Group #3 Crazy Couponers: 21 Things to be an Epic Couponer

[Giving-Small]

Welcome Group 3! Crazy Couponers

Wow -- I'm so happy that so many of you are interested in participating.

Some of you may have taken a peek at Group 1 and Group 2 and they're only a few days ahead of you.

It's very clear that learning as group is terrific. It's fun to share your enthusiasm. And to empathize about the reactions of some of the people we know and love but think we've gone off the rails a wee bit.

Some members have sent other members gifts of coupons they can't use. Others have posted useful information as they carry out activities. And it's nice to know others may be hesitant to try coupon stacking or are also trying to figure out how to organize and carry coupons.

Group 3 is in for a super special treat -- one of my all time favourite Smart Canucks has agreed to co-facilitate and provide her expertise/insight and couponing stories. Her SC (Smart Canucks) name is Eriluo and I'll let her introduce herself. She'll give you a bit of an idea how she started with SmartCanucks and couponing.


Our Fabulous Group Members are:

• wiserwithwords ON
• monkey'smom ON
• PinkLincoln ON
• moefox
• RoseGentry BC
• dholden ON
• eriluo ON
• barbs BC

We are all on the learning curve together so please contribute what you've found where you are - things are different regionally, from city to city, and even from store to store.

Here's what I will do for the group:

-I'll facilitate
-I'll post up show and tell photos, pictures, answers to questions, videos, slidecasts etc.
-I'll send out a coupon train (no board pass for conductor) -- to be explained when we talk about trains


Here's what I hope you'll do:

1. Please participate and share your ideas, opinions, and questions. The idea is that we'll all learn together and hopefully make some coupon buddies along the way.

2. Do the activities. From time to time, I'll post a question or an activity (let's make your first wish list, all related to Smart Canucks and take just a couple of minutes) etc. I'd like everyone to try to answer and share. I know that our families, friends and self care time comes first, so fit it in when you're able, but please fit it in.

3. Have fun. Feel free to discuss more than couponing. We'd do that if we could meet face to face.

4. Give your facilitators lots of feedback and suggestions. Please.

Okay - let's dive in.


FAQs

1. Can visitors (non-group members) post in this thread?
Answer is in this post.

2. Is this group full? Yes, keeping them small.

3. When would the next group start?
Last group was Fall 2011. Not planning to do anymore.
4. How do I sign up for a new group?
Just PM Giving-Small.

[Giving-Small]

I have posted a slidecast (slideshow with audio) that show you my coupon "binder", coupon stash, stockpile and some tips on stockpiling.

You can jump ahead to the particular slides that are of interest and the sound track will skip along accordingly.

[ I know some of you may have watched this already so feel free to post right away. ]

Okay I have posted a slidecast (slideshow with audio) that show you my coupon "binder", coupon stash, stockpile and some tips on stockpiling.

You can jump ahead to the particular slides that are of interest and the sound track will skip along accordingly.

[ I know some of you may have watched this already so feel free to post right away. ]




Start the slideshow. (16 min)


Your Activity

• Create a post and introduce yourself a bit (ie. from Kamloops, mom with 2 kids ...)

• Tell us how you found out about couponing.

• Share your thoughts on the tour and whether you think you'll stockpile a little or a lot.

[Giving-Small]

Giving-Small Saskatoon SK Left March 10

1. dholden London ONArr March 18 Left Mon. Mar 21
   
2. wiserwithwordsSouth Woodslee, ON Rec'd Mar 23 Left March 24
   
3. monkey'smomSt. Marys, ON Rec'd March 25 Sent March 25
4. RoseGentrySurrey, BC Rec'd April 4 Sent april
5. barbs Abbotsford, BC,
6. moefoxEdmonton AB
7. Giving-Small Saskatoon SK

[Giving-Small]

Post 4

[RoseGentry]

Hello,

My name is Rose and I live in Langley, BC and it looks like im the only BC'er in the group. I don't have a big household (it's just me and my bf)... I am a 22 year old University student and I am very new to couponing.

I have used coupons a bit in the past but it was more like grabing a coupon that I saw and using it that day. I started looking for coupons and building a collection in January so I don't have all that many coupons; however, my coupon stash is starting to grow.

I decided to start couponing because I am on a sponsorship and don't get all that much money and to top it all off my BF tore his ACL and had to have surgery and to make matters worse he got laid off before he even had a chance to go back... so we are playing the waiting game with EI and hoping that he get's called back in. Even before I started couponing I would search the flyers for the best deals and buy multiples whenever possible; having coupons just makes it a lot cheaper.

