A question to all you braggers

[mrsjanuary]

here's a few tips off the top of my head:

- pricematch!
- if you can get VIP SPC card, do it. totally worth the money. then use it at zellers and try to do as much shopping there as you can to get the discount.
- bring reusable bags. most places charge now. and zellers gives you HBC points if you bring a bag.
- mail in rebates. find them, submit them, be happy with your free stuff.
- obviously USE COUPONS. save.ca, gocoupons.ca, printables, of course you can get tons on www.thinkcoupons.ca
- price adjustments. if you buy something for, say, 4.99 one week and it goes on sale the next week for 3.99, take your receipt to the store and get the difference! most stores do this.
- SCOP! pay attention at the register.

thats all ive got for now

[alilee73]

Love this thread. The only things I can think to add are coupon links. Build up that supply!
http://www.websaver.ca/
http://www.save.ca/
http://www.brandsaver.ca/
and here is some info on SCOP
http://smartcanucks.ca/canadian-code...rice-accuracy/

http://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/e...e/ct02381e.pdf

[maidennomore]

I haven't seen it mentioned yet: one coupon . ca
This is my favourite Canadian coupon resource. I find it to be the most comprehensive and the easiest to navigate (for coupons that you can order online and have mailed to your home).

[avoncallingu]

Wow! What a lot of great ideas. My hubby does most of the shopping - he's not really into coupons yet. I find that since I'm the "buy and organize the presents for the family" person - I am constantly checking clearance sections and stocking up on generic pressies after the celebration date. For example - I just bought a LOVELY Valentine's mug - into which I'll put candies next Feb. 14 for .89 and I'll get the candies/chocolates in the after Christmas sales. The trick is having a convenient storage place. I also have been able to use coupons/sales/clearance combinations to provide donations to family members, charities, shelters, etc. Mail in rebates and income from surveys have given me spending money for family trips. We eat out only at restaurants for which we have coupons and we purchase most clothing at places like Value Village or at 75% off the lowest price sales. I buy a lot of clothing "staples" like black, blue and purple pants, and then colourful tops and jackets that match and can be mixed. A lot of my clothes I've had for 20 years and I update with scarves and VERY inexpensive AVON jewellery (had to throw that in) which is always in style.
At Shoppers' Drug Mart - always buy a SDM gift card first - that way you get double the points - if you're a senior or KNOW a senior - shop on senior's day.
Do your homework.
Take some "How to save money" books out of the library and pick out the tricks that will work for you.
If you're in a university town - can you rent a room to a student - they leave in the summer and it can be very profitable.
But I digress....
Check your insurance coverage. Can you eliminate some " extras" like guaranteed rental car incase yours is in for repair. Couldn't your family get by on 1 car for a few days if you needed to? This might send you money. Also - can you raise your deductible? That might save you a few hundred a year.
Buy veggies and fruit from the uced" rack and use them for that day or the next.

[poppleton]

These are fantastic tips from everyone!! One big suggestion I'd make is to take it slow! For me, I've only become this "good" at saving because it's been a process over the past couple of years. For example, first I started checking flyers for sales, then I started stockpiling, then using a few coupons, then price matching, etc. If you try to start doing everything at once, you'll likely have your head explode!! Take small, manageable steps, and enjoy the savings along the way!!

[Nita2603]

I am very new at this, and also new to Canada as well. I immigrated from Germany, where there just simply are no coupon sites and stuff - you might get some "save an extra xy%" thingie here and there, but that's more a once a year thing. So, once I got here, I was 1. kind of shocked about the prices of groceries, and 2. once I learned about coupons, I was kind of confused why it seems to be something weird to do for some people. Well. Not me. We were living with my in laws til now, and by using coupons and stuff like it, I made it possible for my husband and I to save enough money to actually start looking for our own house 5 months earlier than planed - we simply saved up the neccessairy down payment that much earlier.
Yes, his siblings make fun of me for using all those coupons, but well, one needs to ask his parents for money for rent every month, and the other one gets rent, groceries and everything else paid to begin with. Not us. We are on a budget, but we can still do fun stuff - and we don't have to justify, since we are self-sufficient.
Now we'll move in our own home next month (I am so excited), and I am looking forward to be able to actually start the REAL savings - since I then have a house with garage and basement for us, and I can actually stockpile - so far, we were still with his parents and simply don't have room....
All in all.....it will just come to you. You start with a few coupons, and soon you'll get a feel for it.
I still need to learn so much....so if somebody feels like explaining - I am listening! ;-)
Coupon trading for example....how exactly does that work? And a personal request: I have a language problem with short forms, if I don't know yet, what they stand for (after all, it's not my first language).....so if there's a short form for some awesome thing, can somebody, just once, post what it means? Thanks so much!!!

[avoncallingu]

Wow - Nita 2603 - a house so quickly - I applaud you and your husband!
SDM=Shoppers' Drug Mart
RCSS=Real Canadian Super Store
OOP = out of pocket
B1G1 = Buy 1 Get 1 free
LoL means Laugh out Loud
GFY means GOOD FOR YOU! AND A GREAT BIG GFY for all your accomplishments!

[Nita2603]

Thanks a lot, that's very nice.
I am doing my best!

What's a SDM and what does FPC mean? Those are the ones I couldn't figure out yet.... ;-)
Thanks for all of your guys" support!

[GottaLoveFreeebies]

SDM = Shoppers Drug Mart
FPC = Free Product Coupon

It took me a while to get going but now that I figured it out I think I do well....it takes time to collect coupons and time the sales.....

[sweetmomma]

My advice is--Get different values for coupons you will use on a regular basis. For example/ If you buy Post cereal and there is a $0.50, $0.75 and $1 coupon available see if you can obtain them all. Often times this is important for dollar type sales, or B1G1 sales. This way you have all angles covered and depending on the sale it can be cheaper if you have a variety of coupons to use.

[Nita2603]

I didn't think about that yet, thanks for the idea!

I had a little but of a success on the weekend, when I could use all my swiffer coupons on clearance items at the superstore (well, the new house and stuff, we need cleaning supplies) - Value 68, paid 28. Yay!

[carmelon]

Hi,
I noticed a few times mentions of saving big $ on diapers and wipes at LD? Do they have better prices, or is it stacking that makes it such a good deal? I would love to know the secret!

[missbobloblaw]

Hi,
I noticed a few times mentions of saving big $ on diapers and wipes at LD? Do they have better prices, or is it stacking that makes it such a good deal? I would love to know the secret!

Their prices are on the higher end of average, but with PM and coupon stacking it is a great deal! Without that combo I wouldn't buy my baby stuff there.

[baggypants]

Just a couple of things...

I get totally confused trying to do a bunch of coupons all at the same time so I take notes of great deals posted here and go to, say RCSS last week for the Post Cereal at $1.74 with a $1 off coupon, and just get a few deals with a few good coupons....I feel that I can get my head around smaller purchases and feel like I am really getting savings...all credit to those SC'ers who can do massive shopping all at once...my head starts to swim...

Also, don't forget the Rain Checks....and using them up before they expire...

...and keep those coupons neatly organized...

...and check out the Coupons to use with Flyers every week...Couponlady seems to know better then I do what coupons I have on hand!!

baggypants

[danam314]

I haven't read all of the replies yet so sorry for any repeats:

When I save the most it's because I planned ahead, studied the flyers and checked prices everywhere. Also, Price Match to London drugs whenever you can, and stack those coupons! I use anywhere from $30-$60 in coupons every week for our groceries. I buy things on sale, buy things when I have coupons and they are one sale, and stock up!