Group 6: Lucky Couponistas 21 Things to be an Epic Couponer

[Giving-Small]

Welcome Group 6 Lucky Couponistas

We have a super group of people signed up and I am excited.
So let's get started.

Some of you may have taken a peek at the other groups so you have an idea of what's coming.

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


Group 6 will be co-facilitated by one of my mentors - Tripsplanner.

She has lots of expertise and couponing stories to tell. I'll let her introduce herself. She'll give you a bit of an idea how she started with SmartCanucks and couponing.


Our Fabulous Group Members are:

• RyRy's Grasshopper ON
• Shanzi ON
• etown AB
• leahthomson ??
• eco-chic ON
• brianna079 QC
• Steyntjie SK
• KrisZ ON
• plus Tripsplanner and Giving-Small

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:

-Tripsplanner and I will facilitate
-I'll post up show and tell photos, pictures, answers to questions, videos, slidecasts, interviews, 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, 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, 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 your facilitators 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]

Train Route: Off to Ontario first, then back to the prairies.

• Giving-Small Sent Apr 12
  
• RyRy's Grasshopper Arr April 20 Left April 21
• Shanzi Arr April 27 Leaving: April 28
• KrisZ sleepy conductor
  
• Steyntjie sleepy conductor
  
• etown Arr May 25 Leaving May 26
• Giving-Small

[Giving-Small]

Maybe index of SC Tips and Things?

[Giving-Small]

Let's get going Lucky Couponistas ... hope that you all find wonderful coupons this week!

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.




Start the slideshow. (16 min)


Your Activities

• Create a post and introduce yourself a bit (ie. from Kamloops, mom with 2 kids ...)

• Tell us how you found out about couponing.

• Share the story behind the Smart Canucks "name/handle" you chose

• Share your thoughts on the tour and whether you think you'll stockpile a little or a lot.

[eco-chic]

Hi everyone! I am new here, started in January and have just begun to explore the website and came across this great post!

My name is Joanne and I am from Windsor. I am a current student and have two part time jobs. I have always been savvy with my money. During the winter break, me and my b/f (now fiance) of seven years have begun to seriously discuss starting our lives together and purchasing our first home in the 2011 year. He is also a recent university grad who has a great job in his field of study (not very common for many students here that just graduated). And because I am still in school, I have over $36,000 student loan i have to pay back by October (my expected graduation date). I do NOT want to pay the high interest from the student loans (6.25% + prime! ). If we were going to move out and start off our lives, i needed to get my budget in order and start saving more cash! SOO...i did my yearly budget in December and saw that over 33% of my income was going towards eating out and clothing (not including transportation, entertainment, etc)! WOW! So how much am I really saving for school??

So after watching Extreme Couponing on TLC (which is why i think many of the people on here that joined in january also watched! Lol!) I was shocked to see how less people are paying for these products! I was astonished! And this encouraged me to make my new years resolution to save money as much as possible! I searched up couponing in canada and did some research, which led me to this amazing site! I love it here! its so useful, helpful, and has really helped me understand the ins and outs of couponing and other things i didnt even know about (like the scanning code of practice..didnt even knew it existed!). Because i still live at home, i help to pay for half the groceries, and my mom is thrilled that i have begun to use coupons (she too uses coupons but only those that she finds in the stores...didnt know of them from online. Plus the large stockpile she gathered..which is in a few different spots throughout the house..has inspired me to do the same when i move away).

I plan to stockpile a lot!! I have already begun hunting down deals and buying things to start my stockpile collection. A little bit here, a little bit there and when i move out i cant wait to organize it all together and adore the stockpile every day hehe

My name that i chose came in my second year of university, since i am studying in the field of the environment my friends started calling me "eco girl" or, for jokes, "garbage lady" since I would always yell at them for not recycling and going in the trash myself to take it out to recylce (). So i googled something online one night and this name came up so ever since i used it. And...I also have a site of my own where i seldomly maintain nowadays on eco-tips and ideas on how to save money around the house and be more eco-cautious. Check it out: http://www.ecojudge.com/

[RyRy's Grasshopper]

Woo hoo! Happy to be here!

Hello everyone! My name is Jenn and I'm from the Barrie, ON area.

