items in the transaction. These have the number 14 in the barcode. This is important because you don’t want to get to the register and realize that you can’t use all of your coupons. I always like to be prepared and if I know that that coupon is going to attach for both items I can plan my transactions accordingly. The number 14 will be in the last 2 digits of the Second set of 5 numbers. In the bar code above this would be where the numbers 09 are located.

Do Not Double Coupons – DND5 and DND9

Another question I get a lot regards Do Not Double Coupons. People get really confused about if these will double or not because they have different experiences at the Registers. I personally don’t have this problem because the cashiers at the stores where I shop check the coupons and manually enter them in if they say do not double on them. However, some stores will double these coupons and it can be confusing because when scanned some will double automatically and others will not. What you need to know is that if the first number is a 9 it won’t double when scanned even if your store normally doubles do not double coupons. The DND5 and DND9 are just coupon shortcuts to let readers know which type of coupon you’re working with. I personally would want to check with the store on the Coupon Policy before using DND5 Coupons.

So hopefully that answers the question about Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupons and Do Not Double Coupons and helps you avoid a little hassle at the Registers!

Do you ever walk up to an end cap like this and get excited because you found some of your favorite products on “Clearance”?

I confess I love seeing those little red stickers on products at Target. But, I noticed last night that Clearance Tags might be deceptive. These Glade Products were marked down to just $2.54 each!!!! That was the clearance price so that makes them a great deal right?

Not so fast….. I found myself a little disappointed by this Clearance end cap and it was a great reminder to me that clearance isn’t always what it appears.

Does anyone remember what the price of the Glade Holiday Items was before Christmas???? That’s right, it was $2.50. Now they are on “Clearance” for just $2.54??? Even better than that before Christmas these were part of a 5/$5 Sale making them just $1.50 each even if you didn’t have any coupons.

This doesn’t mean clearance isn’t always a great deal, Sometimes if you can find something marked down and pair it with a coupon you can get a great price.

What a great reminder of the importance of Knowing Your Prices and keeping a Price book (Even if it’s a Mental one). If you don’t know what you would typically pay for an item it’s easy to get lured in by those Bright Red Clearance tags!

I’ve got a complete post on Creating a Price Book and Knowing Your Buy Price in my Savings 101 Series. This is a FREE online Coupon Class where you can pick and choose the lessons you want to see.

I wanted to take a quick moment to give you a few tips for surviving the Holidays on Passion For Savings. I’m sure you have noticed the increase in the number of deals I’ve been posting each day and well, that’s just simply because there are more deals with everyone competing for your money this Holiday Season. So here are a few reminders & suggestions:

1. Remember not every deal is for you!
I post a wide variety of deals and prices during the Holidays. I don’t post only free or cheap items because I know sometimes we are shopping for things that are High Value but still at a great deal so I try to provide a little bit of everything. Please, Please do not go over budget or purchase something just because it’s a great deal, If you can’t afford it or don’t need it then that’s not the deal for you.You can use the Gift Ideas and Budget Printable to help you get organized.

2. Check Back Often!!!!
This is my number one piece of advice if you are an email follower. Make sure you check PassionForSavings.com Several times during the day. The deals this year will be Time Sensitive and One Day deals so you don’t want to miss out on something great by waiting for the email.

3. Follow on Facebook!
The Facebook Wall gives you instant updates of what’s been posted so you can see those HOT Deals right away. Make sure you “Like” Passion For Savings on Facebook for instant updates all day long. Also, I have some AMAZING readers who are always willing to help out or answer a question or even share deals so it’s a great way to get involved with other deal shoppers.

4. Become Familiar with Online Shopping!
There are several aspects of Online Shopping you will want to understand the next few weeks. Amazon is the #1 Place to Buy during the Holiday’s so I’ll try to do a separate post on that one, but you can get an understanding of Group Buying, Amazon, Cashback Sites and Coupon Codes in my Savings 101 Series on Online Shopping. I highly encourage you to just watch at least this one video if you aren’t familiar with shopping online.

5. Don’t Stress if You Miss Out
A Lot of Deals Come and Go Quickly, so Don’t stress if you miss out on a deal. Just keep checking back  and I’ll let you know when a deal is available again. Also, remember a lot of deals will come back again so just relax and enjoy shopping and saving!

I’m super excited to share with you an amazing feature that I’ve spent countless hours developing over the past few months. One of the things I hear all the time from people is that they wish I would come teach a class for their group, or that they just wish they had all the information in one place. At this stage in my families life it’s just not feasible for me to spend several nights a week teaching classes, so I decided that an online course was the best option!

Introducing Savings 101 – A FREE Online Couponing Class!

This is a Detailed Series that covers the Basics of Coupons, Finding Coupons, Coupon Strategies, Drugstore Shopping and more! These online tutorials contain over 3 1/2 Hours of instructional videos as well as Downloadable notes and Printable Pages to help you get organized! I’ve also included links to all the sites and resources I mention in the videos.

Here is the list of Lessons included in the Series:

1. Understanding Coupons
2. Finding Coupons
3. Organizing Coupons
4. Coupon Lingo
5. Couponing Strategies
6. Creating a Meal Plan
7. Using Online Grocery Matchups
8. Building a Stockpile
9. The Drugstore Game
10. Online Shopping

You can Register for the FREE Online Coupon Class to get started. Then take your time and go through each of the lessons or jump around to the ones that interest you the most!

Note: These videos are 10-30 minutes each so you won’t be able to complete the entire class in one setting, but once you register you’ll have access to all the information and you can come back and take each lesson one at a time. I really do encourage you to watch the videos because I offer some great practical tips as we go along. (I am working on a shorter series that will be an overview for those of you who don’t have time to watch the longer videos so hopefully that will be available soon)

Make sure you Sign up for FREE Email Updates or our RSS Feed  to keep up with the progress in future posts.

Last week I introduced you to Danielle. This is a good friend of mine who recently got married and due to some changes in their financial situation and jobs her and her husband are now trying to make ends meet. There were a few questions regarding last week’s video that I wanted to address quickly.

