Rebates and Coupons with Ibotta and Ebates

For the last six months I've been using two apps on my phone to earn rebates on my purchases.  They have proven to be reliable and easy to use.

To use Ebates you don't need an app, but one is available.  Log in to Ebates on your device, choose the store you want to use, then enter that store's website through the Ebates page.  The Ebates page for the store will list any available coupon codes.

Make your purchases as normal and Ebates will calculate your rebate and add it to your account.  Several times a year they will mail you a check.  Easy Peasy.

I've found Ibotta much easier to use through the app.  Through the app choose the store you will be using, choose items that you buy, then after you have shopped send a photo of your receipt to them and scan any barcodes they require.  Some of the rebates require that you watch a 15 second video commercial.  I have the rebates sent to my PayPal account.

For very little effort I've managed to get over $50 in rebates in the last six months and with Christmas coming it's nice to get a little money back.  If nothing else the rebates have covered the cost of shipping for my online purchases.

Happy saving!

God bless,
Pam

Pulling Coupons For Grocery Shopping

I thought I would give you an idea of how I organize my coupons and get ready to go grocery shopping.  We generally shop for groceries once or twice a week.  Our second trip usually involves getting some fresh vegetables or dairy.

The first step is to go to a couponing website such as Southern Savers.  Try to find a site that specializes in the stores in your geographical area.  I use this site to make my grocery list, taking advantage of the BOGOs (buy one get one) listed in order to build up my pantry.  I am particularly looking for the BOGOs that can be combined with coupons for that product.  This site allows me to print out a list that details which coupons I need to pull and where those coupons can be found.

Next I go to pull and clip the coupons I need from my coupon storage.  I use the file method in which my coupon inserts are filed by date in a file box.  Previously I used to clip all of my coupons and carry them in a binder, but as the coupons built up it became unwieldy.  If you've ever seen someone shopping with two overstuffed binders in their cart you know what I mean.  Now I pull and carry only the coupons I need.  This also helps me control impulse purchases (if I don't have a coupon for the product I can't buy it).

Then I paperclip my coupons to the back of my list.  I make notations on the list of how many of each product to buy and the number and type of coupons I have for that item.  My personal shorthand is MC for manufacturers coupon and SC for store coupon.  Of course, it's always nice to have both kinds of coupons for one product.

This has proven to be the best method for my family.  I follow the same procedure when preparing to go to the drug store or Target.   It is simple and, hey, frugal.

God bless,
Pam

The Amazing Shrinking Dawn Detergent

Shrinking package sizes without shrinking prices is one of the little tricks manufacturers use to fool consumers into believing they are still getting the same deal at the same price.  It is one of my pet peeves because it assumes that the consumer is too stupid to figure out what is happening.

The most striking example of this practice has been with Dawn dishwashing detergent.  One year ago the small size, which would go on sale for 99 cents, was 13 ounces.  Six months ago the size reduced to 11 ounces.  Now the small size is 9 ounces.  I have also seen the sale price going up to over a dollar  in some stores.

Keep doing the math.  If the size of this product keeps reducing it may become less expensive to buy a larger size.  Personally, I am not dedicated to just one brand, so I'll just switch to a detergent manufacturer that is a little less deceptive.

God bless,
Pam

Retail Me Not Coupon Codes

I make some of our purchases online because some items are not available in our area and some things are just cheaper online than in my local stores. There is a way to get additional savings and that is by using coupon codes.

When coupon codes are entered during the online checkout process they can get you a discount, free mailing or a free gift. My favorite web site for finding coupon codes is www.retailmenot.com. This site is easy to use and lists codes not seen in other places.

So, before you place your online order first go to retailmenot to see if you can get an even deeper discount.

God bless,
Pam

The Coupon Fairy Visited Publix Today

This morning I went grocery shopping at Publix.  I was feeling a little down as it was raining and I didn't pull as many coupons as I normally do.  With my small amount of coupons and list in hand I set out.

Well, I was very happy when I finished shopping because a coupon fairy had visited Publix.  A coupon fairy is someone that leaves coupons that they are not going to use by the product.  Some fairies even carry tape to attach the coupons to the product.

Imagine my surprise when four products that I had on my list had a coupon taped to them.  Only one coupon on one package, not peelies on all of the packages.  Yep, sure sign that a fairy had been hard at work.

We all can be coupon fairies.  Just leave a coupon that you know will expire before you can use it attached to or on the shelf next to the product.  You will help someone out and make someone's day a little bit brighter.

Thank you coupon fairy!

God bless,
Pam

I Am At That Couponing "Good Place"

I began taking my couponing  and building my stockpile last April after attending a True Couponing workshop.  When I first started I was buying large amounts of items and the couponing took several hours a week.

