21 Things to be an Epic Couponer (full)

[eltada]

I've also just received my coupon organizer from glowgirl, and I've transferred all of my coupons into it. These organizers are amazing! I haven't received any train yet...I'm *patiently* waiting for the first one to arrive!

Did you get the little one or the mega or the super mega?
I got the mega and it holds A LOT!

[elayjosh]

i just traded two for 4.00 in coupons. I bought the yogurt for about 3.00 each.

Ok gang, I have a question for you. I have three Astro yogurt pins for the DriFit shirt promotion. The package says that it is a $50 value when you send in 6 pins. So I am trying to figure out the value of these pins for trading. Here is my reasoning...tell me what you think...

$50 item - $2 s&h that the couponer has to send in with the pins = $48
Divide the $48 by 6 (the number of pins needed) and each pin is worth $8.
If I have 3 pins, then their total value is $8 x 3 = $24.

So do you think it's reasonable to ask for $20-25 in coupons in exchange?

I thought so -- I am thinking that if the shoe was on the other foot and someone had stouffer pins for example (which I would like to collect) - I would happily trade away quite a few coupons for them since if I don't, I'll end up throwing out the coupons anyway when they expire (assuming they are in my "trader" pile).

Does this make sense? Am I missing something?

Thanks for any advice,
eltada

[Giving-Small]

Eltada -- Great question for the gang and a mini case study. Maybe everyone can share their point of view.

I think the way you did the first calculation is sound - it gives you a ballpark of the value of the item obtained.

But there's another calculation that needs to be done: the input cost to get 6 pins.

Say Astro is $2.50 and I have $1 coupons I can buy 6 Astros for $9 and get the shirt and eat the yogurt.

So it's somewhere between $1.50 and $8 based on these rough calculations.

So if people are asking for too high a price for Stouffers pins, people start saying I can buy these on sale and use $1 off coupons and get 12 pins for $12. Why would I trade an FPC for each pin?

Other Factors:

But then it's a trade and trades are effected by supply and demand and the product (how desirable).

So how many people really want these shirts? (I'm in the dark about them).

How many people have LF these pins in their wishlist?

How many people have the pins to trade. I think Astro yogurt is something that lots of SCers buy, so my hunch is supply will be greater than demand.

Stouffers - Pulling Back the Covers Even More

Stouffers - at least initially before the swarm of coupons from the first and second reward mailouts weren't that common. And the demand was high for the pins. Very high.

Why? Being able to convert coupons to $$ (gift cards) that can be used to buy things -- anything in a grocery store has VERY HIGH VALUE for many. There are things we all need that coupons don't exist for or don't cover even a fraction of the cost. Stouffers rewards would send you a $10 gift card plus $15 value in FPCs.

Now think back to the person above who factored Stouffers pins value based on "input" costs -- $12 for 12 pins AND now factor in the fact they gets $10 gift card back so is out of pocket hard dollar expenses is $2 AND they still have 3 FPCs to trade and unless the market is saturated and no one likes the FPCs, they are high value in trades.

So what are Eltadas 3 Astro pins worth? What does everyone think?

Ok gang, I have a question for you. I have three Astro yogurt pins for the DriFit shirt promotion. The package says that it is a $50 value when you send in 6 pins. So I am trying to figure out the value of these pins for trading. Here is my reasoning...tell me what you think...

$50 item - $2 s&h that the couponer has to send in with the pins = $48
Divide the $48 by 6 (the number of pins needed) and each pin is worth $8.
If I have 3 pins, then their total value is $8 x 3 = $24.

So do you think it's reasonable to ask for $20-25 in coupons in exchange?

I thought so -- I am thinking that if the shoe was on the other foot and someone had stouffer pins for example (which I would like to collect) - I would happily trade away quite a few coupons for them since if I don't, I'll end up throwing out the coupons anyway when they expire (assuming they are in my "trader" pile).

Does this make sense? Am I missing something?

Thanks for any advice,
eltada

[susan.h]

Did you get the little one or the mega or the super mega?
I got the mega and it holds A LOT!