I came to find this site through a close friend who has been a member for a while. I was always amazed at the deals she was getting on items she uses everyday. I had a chance to see her stockpile over the holidays, and holy cow - I was blown away! She let me tag along with her on a trip to Zehrs at the end of January for the spend $75 and get a $20 PC Gift card event. I didn't know what to think of it all at first, I just basically followed her lead (she's always been really good at telling me what to do! lol). I tell you, that 1 pass through the checkout changed how I shop forever. I had no idea you could save so much money just by using coupons and paying attention to sales and promotions. And to think how often I had poked fun at her in the past about her coupons! I'm eating my words now! I now refer to my coupon shopping trips as 'coupon heists', so many products for such little money. I wish I had started years ago!

I chose my handle becuase the SC member "ryry" is the one responsible for getting me into this! She is my "Master Po", and that would make me "Grasshopper"! (Kung Fu movie)

I have a wee stockpile already, I can easily see me maintaining a stockpile similar in size to the one Giving-Small keeps. I'm excited to absorb any and all ideas and tips available to me. Really excited at the prospect of making some trades and hopping on some trains! ..... all in good time.

[etown]

Woohoo a Couponista! LOVE IT!


My name is Lisa and I am from Edmonton, otherwise known as etown which is how I chose my s/n I am a mom to 2 amazing girls (5.5 and 3.5) who always keep me on my toes.

For the past year I have been babysitting out of my home as my youngest daughter has some delays and I figured this would help her socialize and help the income since I can only work pt. well i was wrong. The $ received from watching the 2 kids (one pt one ft) helps but doesnt HELP. So this year I turned to coupons...and yes I watched the TLC show but knew that wasnt allowed in Canada.

Doing a google search I found SC and am so glad I did!!!! I now have a bathroom stockpile and am starting to branch out. I want a basement full of USEFUL stuff instead of dust collecting empty bottles on shelves.

[KrisZ]

Hi everyone!!!

My name is Kris, last name starts with Z so that's my original screen name I've been married for 11 1/2 years to one of the frugalist men I know (stockpiling might take some convincing as he seems to have a hangup if I buy more than 2 packages of toilet paper a a time ) and a 5 year old wanna-be Jedi. Life is interesting at my house ... as I type this, there is an epic nerf gun/light saber battle going on 2 feet away.

I got started in couponing thanks to one of my best friends, who happens to be the biggest couponer I know. Although from my reading the past couple of days, there's a lot more even SHE can learn!! I have a very modest stash of coupons from the usual places (save.ca, smart source flyer and from packaging and tear pads when I notice them).

I think I'm going to stockpile more then a little, but less then a lot Already I do seem to stockpile some things when I see them on sale (cleaners, toilet paper and soups mainly). I need to get a little better organized to have room to stockpile. Right now we have a cupboard in the laundry room filled with junk and a shelf in DH's workout room (for paper products) that isn't very well organized. If I could keep a 6-8 month supply of stuff I think that would be good for me.

[Steyntjie]

Hallo there!
My name is Mariette and I live in North Battleford (about 1&1/2hour from Saskatoon)
I recently lost my job and being bored to death everyday, watching a lot of TV, - I saw the TLC show on couponing. I was inspired!! I found SC by googleing "coupons"
My Name is Steyntjie and I just picked it because Steyn was my maiden name and I was called Steyntjie when I was a student. My memory is also short and that way I won't forget what I picked!
I have been ordering coupons from all the main sources and picking it up mainly from SDM and Sobey's. Our WM is hopeless with coupons and I never found any there!!
I am amazed by the amount of coupons that I already collected and my DH is very proud of me for saving and getting great deals! Of course I am still new and only started 6 weeks ago, but I love it and my family already call me the "crazy coupon lady"!!
My DH and I have 5 grown up kids who live all over Saskatchewan. We are also grandparents of Keith, an adorable 2 year old little boy!! Being a Gramma, exceeded my highest expectations!!
I was born in South Africa and came to Canada 20 years ago. I still go back to visit my family there regularly.
I am excited about our group, especially the coupon trades as I have a lot of coupons that I do not need, like for pet food. Looking forward to a wonderful, fun time with all of you!!

[RyRy's Grasshopper]

So nice to meet you all! I watched the slideshow it was very interesting to see how you organize yourself Giving-Small. I am finding the binder pretty cumbersome to lug around as well. I have been pulling the coupons I intend to use out in the parking lot before heading into the store, but I'm having 'clearance anxiety' LOL Like what if my most favourite shampoo is on clearance super-cheap and the coupon I need is in the car! LOL Seriously though, I've moved past feeling uncomfortable while handing the cashier the coupons. Still feeling a little awkward carrying around a big-ol tye-dyed binder though! (I've gotta catch an episode of this TLC show everyone's mentioning)

[Giving-Small]

Wow - here's a bit about me. I have a household of 5 - my husband, two twenty year-olds (daughter and her partner) and a 16 year old son.