Four months later my stockpile is complete and my shopping consists of one or two staple items that are on sale and a few basics (such as milk and eggs).  It only takes me about 1/2 hour to clip coupons for the week which includes shopping at one grocery store and one drug store.  Once a month I purchase organic meat at Costco.

So, I am at that "good place" where my shopping time and coupon clipping time are minimal.  My bills are running at least 50% less than before and sometimes I get items for free.  I am able to use my couponing skills to shop in order to donate to charity.

Don't give up because using coupons is time consuming in the beginning.  Very shortly you will be able to put minimal effort into maintaining your stockpile and enjoy the fruits of your labors.

God bless,
Pam

Negotiating Better Prices

Negotiating and haggling over price is an accepted practice across the world.  People wouldn't dream of spending their hard earned money without first trying to get the price lowered.  In American society this skill has fallen out of practice since mid-twentieth century.  It has actually become looked down on by some people that believe it to be low class.

The last few years of economic recession has opened our eyes to our vulnerability.  Out of necessity we are saving every penny we can.  Now open your mind to negotiating prices.  Not just during small, local transactions, but with large "big box" vendors.

Is there a flaw on the product, but it is still usable for you?  Ask the store manager to reduce the price for you.  Many stores are now matching prices.  Just bring in an ad or print out from the other store and most stores will match the price.

Ask your pharmacy if they match prices.  Recently CVS matched Costco's price on a prescription for me.  It saved me 2/3 off of their original price.  CVS is much closer to my home and has a drive through, so I was thrilled to be able to get the lower price locally.

Negotiate Rx Prices

It is easy to compare prices without driving from store to store.  Just comparison shop online.  Most pharmacies list their drug prices in simple to navigate data bases.

So, let's start shopping like the Europeans, Latinos, Asians, Africans...well, like the rest of the world.

God bless,
Pam

Shopping With Competitor Coupons

Coupon policies are nebulous, ever changing things, so it is important to keep up to date on your favorite stores' policies.  One policy that has changed recently at Publix is which competitor coupons they will accept.

Publix used to accept grocery store and drug store competitor coupons, but now they only accept coupons from grocery stores.  On top of that, each Publix decides which grocery store coupons they will accept. It is important to check with the store where you shop to get a copy of their policy.  Below is the policy given to me by the Belleair Bluffs Publix.

As you can see, I can use Albertsons, Save-A-Lot, Target and Winn Dixie coupons at my Publix.  This allows me to do more coupon stacking (combining manufacturer and store coupons on same product)  than if I could only use Publix store coupons.

An example is this Winn Dixie coupon that was in the paper recently:

Publix will accept this coupon for my next grocery purchase.

Every little bit helps when it comes to keeping the grocery bill down and combining competitor coupons with your manufacturer coupons is one way to save more.

God bless,
Pam

Couponing Mishaps

A Beautiful Sight

When you start couponing progress is slow and after some critical mistakes you may be tempted to give up.  Trust me when I tell you that it will become easier, your savings will grow in amount, and it will begin to take up less of your time.  I will not tell you that you will stop making mistakes or having mishaps when out shopping with coupons.

Even though I am now saving 40-50% on my grocery and drug store bills, there are still days when I want to bang my head on the table because of a mistake I or a cashier have made.  But we are all here to learn, so here goes:

I try to shop during the slower hours, first thing in the morning at the start of the sale cycle for that store.  That means Sunday for Walgreens and (in my area) Thursday for Publix.  By shopping early the store is usually not sold out of items, plus there are fewer people for me to annoy with my coupons.  Why my shopping with coupons should bother others is beyond me as it only adds a few minutes to my checkout time.  I guess minutes count to some people, but I always though that was just surgeons and fire fighters.

Anywho...when I finish getting my items I check for a line with few to no people in line, thinking that I can get through quickly and, thus, irritate fewer people.  Now I have got to tell you that I can get to a cashier in a deserted store and, miraculously, ten people (where did they come from?) will appear behind me.

Some days the people waiting for me to check out are good natured, interested and, basically, happy to see someone saving some money.  But, every once in a while, I get a "sigher".  You know, the kind that looks at their watch, shuffles their feet and sighs deeply.  So, I just try to concentrate on what the cashier and I are trying to accomplish, which is to check me out with as few problems as possible.  It's not like I am buying a hundred of something, it's just my groceries with a few stock up items thrown in.

If you watch Extreme Couponing you have seen the EC's unblinkingly staring at the register screen.  There is a good reason for this; people and computers make mistakes and sometimes they are big ones.  You must watch the screen to ensure that your items are scanned for the sale price, bogos are registering correctly and that your coupons are being read.  Just recently I was distracted by someone in the store and didn't catch that the cashier had scanned an item twice.  That's $3 out of my pocket and nothing to show for it.  It's hard to prove that this has happened once you've left the store.