I got the mega as well; I'm amazed at how much I can fit in there!

[susan.h]

Yay, I got the envelope from $power in the mail yesterday! (I didn't realize it was here till late last night...it was a doozy of a day yesterday! )
Will update on this thread to let you all know how much I took out & put back in.
Have a great day everyone!

[ichliebe]

they are really good idea,thx~

[susan.h]

Okay, grand total of coupons taken out = $8.25.
Grand total of coupons put in = $8.25.
Thank you Darlene and Susan! I will be going to the post office today to send out the envelope.

[$power]

Good question Darlene.

I don't have an answer but am now wondering if Stouffers pins is an area for me to explore.The idea of the gc's sounds great but I'm not sure I want all those packaged meals.

Sorry I can't weigh in, my mind is working on my SDM $ 100 redemption , a possible stack trip to LD and some Olay/Secret deals at Zellers to use my b2s4$ coupons.

It's a full life I'm living

[Giving-Small]

Hurrah - train arrived. Interesting a week from Salmon Arm to Calgary - well 5 working days to be precise.

So glad you found some things you liked susan.h

I'm off to update the train post (#3).

Wonder which train will make it home first??

And thanks for rating the train/conductor -- got it!!

I will be a few more days before leave you a rating.
--> here's why
Usually conductor waits till the train arrives at the next rider and that rider
reports in. If there's something hinky with the envelope contents, they can let us know. That might effect a rating. If the train envelope doesn't arrive - ack - that's a dilemma and one I discussed in the slideshow - how to assign a rating in that case?

Okay, grand total of coupons taken out = $8.25.
Grand total of coupons put in = $8.25.
Thank you Darlene and Susan! I will be going to the post office today to send out the envelope.

[Giving-Small]

Love it! Love it!

You definitely have your Epic Couponer super saver badge! Look how far you've come since you joined SC!




Unbelievable how much everyone how much everyone knows NOW compared to before Christmas - take a moment to think about that!

Good question Darlene.

I don't have an answer but am now wondering if Stouffers pins is an area for me to explore.The idea of the gc's sounds great but I'm not sure I want all those packaged meals.

Sorry I can't weigh in, my mind is working on my SDM $ 100 redemption , a possible stack trip to LD and some Olay/Secret deals at Zellers to use my b2s4$ coupons.

It's a full life I'm living

[$power]

Love it! Love it!

You definitely have your Epic Couponer super saver badge! Look how far you've come since you joined SC!




Unbelievable how much everyone how much everyone knows NOW compared to before Christmas - take a moment to think about that!

Yeah it's been quite a quick plunge into the world of couponing for me.

Today at LD I nonchalantly put my items on the cs counter and watched while they were rung through and all the coupons taken off.

Paid $5 for 6 items, 4 of which were free, and saved $22.

An exploding bomb wouldn't have fazed me, I was near zen like in my tranqulity.

The cs woman smiled big time when she told me how much I'd saved..

[susan.h]

All right! I've sent the envelope out today...got it weighed to put the proper postage etc!
New2savings, the train's headed your way...choo choo! :Lol:

[eltada]

Eltada -- Great question for the gang and a mini case study. Maybe everyone can share their point of view.

I think the way you did the first calculation is sound - it gives you a ballpark of the value of the item obtained.

But there's another calculation that needs to be done: the input cost to get 6 pins.

Say Astro is $2.50 and I have $1 coupons I can buy 6 Astros for $9 and get the shirt and eat the yogurt.

So it's somewhere between $1.50 and $8 based on these rough calculations.

So if people are asking for too high a price for Stouffers pins, people start saying I can buy these on sale and use $1 off coupons and get 12 pins for $12. Why would I trade an FPC for each pin?

Other Factors:

But then it's a trade and trades are effected by supply and demand and the product (how desirable).

So how many people really want these shirts? (I'm in the dark about them).

How many people have LF these pins in their wishlist?

How many people have the pins to trade. I think Astro yogurt is something that lots of SCers buy, so my hunch is supply will be greater than demand.

