How to coupon

Coupon 101Practice makes perfect!

Shyanne Diaz

HOW TO READ A COUPON

Dissecting a Coupon

Expiration date- All coupons have an expiration date.  - “No expiration date”  - Stores usually won’t accept coupons

that do not have expiration dates- you can use the coupon until 11:59

pm on 9/30/2012

Dissecting a Coupon

Picture- helps build product recognition - great form of advertising for the manufacturer- help you locate the item on the shelf - The picture is NOT what is important though.  The

manufacturer’s generally put the newest or most expensive product in the picture, obviously hoping you will buy that product.  As long as you follow what is in the wording of the coupon, you can usually get the lowest priced product which is generally the better deal.

Dissecting a Coupon

Fine Print:  - information for the retailers

- including the coupon redemption address

- one or two lines are intended for the consumer- Don’t copy coupons

Dissecting a Coupon• Limit one coupon per purchase.  Each qualifying item(s) is a purchase.  If the

coupon is for $1 off 2 boxes of cereal and you buy 2 boxes, that is 1 purchase.  If you bought 2 more, that is another purchase and you can use another $1/2 coupon.  This is on just about every coupon.  It means you can not use 2 coupons on 1 product.

• Limit one coupon per transaction.  This means you can only use one of each coupon per transaction.  Each transaction is concluded with a receipt.

• Limit one coupon per day/visit.  You can only use one of those coupons per store visit.

• Limit one coupon per person/customer/household. You can only use one of these coupons.

Dissecting a Coupon

Value- how much will be deducted

from your purchase.- Will list how many items

needed to be bought for the deductions

- Show any exclusions

Other “Value” coupons

•No size restrictions

Other “Value” coupons

• Dollar amount when you buy 2+ items

Other “Value” coupons

• Buy One Get One (BOGO)-Maximum Value

– auto deduction

WHERE ARE COUPONS

Where Can I find them?

• Newspaper coupon Inserts (4 copies)

Red PlumSmart SourceP&G

• Online clipping services

Where Can I find them?• Internet Printables

(2 per device & monthly resets)• Coupons.com• Smartsource.com• Redplum.com• Couponing sites• Google

NEVER PHOTOCOPY COUPONS!!

Where Can I find them?

• Emailed coupons• Sign up for memberships• Loyalty programs

Catalinas• require a certain dollar amount or

quantity of products to be purchased. • Once you have met the qualifications,

a Catalina will print for a certain amount off your next purchase.

• Usually this purchase can be made for anything in the store, however, some promotions require they be used toward a specific brand or product.

Where Can I find them?

•Tear Pads

Where Can I find them?

•Blinkies• In stores• 1 minute shootings

Where Can I find them?

• “Hang tags” around bottles

Where Can I find them?

“Peelies” on Products in Stores

- for product- for different product

Where can I find them?

• Store Coupons• Target –target.com, Sunday inserts, text message coupons,

Cartwheel app• Walgreens- IVC booklets front of store, Catalina• Cvs – email, Redbox Coupon Center• Randalls – phone app, catalina• Dollar General & Family Dollar – text message, apps, online• Heb- yellow hang tags, email, catalina

Where can I find them?• (Make a membership)

• Cvs• Walgreens• Randalls

• Sign up for mobile coupons• Target• Dollar stores

• Download store apps

Process to Couponing

Collect coupons & Weekly Ad• Best range of a month’s past inserts• 4 copies of like coupons• Organize coupon keeper

• Weekly ads will be in stores, Sunday’s paper, or online• Future papers

• Iheartcvs.com• Iheartwags.com

budget

• Aim for about $10-20 less in the beginning• Start small then progressively larger savings will arrive • If you don’t need product don’t buy it• Be open to various like brands – don’t pay full price for a

specific brand if you can get a like brand for extremely cheap or free

Match Coupons with Sales & Promotions

• Timing is everything! Wait for a good sale!• One of the biggest mistakes you can make is using a

coupon just because you have it. • all stores run a weekly ad with sale prices and great

promotions like:• Ex: Buy One, Get One Free or Spend $15 on these products,

get $5 back or Buy 4, Save $4 Instantly. • Then, stack manufacture coupons and store coupons on top of the sale

• If you don’t catch a sale, sales will come back around. (6-8weeks sale cycles)

Stacking Coupons• Stacking simply means use

one manufacturer coupon and one store coupon on one item.