Most stores have a policy that you can only use as many coupons as you have items.  This means that if you are using two coupons (manufacturers and stores) for one item you must pick up an inexpensive filler item.  I usually need four or five filler items when shopping at Walgreens.  Conveniently, they have a display of 25 cent candy sticks by the register.  Dear daughter likes candy sticks so it is a win, win situation.

I will certainly share more tips in the future as I learn more about using coupons effectively.  With coupon policies changing so rapidly, it should keep me on my frugal toes.

God bless,
Pam

Couponers: Don't Clear The Shelves

Well, I watched Extreme Couponing last night and once again I saw two women upending displays to take all of the product the store had.  Maybe the show should be titled Extreme Bad Manners or Extreme Selfishness.

If you do get to attend one of the excellent seminars offered by True Couponing or Southern Savers one of the first things you will hear is how uncool and unGodly it is to clear a store's shelves of the sales items.  If you do want to buy a large quantity of an item call the store to pre-order.

As I have said before, it is up to us to use our couponing skills to be frugal keepers of our homes and to benefit others that are less fortunate than us.  We want to portray our religion in a good light by demonstrating good behavior.  I would be mortified to hear someone say, "Look at that Mennonite.  She took all of the pasta and didn't leave any for others".  Live the Word!

God bless,
Pam

Buying ALL The Product: Gluttony?

I can see that my Wednesday viewing of Extreme Couponing is going to provide plenty of fodder for this blog on Thursdays.

Last night I watched this weeks Extreme Couponers taking every bit of product off of the stores shelves, leaving no deals for other shoppers. One woman even upended a display to dump all of the contents into her cart!

There has been a lot of discussion on coupon shopping sites about this type of behavior. Not only does it prevent other shoppers from benefiting from a deal, but stores are responding by limiting the number of products customers can buy. One man said that his grocery store is only allowing the purchase of two items if they are being purchased on sale and with coupons. Why ruin it for others by being greedy?

When I see two women buying over fifty bottles of over the counter medicine I know it's not from need. It's just good, old fashioned, biblical gluttony.

God bless,
Pam

Shrinking Packaging Deception

We've all done it:  we buy a favorite product, it doesn't last as long as usual and then, we realize that the manufacturer has decreased the amount of product in the packages.  Consumers tend to protest and stop buying products if the prices goes up, so manufacturers increase their profit by decreasing the amount of product while keeping the same price.

Changed Package Design

To hide this deception the package design is often changed, so that the consumer cannot visually see that the product amount is smaller.  You can see this in the above picture.  Another trick is to keep the same packaging design, but to make it smaller in a way that is not easy to recognize.

Same Package, But Smaller Amount

Take a look at Breyer's ice cream in the freezer section.  From the front it looks just the same, but from the side it is slimmer.  The manufacturer did this to give the shopper the same visual profile while the package is on the shelf and hoping that we are too busy or unobservant to see the narrowness of the package.

A half gallon of ice cream is not a half gallon anymore and a pound of coffee is a thing of the past, but frugal homemakers are smart enough to shop according to the price per ounce and not be deceived by packaging changes.

God bless,
Pam

Are Large Sized Products Cheaper?

On Extreme Couponing last night one of the shoppers pointed out that in many instances it is cheaper to buy the smaller sizes of products rather than the larger. He was talking about a toothpaste purchase where the small size was only 2 ounces less than the large, but was over 50% less in cost.

Just a few years ago large sizes were usually less expensive per ounce, but manufacturers became aware that consumers were shopping for larger sizes to save money. So, in a bid to make more profit they began to charge more per ounce for their larger sizes, knowing that shoppers were conditioned to buy large.

Be sure to compare the per ounce cost when shopping. And please, don't emulate the man on Extreme Couponing and buy over a thousand tubes of toothpaste! Even if they're free!!

God bless,
Pam

Extreme Couponing Becomes A Series

The special called Extreme Coupon is becoming a series on the Learning Channel.  The first two shows will be shown on Wednesday, April 6th at 9pm and 9:30pm EST.  Then it moves to it's regular time of 9:30pm for the rest of the season.

This show highlights the good, the bad, and the ugly in the world of coupon shopping.  You decide if any of their hints apply to you.

God bless
Pam

Costco vs. Sam's Club

Dear husband and I are interested in buying organic products whenever possible, but prices for organic meat and dairy have been going through the roof (along with everything else).  We decided that it was time for us to compare the two warehouse, discount stores in our area, Sam's Club and Costco.

