Group #4 THE DEAL DAZZLERS : 21 Things to be an Epic Couponer

[Giving-Small]

Caroman -- the US shopping is really different then here. Wonder why when some chains and companies are the same.

[Giving-Small]

This is a quick activity.

I'm sure some of you have noticed and used the "thumbs up" icon at the top right hand corner of a thread on the very first page. This is a way to say "great thread" and also to recognize the poster for their contribution.

So how do you do it?

When you're on a thread that you like scroll to the first page first post. You'll see a grey thumb image on the right hand side. See example below. The number 31 beside indicate 31 people have given it a thumbs up.



Simply click on the thumb.

It'll turn green and the number of thumbs up will increase by 1. See below.




When you're looking all the threads under a tab like coupons you'll see some that have a little row of golden thumbs up (See below) - that means lots of people have given that post a thumbs up, like the High Five. This tells everyone - hey this is a really good thread, take a look. So if you leave a thumb up when you spot something useful it helps everyone on Smart Canucks.

Screenshot: Part of the coupons thread enlarged to show the golden thumbs up besides some posts





Your Activity

Find a thread that you think is great and give it a thumbs up.

Feel free to share a link to the thread you chose on the board if you like. Not sure how to link yet; practice on us and use how to make a link to another web site or post

[Giving-Small]

Also if you made any "Dazzling" deals this weekend, tell us about it. I was a soccer tournament so the best I could do is scout for a few coupons, so no great deals here.

[bc_chik]

I didn't make many purchases but I was pretty pleased with myself and all my researching skills

Went to Zellers and got Sunlight dishsoap $1.19sale-$1.00off coupon = .19! (now if only i had more coupons!)
Also got Toothbrush for 1.00 and Toothpaste for 2.99 = 3.99 - 3.00WUB toohbrush and paste - 2.00off toothpaste = FREE! (not sure if this would work anywhere but my cashier didnt seem to mind)

[Giving-Small]

What would you like to learn about next? Let the group know.

By the way we should have a group name ... ideas anyone?

The ones highlighted in pink are already developed or close to release. (Yep I'm making these up as I go! so help me out) Here are some areas:

Coupons

• Facebook and coupons ? - what do you think, how to
• Tips on handling couponing: setting up a separate email account, etc.
• American coupons - how to tell
• Doubling up coupons at Superstore
• Double coupon days at Pharmasave
• What is stacking?
• Getting adopted by a senior SC member

Shopping

• Preparing to shop
• Tips on what to do in the store and at checkout
• How to pick a cashier
• How to "avoid" a disappointing experience with coupons

Coupon Savings

• Tracking your savings, how, tools, etc.

Trades

• Making a trade list and wish list
• Doing trades and values
• Rating trades
• Strategies to Build Your Trade Ratings
• Getting started advice - guidelines, SC areas etc.
  

Trains

• what is a train
• types of trains
• "our train" - setting it up
• How to conduct a train

Smart Canuck Know-How

• Help I'm drowning in great info - tips to manage info overload on SC
• Creating a signature
• Adding a link to tradelist and wishlist in your signature
• Creating a link in a post or adding a picture to a post
• Folders and Subscriptions - what are they?
• Keeping Track of Threads, People, Posts etc. on Smart Canucks
• What's a rep and when do I use it?
• Giving back to Smart Canucks - things to do

Points, points, points

• What are some of the reward programs?
• A close look at air miles
• A close look at Optimum

Advanced Strategies: Double or nothing

• How to combine points and coupons and/or reward cards
• How to donate and help reduce your taxes and help your community
• SPC card

Codes and Pins

• Huggies
• Pampers
• icoke
• aeroplan
• Disney movie rewards

Sites to Play Games and Earn stuff

• Chapmans, Swagbucks etc

Surveys

and ???? this is all that I could think of off the top of my head but I know there's more.

[Giving-Small]

So Deal Dazzlers, while I wait for your advice and input, we'll take a look at how we prepare to shop and share some ideas and tips.

