If you have a question about how to save money please take a few minutes to read through the facts and questions. You may also contact me if you still have additional questions, I do my best to respond when I have time available.
- Where can I print coupons?
- How do I get coupons if I don’t have a Printer?
- What is a store coupon?
- What is a Manufacturer coupon?
- What is Stacking Coupons?
- How many manufacturer coupons can I use?
- What does 1 Per Purchase Mean?
- What do the abbreviations SS, RP and PG mean?
- Why are there 2 Dates Listed on Coupons from Newspaper Inserts?
- How do you Organize Your Coupons?
- What Grocery Stores do you cover?
- Can you add my local grocery store?
- Why do you say something is Free when there are shipping charges?
- How do I find Free Samples?
- What does Expired Mean?
- Can you help me find a Coupon I need?
- Why Can’t I get Coupons to Print?
- Why are coupons No Longer Available?
- What is Rolling?
- What is a Filler Item?
- What is a Register Reward?
- What is an ECB?
- What is a +Up Reward?
- What is Subscribe and Save?
- How to Cancel Subscribe and Save?
- What is Amazon Prime?
- What are Amazon Lightning Deals?
- Is it safe to give out my Personal Information Online?
- How do I keep from getting Spam in my Email Inbox?
- How do I Subscribe to Email Updates?
- How do I Unsubscribe from Email Updates?
- How do I enter Giveaways on Passion For Savings?
- How do I find Online Coupon Codes?
- What Cash Back Sites do you recommend?
Where can I print coupons?
You can find Printable Coupons on Manufacturer Websites, Facebook Pages and on Coupon Printing sources like Coupons.com, Smartsource, Red Plum & the Coupon Network. I would also recommend checking the Printable Coupon Page daily for the newest coupons available.
How do I get coupons if I don’t have a Printer?
You can find coupon inserts in your local Sunday newspaper. Each week there are a different number of inserts available, I recommend buying multiple papers when there are multiple inserts included. You can also ask Family and Friends to save their inserts for you or look in your local grocery store for product displays and coupons attached to products. Some printable coupons also have a receive by mail option so that you can have the coupon mailed to you.
Be sure to check the Sunday Coupon Preview list each week to see the coupons you can expect in most areas of the country.
What is a store coupon?
A store coupon is only valid at one specific store, these are promotions or sale prices and discounts offered by the store and in most cases these can be combined with a manufacturer coupon for maximum savings. Combining a store coupon and a Manufacturer Coupon is called stacking, you are using both promotions on one item.
What is a Manufacturer coupon?
A manufacturer coupon is a discount on the purchase price of a product. When you redeem a manufacturer coupon the store turns that coupon in to the manufacturer and receives the value of the coupon + an $0.08 handling fee for accepting the coupon. You may only use a manufacturer coupon on the products specified on the coupon. Manufacturer coupons are valid through the date listed on the coupon as the expiration date.
What is Stacking Coupons?
Some grocery stores and drug stores allow you to “Stack” a store coupon and a Manufacturer Coupon on the same item. This allows you to take advantage of the store sale price by applying the store coupon and still receive the manufacturer coupon savings.
If an item is $3 and you have a $1 Store Coupon and a $1 Manufacturer Coupon you would pay $1 for the item after both coupons are applied. Using 2 coupons (1 store coupon & 1 manufacturer coupon) on the same item is called Stacking.
How many manufacturer coupons can I use?
You can use 1 Manufacturer Coupon per Item Purchased. If your coupon is for $1 off 2 Items, you may only use 1 coupon for every 2 items purchased. Most new coupons also include a Limit of coupons per shopping trip; it may read something like 1 coupon per purchase, limit 4 like coupons in 1 shopping trip. That means you may use up to 4 of the same coupon on up to 4 items. (A good rule of thumb is 1 coupon per item).
What does 1 Per Purchase Mean?
