21 Things to be an Epic Couponer (full)

[LovelyLaeticia]

Hey everybody! Here's my responses:

1) I do my shopping once a week, generally Friday morning first thing to make sure I get all the good deals J I HATE having to get rain checks. Sometimes I do a quick midweek shop of things like fruits and veggies, milk, ect.

2) I use coupons on average every time I shop.

3) I use coupons for things I would anyways buy as soon as I get them. A lot of things I wouldn’t buy unless they were on sale (snack items, brand name things, Pogos, pizza pockets, ect). So I save those coupons for when the product is on sale. I do not buy things just because I have a coupon!

4) It takes me about an hour to plan my shopping trip. Thursday afternoon I go through the flyers and make a list of the sales I want to get. I add my “fridge list” (the ongoing list of what we’ve used up and need, which I keep on the fridge.) I go through my coupons and separate the ones I know I will be using. I then mark on my list what I have coupons for so I don’t forget anything! I have to be organized and methodical…. It’s my nature!

5) I almost always go to Walmart Superstore, plus I pick one other grocery store with the best sales. I have a ton of stores to choose from, but with the baby I can only really manage going to 2. Most often the second store is Fresh Co.

[greeke33]

Wow this was a really interesting video. Thanks Darlene. I am just starting out with the coupons and sale shopping, so I dont have a personal program. I have been reading all the posts and picking up some great ideas. Thanks to everyone!

[Giving-Small]

What an awesome team of epic couponers you are. Loved reading these answers and ideas.

[Giving-Small]

Patty Smyth is an SCer who is super super funny and fun and outrageous too. Her husband has an account too.

If there's someone to help out, Patty is there. And she contributes tons and tons and tons. Her heart is so big.

This year she and her husband decided to try to donate $10 worth of stuff each week and post a photo and details. The $10 was going to come from a few less coffees at Timmies.

So check it out - she always update the beginning post so you can see her reasons and what she's managed to pick up.

Did you know that research shows - just witnessing an act of kindness elevates our mood and makes us feel better. So I read Patty's thread every week for a little boost that there is some super people in the world.

[Giving-Small]

I know we're jumping ahead a bit but I'd like to send the train out while we're learning and my coupons are still valid so let's get started on trains. I'll be posting more about trains but here's the bare bones.

So what's a train?



Some one starts a train -- the conductor.

The conductor creates a post in the Canadian Coupon Trains thread to find riders. The post spells out the train rules. The thread is updated to full when all the riders have signed on.

The conductor collect addresses and sends out a big envelope of coupons to the first rider: see pic above as example. The conductor (me) will send the envelope to schpooh. schpooh takes out some coupons and replaces them and mails it to the next rider, theweave, and so on and on.

Eventually the train returns home to the conductor. And I do mean eventually. It is surprising and discouraging to discover how long these trains take.

Read more about trains here in the Sticky post.


Types of Trains

All shapes and sizes - anything the conductor can want.

- Basic coupon train (we'll do this)
- VWT -Virtual Wishlist Train
- Package Train
- By geography - alberta only
- By type of coupon - brandsaver insert


Activity

1. Find a train that interests you on the train thread, share the link and tell us why. If you've ridden a train, tell us about your all time favourite and why.

[Giving-Small]

Activity

Join the train below if you're interested to learn about trains together.


EPIC Group 1 Moo-valous Coupon Train

The Rules

Boarding pass: Waived by conductor, this ride is free

Please replace what you take, $ for $ value, Buy 1/Get1, MIR, etc. and record coupon value in and out on the log sheet.

Coupons that you put in the train must not expire before the end of May.

Brandsaver, save.ca may be included

Be considerate of the next riders – don’t send coupons that we know nobody uses.

No printed, French, store specific or Toonies for Tummies unless specifically requested on someone's wish list.

Post on this thread AND PM me as soon as the envelope arrives.

Mail out the train within 48 hours - Please go to a post office and weigh the envelope to ensure correct postage

Post here and PM me with your out/in amount and when you receive/send so everything stays on track.

Please PM me if you'd like to ride this train and include your address.

[Giving-Small]

Reserved for Train Riders and Next Instructions

Confirmed Riders

1. Gemini06
2. eltada
3. LovelyLaeticia
4. susan.h
5. $power
6. greeke33
7. new2savings

Update: Monday Feb 21 -- still open for riders for a couple more days. Then I'll set up a route designed so the train goes faster.

[$power]

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/canadian-coupons-trains/

Here's a link from the train sub forum. I liked the "newbie' title.

I think I would like to take part in our group train, but I'll be away Mar 19 for two weeks. Will this still work ...

[Giving-Small]

Sure we can make it work.

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/canadian-coupons-trains/

Here's a link from the train sub forum. I liked the "newbie' title.

I think I would like to take part in our group train, but I'll be away Mar 19 for two weeks. Will this still work ...

[$power]

Fellow group one members.... man, that sounds rather official doesn't it ?

I have been mulling over a name for us , anybody else with me on that

Since we're the first of dear Darlene's groups I keep coming back to these:
1) First Born > for the obvious reason
2) Learning to Fly> what we hope to do with coupons
3) Darlene's Darlings> as her first "children" we're just a little more special than all those others
4) Generation $ave> regardless of age, our common goal

All of these names can be whittled down to just the initials when we post, ie: FB - LTF - DD -G$
Just a little group bonding , you know?

Hope everyone's having a good weekend,
~Susan

[greeke33]

Susan, I really like the Darlene's Darlings or the Double D. Great ideas

[greeke33]

Hi Everyone,
I really liked reading this train. It was very clear on what was going on and the expectations. Busy.mommy's 2011 Train #2 - Newbies welcome!

[Giving-Small]

Looks like a great train and enthusiastic conductor.

Hi Everyone,
I really liked reading this train. It was very clear on what was going on and the expectations. Busy.mommy's 2011 Train #2 - Newbies welcome!

[Giving-Small]

I've been putting together material on these topics and know that some of you have been trading already so hoping you'll share what you do and what it's been like, too.

So I've off to do some editing and screen snapping.

[$power]

Susan, I really like the Darlene's Darlings or the Double D. Great ideas

Thanks Andi...still hoping to hear from the rest of our little gang