Preparing to Shop with Coupons

You'll be happy to know this one is < 8 min. Which means more talking and sharing by all of you.




Planning your coupon shopping trips - a slidecast - how one SCer does it.

[Giving-Small]

Thing 4 Activity: How do you shop?

Please pick one or more questions to answer. I know time is a factor for many of us juggling multiple responsibilities.

1. Do you shop every week? Every two weeks? Monthly even?

2. Do you use coupons every time you shop? Most times?

3. Do you save your coupons for when things are on sale? Or use them as you get them?

4. How long do you spend planning your shopping trips?

• Do you read through the flyers, make lists of what to get on sale?
• Do you have a master shopping list of what you need?
• Do you use a list at all?

5. Do you always go to the same store or stores? Which ones? Or do you browse the flyers and go where the sales are?


Feel free to do upload a funny pic or cartoon if it represents your shopping style, write a post or a poem to share what you do, record a video.

[kerrylynn]

GM Giving-Small,
I have to thank-you once again for sending the video, very informative! When I noticed it here I was so excited! I would love to know how I can tell if its a usa coupon or canadian before I print it, once its printed then it tells me only good for usa, apo,ect. waisted a lot of ink for nothing!
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:
In order to use coupons and save a lot of money I read through the flyers and make a list of sale items that I can get for an excellent price and shop weekly so I am not missing a good sale. I do use coupons each time I shop even if that means going to Zellers for bathroom tissues cause its on sale. I normally shop @ WM and No Frills for groceries and there is always something one can get with a coupon for an excellent price but as I stated earlier I do make a trip to another store if the deal is very good. I am also stocking up on things that always takes a chunk of money out of my wallet on gracery days! I tell my family and friends that this is a full time hobbie...Thing I do not use myself but if I can get them for $1 or so I pick up and ask family members if they need any of it and if not, I will give to the church around the christmas holidays for family's in need!
Once again I give thanks to you ladies for all the work you put into sc, I think you are amazing people and you have helped me in so many ways and it just keeps getting better!

[caroman]

1. Do you shop every week? Every two weeks? Monthly even?
I shop at least once a week.I have 2 small kids so I need to pick up fresh fruits/veg every week so I might as well pick up other stuff at the same time.
2. Do you use coupons every time you shop? Most times?
I'm learning and trying to use coupons when I shop. I've just recently made a pouch so I can have them in my purse all the time.
3. Do you save your coupons for when things are on sale? Or use them as you get them?
I try to save my coupons for sale itmes to get the lowest price possible.
4. How long do you spend planning your shopping trips?
Do you read through the flyers, make lists of what to get on sale? Do you have a master shopping list of what you need? Do you use a list at all?
I look at flyers posted on the site and coupons to use with the flyers to plan what I'm going to buy.I keep a running list on the fridge of what I'm running low on/what to buy.
5. Do you always go to the same store or stores? Which ones? Or do you browse the flyers and go where the sales are?
I go to different stores, doesn't matter to me.

[bc_chik]

1. Do you shop every week? Every two weeks? Monthly even?
I shop atleast twice a week. I usually do Walmart and then a grocery store. But with 2 sm. children sometimes I don't manage to do it all in one go.

2. Do you use coupons every time you shop? Most times?
Not everytime....I'm not that organized yet.

3. Do you save your coupons for when things are on sale? Or use them as you get them?
I am trying to save coupons for sales. But now I'm finding I'm not using them at all becase items arent on sale! How do you decide whether to use them on a non sale3 item? Do you do that when they are about to expire and hang onto them otherwise?

4. How long do you spend planning your shopping trips?
I usually spend a bit of time planning what we are going to eat that week, and then what we need.

[Giving-Small]

I know some Deal Dazzler team members are working on the tradelists and wishlists so keep going. TIP: Keeping your first list "small" and then adding to it.

Munch on that elephant tradelist a bite at time.