We also have a puppy who is way too big - he's my daughters and already 45 lbs - ack. And we have a dog that I love who is gentle and smart and well trained named Maggie who is six. She's a border collie / blue heeler.

I joined Smart Canucks and a couple other coupon sites because I had some extra diaper coupons to give away and locally on freecycle no one wanted them so I knew someone could use them somewhere. I thought trading was great and looked easy so stocked up on coupons to trade hoping to get shopper's pts and canadian tire money for the charity I was working on at that point. Alas trading for those things is much harder than I ever realized. Almost everyone has the same coupons after a bit and it's the "rare/uncommon/high value" ones that are the most tradable and you usually only have a handful of those.

So there I was a huge stash of coupons (if I thought getting rid of diaper coupons was a problem LOL) ... what was I to do?

I started buying and donating lots of stuff to lots of charities till I found one that clicked for me and for them - AIDS Saskatoon.

If you'd like to see the photos of the stockpile for the Christmas Hampers this year, I've posted some pics here starting on post 7 -- just scroll down a wee bit.

[brianna079]

Hi, my name is Brianna and live out in the country in QUebec - about an hour north of Montreal.

With a lot of changes in our (husband & I), we find it important more than ever to save what we can. Homeowners as of 3 years - we are still getting used to this...although the initial monthly payment is no more than our old appartment in the big city, responsibility is different (plus all the little extras that have to be taken care of). Also, the sacrifice of running away from the city, came with a big price...no more comfy salaries. That was something we were willing to give up. I now contribute to our finances with a much smaller salary than used to - but LOVE my job. I work for a non-profit no-kill animal shelter (those of you from Quebec know this is a huge deal, as no-kills are few and far between!).

I vaguely remember when I was young my single parent mom would plan weekly meals, sift through fliers, and always use coupons. I think this is something a lot of people have stopped doing...it is much easier to get to the grocery store and throw into the basket whatever entices us. now, my grocery list is completely planned and coupons grouped.

I have just recently joined the site and am excited to learn more about couponing and saving

[Steyntjie]

Thanks Darlene for the slide show. Awesome new ideas for me!! I am heading to the "Big City " of Saskatoon tomorrow and will be going on a "Find Coupons" spree!!

[Tripsplanner]

The co-moderator sneaking in ...

A quick background, I am a mom of 3-year old triplets living in downtown Toronto. To be exact, in a downtown condo! Prior to having the kids, I NEVER use coupons (not that I recall ever seeing them either) nor looked at flyers. I buy whatever, whenever, and wherever I want to. I guess that's what happens when you are a DINK household (DINK = Double Income No Kids) who happens to live across a 24-hour grocery store.

After we got over the shock of expecting triplets (and while I was on bedrest later in my pregnancy), I started freaking out about how on earth we were going to keep 3 tummies full and 3 bums clean and dry. A rough calculation (looking at regular prices) meant either my husband and I have to eat Kraft dinner for the rest of our lives or I have to find another way. That's how I stumbled into coupons and SC.

I use coupons primarily for my kids stuffs and some household items. I am not as good as others here in my stockpile (I only stock up things that I know I will use, not because they are free!) but one thing I am very grateful for is that using coupons allows me to continue with my charitable donations, just in a different form instead of cash.

I am also not all that great with 'scoring' coupons - mostly because I don't go out all that much. I just don't have the time (I am usually asleep shortly after I put the kids to bed!) and for whatever reasons, the grocery stores near me don't seem to have any of the high-demand coupons.

So I am sure Giving_Small will give great guidance here - one thing wonderful about this forum is that you'll get to meet a lot of great people and develop friendships. Hopefully this group will form friendships too!

Let the questions begin ....

[Giving-Small]

Super. The Co-op on 8th Street has the Advil night-time coupons - haven't spotted them elsewhere.

The Safeway at Market Mall still has 2 different Campbell's soup coupons - one of which expires March 31.

Thanks Darlene for the slide show. Awesome new ideas for me!! I am heading to the "Big City " of Saskatoon tomorrow and will be going on a "Find Coupons" spree!!