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

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t..._in_teacup.pngWelcome! I'm so happy you all agreed to give this a try. This is my second group and the first one has only been going a few days so we're all learning together.

Our Group Members are:

• Murren ??? BC
• kk008 Burnaby, BC
• middleclassmom Vancouver Island, BC
• Chimmi Toronto, ON
• okgirl Vancouver BC
• BVOGT30 Winnipeg MB
  
• fourfurryfeet Barrie ON
• Orv New Brunswick
• Jezzebelle MB :top:
• Me - Giving-Small Saskatoon SK

Welcome everyone!

So we'll focus on learning about couponing, saving $$ and maybe earning a few gift cards online. You'll all be graduating soon as Epic couponers :smartass:.

As well as couponing, we also learn how to use Smart Canucks features, short cuts and tips so it's easy to find something we found before, connect with people, etc.

We have an super group this time and another senior hopping on board to help out: orv who has some awesome expertise to contribute. Together we're going to make a great team.

She'll be introducing herself soon and giving you a bit of an idea how she started with SmartCanucks and couponing.

We are all on the learning curve together so please contribute what you've found where you are - things are different regionally 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 me 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 Saskatoon SK Sent: Sat. March 5, 2011
Chimmi Toronto, ON Rec'd March 14 Sent March 14
fourfurryfeet Barrie, ON Rec`d Mar 21 (hiccup due to Canada Post so a bit of a delay)

BVOGT30 Winnipeg, MB Rec'd April 4 Left April 4
Jezzeebelle Winnipeg, MB the conductor was hanging out in the dining car and forgot to update.


kk008 Burnaby, BC Rec'd April 21 Left April 21
middleclassmomPort Albernni BC
Giving-Small - Saskatoon SK Rec'd May 3,2011:-)

Reserved 2

Reserved 3

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. ]


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...010/thing1.jpg

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.

Oh Gosh I am excited!!!! LOL =)

I know that my stockpile may have disappointed some of you so I'm posting the photos of the stockpiling for 85 Christmas Hampers. I had a lot of help from Smart Canuck members who sent me buckets of coupons.

Almost everything in these pics is from the coupon trips and reward / points purchases.




http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...0/dec14018.jpg
Pasta

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...0/dec14020.jpg
Veggies and Fruit

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...0/dec14021.jpg
Soup with the coordinator of AIDS Saskatoon pointing out the stash

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...0/dec14028.jpg
Board games and gifts

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...0/dec14023.jpg
Health and Beauty (lots more not in pic)

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...0/dec14017.jpg
Potatoes, Stuffing, Cereal, coffee, tea, soup, tomatoes


http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...15006small.jpg

Gift cards, movie passes

http://i600.photobucket.com/albums/t...15009small.jpg
Hamper boxes for one family

If you'd like to see how a SmartCanucks team can pull together and make miracles happen, browse through the FULL - 2nd Annual Giving-Small Christmas 2010 Charity Hamper Train.

A little about Orv,

I am a 24 year old SAHM(Stay at home mom) with an almost 3 year old daughter who keeps me on my toes(way more than I would like to be lol she's a busy one) And I'm a Smart Canuck addict!:excited:

Kidding. (or am I? I'll let you decide! :lolsign:)

I recently moved to New Brunswick, from one of the most beautiful cities in the world(at least in my eyes, but I haven't traveled much in my day lol) Honeymoon Capital, Niagara Falls. Now, being a maritimer, I can say I have survived two hurricanes, swam in the ocean, and bears steal my garbage can.:rant: (Far cry from the city life that I am used to, and I have only been here since august) As I continue to get used to the climate over here(I have like 10 ft. of uninvited snow in my yard :evil:) I continue on my mission to find the cheapest things possible, as I try and grow my very own stockpile(in hopes to have a nice donation ready for the foodbank soon)

I joined SC(Smart Canucks) back in '08 (been lurking since '07) and when I started, it was mainly for the "freebie" section. I was infatuated with the fact that you could actually receive free things in the mail. That got old quick once I found the "coupon" section.

Like most, I was a skeptic in the beginning. I didn't understand what all the hoopla was about. Was saving .50 cents really going to make a difference? (Keep in mind this was before I realized coupons could be combined with in store sales, and the fact that you were aloud to use more than one per shopping trip) Funny how we just "assume" these rules when we start out.
"Coupon Trains" made no sense in my mind at all. I thought "why on EARTH would people waste there time online trading coupons, are you serious? GET A LIFE!!!" LOL
There nothing like having to eat your own words.:top:
I have done several trades now, I LOVE to raok(Random act of kindness), I have rode a lot of trains, and recently I have even tried my skills as a conductor!

