Group #2 DEAL BUSTING DIVAS - 21 Things to be an Epic Couponer

[Giving-Small]

And Jezzee -- where's the new wishlist of pet coupons .. I still have some that I think you can use.

[middleclassmom]

Great 3rd Topic. Coupons are the meat and potatoes to my collection, so I am happy to learn lots of new tips.

Before I get to my answers to the topic questions I have a couple of questions:

* I get a subscription to Today's Parent and Canadian Family (being a new mom and all) and got these either through points or super cheap....so I have found the coupons from these. I read in the SC posts about coupons/inserts found in magazines...including Canadian Living/Chatelaine/etc but when I look in the monthly issue out in stores they never have the inserts so I don't bother purchasing the mag from the store....do I have to subscribe to the mag in order to get the coupon booklets in the mag?

* are there any brand of cereals better than others for free mag subscriptions?

* how do I subscribe to receive a Rogue mag that contain coupons? the website will only allow me to subscribe to their newsletter and to down PDF copies of their mag (which don't contain the coupons)

* how do I go about getting the J&J Baby FPC? I can't find any info on SC on this one

* I live in a small town so we don't get product demonstrators

Answers to topic questions:

1) I have found the bulk of my coupons from grocery stores and pharmacy.

2) I have done a couple of trades for $50-$100 + bundles which I thought were great. (In particular SCer "tinkerbella23" made an awesome $100+ bundle for me!!) I also had pretty good success with contacting companies and requesting coupons. I search the newspapers high and low for coupon inserts. I am developing an eye for scouting out coupons found directly on/in/included with product (although my DH is even better than I am at this.) And I have just begun trying out a few MIRs and (im)patiently waiting for the coupons/gc/refund to come in the mail

3) I went and tried to subscribe to the Rogue mag but didn't have any success as the website will only allow me to subscribe to their e-newsletter. I knew the Zellers and RCSS pharmacies offer calenders/magazines with coupies but I didn't know others did. I will check it out.

Okay....this has to be th elongest post ever. Sorry....I'm a Chatty-Cathy....lol

[Giving-Small]

Keep chatting -we love it.

Great 3rd Topic. Coupons are the meat and potatoes to my collection, so I am happy to learn lots of new tips.

Before I get to my answers to the topic questions I have a couple of questions:

* I get a subscription to Today's Parent and Canadian Family (being a new mom and all) and got these either through points or super cheap....so I have found the coupons from these. I read in the SC posts about coupons/inserts found in magazines...including Canadian Living/Chatelaine/etc but when I look in the monthly issue out in stores they never have the inserts so I don't bother purchasing the mag from the store....do I have to subscribe to the mag in order to get the coupon booklets in the mag?

Yes you do have to subscribe - they have Clip N Save and sometimes another one. Clip N Save hasn't been as great this year as last. But it depends on the issue. Clip N Save comes 4x a year with the magazine.

* are there any brand of cereals better than others for free mag subscriptions?

It's usually a General Mills offer. None on at the moment but quite a few last year so hopefully we'll see it again. Right now, they have the movie passes.

* how do I subscribe to receive a Rogue mag that contain coupons? the website will only allow me to subscribe to their newsletter and to down PDF copies of their mag (which don't contain the coupons)

Hmmm - I have to take another look. Does anyone know this ??

* how do I go about getting the J&J Baby FPC? I can't find any info on SC on this one


Parents Pack- from Johnson's

Call both 1-866-565-2229 & 1-877-223-9807 for the New Parents pack from J&J.

In this comes a free coupon for a johnsons product free.

It's called a "replacement product coupon" and can be used on gift sets. Not all stores will accept if for that but someone phoned in and confirmed this use was okay with J&J. You can only request this coupon once and it is intended for parents. I know some people who have called and got it once regardless of the age of their children, and I know others that did not get when they didn't have young children. So YMMV (your mileage may vary).

* I live in a small town so we don't get product demonstrators

Answers to topic questions:

1) I have found the bulk of my coupons from grocery stores and pharmacy.

2) I have done a couple of trades for $50-$100 + bundles which I thought were great. (In particular SCer "tinkerbella23" made an awesome $100+ bundle for me!!) I also had pretty good success with contacting companies and requesting coupons. I search the newspapers high and low for coupon inserts. I am developing an eye for scouting out coupons found directly on/in/included with product (although my DH is even better than I am at this.) And I have just begun trying out a few MIRs and (im)patiently waiting for the coupons/gc/refund to come in the mail

3) I went and tried to subscribe to the Rogue mag but didn't have any success as the website will only allow me to subscribe to their e-newsletter. I knew the Zellers and RCSS pharmacies offer calenders/magazines with coupies but I didn't know others did. I will check it out.

I haven't seen one at Zellers, but heard Rexall had one this year.

Okay....this has to be th elongest post ever. Sorry....I'm a Chatty-Cathy....lol

[middleclassmom]

3) I went and tried to subscribe to the Rogue mag but didn't have any success as the website will only allow me to subscribe to their e-newsletter. I knew the Zellers and RCSS pharmacies offer calenders/magazines with coupies but I didn't know others did. I will check it out.

I haven't seen one at Zellers, but heard Rexall had one this year.

Zellers Pharmacy put out a calender, which has a variety of "in-store" coupies in it.

