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

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We`re ready to start our couponing adventures. I know many of you are well on your way so I hope you`ll share tips, insights, experiences and links and help answer questions.

Learning as group is terrific -- it's fun to share your enthusiasm about what you find out and ask questions and swap stories.

Our team members are:

• RegulusLeonis Edmonton AB
• Sunshineyday Spruce Grove AB
• saskmomto4 Saskatoon SK
• 3little1s KWC ON
• Jason foster Oshawa ON
• NaomiJ Winnipeg MB
• DeeBuck Lakefield ON
• FriendlyManitoba Winnipeg, Lockport & Ashton MB
• geniemom Brantford ON
• Giving-Small Saskatoon SK co-facilitator
• sheetsofemptycanvas Williiamsburg ON co-facilitator
• bgheuchert Saskatoon, SK
  
• NickyC Delphi ON
• schwarzie Calgary AB

We are all on the learning curve together so please contribute what you've found where you are - things are different regionally, from city to city, and even from store to store.

Here's what I will do for the group:

-Tami and I will facilitate
-Generally I'll post videos, slidecasts, interviews, etc. and activities/discussion topics
-Tami will keep the discussions going and start new ones
-I'll send out a coupon train (boarding pass is optional conductor) -- to be explained when we talk about trains

Here's what we hope you'll do and other team members are expecting from each other:

1. Please participate and share your ideas, opinions, stories, 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, we'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. We 'd like everyone to try to answer and share. We 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 us, your facilitators, lots of feedback and suggestions. Please.

Okay - let's dive in.

FAQs for Visitors

1. Can visitors (non-group members) post in this thread?
Answer is in this post.

2.Is this group full? Yes

3. When would the next group start?
Last group was Fall 2011. Not planning to do anymore.


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Reserved for the future use

I have posted a slidecast (slideshow with audio) that show you my coupon "binder", coupon stash, stockpile and some tips on stockpiling just to get started.

You can jump ahead to the particular slides that are of interest and the sound track will skip along accordingly.


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Start the slideshow. (16 min)


Your Activities

1. Create a post and introduce yourself a bit (ie. from Kamloops, mom with 2 kids ...). Just hit "reply" on this thread and type away.
   
2. Share the story behind the Smart Canucks "name/handle" you chose
3. Tell us how you found out about couponing.
4. Do you have a pet(s) and if so tell us about them and post a pic if you like ...
5. Share your thoughts on the tour and whether you think you'll stockpile a little or a lot.

Bonus Question

Anyone have ideas for a great name for Team #14? Please post your idea(s) here and I'll draw one out of the hat.

Hello all my name is Dee, I have a real first name but no one spells it right so I gave up in the 6th grade and I just go by Dee now. And my last name is very close to Buck so hence the screen name DeeBuck. I am married to the boy who pulled my hair in the first grade and we are the lucky parents to one beautiful 5 month old (wow when did that happen) little girl. We really live in Selwyn, but only 4 people live here other than us everyone else is a cityiot that comes down to the cottage on the weekend (so many of them that the cell phone towers overload) So when people ask where I live I say Lakefield and when they scrath their heads I say Peterborough and then 50% know where I am talking about. lol.

I started couponing while on mat leave. We had some unique troubles (see http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/227442-...t-loss-canada/) and I have been trying to strech are money as far as I can. And really being on here has helped me by just being able to talk about it, with people that don't know me and I can't see them judging me.

I have pets, or they have me. There is one very spolied norwegian elkhound [9yrs], two handsome cats Kit [11] and Kross [4], and one beautiful Appaloosa gelding [5] (thats a boy horse with spots on his bum for those of you that don't know) There are pictures of the whole gang in my album.

More about me? Spelling is not my strong suit and my sense of humor is rather sarcastic.

I have started a small stockpile, Need more space.
I will update this after I watch the video

Cheers Dee

Hi my name is Jason foster I live in Oshawa Ontario I started to coupon in June some time and have saved a bunch of money but still have alot to learn and I have a suggestion for the name it's not the best just something I like coupon Fiends

Welcome Jason and Dee. That's a houseful Dee. And I now what an Appaloosa is - had horses for quite a few years, rode, trained, etc. Mostly part quarterhorses and Arabians.

We are super super lucky - Sheets (or Tami) has agreed to help facilitate and she's lots of fun and knows tons.

So I'm sure she'll be jumping in. As life would have it, my mom is ill so I'll likely be off-line some.

Thanks so much for such a warm intro Darlene :) You are the best person to do this job and we are all lucky to have you to guide us!

Well, hi everyone! My name is Tami, or sheets as I'm known on here! My screen name is the first line of a Pearl Jam song- I'm not an artist and I'm not depressed, two questions I have been asked about my SC handle lol. I am a single mother to 2 gorgeous little boys ages 7 and 3 :) We are living with my parents right now due to some unfortunate circumstances but with the help of couponing I'm that much closer to getting us a place of our own.

I found SC last year when I did a Google search for Canadian Freebies. After lurking for a month or two I finally took the plunge and joined! I have learned so much about coupons in what seems like such a short time and I've made some wonderful friendships. I have a growing stockpile that I'm so proud of- before SC I scoffed at the idea of stockpiling. I now know that we will have enough for the months to come when money is tight!

