Group 14: 21 Things to be an Epic Couponer (FULL)

[geniemom]

Hi everyone, just finished reading everyones post's. I live in Bradford,ON near Newmarket not Brantford. I chose my name becaus my DH and I just started a new business called Floragenie and decided to borrow part of the name to use with Mom. Mom's are always the ones to answer everyone's problems and help with everything......so hence the name geniemom. I always used coupons here and there but did not become serious about till this spring. Yes "that show" did open my eyes to what i could be doing, and started me on my quest for info and i found this sight back in Feb i then joined a couple months later and haven't looked back since.

I needed a way to help our family with finances with staring our own company and not having that certain paycheck coming every 2 weeks is scary! My DH was at his job for over 20+ yrs so this is def new terrirtory for us .....but we are loving it, he is so much happier YAAAA! I've worked off and on for last 13 yrs at same place but no more now. I' ve been able to stay home and raise our 2 daughters 12 and 10 and i love it and wouldn't change it for anything. We also have a 4yr rough collie (lassie dog) only she's a tri (black, white, brown) called chelsea and sh'e our baby, we also have katie the hamster, and bun bun the bunny.

Looking forward to learning more, especially about trading and trains haven't done that yet. My goal is to have about 1yr supply stockpile and i'm getting there soon will be organized to take some pictures.

I love the name "start the car" love the commercial and whenever i've just got a great deal you can hear me say that as i'm driving away LOL. My DD's think i've lost my mind, they find it quite entertaing. LOL

[Giving-Small]

Sunshine- 150 cows - that's a very big herd. I grew up on a mixed farm and we had 50 cows and then 50 calves/yearlings. My love was the horses we had.

[Giving-Small]

What a great group even if many of you are cat people - just joking. I love cats - always did and then they started triggering asthma attacks. That said about 3 years ago, I discovered Deacon - my neighbors cat who I could pet and hold.
I help out quite a bit with Street Cat Rescue group.

I think we have a couple more intros to go and I'm getting Thing 2 cued up to go.

Anyone can leap in and answer questions - still have a question about inserts and what papers they're in.

In Saskatoon they are in the main daily newspaper -usually in the Saturday edition. It's actually not all that easy to trade them unless there's a super coupon - like free Mars bar so I don't think I'd buy extras ... start asking friends and neighbors and co-workers. Some are happy to save them for you.

[bgheuchert]

Thanks for the tip on getting the extra flyers Giving-Small, I find that I have more than enough mail order and internet prints available to me, but just looking for about 4 copies of each flyer that comes out. Of course I do buy my copy whenever they are out, just hoping to get them without buying 4 papers haha For myself and my family I am thinking that if I have 4 copies of each coupon (internet/flyer/mail out etc) that is more than enough for me to keep track of and start to build a stockpile that will last my family 6-12 months. Personally I don't need any more than that, but would gladly collect a few more for trades. How do you find trades, are people good with them? Are they really that effective?? Not sure. Also, I have a 10 month old daughter, started saving all the diaper related coupons that I can, but have truly found that store brand diapers are still cheaper and just as good quality as the Huggies/Pampers etc. I will still collect them if someone has any tricks for me on how to get the prices of diapers and wipes a bit lower! Is it worth signing up for the points clubs that they have? I am all over it if it works. Diapers and wipes I would stock up on as much as possible, however many I could get.

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

Thanks for the tip on getting the extra flyers Giving-Small, I find that I have more than enough mail order and internet prints available to me, but just looking for about 4 copies of each flyer that comes out. Of course I do buy my copy whenever they are out, just hoping to get them without buying 4 papers haha For myself and my family I am thinking that if I have 4 copies of each coupon (internet/flyer/mail out etc) that is more than enough for me to keep track of and start to build a stockpile that will last my family 6-12 months. Personally I don't need any more than that, but would gladly collect a few more for trades. How do you find trades, are people good with them? Are they really that effective?? Not sure. Also, I have a 10 month old daughter, started saving all the diaper related coupons that I can, but have truly found that store brand diapers are still cheaper and just as good quality as the Huggies/Pampers etc. I will still collect them if someone has any tricks for me on how to get the prices of diapers and wipes a bit lower! Is it worth signing up for the points clubs that they have? I am all over it if it works. Diapers and wipes I would stock up on as much as possible, however many I could get.

I know you can earn free diapers coupons by signing up for the huggies and pampers points clubs. I don't use the codes so PM me as a reminder and I can send you some Some people trade their codes too.

Trading is a fabulous way to get some coupons you need. You can even offer to trade stamps for coupons if you don't have much for trade. The trading section is here and 99% of traders are wonderful! Some will ask for newbies to send their end of the trade first.

[bgheuchert]

That would be great SOEC! I would love some codes, where would I obtain these "CODES" normally?? (like besides trades??)

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

You find them on packages of huggies and pampers diapers and wipes I'll be getting a new pack on the weekend so I'll have a Pampers code for you then!