• $60 - $90 Month Grocery Budget – I know this was a shocker to all of you! And in all honesty I’m not sure if that’s realistic or not. But what I can say is that I didn’t ask Danielle what she spent before the camera was rolling so I didn’t have any idea what she would say ;) (I wanted to keep this real for you guys) And keep in mind this is her “Budget” or was her Budget not what they were actually spending. In all reality after talking to Danielle More (In future videos) we learn that she has actually been pulling a lot of money out of savings!!!! That’s one of our main goals to get them living within their means. Income=Expenses at a minimum. Then we’ll move on to saving. So while I know that was shocking to hear, please keep in mind they were spending more than what they had budgeted which is why they are working so hard now to 1) Use coupons and shop sales and 2) Get their Income up so that they can have a more realistic budget.
• This is a Process – Nothing happens overnight. I think people often give up on trying to use coupons and save money when they go to the store and realize they only saved $10-$20…. Creating a Stockpile, Sticking to a Menu Plan are all pieces of the puzzle. One of the reasons I wanted to bring you along on this journey is so that you can help us out ;) And so you can see that it’s more about a lifestyle and mentality shift. It’s also a process, something that takes time and it is a gradual reduction in the grocery bill and household bill that allows us to meet other financial goals (And stop pulling all that money out of savings).
• We Don’t Know the Outcome – I would love to say that I know how this is going to turn out, but I don’t. I’m just letting you in on some of our conversations so that you can see what I would do if I were showing up on your doorstep to help you. Some of today’s video is just me understanding a little more about what Danielle uses and buys, It’s not so much about what we will actually end up with when we get to the store…. This is still evolving and growing and as Danielle’s income and budget change then so will what we can fit into our budget, etc.
• More than a Budget- There are lots of things that contribute to financial success. Couponing is a means to an end. Danielle and her husband are also attending the Financial Peace University Class this fall. This is helping them make sure they have their priorities in line. They are working to reduce debt, build an emergency fund, create a zero balance budget and increase their income all while learning the couponing and savings process. It’s the big picture of all of this combined that will get us to our goals in the end. Saving and reducing our grocery and household budgets is just one price of the puzzle.

Now Moving on to this weeks Video! This week I’m going over what I call a Stockpile Plan with Danielle. This is just me creating a list of items they buy on a weekly basis You can download & Create your own Stockpile Plan Here. Here’s how to use the plan:

Just Print off the Stockpile Plan

Make a list of the Most Frequent Items you Buy in each Category. It doesn’t reduce our budget to buy lots and lots of items we don’t really use, in fact we can waste money on buying items we won’t really use and we will end up with less money in our budget for the things we need. So think of this as a priority list. Finding The items you buy MOST often on sale and with coupons will save you the MOST money, and that’s the goal!

Start Watching for Sales & Coupons. I know people are always wondering which coupons they should print. Well use this as a guide. If you find a coupon for an item on your list, get that printer going ;) Or pull out your scissors and clip that coupon. Again this list is just a guideline, but hopefully it will help keep you from getting overwhelmed and thinking you need to clip every coupon or waste money printing coupons for things you won’t really use.

Buy When an Item is On Sale &/Or You have a great Coupon. It’s all about timing and I try to always list the TOP deals at each store. You want to create your shopping lists around whats On Sale and a great deal. Buy multiples of items to get you through to the next sale.

• Stockpile Food Items for 8 Weeks
• Stockpile Health & Beauty or Household Items for 3-6 Months

I really don’t think you have to have to have a ton of everything stuffed in your closets. In fact I know most of us (me included) don’t have room for 50 boxes of cereal. So the goal is not to clear the shelves but to buy what your family will use in that time frame. That will get us to the next sale and get that item off our weekly shopping lists for a few weeks so that we can free up room in our budget to buy the other items we need.

Once again I want to stress that this is a Plan… This is not a shopping list :) We’re not running to the store to buy 8 of each item on our list, we’re buying as we find them on sale or as we need them. This is just our way of staying organized and not buying things we won’t use.

Suggestions of Items to Add to Your List – Here’s a few suggestions of items that are on my Stockpile List and my Rock Bottom Buy Price. Remember I Stock Up at this price or Less.

:: Basic Food Items

• Shredded Cheese ($1 or less)
• Chicken Breast ($1.50 or less per pound)
• Ground Beef ($1.50 or less per pound)
• Cream of Chicken Soup ($0.40 or less per can)
• Pasta ($0.50 per box)
• Rotel ($0.50 per can or less)
• Frozen Veggies ($0.50 per  bag)
• Canned Veggies ($0.50 per can or less)
• Frozen Pizza ($1.50-$2 each)
• Flour ($2 per 5lb. bag or less – This goes on sale for less around thanksgiving)
• Sugar ($2 per 5 lbs. or less)
• Yogurt ($0.25 per cup or serving)
• Bagels ($1.50 per bag)
• Cereal ($1 per box)
• Juice Boxes for my Son ($1.50 for 8 ct. 100% Juice)
• Cream Cheese, $0.98
• Rice, $0.50/lb.

:: Basic Household Items - These sometimes need to be broken out by the unit. For example Paper Towels I purchase based on a “Regular Roll Price” So normally a package will say = 18 Rolls or something and I base it on the “Regular Roll Ct.” same thing with Toilet Paper.

• Toilet Paper ($0.20 or less per regular roll)
• Paper Towels ($0.33 or less per regular roll)
• Laundry Detergent ($1 per 32 load bottle)
• Dish washing Detergent ($1 per 20 washes)
• Dish Soap (Free – $0.25)
• Bathroom Cleaners ($1 per bottle or Free)
• Clorox or Lysol Wipes ($1.50 per tub)
• Paper Plates ($1 per package) note: I don’t use much paper we use mostly real dishes but I will buy these for when we have company or parties and I don’t want to do dishes ;)
• Dryer Sheets ($1 for 40 ct.)
• Stain Remover ($1 or less)
• Straws ($75 ct. for $1.50) – Add this to my list of things i never find on sale, but I just LOVE straws :) So I buy them anyway, good thing they aren’t expensive.

:: Personal Care Items- Honestly I don’t pay for much like this now. I typically get most of these items on sale at Walgreens. But I’ll list a price I would pay if I couldn’t get it for Free :)

• Body Wash ($1 each)
• Toothpaste ($1 each) - but you can almost always get this free!
• Toothbrushes ($1 each) – but you can almost always get this free!
• Deodorant ($0.50 each) – but you can almost always get this free!
• Shampoo ($1.50 per Bottle)
• Razors ($0.50 per razor or refill)
• Shaving Cream ($0.75 or less)
• Feminine Care Items ($1 per package)
• Contact Solution ($3 per Bottle) – but you can almost always get this free!
• Lotion ($1.50 per bottle)

So I know that was a long post and a long video, but hopefully it has you thinking about which items you need to stockpile.