Almost all manufacturer coupons contain the language 1 coupon per purchase, which means you may use 1 coupon for each item purchased. This does not mean 1 coupon per transaction. Remember that if your coupon requires you to buy 2 or 3 items to use the coupon, you may only use one coupon for every 2-3 items that you purchase.
What do the abbreviations SS, RP and PG mean?
There are three main insert companies that place inserts in the Sunday Newspapers. These inserts are Smartsource (SS), Red Plum (RP) formerly Valassis, and Proctor & Gamble (PG). On occasion you may also find a General Mills Insert (GM) or a Johnson & Johnson Insert (JJ).
These abbreviations are used to help you locate a coupon quickly. If you know the date the coupon was in the insert and the insert where it was located you can quickly find any coupon you need.
Why are there 2 Dates Listed on Coupons from Newspaper Inserts?
When you see a coupon from the newspaper inserts listed on Passion For Savings there are 2 different dates listed. The first date is the day the coupon was included in the Sunday newspaper inserts. This date also includes the abbreviation for the insert where the coupon was found, for example: SS 01/10/2012.
The second date is the expiration date; this is the last day the coupon may be used at the store. The expiration date is in parenthesis and follows the exp. abbreviation, for example: (exp. 3/10/2012).
You can read my post on Decoding Insert Coupons if you need additional help understanding the coupons listed in grocery store matchup posts.
How do you Organize Your Coupons?
I personally use the My Coupon Keeper Coupon Box System. I organize my coupons alphabetically by brand name but you can also organize your coupons by category. Most Extreme Couponers prefer to use a Coupon Binder organized by category or sections of your local grocery store. I have complete tutorials on how to make a coupon binder and how to make a coupon box as well as tips on organizing coupon inserts.
What Grocery Stores do you cover?
We provide you access to coupon and sale matchups for over 50 stores nationwide. You can check the store deals page to find a complete list of all the stores covered. You can also click on the “Shop by Store” Link at the top of the page to find your store quickly.
Can you add my local grocery store?
I am always looking for new stores to add, If you would like to suggest a store you may email me directly through the comment page, I can’t promise to add every store but when I find a lot of interest for a specific store I will consider adding the matchups as my schedule allows.
Why do you say something is Free when there are shipping charges?
If an item typically has a Value over $0 and is currently reduced to a $0 charge we consider the item free. I always try to mention shipping charges when I know they will apply but shipping is typically added to online orders regardless of the purchase price.
Example: An item normally costs $9.99 + Shipping is reduced to $0 + Shipping. We would consider this Item Free + Shipping
We try to highlight items you would normally pay a fee for when they reach the $0 purchase price. Shipping and Taxes are considered standard charges in most cases even on free items.
You can check out this Blog Post on Understanding the Different Types of Free for more information.
How do I find Free Samples?
Finding Free Samples can be tricky; these are often only available for a few thousand people at a time and are typically offered on Manufacturers Websites or Facebook Pages. You can follow the Freebies page for all the latest Free Sample Offers; also don’t forget to “Like” Passion For Savings on Facebook to keep up with all the hottest offers each day. These free samples go quickly so it is important to sign up as soon as you see an offer available.
What does Expired Mean?
I know it can be frustrating when you read a post or find a deal you want to take advantage of and then you get to the offer page and realize the deal is no longer available. When you see the expired image it means the deal has already ended, typically this will show up when a coupon code is no longer working or a free sample offer has ended. I do my best to update these as best I can, but you should also pay attention to the date when the offer was posted because deals change quickly and older the post the less likely the same offer will still be available.
Can you help me find a Coupon I need?
If you need a coupon for a specific product make sure you search our comprehensive coupon database. This will show you all available printable coupons, store coupons and coupons from the newspaper inserts that are still valid. Make sure you pay attention to the limitations on a coupon to make sure it will work on the item you need to purchase.