Stouffers - Pulling Back the Covers Even More

Stouffers - at least initially before the swarm of coupons from the first and second reward mailouts weren't that common. And the demand was high for the pins. Very high.

Why? Being able to convert coupons to $$ (gift cards) that can be used to buy things -- anything in a grocery store has VERY HIGH VALUE for many. There are things we all need that coupons don't exist for or don't cover even a fraction of the cost. Stouffers rewards would send you a $10 gift card plus $15 value in FPCs.

Now think back to the person above who factored Stouffers pins value based on "input" costs -- $12 for 12 pins AND now factor in the fact they gets $10 gift card back so is out of pocket hard dollar expenses is $2 AND they still have 3 FPCs to trade and unless the market is saturated and no one likes the FPCs, they are high value in trades.

So what are Eltadas 3 Astro pins worth? What does everyone think?

Ok, I know everyone is busy...but wanted to "bump" this back up in our thread.

I see the point about buying the yogurt for $9 and getting the needed 6 pins. But I have another thought to add...if I am asking $20 in coupons for 3 pins...it does seem steep when you look at the $9 cost of the yogurt. BUT...the $20 in coupons that I am asking for are essentially free -- not cash outlay (not even $9) and the person gets something they want. I get coupons that the pin-seeker would throw out anyway (if they are on their trade list, they are not going to be important to the person, right?). Using the $9 cost of the yogurt to calculate the worth of the pins would rate them at about $1.50 per pin. For 3 pins, I would get $4.50...almost not worth the trade.

Am I missing something?

[Giving-Small]

Eltada - all good points. This is why trading can be so challenging - so many points of view.

Here are a couple more points of view:

BUT...the $20 in coupons that I am asking for are essentially free -- not cash outlay (not even $9) and the person gets something they want.
TRUE, just the person's time.

I get coupons that the pin-seeker would throw out anyway (if they are on their trade list, they are not going to be important to the person, right?)

Same could be said of the Astro Yogurt eater ... they throw out the pins anyway. And if you like that Yogurt and eat it, then in a way the pins are "free" bonus items.

(if they are on their trade list, they are not going to be important to the person, right?)

Hmmm --the answer to this is yes and no. People place different values on things on their trade list .. they see it as the "currency" to get the pins or coupons that they want. The amount of effort to get the coupons in the first place. The expected value in other trades.

Bottom Line: Each trader wants a "good deal".

So for most traders if you were asking for $ or cent off coupons from a couple of different tear pads to make up your $20 ... probably not a big deal. If you're asking for high value, then it'll depend.

The biggest factor is supply and demand. Lots of pins, few traders wanting them, lower value.

[Giving-Small]

What's a Shopper's Optimum Card? This is the name of the Shoppers Reward Card. You collect points on things you purchase and can redeem for merchandise in their store.

Your Activity

Who in this group has a Shoppers Optimum Card?

If you have a card how long?

Do you know why most SCers are excited about Optimum reward program?

Are you an Optimum enthusiast?


What's a redemption?

This weekend was a "special redemption" which means using your points you could get more free stuff than usual. When you redeem at Shopper's you fill your cart with items in the store, checkout and say use my points and voila, your food and beauty stuff is free.

So today I did $100 redemption. At first I thought - nope not enough stuff but it's easy to add. I focused on items on sale and food. So here's an example of some of the deals:

4x 1 lb butter $2.89 each
3 x 4 litre milk $3.99 each
3 x 2 litre Minute Maid Five Alive $1.50 each
2x Quaker Granola bars $2 each
2x Two Scoops of Raisin Bran Cereal $2.49 - $1 coupon= $1.49/box
1x Europe's Best Frozen veggies $2.99
1x Earl Grey Tea 100 bags -- not the best price, but something I needed

As I strolling I noticed that the 6 pack soaps for Irish Spring were on sale - so bought 8 packs to donate. Price $2.99 less $2 coupon, so paid ~$8.80 for soap and taxes.