Here’s your homework for the week: Print off this form and create your Stockpile List, Then start watching for sales and filling in the prices :) This is going to help you get a good idea of when you need to buy an item.

I’m really excited to share with you the first in a series of videos that I’ve been working on. One of the things I always hear from readers is “I wish you could just go shopping with me” well, that”s not always practical or possible, but I am going to introduce you to Danielle, She doesn’t do much couponing YET, but I’m going to be helping her with the entire process everything from Learning to make a menu plan, create a stockpile, organize her coupons and more.

My goal is to help you see the process from the beginning. I know that it can be overwhelming to know where to start and so I wanted to start at the beginning. I hope you can join along in our journey. This week I want to introduce you to Danielle and let you get to know a little more about her situation. She and her husband recently got married and moved into a new house. With a change in her job their finances are tighter than they expected so she’s ready to start figuring out how to reduce her budget and stop pulling from savings.

Homework: If you want to join in the Journey make sure you take an honest look at what you are spending currently.

I recommend writing down everything you are buying when you go to the store and what you are spending. Be realistic, as you can tell from the video Danielle would initially tell you her grocery budget was only $60 every month. However she’s actually spending $90 per month because she’s pulling money from savings.

I also think its important to have a budget of where all your money is going. You need to know exactly whats coming in and where it’s going to go before its spent. Danielle has a plan, but is having a hard time staying within those set boundries.

What challenges do you face when it comes to your grocery budget? Everyone has different needs and challenges so it’s important to identify what areas you need to work on.

Next week we will be discussing creating a stockpiling plan. The videos are a little long (Because I talk a lot) :) So I’m sorry this one just ends and doesn’t go on to the next video. lol. I’m still working on my Vlog skills.

Today I want to give you the intro to Swagbucks and help you understand a little more about how to use this program to earn money online.

Let’s start with the basics, What is Swagbucks?
Swagbucks is an online search engine just like Google or Yahoo.

How do I earn Swagbucks?
You can earn Swagbucks by doing searches for just about anything online. Just switch to using Swagbucks.com rather than Google.com. Swagbucks randomly awards “Swagbucks” when you search.

For example: You might do 3-5 searches in a day and most likely on one of those you will win any number of Swagbucks 5,10, or even 20 swagbucks. These are awarded randomly so you won’t win everytime but typically I win about once per day.

What do I do with Swagbucks?
Swagbucks can be redeemed for prizes in the online Swag Store. You can purchase things like Amazon.com Gift Cards, Starbucks Gift Cards and even iTunes Gift Cards. There are tons of options, those are just my favorites.

How many Swagbucks do I need to earn?
It takes 450 Swagbucks to redeem for a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card.

How Fast Can I earn Swagbucks?
There are lots of ways to earn Swagbucks including the Toolbar, Free Swagcodes and Special Offers. I’ll be highlighting these over the next few days so make sure you follow along. Typically I would expect to get about a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card a month but you can earn a lot more if you really keep up with the codes or you can get some friends to sign up under you and you can earn referral swagbucks.

When should I redeem my Swagbucks?
I redeem my swagbucks as soon as I can for Amazon.com Gift Cards. Then I add these to my account on Amazon and they are ready and waiting when I want to buy something. It takes about 10-15 days for the codes to show up in your account once you redeem your swagbucks so don’t wait till you’re ready to buy something on Amazon.com to redeem your swagbucks.

How do I redeem my swagbucks?
You can go to the Swag Store link from the Swagbucks Home Page and then click on Gift/Rewards Cards. Look for the $5 Amazon.com Gift Card or any prize that you want to buy and then click on the green “Snag This” button. Swagbucks will add the gift codes to your account in the middle (Around the 17th) and at the end of each month.

If you’re ready to dive in and join me in Earning Swagbucks then you can Sign Up Here. You will get 30 Free Swagbucks for signing up. Then Start Searching, and Start Earning!

I just have to start this post out by saying that I have some Awesome Readers! I just love when you leave comments with tips and ideas to help each other save even more. I got some great reader suggestions the other day on my post about Saving Money on Rental Cars and I thought I would pass them along.

Plus, this is a great time to mention that if don’t regularly check out the comments on posts they can be a great source of information. All of my readers are so helpful and often answer questions or post updates to a deal before I can get back to my computer.

Alright, that’s enough introduction, here are my Top 5 Reader Tips for Saving Money on Rental Cars

Use Cash Back Sites like Shop At Home and Ebates to Purchase Your Rental Car –

Jennifer said “We just rented our last car through ShopAtHome.com. I started there, searched for Budget Rental, and clicked through their link. Doing that scored me over $20 in cash back from ShopAtHome.com. If you have an account with them – or with a similar cash back website – it might be worth checking to see if you can shop through them. That way you’re getting something back after the rental.”

You can sign up for Shop At Home and Ebates and check the prices on each site to see which will give you the best deal.

Compare Total Prices Including Taxes and Fees –

Lecia said “while the airport car rentals will have the lowest rate, they will also have the highest fees and taxes, so make you look at the total cost, not just the daily rate when you book.”

This is such a big point that I completely forgot to mention in my original post, so thanks to Lecia for pointing out that You need to compare apples to apples. Make sure you get a quote including Taxes and Fees so that you aren’t surprised in the end.

Check for Membership Discounts –

Kim suggested that “you can gets codes from Sams Club, from your credit card, from being a member of different organizations (i.e. bar associations, realtor associations” so make sure you check with any local or national organizations to see if they offer discounts. This will require a little bit of work, but hopefully it will pay off in savings.

Bring Your Own “Amenities” –

I mentioned Checking Your Insurance to see if it covers rental cars, but Kelly reminded me that you can also bring along extra’s like a GPS System for an additional savings. “We just rented a car when we took a trip to the Gulf Coast of Florida. They wanted to charge us $12/day to rent a GPS. Well, Hubby said no thank you and packed ours from home in his suitcase! We saved $84+taxes in that alone!”

Search for Online Coupon Codes -

Janell suggested using online sites such as MouseSavers or Retail Me Not to search for coupon codes. This will give you access to codes and discounts you might not have thought of on your own.

If you missed the first post in this series make sure you check out How to Save Money Renting a Car.

I would love for you to send me tips and suggestions of other topics you would like me to cover in the next few weeks. Just send me a quick email at heather (at) passionforsavings (dot) com or you can just Leave a Comment on this post.