Newspaper coupons are listed by the date they were in the newspaper. I recommend saving inserts for about 2-3 months and marking them on the front of the inserts with the date they were in the paper (This is also located in the spine of each insert). If you find a coupon from the newspaper inserts you can use the Date in the newspaper to locate the coupon, for example a coupon listed as SS 01/10/2012 would be in the Smartsource Newspaper insert that was in the Sunday 01/10/2012 Newspaper
Why Can’t I get Coupons to Print?
Each coupon site uses their own printer driver, you will need to download and install the printer driver before printing coupons. These drivers also update as newer versions of browser software are released so make sure your printer software is up to date.
You should be prompted to download or update the software for each site when you initially try to print coupons. If you don’t see these promptings check your security settings you may need to turn off pop ups to allow for these printer pop up boxes to help you install the right software to print the coupons.
If you are still having problems printing coupons after you download the correct software for your computer you might try switching to a different internet browser (Try Firefox or Google Chrome). Some browsers work differently on each computer so that might do the trick, if you are still having problems I would contact the specific site where you have problems printing coupons. I do not run the software or coupons released on these sites so I am not able to help with problem solving and troubleshooting printing problems.
Why are coupons No Longer Available?
Each online coupon has a maximum number of prints available. This maximum number is set by the Manufacturer of the coupon and may be small like 500 prints and last only a few minutes or large like 400,000 prints and last a few hours, months or days. The limit on the coupon is rarely known so it is always a good idea to print any coupons you think you might need or want as soon as they become available.
What is Rolling?
Rolling refers to items that are producing rewards such as Catalina (Your Bucks) Offers or Drugstore Rewards. When a deal is “Rolling” You may do it once and then spend your second rewards on the same item in a second transaction and receive a new set of rewards.
If an item is not rolling then you will not want to spend the rewards on the same offer because the second transaction will not produce the expected reward.
Examples of Offers that Typically Roll are Target Gift Card Deals, Extra Care Bucks at CVS and +Up Rewards at Rite Aid.
Examples of Offers that Typically do not roll are Walgreens Register Rewards, Office Depot Work Life Rewards and on occasion Catalina or Your Bucks offers.
What is a Filler Item?
A filler item is needed when your sub-total is less than the rewards certificate amount. So if you are purchasing an item retailing for $4.98 and you have a $5 Coupon or Reward you may need a small item (Like a candy bar) To get your total over $5 in order to redeem the coupon or reward. These small items are called “Filler Items”.
What is a Register Reward?
A Register Reward is a coupon that prints at Checkout and is good on your next in store purchase. Typically these are Manufactures Coupons that print when you purchase a specific item advertised either in stores or in the weekly or monthly ads. Most Register Rewards have a 2 week expiration period and cannot be used to purchase an identical deal.
Because register rewards are manufacturer coupons you will need to remember that you need 1 coupon per item, so if you have 1 item and you want to use a manufacturer coupon + a register reward you will need to add a small filler item. Then you will have 2 items and 2 coupons (1 register reward & 1 manufacturer coupon)
What is an ECB?
An ECB is an abbreviation for Extra Care Bucks. These are CVS Store Coupons that print at checkout when you purchase specific products advertised in the weekly ad. These CVS store coupons typically have a 30 day expiration date and are valid on anything in the store. These coupons do roll so you do not need to worry about spending them in another transaction with the same offer.
You will need to sign up for a CVS Extra Care Card and have your card scanned at checkout to track and receive all of your ECBs at checkout.
What is a +Up Reward?
Rite Aid’s In Store Rewards System is called +Up Rewards. These are coupons that print at checkout and are valid on your next in store purchase. You may redeem these coupons for anything in the store and they may be combined with manufacturer coupons.
You will need to sign up for a Rite Aid +Up Rewards Card in order to receive these coupons at checkout, offers are available in your weekly store ad and may be combined with coupons and single check rebate offers for maximum savings.
What is Subscribe and Save?