• Target, CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Randalls, and Safeway

YOU CAN NEVER USE 2 MANUFACTURER COUPONS ON

ONE ITEM

Store Preparedness• Before you leave the house, make a plan of what you want to buy. • Write down the items, the prices, and the quantities. If you are

doing multiple transactions, separate the items into lists before ever leaving your house.

• Set aside coupons that will be used• In envelopes, paperclips, staple (also include scissors and calculator)

• Have store coupon policy and weekly ad (self defense)• Choose to go during off-peak hours

• Less people in lines; Cashiers & managers tend to be less frustrated

Just the Basics Single Roll Paper Towel $0.75• Use $0.75/1 Just the Basics Single Roll Paper Towel from CVS Coupon Center Week of 3/23• Final Price: Free

Buy 3 Wisk Laundry Detergent, 32 loads $8.99, regular price (Buy One Get Two Free Select Laundry Detergents, Limit 6)• Use three $1.50/1 – Wisk Item from RP 3/9• Final Price: $1.50 each, when you buy 3

Buy 3 Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant Deodorant, 2.6 oz $5.00 (Spend $15.00, Receive $5.00 ExtraBucks, Limit 1)• Use three $2.00/1 – Dove Advanced Care Antiperspirant Deodorant from RP 3/2• Use one $2.00/$8.00 Deodorant Purchase from CVS Coupon Center• Use one $1.00/$4.00 Deodorant Purchase from CVS Coupon Center• Pay $6.00 for all 3, Receive $5.00 ECBs (Final Price: S1.00 or $.33 each)

Buy 2 Physicians Formula Quad Eye Shadow $6.99, regular price (Buy 2, Receive $10.00 ExtraBucks, Limit 1)• Pay $13.98, Receive $10.00 ExtraBucks (Final Price: $1.99 each, when you buy 2)

CVS 3/23/14

Check out• Be polite. Say “hello” inform your cashier that you will use coupons• To stretch out your money, you may need to do 2+ transactions

• Let others go ahead of you

• If someone comes behind you, inform them that you may take awhile • KEEP YOUR EYES ON REGISTER!!• Don’t forget to scan your membership card • After all purchases scanned, hand cashier coupons:

• Store coupons, manufacturer coupons, Cartwheel (if at target), Store money (ECBs, points, RR, GC)

• Make sure all items and coupons were scanned properly on receipt• Make sure to have any received ECBs, points, RRs, GC

Rain Checks• a slip of paper provided by the store when a sale item is out of stock.• It authorizes you to come back when the item is again in stock and

buy it at the sale price. • Rain Check policies vary by store • Rain Check Points to Consider • Make sure the coupons you plan

to use on the RC item won’t expire before the store restocks • You can’t get a RC on clearance prices • When redeeming RC, be courteous of your checker. Let her know beforehand that you have a RC; she’ll need to enter the amount manually

Store Coupon Policies• Randalls - http://www.randalls.com/ShopStores/Coupons-Policy.page • CVS - http://www.cvs.com/bizcontent/general/contactus/couponpolicy.pdf • Target - http://www.target.com/HelpContent?help=/

sites/html/TargetOnline/help/promotions_sweepstakes_and_discounts/target_coupon_policy/target_coupon_policy.html• PRICE MATCHING - https://

corporate.target.com/about/shopping-experience/shop-with-confidence#q5389

• Walgreens - http://www.walgreens.com/topic/generalhelp/coupon_policy_main.jsp • Walmart - http://corporate.walmart.com/coupon-policy

• AD MATCHING - http://corporate.walmart.com/ad-match-guarantee

• Dollar General - http://www2.dollargeneral.com/Customer-Care-Center/pages/coupon-policy.aspx

• Family Dollar - http://www.familydollar.com/Documents/PDFs/Coupon-Policy-0911.pdf • Dollar Tree - https://

www.dollartree.com/custserv/custserv.jsp?pageName=TermsConditions • HEB - http://www.heb.com/page/weekly-ads/ads-coupons/coupon-policy

CONCLUSION• Collect & organize coupons• One manufacturer coupon per purchase

• Can stack with one store coupon

• Do not copy any coupons• Make a plan• Be polite to surrounding environment• Hold on to store money to use for next week’s couponing trip• Practice makes perfect!!

Works Cited

• http://www.couponing101.com/anatomy-of-a-coupon-how-to-read-coupons/

• http://www.pennypinchinmom.com/getting-started-on-penny-pinchin-mom/coupon-language-understand-how-to-read-your-coupons/

• http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/catalina-deals-2• http://thekrazycouponlady.com/beginners/#day1