(Photo Credit: Suss-Man)

I am loving all these great reader questions! Today I want to cover how to save money when renting a car. I’m actually learning a lot doing some of this research, so just keep those questions coming.

Lynn Asked… “I live in a small town in AL  and want to rent a car to visit some friends One lives in Huston TX, and One lives in Key west.  Do you have any ideas for me to save some money on renting car .

When renting a car there are a few key things that you want to keep in mind.

• How long do you need to rent the car for
• How far are you traveling
• What size car do you need

Knowing these three things can help you determine where you can sacrifice to save a little money. I also recommend signing up for daily deal updates from companies such as Hotwire to keep up with the best travel dates.

Here are a few great tips on renting cars so that hopefully you can get the best deal for the least amount of money.

Do Your Research! Just like with anything else, getting the best price when booking a rental car requires you to know what your options are. Check out multiple companies and possibly even multiple areas. You may find a better price by booking at an Airport due to the fact that there is typically a larger inventory at these locations, however in some cases dropping off your car at an alternate location may be best.

I suggest making a map and time line of where you will be and when you need your rental car. Then check multiple dates and locations on a site like RentalCars.com to find the best deal.

Book Ahead and Keep Looking! You may want to book  your rental car ahead of time and then keep searching for a lower price. Just make sure you know when your last opportunity to cancel is before you will be charged a penalty.

Try using a service like Priceline.com or RentalCars.com and Under Bidding at the last possible time to get a better deal than what you already have reserved. Typically sites like Priceline are being used by companies to fill up excess inventory so you’re going to most likely get a better price the closer you get to your booking date.

Be Creative in your Search! There are several non-traditional rental methods that you may want to consider. Try sites like Rent a Wreck, or Zip Car a car sharing service where you only pay for what you drive.

Look into Private Rentals! Why not consider asking Friends or Family who have additional cars or ones that they don’t use often if you can pay them to use their car rather than renting a car. You may find that this is a great option if you are going on a long trip or vacation, or if you are flying and you are going to need a car once you arrive just make the arrangements in advance and you may be able to get a great deal this way as well.

Be Conservative! Make sure you keep in mind a realistic size car and model. Always book for the smallest, and least expensive model you think will work. Then plan for a pick up time late in the day, chances are that if the inventory is already gone of the car you booked you have a better chance for upgrades.

Loyalty Programs & Special Offers! Most sites like Hertz.com have Loyalty Programs as well as pages for Special Offers. Joining a Loyalty Program is a great idea if you are planning on doing a lot of traveling because those rewards can really add up. However if you are looking for a one time rental then checking the special offers page and being flexible on your dates might be a better option.

Insure Yourself! Do some research and see if you  have a car insurance company that also covers you in a rental car. If so, make sure you bring proof of that with you to pick up your rental, it’s a great way to save on all the extra charges.

Also, bringing along your own car seats if you are going to be traveling with children is a great way to save on additional charges. Most airlines will now allow you to check a car seat at no additional charge.

Be Flexible! As with just about anything the more flexible your dates and plans are the more likely you are to get a good deal. Sign up for updates from companies such as HotWire.com to get email updates with Hot Deals, you might be able to find a great deal that fits into your plans.

What travel tips and rental car tips do you have that you can share with Lynn? Leave a comment and hopefully we can all save a little more when renting a car in the future.

(Sources: A big thanks to Carol White, author of Live Your Road Trip Dream, Cal Ford of Lido Deck Cruises, Ron Antonette and Hertz.com)

(Photo Credit: Suss-Man)

I know I have a hard time keeping up with which Mail in Rebates are available so I thought it would be nice to give you a Round Up of the best Mail In Rebates available right now. Some of these are printable forms and others are found in recent newspaper inserts.

FREE Schick Hydro Razor (Exp. 8/18/10) -
$10.99 MIR Schick Hydro Razor printable

FREE Zegerid OTC (Exp. 7/31/10) –
Use $4/1 Zegerid OTC, exp. 7-31-10 (SS 06/20/10)
And $12.99 MIR Zegerid OTC, (SS 06/20/10)

Clorox Toilet Wand $5 Mail In Rebate (Exp. 2/1/11) –
$5 MIR Clorox Toilet Wand printable

FREE Finese Product (Exp. 8/15/10) –
Use $1/1 Finesse Purchase, exp. 8-15-10 (SS 05/16/10)
And Up to $3 MIR Finesse Product, (SS 05/16/10)

FREE Red Baron Pizza By The Slice (Exp. 7/25/10) –
FREE After MIR Red Baron Pizza by the Slice (SS 4/25/10)

FREE Armor All Wheel Protectant –
FREE After MIR Armor All Wheel Protectant wyb Select Items printable

FREE Just for Men Touch of Gray (Exp. 12/31/10) –
FREE After MIR Just For Men Touch of Gray printable

Woolite Dry Cleaners Secret –
$3 MIR Woolite Dry Cleaner’s Secret printable

Also, I put together a handy Mail In Rebate Tracker so that you can mark when you purchased the items, when you mailed them, and when you received the rebate. I like to keep this in a folder and put the photo copies of my rebates behind the master form. ;) Just another way to help keep you organized!

Now that we’ve talked about The Basics of Stockpiling and gone over How to Create a Stockpile I thought it would be good if I gave you a few tips and tools to actually get started :)

I’ve created a simple (and I want to stress the Simple part) worksheet for starting to create your stockpile. Keep in mind this isn’t for those of you who already have closets overflowing, but for those who are looking for somewhere to start and need a plan.

1. Download and Print the Stockpiling Worksheet and use it as you follow along this post.

2. Write Down 10 Items you buy every time you go to the store. Do this for each category listed. You will want to include items which you could stockpile, so you probably don’t want to list Milk, Bread, or items that will perish.

For the Health & Beauty items you want to list your most frequently used items. So for my family we would use items such as Toothpaste, Contact Solution, Shaving Cream, Razor Blades, Lotion, and so on.

Pharmacy is for items that you prefer. My mom prefers to use Aleve over anything else so even though I can’t get that for Free very often I do want to purchase it at Rock Bottom Prices. Another item we use is Children’s Tylenol so that’s going to go in this category as well so that I make sure I’m watching for the best deal.

3. Fill in the Retail Price of the Item. This is the price you would pay if you just walked in to the store and picked the item up off the shelf. If you normally buy the generic than you could also use that price.

4. Aim to Buy Items at 50% Of the Retail Price. The Buy price of an item is around 50%  This would be when the item is either on sale, or you have a coupon for the item. This is the highest price that you typically want to pay for an item.

