Coupon Organization 101:

Disclaimer: I should not be giving advice on this subject. I didn’t think any of this up on my own. But amazing how it is working for me, hopefully it will work for you too!

I started off by clipping all the coupons I thought I could possibly use, then passing on my stack of slashed up papers to a friend who would pick through and pass them on again. Then I realized I was missing deals left and right!

Solution: Quit clipping. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) Save the inserts and file them.

Using the coupon database seemed confusing. And if you are going into it blindly, then it is. If you know what you need then you search for that item. It tells you were the coupon is: Description, Value, Expires, Source (where to find it – Smart Source, PG, Red Plum) and then a few other irrelevant things.  

Or you can cheat. Iheartpublix.com, Ipreferpublix.blogspot.com, Amyinorlando.blogspot.com, CouponingtoDisney.blogspot.com or of course BEADANDELION.BLOGSPOT.COM all of us post the weekly deals. And all except the iheartpublix will post other stores as well so you don’t even have to do your own coupon matching!

Mid-week and you realize you need some stuff that is not listed as a sale or B1G1 but you need to get some things to bake cookies (my example for today… baby is making me crave chocolate like mad!) I can’t remember the brands of chocolate chips, but I typed that in the description at the coupon database and a few things showed up, I found the Smart Source (SS) insert it listed for Nestle toll house chips. Then found cheaper chips once I got there. Oh well.

One more thing…. So you aren’t shuffling through 8-20 sets of SSs, when you collect them, separate them and make a jumbo SS, THEN file it away. That way you can clip 8 of them at a time. I stick to 8, an even number at least! You want to make sure to cover every item in the B1G1 sales, 1 coupon per item = 2 for each B1G1.

Here are a few other ways of doing coupons:

http://couponingtodisney.blogspot.com/search/label/Couponing%20Basics

http://becentsable.blogspot.com/2007/12/our-coupon-filing-and-reference-system_01.html

http://personalbudgeting.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_organize_coupons

But what about those already clipped, printed or the peelies I have or coupons that came in the mail? Ohhhhh I still have a coupon file. It was the Bible I carried into each grocery store. It helped if I thought of something at the spur of the moment or saw a good deal on something I could use. However I am struggling to learn to live off a list… hopefully that huge file box will start to dwindle. It’s heavy!

Coupon Printing Issues

If you are unable to print a coupon you might try changing the code in the address. Each browser has a set of letters which “tells” the computer to print. It is very simple to change the letters: when you click a PRINT link from this site a new page will open allowing you to print–check the link’s address and if needed make the changes to the letters based on YOUR browser –you should then be able to print the coupon!

FireFox- FireFox (FF) MUST USE WG OR VG
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qfswdye85247335&bt=wg&o=57060&c=KS&p=X0Wxi1ym

Internet Explorer (IE) MUST USE WI OR VI
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qfswdye85247335&bt=wi&o=57060&c=KS&p=X0Wxi1ym

Safari Apple’s browser MUST USE XS
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qfswdye85247335&bt=XS&o=57060&c=KS&p=X0Wxi1ym

If you try to print after you have confirmed the code is correct it is possible that the coupon has reached it’s print limit.  This will only work for Bricks type coupons and does not apply to Coupons.com, SmartSource or RedPlum sites.

Coupon Rules to Live By

A store coupon and a manufacturers coupon can be combined for more money off savings.

Some stores double coupons, check yours to see if they do .
If a coupon say do not double and the barcode starts with a 5 , if scanned it will double.
Most stores instruct cashiers to manually stop it from doubling.
If the barcode starts with a 9 it won't double when scanned.

If a store is having a buy one get one (B1G1) free sale and you have a coupon for that product that says buy one get one free you can use it and get both items for free.
you can use 2 money off mfr 1 coupons on them.
But you can not use a b1g1 mfr and money off mfr on the same together

If a coupon says one per purchase that means if you are getting 5 of that item you may use 5 coupons for those items because you are purchasing 5
provided they are x off 1 item coupons.

If the coupon says 1 per person , or 1 per transaction that means you can only use 1 coupon of that kind in your transaction.

Please use coupons correctly , coupon fraud is a crime and we will not allow talk of fraudulent uses of coupons on this site.

Coupon Abbreviations

I saw this list on Swaggrabber.com and thought it was a GREAT post for newbie couponers.

List of abbreviations:

• AC - After Coupon
  
• AR - After Rebate
  
• BOGO or B1G1 - Buy One Get One FREE!
  
• CAT or CATALINA - coupon dispensed at register after purchase
  
• ECB - Extra Care Bucks - CVS "money" printed on receipts to be used like cash in store on your next purchase
• FAR - Free After Rebate
• GM - General Mills
  
• IP or PRINTABLE- Internet Printable Coupon
  
• MFG - Manufacturer’s Coupon
  
• MIR – Mail-In Rebate
  
• OOP - Out of Pocket - actual cash paid
  
• OYNO - on your next order - when you buy advertised item, you get $ off or something free, on your next purchase
  
• P&G - Proctor and Gamble insert in Sunday's paper
  
• Q - Coupon
  
• RC - Rain Check
  
• RP - Red Plum insert in Sunday's paper
  
• RR - Register Reward - Walgreen's "money" printed on receipts to be used like cash in store on your next purchase
  
• SS - Smart Source insert in Sunday's paper
  
• SCR - Single Check Rebate - Rite Aid's rebate program
  
• WYB - When You Buy
  
• 2/$5 - This means 2 items for $5, can be any combination
  
• $1/2 - This means $1 off of 2 items, can be any combination

If you can think of any others, let me know and I will add them!!!