I really liked the slide it is great to see other peoples methods. I am still at the envelope stage (well ziploc stage) I have about 6 different ziplocs that are seperated into different groups and then put them all in one bigger ziploc. I have a pretty good memory so I kinda know what I got.. am thinking that I might need to figure something else out soon. Just not sure of the easiest way...

anyways, I have talked enough for one post. I can't wait to meet everyone and learn more about becoming an epic couponer!

Bye for now!

[Giving-Small]

Rose thanks so much for starting. Ack ACL torn -- not good.

You'll be so happy you know a ton of Ontario couponers and hopefully a few become friends/trading partners - they get some of the best coupons that we don't see out west. But I know it's nice to get ideas about the stores specifically in your province, so Barbs is hopping on board and she says she's from "beautiful BC" so we'll have to ask her whereabouts.

[monkey'smom]

Hi.

My name is Melissa, and I have been around these boards on and off for awhile but still feel like a newbie. In our house there is me, my DH, DS1 - 3yrs, DS2 - 10mths, 2 cats, and 2 dogs (and by dogs I mean big dogs, Alaskan Malamutes, each 100 lbs). I am currently on Mat leave, but am heading back to work beginning of April.

I am started hard-core couponing just this month and already saved a lot. I am actually hopping to start my Food Bank donation stash this afternoon, assuming the kids cooporate.

Thanks Giving-Small for starting the coupon, I can't wait to see what I learn.

[eriluo]

Thank you GS for the lovely introduction in Post #1. You are too kind I was so flattered and honoured to be asked by our wonderful GS who is a legend on her own that I jumped at the opportunity

As for me, they call me Eriluo, but my friends here call me Erika or just plain ol' E.

I am 37 years young, a mother of an eight year old autistic boy named Jack, a full-time communications professional for the provincial government, a lover of coupons, a retired candlemaker (have no space to make them as my stash has taken over the basement!), a passionate 100% Finnish Canadian, resident of Northern Ontario (and by north I mean closer to Moosonee than Barrie ), and all around crazy goof who enjoys the fun and friendship this board provides

I officially started couponing in March 2009 at the urging of DH who at the time was an assistant manager at Wal-Mart and who kept bringing home coupons and telling me to save them for a rainy day and at the same time, I saw an article about smartcanucks.ca in my local newspaper, and put two and two together and got pow!

I have managed to save lots of money and use lots of coupons both for personal use as well as shelter and food bank donations and donations to family and friends and then some.

I have a personal passion for women's shelters and as a result, since September 2009, I have donated 8 times since then, 12 baskets per time full of toiletries and personal products, to a ten-bed shelter, so I've hopefully put a smile on the face of 96 different women over the course of a year and a half! I was aiming to do a Valentines' shelter drop-off last weekend but my son had been sick for four days the week before, so that got put on the backburner, so look for a donation post in the near future

Besides that, I am a SDM Optimum points addict and have redeemed at least 12 times for the maximum amounts since starting couponing in 2009 and have been able to buy several video cameras (3), a camera, 2 DSi's, one Wii, one Wii fit, several Wii games and a Tassimo Coffee Maker just to name a few things plus I replenish my shelter stock with points too

I get a lot of my coupons from trades (I love bundles!) and if I see them at the grocery store, I will pull a few too! I clip when they are in the newspaper, I order from save.ca and websaver.ca and have been lucky enough to be RAOK'd by many generous SC'rs for my shelter stash, so I manage to save a lot of money on groceries and other stuff, then my saved money goes to fun things like vacations, new toys for the family etc.

If you have any questions, ask away and let me know if I can be of any help, and I'd be happy to assist

Happy Thursday Everyone

[wiserwithwords]

Hi guys! I'm very excited to be a part of this group and would happily share my story!
My name is Brianne but everyone just calls me Bree! I'm 25 years old and married to my husband since 2008. We have four amazing kids C who is 9 and my autistic son, M who is 7, M who is 5 and S who is 3. We just finished with potty training with S so no more pampers but C still uses Goodnights (man are those things expensive.)
When S was born I had an emergency c-section and at that time we were already struggling financially. Less than 2 weeks later my husband went in for major back surgery to repair some disks and has been in constant pain. We go through Advil like it is going out of style. Financially we still struggle and after doing all the normal things like stocking up when there is a good sale, canning, shopping second hand stores and our favorite is going to yard sales we knew that if we wanted the things in life that we dream of we would need to take action.
The second week in January is when I started really getting into using coupons and things have all been uphill from there. We have the security of knowing that if something was to happen we have a stock pile to live off of for awhile. We've been able to start paying down our debts and getting towards the life that we want.
I should add the unique twist to our story, when S was born via emerg c-section I had my tubes clamped. We though we were done having kids but emotionally I knew immediately afterwards that I had made a mistake. Last November I had the tubal reversal done and have been on an emotional roller coaster ever since. We have not been successful as of yet so we are saving to have IUI done in May if we remain unsuccessful til then.
We also have one tiny min pin named Jazzy but pet food coupons for her are nearly useless to us since we feed her Orijen and haven't found any coupons yet!
I've began using my coupons to help my parents who have struggled a lot financially over the past few years even having their gas shut off and I'm happy to say what they saved in groceries they have got that debt paid off and the gas turned back on! We have also been able to provide my 75 year old grandmother with lots of groceries and essentials to stretch her pension out a little further. And with all of the extra pet food coupons that I have I have been able to make some donations to the local Humane society to help them out as well.
I'm a bit addicted to building my stock pile and always hunting for the deals. I spend far too much time on here but it's a good way to keep my mind off of TTC right now.
I guess I have taken enough space on here lol, tried to give the short version of our story but I guess it wasn't that short after all!
I look forward to getting to know some other members on here and learning how to maximize our savings and get organized since every spot in our house has coupons at the moment lol.