5. Watch for a Stock Up Price. One of the reasons you want to know the Buy Price of the item is so that you can determine when it’s time to stockpile. My typical rule of thumb is that you want to pay 75% or less for an item that you are stockpiling.

6. Set aside $10 each week for stockpiling (You may need to reduce the items you buy by $10 to avoid busting your budget)

7. Print Coupons & Watch for Sales. As coupons for the items on your list come along you will want to print those or cut them out and put them in your coupon box or binder. This is so that when you find a sale you already have the coupon available.

8. Try to Stockpile 1 item a week, or as much as you can with the $10. You will find that most of the Health & Beauty items go on sale frequently for Free and that would be a great time to stockpile without using much of your $10.

9. Check off your list! I love to check off my list so I included a checkbox so you could see your progress. The goal is that as you stockpile the items you use on a frequent basis you will start to see freedom in your budget to expand your list of items that you stockpile.

Stockpiling is just one of the ways that I have reduced my budget overtime. I love that now I buy only necessities and several stockpile items each week. Hopefully this has been helpful, I would love to know what questions you still have? Leave a comment and let me know and I will do my best to answer them in the upcoming weeks!

Photo Credit: babaghan

When I first started using coupons I spent a lot of time reading about stockpiles and thinking about stockpiling and still never got started. I’ve thought a lot about why I just sat on the sidelines knowing that people were stockpiling with success and yet I never took the plunge.

Here’s what I decided: It’s overwhelming. There, I said it. We all know that looking at someone’s stockpile makes you think you have to immediately have a pantry and closet full of items and honestly it’s like we don’t know where to start.

When stockpiling you have to remember why you are doing this. You are stockpiling to ultimately reduce the amount of money you spend on budget items. So there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Only stockpile items you need – Make a list of the top 10 items you use on a weekly basis. I have a Health and Beauty List and a Food List.
• Only buy at Rock Bottom Prices – This is actually easier said than done since prices and sales come and go and it gets easier the longer you do it. But a general rule to start off is to buy at 50% and stockpile at 75% or more of normal retail prices.

So if I have Macaroni & Cheese on my list of items I use on a weekly basis and it’s normally $1 a box. I’m going to buy at $0.50 a box or as close to that number as I can get, but when I find it for $0.50 a box and I have a coupon for $1/4 making it $0.25 a box then I’m going to stockpile so that eventually I’m not ever paying $0.50

Another reason I didn’t start stockpiling sooner is that, well… Stockpiling costs money. I had finally gotten my budget in balance again, but I didn’t have extra money to buy extra items. I was “making ends meet” on a weekly basis so adding in items I wasn’t going to use seemed daunting.

I really do believe that couponing and saving money can enable you to have so much more. However as with anything in life there is often a degree of sacrifice required to get ahead.

• $10 a week is all it takes to get ahead. Just think if you could buy cereal for $1 a box then you could buy 10 boxes of cereal! So where do you find that extra $10? The easiest thing I know of is to give up $10 worth of Snack items, Soft drinks, Orange Juice, etc. If you can give up 2 or 3 $3-$4 items for one week then you can begin.

Here’s an example to help you understand:

Week 1:

1. Sacrifice $10 worth of items you can consider (Extra’s) Don’t worry these will eventually come back into your budget.
2. Use that $10 to stockpile one item that you use on a weekly basis
3. If you can purchase 10 boxes of cereal for $1 each rather than $3 each
   And you use 1 box of cereal a week then you will have saved $2 out of your grocery budget every week for the next 9 weeks. ($18 Savings)

Week 2:

1. This week you only need to reduce the items you are purchasing by $8 (Since you are already saving $2 from the cereal) You should still have $10 to work with.
2. Try buying another staple. Check the ads for the best price or check my site for the best match ups. Purchase something like Cheese If you can find 10 bags of cheese for $10 and you normally pay $2.50 a bag you will save $13.50 over the next 9 weeks.

Week 3:

1. This week you only need to reduce your items by $10 – 2 – 1.50 (Your savings from previous weeks) = $6.50 this allows you maintain your $10 weekly Stockpile budget.
2. Find another item you buy on a weekly basis. If you continue this trend it won’t take long to be able to purchase all your normal items and still have the remaining $10 to spend stockpiling. You will be amazed at just how fast your stockpile grows and how fast you can start to see the freedom in your budget.

Remember, this same strategy can be used with just about any budget item.

I would love to know what you used to start your stockpile. Did you have a plan, or did you just try to purchase items that were free to get you ahead. There’s no wrong answer but I would love to here your thoughts on this subject.

Photo Credit: babaghan

When you think of stockpiling what comes to mind? I think of shows like Hoarders or segments  from Good Morning America of Extreme Couponers stockpiling hundreds of boxes of Jello in their garage. But stockpiling can be an every day practice that could just change the way you shop. Here are a few common questions and answers to get you thinking on the idea of building a stockpile.

So what is Stockpiling?

Stockpiling in the sense that I use the word is buying multiples of an item to get you through to the next sale. You can purchase items at rock bottom prices when you can combine a sale with a high value coupon.

Will the food go bad?

I only encourage people to 1) Stockpile food and personal items they know they will use and eat and 2) Only purchase enough of an item to get you to the next sale. Everyone’s stockpile will be a different size and contain different items depending on your families size and what products you use and eat. The key in my opinion is to keep it manageable. The goal is to reduce your food and household budget by always buying on sale and never paying full price.

Where do you keep your stockpile?

I often hear from friends that they don’t have anywhere to store items in bulk quantities. I think this goes back to the pictures we’ve all seen of hundreds of items lined up on shelves in the garage. The truth is that you really don’t need as much space as you think and you would be surprised where you can store things.

I don’t have one place to store items, I have lots of spaces to store things. I have to spread it out around my house to find the space. For example, I use the cabinet in the Laundry room to store extra bottles of laundry detergent and fabric softener, under the sink I store all my extra cleaning supplies. The top shelf of the pantry is my food stockpile, the kids closets each have their diapers and the hall closet is where I store health and beauty items. I know this isn’t always as convenient as having everything in one place, but the key is make it work for you and when you clean out you will be surprised at the space you have.

What items should I stockpile first?

I’m going to do a separate post on what to stockpile, but the general rule of thumb is to stockpile the item you use the most frequently that is on sale first. So if you can only buy extra of one item each week pick the item you use the most that is offered at the greatest discount. This is what will reduce your weekly expenses the fastest.