Anyway,:bebored: weeks led to months, months to years, and here I am today sharing all my wonderful knowledge with you fine folks! And I look forward to getting to know the rest of you!:flowers:

My name is Beka, married in Winnipeg. I'm an American living in Canada, 38, a stay-at-home Mom of 2 girls, one is 1 1/2 and the other is 2 1/2. I have been couponing since I was in college. I joined this group because couponing is different in Canada than it is in the States and I would like to be brought up to speed with the Canadian way of doing things!!!

I plan on stockpiling for a period of 6 months or so. Right now, I am starting from unfilled cabinets and cupboards, but I am hoping within the next month or less (after seeing some of the great trades I made) to have that situation fixed.

Thank you so much for this opportunity. It looks like it is going to be awhole lot of fun!!!

My name is Krista and I'm an SCaholic! oh...wrong meeting sorry!

My name is Krista and I'm 28, I only started couponing about a month and a half ago and have saved oodles to date! I live in Barrie which also has uninvited snow hehe! I graduated with honours from college (Law) and decided that I really don't like people nearly as much as I like my dogs! So, I that's when I got into breeding Great Danes. I show them and breed them as a hobby and I imported my first girl and boy from Nevada and Louisianna (no wonder I need to coupon...it's a very expensive hobby) and have provided 8 homes with fabulous pups.

My mom used to tell me that I would never have drempt of using coupons in college or when I was younger, weird I don't remember!

I don't have a stockpile, the closest I have come to a stock pile is dog cookies and tide!

I became a CAPPDT member (dog trainer) eons ago and I now spend my off hours training and rehabilitating dogs from the SPCA to allow them to have the possibility of being adopted! It's on a need basis and they call me when they need me...hence I go through a lot of dog treats haha!

And at night I dispatch from home for a cab company!

I had to get rid of the kids, the dogs were allergic! Ok, Ok I didn't have any in the first place but I would trade my first born for some coupies...but you pay shipping LOL (this is where I should mention my first born is about 38 inches at the shoulders and weighs 220lbs! oh Common it's a good deal!

Can't wait for this group to roll! Sounds like tons of fun!

Sweeeeet.....good to know you few so far and am so excited to venture on and learn more....I think I am only at the 10% level of what I know so far....and that is collecting coupons so that I can stack, and collect and hunt for more so that I can one day trade, etc.

Well, me, my husband, my handsome boy and my beautiful special needs girl live on the West Coast in Burnaby, BC. Both children are still in elementary school and yes, they keep me busy yet they are pretty independent especially when I'm sitting at the computer :) We will be moving in a few months to a bigger house in which then I will be able to sort through my stockpile and take pics too!

I have only used coupons here and there and have never heard about stacking. Early last year, one evening, we were in line for a free screening of a movie (I see a lot of free movies that way by winning screening tickets or being online at the right time to order them...it's also a nite out with my friends for a few hours) and I started chatting with a lady and she told me about it. I didn't think anything about it for about 1/2 a year and then somehow got onto SC site and started reading about this...then I decided, OK...let's try it...this would probably about summer 2010....and it was at London Drugs of course. So since then, I have been slowly building coupons in my file and am just now trying to venture out and look into coupon trading/trains (I still don't know how to do it..so am just listing coupons first)to do even more of looking for coupons at the stores and ordering online and getting them in the local papers....haven't gone through backyard recycling yet.
I will be lucking out because I have asked a friend to save her extra coupon flyers from her children's paperroute for me. Picked up 18 just today! Now just trying to figure out what to do with them.....lol.

Anyways, that's it for now and looking forward to this journey.....

Cheers!

Well don't we sound like an awesome interesting bunch! =) Can't wait to get to know the rest of yous!

:lolsign: fourfurryfeet -- I'm not so sure that you're at the wrong meeting.:-)
My name is Krista and I'm an SCaholic! oh...wrong meeting sorry!


Wow ... dogs are super - you must be an amazing trainer. I'm starting at the bottom rung helping to train our new puppy. Our older dog is super but this guy is Dennis the Menace on 4 feet and eating and eating and eating.

Hi all,

My name is Violet and you can find my story here:
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/183169-...-sc-er-canada/

I posted it a couple weeks ago and now I am proud to be in this group. I am on the adoption list, waiting for a mommy as I am as little as 35. :) Thanks to Darlene, I found a temporary great mommy and more than that, new friends in this group. We are four living together, including two spoiled cats. I collected so many coupons in the last month that now I jump on trains trying to send them to people who need them. Verry happy when I buy stuff for free as for so many years I paid full price for everything and now trying to catch up. Still collecting stuff for people in Caribbean and other friends in need.
After watching Darlene's video next day I organized all my coupons in an accordion folder, great idea.
I enjoy your stories and hope to have fun together!

Okgirl - just read your intro -- do you know about brandsampler from P&G. I have a few friends who signed up and they pass on the samples they don't need/want to try like the small shampoos etc. so I can donate. Those might work well for your donations in the Caribbean.