FAQ

Nov

FAQ: How are you using so many coupons?

Today is the last day in a mini series I’ve simply called “FAQs” because, well – they are FAQs I get in my inbox! I’m hoping that if you’ve asked one of these questions you now have some clarity.

I’m not a thief, I’m a couponer.

First, please understand that I don’t practice or teach people to steal. Couponers are just smart shoppers. If you’re still not convinced, consider:

Manufacturers put out coupons as incentives.
Stores run sales to get people in stores.
On a personal note, I’ve been in communication with just about every store in our area including Fred Meyer, WinCo, Albertsons, Safeway, and Rite Aid. These people know who I am, and read my site. In most instances, they initially reached out to me.
I’ve clarified coupon policy issues with many of the stores above and in some instances, recommended policy changes. I believe in direct, open communication with stores.

Shoplifting is wrong. Using coupons incorrectly is wrong. This site teaches you to do neither.

Using Coupons the Correct Way

When people watch certain TV shows, or hey, maybe just see a couponer approach check out with a fist of coupons, it’s possible to make assumptions about what’s happening.

First, let me illustrate what’s not happening:

You are not using multiple manufacturer coupons against the purchase of a single item. (Couponers, again, this is why I feel the B1G1 and cents-off stacking is very questionable.)

Here is what is happening:

Couponers stock up on their shopping trips by using many coupons, yes, but note it’s ONE COUPON PER ITEM PURCHASED. Some people may get confused thinking that it’s one coupon per your entire trip, but that is not the case. The fine print is telling you that you can only use one coupon per item you buy! So you can buy 5 tubs of frosting as pictured with 5 identical coupons. They are appropriately matched as pictured.

A couple quick caveats.

Some stores or coupons may indicate a limit of how many like items you can buy. For instance, Rite Aid’s coupon policy allows no more than 4 like coupons in a single shopping trip. Fred Meyer recently imposed a similar limit. And P&G (Procter & Gamble) coupons limit you to no more than 4 like coupons. However, you could use additional coupons in the same shopping trip. Do read the fine print!
You can stack a store and manufacturer coupon. Most stores (including Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Target) permit the stacking of a manufacturer and store coupon. In this case, it’s very much like using the manufacturer coupon on a store sale. (For more information on the difference between these two groups of coupons and how this stacking works, see my post on stacking coupons.)
Some couponers may act unethically. Are there ways to fudge things? As with just about anything else in life, yes, there are. However, I believe the overwhelming majority of people that use coupons do so wanting to play by the rules.

Why Would You Shop this way?

Simple.

A couponer stocks up when prices are low to avoid paying full price.

Stocking up involves buying items your family needs and uses and in quantities you can reasonably store and use up before expiration dates. (You might want to watch my short YouTube video on how to stockpile.)

That’s why couponers collect multiple copies of the Sunday Newspaper! (Such as this fabulous Tacoma News Tribune subscription deal.) More similar coupons = more chances to stock up.

Are you a bit closer to getting off the fence and learning how to do this? I hope so! I recommend my Getting Started page for more.

I hope I’ve answered some of your questions with this series! If not, feel free to shoot me an email at angela @ thecouponproject dot com.

PS a huge thank you to Michelle for letting me use images from her presentation! I thought they perfectly illustrate how to use coupons and I asked her if I could use them.

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Nov

FAQ: Can I use a B1G1 and a cents-off coupon for the same purchase?

This week I’m tackling some of the questions I get asked most frequently.

Today’s question is a rather meaty one:

Can you use a buy 1, get 1 free coupon AND a cents-off coupon (both manufacturer) toward the purchase of the same items?

If I’ve lost you, let me illustrate.

Suppose you wish to buy 2 bars of soap. You have a “buy one, get one free” soap coupon you clipped from your Sunday paper. You also have a $1-off-1 bar of soap coupon you print from an online coupon site. Can you use both at checkout?

Coupon gray: it happens

Before I attempt to address this question, a quick couple comments. First, if you haven’t noticed, there are a lot of gray areas in couponing. While there are some fundamentals we can all agree on (such as we shouldn’t copy coupons or use them for items other than stated) there are just situations where you’re left going “huh?”, and written coupon policies may not bring clarity.