I would love to know if you stockpile and how you got started. Also, if you have questions on stockpiling then let me know and I will do my best to address them.

Photo Credit: babaghan

Today I want to share with you the details of how to use Subscribe and Save on Amazon.com. This is something I mention often because you can typically save 15% off Food and Diaper Purchases by using this option, but it also is a little confusing if you haven’t used this system before. Here’s a step by step guide to using Subscribe and Save.

Subscribe and Save is a subscription service that will automatically ship the products you purchase every 1, 2, 3, or 6 months. However you can cancel this at any time with no obligation.

1. When shopping you want to look for the blue subscribe and save boxes. These boxes will let you know that you can save 15% off your purchase by using the subscribe and save option.

2. Add the item to your cart by choosing your desired frequency and clicking the Subscribe Now button (This is below the normal add to cart button). I like to choose 6 months to give me plenty of time to cancel if I decide I don’t want to continue shipments.

3. Enter your Credit Card Information – You can still use your Amazon Credit or Swagbucks to purchase, the Credit Card information is simply for the Subsequent purchases that will be sent to you if you don’t cancel your order.

4. You will then be able to review your order and you will see the Subscription Discount from using the Subscribe and Save Option at this point. Also, you can see that my Amazon.com credit from Swagbucks was applied to my order. You also get Free Shipping with Subscribe and Save regardless of the amount purchased.

Canceling your order:

1. When canceling your Subscription to Subscribe and Save you will want to go to your account page. The easiest way to find this is by going to the homepage of Amazon.com and looking above the search bar.

2. Under Order Options Click on the link for Manage Current Subscriptions.

3. You will see a list of your Subscribe and Save Subscriptions. Use the Cancel Subscription Button to end your subscription.

Once you have done this process once you realize just how easy it is to use the Subscribe and Save option. Like I said I’ve started using this more and more. The only thing you have to remember is you have to wait till your order has shipped to cancel the subscription. Other than that there are no phone calls or sales people to deal with. It’s a great service and a great way to save a little extra money!

Today’s Budgeting Basics Tip is about Using Cash. I know that this can be a polarizing issue so I’m going to give you both sides of my experience and I want to hear your thoughts on this topic.

We’ve used one main system since we got married. Our budget is on the computer and every time we have income it gets divided into one of our many categories. We then save all our receipts and enter them 2-3 times a week and each receipt total is deducted from a category. It’s been really easy for us to track how much we have remaining in each category. We also use cash for specific categories such as Food, Fun Money and Clothing. I had gotten kinda lazy at the beginning of the year about using cash and was using my credit card a little more (I’m going to blame it on being 8-9 months pregnant and having a newborn), but recently we decided to get back into the discipline of using cash. Here are my thoughts on the positives and negatives of using cash.

The Positives:

• Research says you spend 25% Less when you use cash. I recently switched back to Cash in a few of my budget categories to keep me accountable and it really has helped.
• You don’t have to track receipts. For me not having to keep up with every single receipt is nice, I’m not nearly as worried about missing a receipt and having my budget out of balance.
• You instantly know what you have remaining to spend.I love knowing exactly how much is left in each envelope. I’m never worried about the exact amount or putting in receipts before I go shopping.
• Planning Ahead. I know that I always plan ahead more when I use cash because I know I need to be efficient with what I buy, I also find myself tracking my purchases better as I go throughout the store.

The Negatives:

• I don’t like paying for a purchase from more than one category with cash. For Example, I like having lots of categories and so It’s hard if something is $4 from one category and $13 from another. I try to keep smaller bills, but I never seem to have the right amount from each envelope. I much prefer using the credit card for this type of thing because it was much easier to enter the exact amounts from each category on the computer.
• Going to the bank is my downfall on the cash system.I forget to go to the bank, then I end up needing something and running to the store. It’s definitely where I struggle to stay on track. I just have to remember to get cash the first day of the pay period so that I stay on track.
• I don’t track what I spend.I’ve mentioned several times that I’m the spender and not the saver. Having my husband as my accountability when he was entering receipts forced me to stay in budget. When I have cash, I’m way more likely to spend grocery money on riding the mary-go-round at the mall or I spend extra clothing money on lunch. Since I am not the disciplined one when it comes to money cash is much easier for me to blow through than if I know my hubby will be seeing the receipts and asking me what I spent the money on :)

I’m not going to say that one system or the other is best. But I can say this. If you are having trouble getting your budget in line switch to cash! For example, I know that I tend to overspend in 1-2 categories, for me it’s clothing money and lunch money so if I have those in cash it creates boundaries for me. I know exactly what I have to spend and I have better control over the situation.

I would love to know, Do you use Cash, and what are the advantages/disadvantages that you see?

When you start making a budget one of the first things people tell you to do is to “Make a list of everything you spend money on”. But I want to suggest that you start by Deciding how much you want to save. If your budget is like mine there are times when saving can be the last thing on the list, we spend first and save the rest. But the concept of “Paying Yourself” or setting aside your savings immediately when the paycheck comes in is a great way to start to see your savings goals realized.

Develop a Savings Plan.

What are you saving for? Are you working towards an initial $1000 Emergency Fund, are you saving for new Furniture, for Retirement, maybe all of the above? You need to first know what your goals, write them down and start allocating money towards those goals. Even if it’s just a little bit each month you will start to see these accounts grow and for me that’s always motivating.

Save First.

It sounds simple enough, but make sure that you are setting aside your savings first when creating a budget. Remember, You are in control of your money. Why not have your paycheck go directly to your savings account and then only transfer the amount you want to spend to your checking account rather than waiting to the end of the month to see whats left. It might make you a little more accountable to what you are actually spending.

Reduce your budgets.

I used to think I was “Saving Money” all the time after I first started using coupons, but in reality I was still spending my same food and household budgets each month, I was just simply buying more stuff with that same amount. There came a day when I decided the only way I was actually going to realize the savings was to reduce the budget. I decided that I would take a percentage (Say 10% at first) and reduce my budget by that much. Could I make it work? I wouldn’t know till I tried, but I was surprised that when  you have a limited amount you are more likely to stick to that budget than you are if the money is sitting in an envelope and you have to have the discipline to save it.

What’s Your Saving Strategy? Do you set aside your savings first? I would love to know! I’ve gotten some great ideas and suggestions from all my great readers, so let’s keep the conversation going.