[Giving-Small]

It's 350 points for Huggies to get a free jumbo pack coupon for diapers. Pampers has mostly gifty items - occasionally you can redeem for diapers -- mostly for toys. And it takes a lot more points BUT they give away more bonuses.

And you don't need to be a mom to enter/use the site. I do it to collect diapers to donate.

Both Pampers and Huggies give away some "free" bonus codes:

Pampers GTG - Current Codes! *Main Thread*
BargainHunter Lola tries to keep the first couple of posts updated with "bonus" point codes you can enter - could be as many as 100 free points.

Here's the Huggies thread:

Huggies Enjoy The Ride Rewards - MAIN THREAD

[Giving-Small]

Store brand are often cheaper but there are ways it can pay to go with brand.

London Drugs allows stacking and I think you can still stack (use more than one coupon on one package) Huggies. Pampers have restricted wording that prevents stacking.

There are some high value coupons -- ie. $10 off.

Those can work towards being cheaper at Shoppers on a bonus points day using their reward program and/or Safeway with airmiles.

We'll get to reward programs like shoppers point and safeway eventually.

And about twice a year there is a P&G rebate mail in card offer at Zellers. Spend $30 on any of these P&G products and get $25 gift card back. If diapers or wipes are included, kinda hard to beat nearly free.

You can trade for Free Product Coupons but people usually want other Free Product Coupons or alot. That said, don't like ice cream , email chapmans, collect 2x $5 ice cream coupons and trade for Huggies FPC for example.

A lot of it about knowing your priorities and how much you want your couponing to help with "essentials" and how much "additional fun".

For example if you want both, you'll keep the ice cream and find another way for the diapers. Or the movie passes. Otherwise you'll trade some of the items for the ones you really want/use.

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

I have a hard time giving up my FPC's LOL!! Occasionally I get one I won't use and I trade it.

Johnson and Johnson offers a new parent pack of coupons that includes a FPC for any J&J baby product. This is one you probably won't get in trades so it's best to order it for yourself... I don't have the number at the moment but you can email them in the "contact us" area of their website.

Some companies will send out an FPC if you email or call them with a compliment. There's a thread about it somewhere, I'll have to edit when I find it lol.

I wish I would have been couponing when my kids were in diapers. I could have saved SO much money!!

[NaomiJ]

I've seen DD and DH all over the site, but not sure what it meant. I looked up to see if I could find a list of the shortcut terms, but wasn't able to find that on the list (not sure if that pertains to what we're discussing right now).

As well, what's an FPC?

I keep seeing people loving the Red Plum and Smart Source flyers... those are usually available in newspapers, right? I saw the list of dates that they come out on here, but wasn't sure if they came in as a flyer in the newspaper or the tv guide section... where are they usually kept? Is it a good idea to purchase a few newspapers to get these coupons because they're good for trades?

I keep seeing people talking about tear pads... I see them occassionally in stores, but I was under the impression that the ones at RCSS are only for RCSS and can't be used elsewhere... is that true?

What exactly is a train? I read Lola's super fast and easy VWT (not sure what VWT stands for), but am not really sure what the process is...

This one's a little more tricky: are there certain "hot" seasons for deals?

Sorry about all the questions!

Sorry just seen this. So the smart source is coming this weekend. You will find it in the free press on saturday and the sun on Monday. Feel free to PM me I am in Manitoba too!!

[NaomiJ]

Wow you all have been busy here on this thread.
Thats a lot of cows you have. Do you milk them?
I like Coupon’n Canuckers sounds pretty cool.

[schwarzie]

Sorry just seen this. So the smart source is coming this weekend. You will find it in the free press on saturday and the sun on Monday. Feel free to PM me I am in Manitoba too!!

I actually used to deliver the Free Press when I lived in Winnipeg about 30 years ago!

In Calgary the Smart Source will be in the Herald on Saturday and in the Sun on Sunday. I sometimes get them in my flyers on Thursday or Friday as well.

Tips: I always email my co-workers on Thursday when I know the flyers are coming out. I tell them specifically what I am looking for . I get about 9 or 10 that way as I don't get the papers. As well, local pubs or your local Timmie's is a good source. They often buy the papers for their customers to read and I can pop by my local pubs (especially) and grab the inserts from them. Also, alot of people buy the paper to read while they have their coffee and will leave it behind.

[saskmomto4]

Hi everyone! Sorry for the late intro, I just got back from the lake!
My name gives me away, I am a stay at home mom to 4 beautiful kids!, 10, 7, 5 and 23months.
My DD actually started me on the coupons. She watched Extreme couponing and started cutting out coupons and putting them in an envelope...haha. I decided to go with it, and collect them too.
I am enjoying the challenge of finding the deals and and matching them up to my coupons.
I will stock pile all the things we use on a regular basis.
I can't wait to learn about all the tricks, trades etc.

[DeeBuck]

I hope DH can get me some smart sources, does anyone know whats in them?