[dholden]

Good afternoon, my name is Deanna but I go by Dee or D. I have been married for 2 years to my loving husband. I work at a not-for-profit organization as the administrative assistant. I saw a show a few years back about couponing but it was just over the 2010 holidays that I started thinking about it again, and was able to see the TLC show, Extreme Couponing. My husband has been on a contract position for the past 3 years and will find out by the end of March whether he will have a full-time permanent position with the company (which means we could start looking into buying a house) or he will be going back to school in September (which means not buying a house, but instead paying for school). So either way, we need to save up a lot of money. So, I've made a commitment that for every coupon I use, I will match that coupon amount in my savings account. So, as you can see below, I've put $102.98 in savings!! And that feels really good!! I have made rules for myself when couponing though.
1. I will try not to buy things I don't need (I've already bent this rule, I bought 2 Covergirl mascara for $1.49 but my sister needed them.)
2. Anything I have too much of and can't use before expiry (ie laundry detergent, pasta, hygiene products), I will donate to my work's food bank.
3. Any coupon I will not use, I will give to someone who can use them (so don't be afraid to ask me for coupons!) I'd rather someone else use them then letting them expire.

The tour was great, it's interesting to see what everyone uses to store their coupons, I am currently using a binder with photo album pages, I have an idea of what I want to get to store my coupons but I haven't ordered it yet and like Rose I have a fairly good memory of what I have so I find that really helpful.

I think we will definitely stockpile on certain things... like toilet paper, my husband loves buying toilet paper

Thanks so much for this group, I know I will find it helpful!

[monkey'smom]

Hey Dee. I am just north of you and head to London all the time.

[dholden]

Hey Dee. I am just north of you and head to London all the time.

That's great, we'll be able to trade tips on stores and such!

[monkey'smom]

7 days and I got my first $5 GC for amazon.ca by using Swagbucks. Thank you so much Giving-Small.

[eriluo]

Sorry I have been AWOL on this thread the last day and a half. In my spare time, I volunteer on a community Board of Directors and we've been busy last night and half day today trying to hire an office worker for the organization, so my attention outside of work has been directed to that, but now that the weekend is upon us, I have some time to talk shop and coupons

DH and I just came back from doing our shopping at Wal-Mart, Food Basics and Your Independent Grocer's (YIG). I normally don't shop at Food Basics and I was reminded why when we there, as the aisles were crowded, people were running around like lunatics and the cash line ups were ridiculous. Using coupons there however was easy, so I might just re-think when we shop there and see if the experience would be more pleasant Wal-Mart was relatively easy although their sales this week, weren't the greatest, and YIG's was for our produce/meat/gluten-free shopping, so again, nothing spectacular.

I don't know about others, but most of the time, I only buy the bare essentials and the perishables when we shop, so not necessarily a lot of coupon usage, as I have a stockpile that we keep stocked on an ongoing basis with coupons, so I save money that way too! We also get some of our meat from a local pork and beef farm, so we save that way too!

How does everyone else save on groceries?

[wiserwithwords]

We save on food in a few different ways- we raise our own chickens for the eggs, grow a big garden in the summer to freeze the produce and shop sales to keep our stockpile well filled. With a family of 6 we need to save where ever we can.

Today we did our big shop at No Frills. The sale on Campbells soup, Pogo's and razors was amazing. We are well stocked on those things for awhile. I'm going to pick up a couple more boxes of Pogo's tonight, the bread and the flour if I can find any after we get done at the funeral showing.

Sunday we will head to Shoppers for their Royale bathroom tissue and facial tissues since those are such good deals.

Other than the above I didn't find any really great deals this week that I had coupons to match. A bit disappointed that I only had 2 of the Nutrigrain bars $1 coupons, that was such a good deal!

Oh I signed up for the Sobeys points card today too, we very rarely shop there but I figured it wouldn't hurt to sign up for points card for the few times we do find bargains.