This week I want to cover some Basics when it comes to budgeting that I think we all can use a reminder on. I am by no means the budgeting expert so if you are looking for a help with getting your budget created and in line then I want to suggest you check out Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. My goal is just to simply remind us all of the basics that so often we forget or get lazy about as time goes on.

My Number 1 Rule when it comes to Budgeting is: What Comes in Must go Out! 

I was a business major in college and the equation Assets = Liabilities + Owner’s Equity was drilled into our heads because you cannot run a successful business without knowing where all your money is. In the same way, You can’t run a successful budget without knowing where you money is going!

Be In Charge of your Money!

I love to think of a budget basically as telling my money where to go. I get to decide how much goes where, I make the rules, and then I choose to live within them. Make sure you account for all sources of income when creating your budget, Include cashback and rewards programs. For Example: We have our Credit Card Points Estimated in our budget and that money is used to pay for Christmas Gifts. If it wasn’t accounted for in the budget we most likely would spend it on several small (unnecessary) items during the year, but by placing it in our budget it’s helped us to save that money and redeem it once a year when it’s time to buy gifts.

Make a List!

Do you really know where your money is going? I recently had to sit down and look back at our budget and re-commit to staying on track. In all honesty I tend to do really well for a while, then I start “Slipping” and getting lazy about sticking to the amounts for each category. Taking a look at the whole picture helps me to evaluate if the budget needs to be changed, but it also allows me to remember the reasons behind budgeting and the goals we have.

Every $ Accounted For.

Make sure you spend 100% of your income. Everything you make needs to be allocated to a budget category (Savings is a Category for us). Also, everything you spend needs to be accounted for. For us this means that we have a small Miscellaneous account that covers the random expenses like Stamps or something that you might not have a category for. It just  helps us be in control.

What are your budgeting basics??? I would love to know. I’ve got a few more for you this week, but I know that I always learn so much from you guys and I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

I am so excited to let you know that I have a great new resource for you here on Passion for Savings! This weekend I installed the Passion for Savings coupon database to help you save even more!

Accessing the Coupon Database:

Just look on my Menu Bar and click on Printable Coupons. At the bottom you should see the link to the Coupon Database.

Using the Coupon Database:

To search for a coupon simply type either the product name or the general item you are looking for into the search field and click search

You will see a list of current coupons available for the product as well as their locations.

If Printable coupons are available. You can click the link to go directly to the coupon.

Coupons from the Newspaper Inserts are listed by the date they were included in the insert. They also list the abbreviation for the insert (RP = Red Plum, SS= Smartsource, PG = Proctor & Gamble, GM = General Mills) – You can find more information

One of the most frequent questions I get from readers who are new to my site is “Where do I find that Coupon?”

Today I want to explain the system I use for telling you exactly where to find a coupon. This is used in all of my matchups including Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Harps, & IGA.

Saving Inserts: There is one key to this system that will help you always be able to find a coupon easily and that is Saving your inserts by Date they were in the newspaper! I have file folders that I put the entire insert into and I label the date the insert was in the paper on the front. Then when I need to find a coupon I can easily go back to the date it was in the paper.

Understanding the Insert Code: This is what a Typical Coupon looks like when included in a match up:

$1/2 Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars, exp. 4-4-10 (RP 02/07/10)

There are 5 main parts to a coupon insert listing

1. $1/2 – The first number gives you the value of the coupon ($1), the second number is the amount of items required for the purchase. So this coupon is good for $1 off of 2 products.
2. Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars – This is the description of the product and will also include limitations sometimes so that you know what products the coupon can and cannot be used on.
3. exp. 4-4-10 – This is the date the coupon expires. This is helpful in knowing how long you have to take advantage of a deal.
4. (RP -  is the part where most people get lost. There are three main types of Newspaper Inserts. RP = Red Plum, SS = Smartsource, PG = Proctor & Gamble Insert. The two letters at the front let you know which insert the coupon will be found in so that you do not have to search through all of your inserts.
5. 02/07/10) - This is the date the coupon issued in the newspaper. This is the reason I tell you to save your inserts by date. If you have your inserts by date then  you can go back quickly and find exactly what you are looking for.

What if I can’t find a Coupon? Remember, Coupons always depend on the region of the country you live in. Sometimes one area will get a coupon and another will not have the coupon at all. Also, there are always different values issued of the same coupon so the one I list may not be the one you have in your inserts. The database I use for coupon inserts covers the entire country and there is no easy way to tell which coupons were in which papers. If I know a coupon was only in select papers then I try to mark this coupon as (Regional) meaning that it is only located in select inserts. What other questions do you have about coupon inserts? Leave a comment and let me know. I will be updating these posts so that you have a quick and easy reference in the future. Also, I want to be able to help those of you just starting out.

Yesterday I asked you to share some of your questions that you would like for me to answer. I want to answer all of these individually so that you don’t get lost in a post that’s the length of this website.

Today I want to share with you a step by step guide to Ebates. Ebates is an online shopping site that gives you cash back on all of your purchases. Plus, as an added bonus you will get $5 just for signing up.

Have you visited A Full Cup recently? If you haven’t made this a standard part of your week then it’s a great time to start! This is one of those places that compiles a lot of information and a lot of helpful people all in one place. Here are a few of my favorite features:

• Newest Coupons – Check out the Newest Coupons listed on the Front Page. This is a great resource to those “Hot” coupons that don’t last long. I always start by giving these a look
• Target Forums – These people are so helpful! This is a great way to find out what you can get for Free at Target this month and it will help you plan your shopping trips. Also, there is typically a typed preview of the ad available on Saturday.
• Walgreens Forums- Check this out daily if you are a big Walgreens Shopper. There have been a lot of great clearance finds recently, more than I could ever share. Plus, if you make a great find this is the place to let everyone know!
• Coupon Database - Ever wonder if there is a coupon available for your favorite product that you are loyal to? You can type in the Products name and see an instant list of all the un-expired coupons. Then you can print it from your computer or order it online if it’s not one that you have in your stash.

This is just the beginning. Make sure you register for A Full Cup and get involved. This is an online community of people just like you all working together to help each other save money. So dive in and contribute to the community!

Today

If you have been following this blog for very long you probably know that there are some essential every day items that you can get for FREE! Here’s How:

1) Walgreens Register Rewards

Keep your eyes on the Walgreens Weekly Ad. Each week there are specific items that you can purchase that are “Free After Register Reward”

Let me explain what a Register Reward is and how to use it.

A Register Reward is a coupon off your next purchase. Register Rewards are essentially like cash off your next purchase or transaction.