In these gray situations, my advice is to: 1) see what you can find out and 2) let your conscience be your guide.

I also want to acknowledge that not everyone agrees with my stance on these things, and that’s OK. I’m truly not here to judge anyone for making a different conclusion than me (provided it’s not one of those fundamentals!). I do feel a special sense of duty, though, as a coupon blogger. I am personally responsible for teaching many, many of you how to use coupons. Therefore, I am far more likely to skew to the conservative side of things. I want to make sure I’m teaching couponing in a responsible way that not only benefits you, but helps keep the good deals coming from manufacturers and stores, too!

I also want this to be a safe place for you to discuss your feelings on these things – and even debate them!

Well that’s clear as mud!

So back to the topic at hand.

I have to be honest. I don’t know that I have a definite “yes, this is OK” or “no, it’s not OK” for you today. Here’s why: there is conflicting information out there. And I can completely see why this scenario is confusing.

Consider this, for instance. I recently posed this question to P&G’s Facebook wall, and here is the response I got:

Now this completely sounds like they just wanted to be done with me, but their answer suggests it’s up to the stores.

Later that same day I got a response from P&G via an email contact form I’d filled out:

Buy One Product, Get One Product Free coupon cannot be used on the same purchase as a $ Off coupon.

I tend to go with the email answer as there is something in the Facebook response that made it feel they were giving me a pat answer to be done with me. But even so, you can see why this is confusing, right?

If you attempt to stack a “buy one, get one free” coupon at Albertsons with a cents-off coupon, the register will beep and state you are using too many coupons.

But at Rite Aid? They actually say it’s OK to do this, per their coupon policy.

It’s clear that there needs to be more clarity on this scenario.

What you think, what I think…

I decided to pose this question as a Facebook poll, because I was very curious to know what YOU felt on this topic.

Of the 71 of you that voted (thank you!!), fully 50 of you said that you felt this was an OK usage of coupons (74%). Only 15 felt it was like stacking manufacturer’s coupons (21%).

So here’s the part where I tell you what I think?

I think it’s like stacking manufacturer coupons. Here’s why. In order to get the “free” product, you have to buy a product. That means that the manufacturer coupon must “attach” itself to BOTH products. Using a cents-off coupon on top of that feels very much like stacking coupons to me.

We can all agree this scenario is wrong:

2 bars of soap

$1/2 manufacturer coupon
$1/1 manufacturer coupon

And I see the “Buy one, get one free” very much like a $1/2. I’ve arrived at this opinion after careful consideration, and that’s why you won’t ever suggest you use both towards the purchase of the same items. The only exception is if one of the coupons is a store coupon.

If I come to learn something that changes my opinion on this matter, I will gladly and graciously share it with you.

What do you think? Correct use, or incorrect use of coupons?

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Nov

FAQ: How can I get diapers for free?

As a reminder, this week I’m addressing FAQs from my inbox (with apologies to those of you who have asked any of these questions and are waiting patiently for an answer from me). Yesterday I tackled the question: is Costco cheaper than coupons? (So go back and read it in case you missed it!)

Up today: How can I get diapers for free?

One item I get asked THE most for help on saving money is diapers. And it’s understandable, isn’t it? I read that the average family will spend $800 a YEAR on disposable diapers for their baby.

But of course, you don’t have to spend that crazy amount. Here are my best suggestions for you.

Tip #1: Start Watching the Drugstore Ads!

Believe it or not, the hottest deals I’ve ever found on diapers have been at Walgreens and Rite Aid. Now you aren’t just going to head into your local drugstore without a plan. Remember the secret of couponing success:

Store sales + coupon = stock up!

So you need to watch for a deal and then stock up. What’s a deal? I would say $4 or less for a jumbo pack is worth stocking up on. (This works out to about $0.12 or less per diaper, compared to $0.20+ per diaper of regular retail.) Of course, this may vary by brand and/or size. The higher the size, the greater cost per diaper. This also goes for the Goodnites/Pull-Ups varieties.