First we checked out a Consumer Reports comparison of these two stores.  Then we decided to visit each store to compare availability and prices on organic foods and office supplies.  Would we save enough to justify paying an enrollment fee?

After looking at the stock available, comparing prices and looking at humanitarian issues we decided that Costco would better fit our needs.  They had a good supply of reasonably priced organic foods and carried the office supplies that we need for our home office.  We figured that we would be saving 50% on organic foods alone.

Costco has a good reputation for paying their employees a good wage and supplying decent benefits.  This is extremely important to us.  We don't believe in saving money at the expense of peoples' well being.

We notice that some items may be packaged in too large of amounts for our storage areas.  I am sure that we can find a friend, neighbor or family member to split the packages with us.

God bless,
Pam

Don't Over Shop

Once you become experienced at saving money it can be hard to ignore a good sale opportunity. Getting a deal can be addicting, but it is no longer frugal when you buy such a large number of one type of item that there is no hope of your using it before it goes bad, or you don't have room to store it.

As an example I have purchased enough deodorant to last my family for a year. Now I pass up great sales on deodorant, no matter how tempting they are, unless I get them for almost free and I plan to donate them. When our supply gets low I will again buy deodorant.

Another example is when someone I knew discovered thrift stores. She enjoyed saving so much that she ended up spending more money on used clothes than she would have allowed herself to spend on new. She had become addicted to the process of getting a good deal.

Learning to use and stack coupons and shop sales is wonderful, but know when it is appropriate to say, "I have enough".

God bless,
Pam

January Sales

The after Christmas sales are over, but January is known for being a time when particular categories of items go on sale.

White sales, also known as linen sales, where stores are marking sheets and towels down by 50%.  Target has some good deals on sheet sets right now, including organic cotton sheets.  I've always liked the Macy's sales with their king sized, deep pocket sheets for around $39.  Remember that high thread count does not guarantee high quality.  Feel the sheets; are they soft to the touch and dense, then they will be a comfortable, long lasting sheet.

The stores are unloading their winter clothing to get ready for the new Spring lines.  Don't buy trendy items, but focus on well made classics that will serve your family for years.

Electronics are being marked down to lure in those pre-Superbowl buyers.  May be a good time to purchase a new TV (if you watch TV).

Many people are doing a post holiday purge of their belongings, so the thrift stores should be filled with new items.  Think ahead and buy your children winter clothing in next years, anticipated sizes (only if you have the storage space).  But before you buy keep repeating to yourself, "Hand me downs are good. Hand me downs are good.", then decide if the younger children really need new or new used clothing.

God bless,
Pam

Using Coupons Effectively: An Example of Stacking

I want to give you an example of how you can "stack" coupons to save more. This is a purchase I made today at Walgreens:

3 deodorants at $5.49 each = $16.47
minus store deal of buy one get 50% off second = $13.73
minus coupon for buy 2 get third free = $8.24
minus coupon for 50 cents off one = $7.74
Total spent is $2.58 per each deodorant

If I had two more of the 50 cents off coupons I could have save a dollar more. Stacking takes a bit of time and creativity, but it can definitely be worth the few extra minutes of time.

God bless,
Pam

Using Coupons Effectively: Organization That Doesn't Work

Here it is:  my pathetic, overstuffed and hard to use plastic file.  It worked fine for me when I was only occasionally using coupons; you know, two or three at a time.  But now that I am committed to saving more money with coupons, it is not very functional.

The problem with this type of file is that when I am making my shopping list and am looking for a particular coupon, I have to look through every coupon in one section to find what I need.  This is especially difficult when I spot an unadvertised special while I am shopping and I want to see if I have a coupon that that item.

Sooo, now I am on the hunt for a better system and, especially,  a better system that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  I just saw one online that cost over $60 dollars (not frugal!!).  If you have a system that works well, let me know.  Off I go to check out a couple of office supply stores.

God bless,
Pam

Using Coupons Effectively: Websites

I was going to write all of this information myself, but then I found a wonderful website that explains using  coupons and provides shopping strategies for each store.  The site is Southern Savers and its creator has set up a site that really does it all.

Southern Savers does provide links to coupon services, but the three big ones are Coupon.com, Redplum and Smart Source.  Just Google them, click on the coupons you want, then hit the print coupons button.  All of the coupons you selected will print at once, three coupons per page.

Each of these coupon services will ask to place a cookie on your computer.  You have to say yes for the coupons to print.  If you are not comfortable with this, then stick to the coupon inserts in the paper.

It helps to buy a small paper cutter for coupon cutting.  You can stack the pages of coupons you print from a site and cut them all at once; they line up beautifully.  Have your children help when you are clipping from paper inserts.

We'll talk about organizing coupons another time.

God bless,
Pam