Subscribe and save is an online subscription service from Amazon.com. Typically you can save anywhere from 5-20% by signing up for automatic renewals on the product you are purchasing. I recommend using the 6 month option so you have plenty of time to decide if you want to cancel the service.
How to Cancel Subscribe and Save?
To Cancel Subscribe and Save go to the “My Account” Section on Amazon.com and click on “Manage Subscribe and Save”. Make sure you cancel after your order arrives and before the next shipment if you do not want to continue being billed for and receiving the item.
What is Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime offers a 1 month Free Trial, after the 30 day trial period the cost is $79 per year, that works out to around $6.58 per month and you will receive Free 2 Day Shipping on any Amazon.com order (No Minimum) You will also receive access to thousands of online Amazon Video on Demand Movies and TV Shows as well as access to 1 free book a month in the Kindle Library if you are a Kindle owner.
What are Amazon Lightning Deals?
Each day Amazon offers Lightning Deals which are limited quantity and available only for a limited time. You will need to act quick on these items because they often sell out fast. During the Holidays you can find some amazing deals on the Amazon Lightning Round so check back frequently as I post the best lightning deals, warehouse deals and sales each day.
Is it safe to give out my Personal Information Online?
Always remember that you are responsible for your own personal information. While I do my best to verify offers before posting them, no one is perfect and often I do not have direct contact with the companies I am posting about. I cannot guarantee ever single offer so please use your best judgment when sharing personal information online.
Also, please know that images and ads are run by third party advertising networks and ads are not approved before showing, these are specifically targeted to your browsing history so any time you click an ad you may be visiting a site that has not been seen or approved by Passion For Savings.
How do I keep from getting Spam in my Email Inbox?
I always recommend creating a separate email account for signing up for newsletters and coupons online. You will begin to receive newsletters from the brands and companies you are connecting with and you do not want to overwhelm your personal inbox. These newsletters often contain valuable coupons and exclusive discounts so you do not want to avoid these all together if possible, but you do want to work to manage them and keep them organized in a separate email account so that you can access them when you have time to sort through everything. If you are looking for a free email account gmail.com offers free personal email accounts and they have great search and spam filters.
How do I Subscribe to Email Updates?
Each day at 2pm CST I release the Passion For Savings Newsletter which include links to all of the deals posted in the last 24 hour. This is one of the best ways to make sure you are not missing a deal. If you would like to join the email list you can use this like to sign up for Email Updates.
How do I Unsubscribe from Email Updates?
If you are currently receiving Passion For Saving Email updates and you no longer wish to receive emails on a daily basis you may update your profile online or click the un-subscribe link on the emails. You may also update your profile by clicking this link.
How do I enter Giveaways on Passion For Savings?
Each giveaway just requires you to leave a comment on the site, Make sure you click the Join the Discussion Button to leave your comment, Facebook and Email Comments are not included when winners are chosen.
Additional (Non- Mandatory) Entries are also provided. For each additional entry you must leave a separate comment. Winners are chosen at Random using the And the Winner Is Plug In and are selected from Comment Entries and Entries Received by Mail.
How do I find Online Coupon Codes?
Passion For Savings offers an Online Coupon Code Database where you can search for savings at Thousands of online retailers. Just type in the name of the store you want to shop at, choose a coupon code and click the Button to Start Shopping! Any time you make a purchase online you should start with the online coupon code database as a way to maximize your savings. These coupons are updated daily so be sure to check back frequently.
What Cash Back Sites do you recommend?
My personal favorite cash back sites are Ebates and ShopAtHome.com. Ebates offers a minimum payout of just $5 and they send out quarterly checks when you reach the minimum payout level. To start shopping with Cash Back Sites just sign up and search for your favorite store, click the button on the store page to start shopping. Be sure to read the rules for each store as cash back sites often have specific restrictions for each store.
If you have additional questions I would love to hear them, you may submit your Reader Questions via the Contact Form. I’ll do my best to answer these as time allows in future blog posts.