Even if I can't use some of them at Zellers, I can use them at Safeway (which will accept competitors coupons)

[okgirl]

Hi,
I noticed sometimes the coupons are different from west to east so when trade or ride a train you can get a bunch of new coupons.
1. I found a lot of coupons after somebody posted in a thread as she indicated what stores and coupons. Very helpful for beginners!
2.Another way - I asked customer service for coupons - store specfic coupons.
3.New method - I take magazines left in my building by people who don't need them and I look inside for coupons. Found some!

[fourfurryfeet]

Ahhhh....I posted a big long answer and then POW our power went out and I lost it all my poor typing fingers LOL! I will try to remember as much as I can!

Holy batman that was a good video packed with tons of info! I don't mind it with or without sound it doesn't really matter to me. Not saying we don't love to hear you but either way is fine for me LOL!

I have found most of my coupons in grocery stores. I can't get out a whole lot in the winter since the wheelchair says mmmm no! LOL So the majority of mine came from grocery store or online sources like save.ca etc.

Another way to get coupies that you are looking for and can't seem to find around your local stores is ............ SC ........... LOL! I am always looking to trade for the $5 WUB 2 tide and I have found that so many people have them and I just write to them and ask if they want to trade and they generaly do!!! I always make sure I send some extras off their wish list since the next time I ask they will remember and might be willing to trade with me again! ALSO, if you have any need for a particular coupon say depends or poise (I know a member here uses the coupons for his mother) just put the word out and you will be shocked at how many people send them! I am collecting Huggies Goodnites for a member with a disabled child and every week or so I send them out! Or do some trains, they are fun and you can get a lot of different coupies that you didn't even know were out there LOL!

Ahhh...can I have an extension on the last question!!!??? I can't get out of the house right now to try out a new method but I will say the method I will be trying out once the weather gets better is recycling diving! LOL! We have driveway pickup so it's a little more risky...so if I'm not here for some time after a Smart Source comes out you know I have been arrested HAHAHA!

[Giving-Small]

fourfurryfeet - you rule.

Yes SC and trading is a super source of coupons. Trains too. RAOKs - Random Acts of Kindness.

And there's the adopt a newbie thread -- a lot of members will send you a bundle to get started.

Another place is friend's kitchens, cupboards and recycle bin depending how enthusiastic you are and how receptive friends are to the coupon scouter invasion.

In Ontario, there's the Liquor board stores that have coupons. Go figure. FPC for degree deoderant and others ... I think you also get Air Miles!! Who says Ontario isn't the center of the universe?

And of course, fourfurryfeet you can have a raincheck on finding coupons. If you place your one phone call from jail to us, we'll show up and shower the station with coupons till they let you go.

[fourfurryfeet]

I think we should call ourselves the Super Dooper Dollar Stretchers haha!

[Chimmi]

You can get coupons at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario)??? I had no idea - does anyone have more details on this? Yes you do get Airmiles at any LCBO store here but the standard is 1 Airmile per $30 spent. They total the amount you have spent over a month to figure out what you have earned. The key to getting anything that would really help you build up your collection is to purchase the products with bonus Airmiles (for example a bottle of Vodka might have 10 bonus Airmiles) Did you know that some LCBO's have cooking classes that pair your meal with various wines? My DH and I love going to these as a night out. You get to watch a local chef cook a meal, ask them any question you want, make notes on the recipes provided, and then you get to eat what they prepare and generally each course comes with a different wine that is explained to you why it was chosen by a LCBO product consultant. You earn Airmiles on these classes too. Do those of you in other provinces have this same sort of opportunity?

And just so you don't think that we are super duper lucky over here you should know we are taxed up the wazoo in this province for booze. As an example I bought a bottle of Canton Ginger Liqueur (great when you mix it with pear juice and prosecco) in the States for $28. Here it costs $60 in the store

Okay I am now off to try to do question #3 from our homework - I will let you know how it goes when I get back.

[Jezebel]

3. Go out and find a coupon with one of these new methods and tell us what it is and where you found it. If you have a camera and are able to add a photo (to another site or to your gallery on SmartCanucks), share a photo. No worries if doing photos is not your thing, just share what you find and where.

I asked if they had any coupons a wine store and surprisingly they did !! I recieved a discount coupon and a card that gets stamped each time you make a purchase !! Must say I felt a little odd asking at the wine store LOL

[fourfurryfeet]

Crazy!! I'm so doing this once I can get outta the house! And, I'll have to find out if we have cooking classes out here...it's a night out and comes with air miles! why not!

Coupons at a wine store...who woulda thunk it

[middleclassmom]

ooooo.....I'm SO jealous!! With the amount of wine we go through I would have those air miles racked up fast...lol

[Chimmi]

I find the majority of my coupons online but with the weather slowly improving I hope to venture out more and hit a variety of grocery stores and pharmacies. My DH and I do not drive so we walk almost everywhere or hop onto public transit when walking isn't an option.

I have completed one trade and have just set up my second. I am participating in my first train and attending my first meet up this week.

As for trying a new method I have tried 2 so far - I too am having difficulties signing up for the Rouge Mag - anyone have any tips for this? I am also checking the refuse room on our floor for cereal and other food boxes. I live in an older building so these items get picked up each day. I am also going to try to look in the transit publication later this week.

Thanks for the great suggestions!!!

[Giving-Small]

Great ideas Chimmi and sounds like you're diving in and learning lots.

[middleclassmom]

Giving-Small: I hope it's ok that I post this here....Chimmi thought it would be a good idea to let the group know what I am doing....

Hey Group #2....I am collecting coupons I can stack in order to purchase diapers to make as donations. If anyone has extras please feel free to contribute:

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/185288-...donate-canada/

You can PM me if interested