If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, please join me Saturdays when I share the best Rite Aid deals and the best Walgreens deals here on the blog.

Tip #2: Leverage your Catalinas, Rewards, and other Credits!

One way I sometimes save on items I need, but aren’t on sale is I leverage credits I might have. For instance:

Catalina coupons (these are the off-your-next-order coupons that sometimes print at checkout)
Walgreens Register Rewards or Rite Aid UP Rewards
Fred Meyer Rewards (I got mine in the mail last week – this is like a gift card you can use on anything)
Vouchers from Daily Deal sites (Plum District has offered a Diapers.com voucher before)

Last summer, Albertsons had a hot gift card promotion. Buy $100 worth of gift cards, get a $20 Catalina. Now that might sound like a lot of money to spend, but they sold gas cards, airfare gift cards, restaurant gift cards, and more. I had readers buy gas cards (because hey, you’re going to have to buy gas anyways, right?) and then earn $20 Catalinas they could use at Albertsons! This is an example of how you can take advantage of a promotion to help offset the cost of something you need.

When it comes to couponing, sometimes you have to think outside the box and be creative!

Tip #3: Check out Amazon

This is truly the only way I’ve gotten diapers for FREE as in NADA.

Here’s how:

1) Sign up for Swagbucks! You can earn “swag bucks” for doing every day searches and other activities. These can then be redeemed for $5 Amazon gift cards (right now, 450 swag bucks gets you one). Amazon gift cards can be stacked, and they never expire. Suppose you were able to earn one $5 Gift Card each month (this is doable). In the course of a year, you’d have $60 in free Amazon credit! (Check out Swagbucks to get started.)

2) Sign up for Amazon Mom. If you are a caretaker of a child, you can sign up for the FREE Amazon Mom service. This will yield you a 3-month trial membership of Amazon Prime, which means FREE shipping! Also, Amazon Mom will give you discounts on items including diapers, wipes, and formula.

3) Take advantage of “Save and Subscribe” offers. In addition to the discounts you’ll enjoy with Amazon Mom, many items on Amazon have a “Save and Suscribe” option which will yield you an additional savings! Currently, you’d save 20% on diapers under both programs. By subscribing, you’re agreeing to get the discount in exchange for setting up a reoccurring order – so take note of this. You can set how often you want to receive shipments, and you can cancel or modify your subscription at any time very easily through your Amazon account. There is no obligation.

4) Keep an eye on e-coupons. Occasionally, you’ll find clipless coupons (AKA e-coupons) for the diapers. At any given time, you can check Amazon Coupons for available coupons.

By using Amazon Mom and Save and Subscribe, you’ll be able to stretch your Amazon gift cards even farther! For more information on Amazon, please see my post on getting diapers for free on Amazon.

Tip #4: Consider Alternatives

While I didn’t go this route, using cloth diapers may be worth considering. Remember that you may have other costs to factor in, such as laundry care items or cloth diaper service. I would love to hear from some of you today that made that choice!

Some ladies I know have also requested diapers and wipes in lieu of gifts for baby showers – particularly if this isn’t their first baby. (Just make sure to have your host use good etiquette when structuring such an invite!)

You could also work to potty train early. The best savings may be not having to buy them at all!

What other thoughts to you have on saving money on diapers?

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Nov

FAQ: Is Costco cheaper than coupons?

I get many emails in my inbox everyday from you – and I’m frequently behind in getting everyone an answer. That being said, there are some questions that come up again and again. So every day through Friday, I’m going to be tackling a different FAQ.

Today’s question: Isn’t Costco a better deal in the long run than coupons?

My short answer: no.

By paying attention to store sales cycles and deals on Amazon, you can almost always best the prices you find at Costco. (And without having to pay a $50 annual fee!)

Some people may guffaw at this, so let me give you a real life example. Diapers. It seems people always think buying diapers at Costco is such a deal. Perhaps it’s because they come in a big box and you have to have an exclusive membership to shop there, so you think you’re getting a killer deal.

