How did the coupon world work before the internet?

[ame555]

I keep wondering what did people do for trading and getting coupons before the internet. I remember my parents cutting them out of the flyer i think when I was a kid, but not a lot.

Just very curious! Does anyone know?

[Natalka]

Since I'm really old, I can give this a whirl....

When I was a child in the '60s-70s, I remember my mom using coupons - they would be printed in the newspaper with ads for products, in magazines (she got Chatelaine), and with products themselves that you buy. I don't remember if there were peelies, but sometimes they would be inside the product packaging (I remember digging one out of Quik powder!).

Then when I was out on my own in the late '70s and on - there were more often coupons on store shelves, on products, in magazines, and in newspapers as well.

[Crochetlady]

In the late 70`s and early 80`s there were also a lot of refunds (MIR) on products. Used to find a lot on store shelves and products. I remember doing a lot of Stouffers refunds (3 UPC = $1)

[clipme]

neat! and how much were stamps back in the day? was it worth it for MIRs?

i've never done a MIR, do they write a cheque with your name and address on it?

[Poirot]

I remember something like bingo card I think on cereal boxes that I think you put something on and got a refund.The big unaddressed envelopes that are filled with junk advertisements now used to have manufacturers coupons.

[miztia]

I remember saving labels from all kinds of products in a file folder. They had a lot of mail ins. Mail in xx amount of UPC or labels and they would send you $1, $2 ect. I remember soaking off mayonaise labels.
Double bubble used to send things if you mailed in a bunch of gum wrappers, and popsicle and koolaid used to have a point program to redeem for free stuff. Now I think you have to pay S&H if that even exists anymore.
That was back in the day where you actually got a toy in the cereal box and listened to 45 rpm records. LOL

[dealbreakers]

I remember that! Koolaid prizes, popsicle prizes, etc. Though, mom never let us buy enough to redeem anything. I was always jealous of all the other kids' parents.

[Crochetlady]

I don`t remember how much stamps cost. Since this was before the days of internet I subscribed to a newsletter listing coupons and refunds. The same person also ran an exchange. It was good because if there was a product you bought a lot of, you could exchange UPC`s from those products for ones you didn`t use. It was much like SC but you didn`t trade directly with people...it was all done through the exchange.
I remember those Bingo cards too. I don`t remember how many products you had to buy to get $25 back but it was a lot.

[mimi-]

i think mostly through newspapers, magazines, flyers, and store displays. i'm so jealous of point systems on products. i see them all the time on imported products especially from asia. it's for pretty nice swag, too. i miss the days of actually having a prize in the cereal instead of going online to redeem and waiting weeks for it to arrive. although the shirts and towels are probably nicer than what was ever a prize inside in the box.

[harbie]

I couldn't tell you where they got them from since I was just a babe lol but I remember my mom and her other SAH mom girlfriends sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and trading coupons while the younin's played on the floor.

My mom also told me that our local Safeway(not there anymore) used to double coupons!!! I wish they would do that now!!!

[ame555]

I couldn't tell you where they got them from since I was just a babe lol but I remember my mom and her other SAH mom girlfriends sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and trading coupons while the younin's played on the floor.

My mom also told me that our local Safeway(not there anymore) used to double coupons!!! I wish they would do that now!!!

That's what I was picturing - a lot more in person stuff!

[sweetnlow30]

This is interesting I was just wondering the same thing the other day. How long has couponing been around? Did it start around the 1950's?

[Crochetlady]

I don`t remember my mom using coupons but she did collect Black Diamond stamps which you could redeem for gifts from a catalogue. I think they used to have double stamp days. It was my job to paste the stamps in the book.

[Natalka]

Oh, cereal box prizes! They were awesome!

Our biggest fight was who would be the first to open the can of cocoa to get the square of chocolate inside. Well, we had to share it anyway. I'm thinking it was Hershey's...

And in the mid-'60s, in Red Rose tea, the little china animals! Wish I would have kept them, they are worth lots now.

Back even further in my grandmother's time - so that would be the 40s-50s probably - she got beautiful dishes in laundry soap boxes.
I remember my mom getting a towel in a laundry soap box.

And back in the smoking days - my dad would send in parts of the package (not sure if it was a flap, or a logo, or something - and get things (don't remember what). I think that was Matinee...

[Chimmi]

This is a great thread - I love hearing these stories - keep them coming!

I remember toys in cereal boxes too - sometimes we would chose the cereal based on the toy inside