I'd like to get a train set up so everyone who is interested in riding one to try out a train can do so. It's also useful to help build up your "trade" rating because trains are rated.

Our conductor and generous coupon envelope contributor is Crazycoupongirl - yeah Nicole!!

So what's a coupon train?

A train is an envelope with coupons in it that travels from stop to stop. At each stop some coupons get off and some other coupons get on.





The person who starts the train -- the conductor, typically, asks for a boarding pass - coupons from their wish list, stamps, etc. The people who take part in the train are riders.

To find riders, the conductor usually creates a post in the Canadian Coupon Trains thread.

The post spells out the train rules. The thread's title is updated to full when all the riders have signed on seats are filled.

Some trains are "invitation only" and a conductor pm's a group of people to join.

The conductor collects everyone's mailing addresses and creates a route for the train that helps it to speed along.

The conductor sends out a big envelope of coupons to the first rider: see pic above as example.

The first rider takes out some coupons and replaces them and mails it to the next ride and so on.

Eventually the train returns home to the conductor. And I do mean eventually. It is surprising (and discouraging when you're new and excited about trains) to discover how long these trains take.

Read more about trains here in the Sticky post.


Types of Trains

There are all shapes and sizes - anything the conductor wants to do.

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


Activity

Find a train you like and tell us why or tell us about a train you've taken or are riding.

[Giving-Small]

Please send crazycoupongirl and I a PM with your postal address if you`d like to ride on this train.

Tip: To send a PM to 2 people, put a semicolon between their names in the Recipient Username(s) field so it would look like this:

Giving-Small; crazycoupongirl

This train will have lots of different coupons, mostly food, with almost all expiring after June 30. There will be no more than 2 of each coupon. The coupons will primarily be $$ or cents off.

The goal will be to show you some coupons that you`ve haven't seen before so you can get an idea of the variety of coupons available plus hopefully you'll find some useful coupons.


The Rules

Boarding pass: Waived by conductor, this ride is free

Please replace what you take, $ for $ value, Buy 1/Get1, MIR, etc.

Coupons that you put in the train must not expire before the end of June. If you receive the train in May, please try to add coupons that expire after July 31 if possible. That`s so the last riders don`t receive an envie of expired coupons.

Brandsaver, save.ca may be included

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

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

Please remove any expired coupons. PM crazycoupongirl and tell her which ones.

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

Mail out the train within 48 hours (ideally 24 hours) - Please go to a post office and weigh the envelope to ensure correct postage. Also make sure it is packed securely. Add extra tape to ensure it doesn`t get eaten by the post office machines.

Post here with your out/in amount and when you receive/send so everything stays on track. For example, took out 2 BOGOs, 3x $1 off, replaced with same.

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

[caroman]

one thing I don't understand about trains is this- conductors ask for coupons for themselves or give prizes for the most coupons from their wishlist, do you include any envie for the conductor besides trading coupons from the train?

[Giving-Small]

Caroman - great question.

Yes conductors ask for this in addition to the coupons in the envelope. It's a way of getting something back for your efforts. Often the train arrives home full of expired coupons and useless coupons to most folks, so this a way for the conductor to ensure they have something at the end for their time and effort and the $100+ coupon bundle they sent out.

As a rider, you would wrap up the conductor's coupons, write your name on it and pop it in the envelope, so they know it's from you.

one thing I don't understand about trains is this- conductors ask for coupons for themselves or give prizes for the most coupons from their wishlist, do you include any envie for the conductor besides trading coupons from the train?

[bc_chik]

Not a train question - but at LD is there a policy on how many coupons you can stack at once? I have many diaper coupons, all diferent, that can be combined. Also they are $OFF WUB X & Y, can i use these and also use coupons for just the singular items together?

And I am also finding that some of my tear pad coupons for certain things all have different UPCs even though they are the same. Can I stack these? or do they have to ALSO look different.

Ok I think those are all my confusing questions for now haha