For example if Edge Shaving Gel and Chapstick are Free after Register Rewards:

Transaction 1:

Buy Chap stick for $1.99
Get a coupon (Register Rewards) for $1.99 off your next purchase

Transaction 2:

Buy Edge Shaving Gel for $2.99
Use your coupon from the Chap stick for $1.99
= Pay $1.00 for the Edge Shaving Gel
& Receive a coupon (Register Rewards) for $3.00

You have paid $2.99 total (plus tax) and still have $3.00 off your next purchase. You can use your $3.00 on something you need, or save it for next week and use it on another Register Reward item.

2) Mail In Rebates / Try Me Free

Keep your eyes open when you are shopping for “Try Me Free” offers that are attached to everyday products. Here are some items that I have found previously with Try Me Free labels attached

Nestle Toll House Refrigerated Cookie Dough (At Walmart)

Resolve Carpet Cleaner (At Walmart)

Raisin Bran Extra

Kellogg’s All Bran Products

Physicians Formula Bronze Brighteners (At Walgreens)

Remember that most of the time you have to have the form that is attached to the product

Also, you will need an original receipt on these items, so only purchase one mail in rebate product per receipt.

3) FREE Samples

There are several great sites out there that list free samples. I also do a weekly round up of free stuff, or you can use the link at the top of this page to get to all the Free Stuff I have recently posted. I LOVE to get Free Samples in the mail, Pay attention to where the samples are coming from, sometimes companies offer a sample through their website, and also through Walmart.com.

I recently got 3 samples of the Always Infinity Pad (one a day for 3 days) All to the same mailing address, with the same name on it. I simply signed up on the Always site, the Walgreens site, and the Walmart site. Each one had 1 pad and a coupon with the retailers name on it.

If you figure that at $5.99/14 pads each one is worth $0.43 then I saved $1.29 just by signing up for these free samples.

4) Combining Coupons

Combining Coupons with Sale items, or Combining a Store Coupon such as a Target Coupon with a Manufacturer Coupon is also a great way to get items for Free. Target, Walgreens and Harps are my 3 favorite stores to shop and get Free Items!

5

Today I am going to give you a run down of local and national stores that I shop at. I will try to cover coupon policies (To the best of my knowledge) as well as what I typically buy at these stores and my strategies for shopping and getting the best deals.

Walgreens has some great deals on Toiletries and Cleaning Supplies, I also tend to purchase any Makeup, Lotion, Shampoo or Conditioner at Walgreens. This is a great place to get things Free if you know the right strategies.

Coupon Policies: This can get really confusing but I will try my best to explain it.

• You can combine 1 Walgreens Coupon with 1 Manufacturer’s coupon
• Walgreens Does accept Internet Coupons
• You can use 1 Manufacturer’s coupon or Register Rewards per item (So if you have 4 items you can have a total of 4 coupons and register rewards. The 5th coupon or register reward will not go through)
• If the value of the coupon exceeds the price of an item the value of the coupon is adjusted down to the price of the item.

(This is where it get’s tricky. Most store managers and cashiers will not always do this in our area, however I have emailed the District Manager and Corporate about this and have received the exact response listed here, so if you have a problem, I would contact them through the walgreens website)

You Can use a coupon to purchase an item that gives a Register Reward as long as it is not from the same deal, or the same manufacturer.

• If there is a B1G1 Free Sale you can use 2 coupons because you are purchasing 2 items.
• You can also use a B1G1 Free Coupon with a B1G1 Free Sale to get 2 items Free.

Register Rewards are also a great way to make money at Walgreens. If you want more information you can check out my post on Understanding Walgreens

Walmart is great because they accept most coupons. There has been some confusion in our area about Walmart accepting Internet coupons. I suggest Printing the Walmart Coupon Policy found on their website and keeping it with you in case you have a problem.

Walmart also does Price Matching so I love to do this with items listed in competitors ad’s especially if I have a coupon that another store won’t accept. (Typically an Internet coupon)

I buy a lot of Grocery Staples at Walmart. I keep my eyes open for Sales and try to use coupons most of what I buy. I rarely buy Health and Beauty items at Walmart unless they are on rollback or clearance, I have found I can get these items for less at Walgreens.

Target has great deals! I buy all kinds of random stuff at Target including some food and lot’s of baby stuff.

One of the best ways to save is to combine Target Store Coupons with Manufacturer Coupons.

You can find Target Store Coupons HERE

Target does accept Internet Coupons as long as they scan. If the Target Store coupons won’t scan, they will type in the number and that typically works better.

I rarely shop at Kmart unless they are running Double Coupon events (Which hasn’t happened in a very long time in Northwest Arkansas). Each time these run the rules change, so stay tuned for the details and upcoming events.

Today I want to talk about where you can find High Value Coupons. There are several great resources, the simple trick is just knowing where to find these coupons. Here are a few of my favorite places to look for coupons.

Remember, if you haven’t already created a separate email acount you will want to do so, or ]]> http://www.passionforsavings.com/2010/02/couponing-basics-finding-valuable-coupons/feed/ 2 http://www.passionforsavings.com/2010/02/where-to-start-learning-the-basics-of-couponing/ http://www.passionforsavings.com/2010/02/where-to-start-learning-the-basics-of-couponing/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:32:24 +0000 Heather http://www.passionforsavings.com/?p=8463

<strong>I’ve mentioned Kraft First Taste Several Times Recently, and while that offer is still available, I wanted to give you a few other sites that I also love being a member of. Here’s the Round Up:

Vocalpoint – A great site to review and discuss products. You will also receive coupons and free products in the mail to try just for signing up!

BzzAgent – This is a great site that will send you products to try, and coupons for your friends! Just think of all the friends you could make when you start handing out high value coupons :)

Kraft First Taste – Get coupons for Free Products. You get to try new products on the market and share with you friends about what’s new and upcoming!

Pssst…. By General Mills – You get to try new products and then a few weeks later fill out a survey with your opinion. I just love being a product tester, I think it’s my calling in life :)

One 2 One Network is a great place to have your voice heard. This is a little different because I don’t receive samples in the mail. You have to be chosen to participate in projects and you may be asked to do things such as review a CD, Post a review on your blog, or many other things. It’s still a great fun company to be involved with!

Several of the Walgreens Deals that I posted this week brought up some great questions! I tried to answer these in the comments, but thought they deserved an answer for everyone to see since I know many of you are probably wondering the same thing. Here are