SC is a couponing forum, yes... but it can be so much more if you want it to be. The people here are the most amazing you will ever come across. Everyone is so accepting, always willing to help out or answer a question, even willing to listen if you need to vent :)

I look forward to getting to know all of you!

What are some things you used to think about coupons or couponing that turned out to be completely untrue? For me, I never knew you could use a coupon on a sale item lol! I also never knew you could save so much money! It's all about patience and waiting for the right sale to come along!

I am so excited thanks for the spot in this group! Sounds like a lot of fun:)

My name is Naomi I am from Winnipeg. I kind of new to couponing. I have always used coupons just never in so much depth. I have always been a member if P&G get free samples and few coupons.

I have two kids 7 and 8. I am married for almost 10 years. I work for the school board as a records clerk/EA. I LOVE to shop. I have a sobeys, shoppers, rexall, and safway at the end of my street. I have always liked to drive to different locations to see what they have on sale or just to have different Scenery. Latley I have been coupon shopping. Not using them, looking for them lol.

Can't wait to get started! Happy shopping!!

I'd like to start off like Sheets (Tami) by thanking Giving-Small for taking the time to help guide us even when our group could be put on pause. And thank you to Tami as well for jumping in!

My name is Krista, and I'm originally from Brandon, MB and currently reside in Winnipeg, MB (until tomorrow!). Tomorrow I leave for Ashern, MB to start the next chapter of my life. I lucked out and found a job as soon as I graduated from the Faculty of Education. My boyfriend lives in Lockport so I spend a bunch of time out there... I'm all over the map! Hence, FriendlyManitoba (cause I like to think I'm pretty friendly)!

My mom uses coupons, ever since I was little, so I knew about them... I've never been able to organize mine so much that I was able to use them before they expired (with the exception of one - in 2009 I got 10 coupons for Herbal Essences' new line to try their product out so I got 10 free bottles of shampoo and conditioner, the day before it expired)! Since I'll be living on my own, I want to try to save money and accumulate a stockpile - I want to accumulate a decent sized stockpile so that my mom knows that I'm okay to live on my own. I plan on taking pictures of it and emailing them to her so she can "keep tabs" on me from 2.5 hours away. Mine is non-existent right now.

I don't have pets, but my boyfriend has 2 cats. One medium haired tortoise cat - she's so tiny and she has the funniest purr - the newest edition to our family! and a long haired cat who is huge, fluffy, and totally loveable - think of the unicorn and the little girl freaking out in Despicable Me, that's me every time I walk in the door and he's sitting there with his cute little face... oh my goodness! (he was 26 pounds last time we weighed him on my Wii Fit)

I look forward to getting to know each of you better!!!

Hello everyone! My name is Natasha. I'm from Edmonton and have a 4 month old baby boy named Oliver. He is my whole world! My username comes from a bit of nerdy-ness, I love Astronomy. Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation of Leo (Leonis), which is my birth sign. One of my favourite hobbies is going to the Space and Science Centre :-)

I started couponing when I was in high school as a hobby. Sounds funny but I loved to get free stuff, and I was working so I had to buy my own stuff. I just started to seriously coupon with the new baby and my SO as an electrical apprentice (impending lay offs and school), and I would also like to go to school soon. We are also planning to buy a condo or house right away. Because of all of this I am planning to stockpile enough soaps/detergent/toilet paper etc for at least a year, and hopefully get to the point where we are mostly buying just produce every week.

I have 2 kitties named Todd and Molly :-) They are my first babies and I am definitely a crazy cat lady.

I am very much looking forward to participating in this group!! Let the frugal times roll :biggrin:

Yes, it's nice to know that when you empty a bottle of shampoo or a package of TP that you have another one ready to go! Instead of having to pay full price because you need it right away :)

Givingsmall I think I like the group even more knowing you know what an Appaloosa is. I saw the movie Run Appaloosa Run, when I was a kid and ever since then have had an Appy in my life. There is a ranch in Manitoba that will ships foals down here for sale and that is how I got my Chevy boy (off Mr.Rock Solid)

Hi Jason, I love the Once Upon a Child in Whitby and Ajaxs, so I am in Oshawa about once a month.

Hi Krista, I know what you mean I really want to have a big stockpile. And I started one today!

Hi Sheets, I see your name all over the site so I look forward to learning a lot form you and giving small.

Hi Naomi, I would be in a lot of trouble if I lived so close to so many great stores, but I bet you get the best deals :)

Hi Natasha, getting stuff free...is there a better hobby, I don't think so.

While Darlene is away I thought we could keep things going by having a sort of Q&A :) Is there anything you wanted to know about couponing but were afraid to ask? Let it all out here and we can help each other out :)

Here are a few threads you might find interesting...
annedougherty does a fantastic thread every week that matches coupons with all of the flyers. Here is the link to this weeks thread :) Look for it every week in the Canadian Shopping Deals and Flyers section

bargain_hunter_lola hosts many wonderful trains for newbies. Here is the most current one she has running!

Wow thanks sheets!

I was wondering about Price Matching. How do you bring that up in the store, what do I need to know? I have wanted to do it at wally world but am nervous about doing it.