So here is Huggies Snug and Dry, Size 4 diapers according to Costco.com (and I know this price is consistent with what I’ve seen in stores before, too).

What you always want to pay attention to is unit price. In this instance, each diaper is $0.20.

I decided to compare this to the price on Amazon today (11/3 is the day I wrote this post).

Check it out: the diapers there (same brand, same size 4) are $0.19 each when you join Amazon Mom (free) and sign up for the Subscribe & Save service (which is a no obligation service). Plus, free shipping and no driving or membership fee for you!

I still think this isn’t a stellar deal, because I’ve seen diaper deals at the drugstores for as low as $0.10 a diaper. When you see a deal like that, you stock up. But at least this simple example illustrates that one can best Costco’s prices without too much effort.

But Costco Gives you Coupons!

To clear the matter up, Costco does not accept manufacturer coupons that you clip from the Sunday paper or print from a site like Coupons.com. However, once a quarter they will send a book of manufacturer coupons that you can redeem at their store.

So every now and then, I’ll have someone say “aha! see? Costco does take coupons!”

Hold the phone, Charlie.

Remember that the secret to couponing success is combining coupons on sale items. This means being able to shop around for the best deal to use your coupons on. When Costco issues you coupons for their products, they are controlling the show. They can change the price on those items to compensate for the coupon, should they choose.

Let me say this. I have left stores like Alberstons, Fred Meyer, and WinCo with a cart full of food for $20 or less many a time. I’ve never achieved this on a Costco shopping trip.

Costco is a Marketing Machine

I’ve written this before, and I think it’s worth saying again. Costco knows what they are doing.

Consider this. When you walk into Costco what is the first thing you see? Electronics. Now most of us aren’t going to buy a brand new TV on a whim, but chances are, you’ll take note of those TVs.

And while you don’t have $500 to blow on an unplanned purchase, you’ll next encounter other, much less expensive treats. In fact, the only way you can get to the grocery section is by walking through seasonal, books, toys, clothes, or other such temptations. These may be harder to resist.

So how is one to survive? I do have a few tips.

If you must shop at Costco, have a plan!

I know that in spite of what I say, some of you just like shopping at Costco, and I’m not about to tell you to close your membership. Heck, our family has a membership so you may on rare occasion even see my husband or I in there.

So here is my best advice about shopping Costco and avoiding coming home $200 poorer.

Shop without a cart. This is perhaps the best advice I can offer. Bigger carts mean more room to put stuff in. Just go in an out for the baby formula or muffins you stopped in for.
Shop with cash and a plan. Leave the credit card at home!
Shop with limited time. You don’t want to browse at Costco. That’s like playing with fire. Stop in when you know you only have 20 minutes until your dental appointment. Make trips to Costco quick.
Watch unit prices. As mentioned above, do break down the unit prices.
Do not follow the path of the store! Do your best to not follow the path through the store that Costco has cleverly made for you. As soon as you go in, make a beeline for the groceries, avoiding the books, movie, and seasonal sections at all costs. If needed, wear horse blinders.
Try Cash & Carry. This is a great alternative to Costco, if you have one in your area. They offer many of the same items, prices, and quantities as Costco and without a membership fee. While it is geared for businesses, I’ve confirmed with them that consumers can shop there as well. Please note that you can’t use personal checks there.

Concluding Remarks

You know what I find the most humorous? People often poo-poo couponers for buying 20 cans of soup at a time at the grocery store. This is surely hoarding, right? And yet, another shopper will stock up on 20 cans of the same soup and pay 50% more at Costco, but somehow this is considered smart shopping. This makes no sense to me.

I really think people have been conditioned to think that buying from a club warehouse is automatically a good deal. (Much like folks thinking that shopping on Black Friday means getting the best deal.)

Please don’t hear me say you need to run and cancel your membership post haste. I am saying, make sure to take a good look at what you are spending and saving by shopping there and consider other options as well.

What are your thoughts? Do you have a membership to Costco (or a store like Costco)? If so, what are the best deals for your family? Do you have any other tips on saving money at Costco?

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