Stacking coupons is a very simple idea. Your store offer coupons (the store pays for the cost of these coupon) and manufacturers offer coupons (the manufacturer reimburses the store). These are 2 different coupons. But you can use them together at most stores.

For example;

Walgreens has a coupon in their ad for $1.00 off an item; you also have a manufacturer coupon for $1.00 off the same item. You can use them together and get $2.00 off that item. Although Walgreens is a little tricky, their system counts items per coupons. Which means if you buy 1 item and want to use a Walgreens ad coupon and a manufacturer coupon you will not be allowed. Their system only allows 1 coupon per 1 item, even though it is for the same item, it will not do it. So you need to add a filler item, something cheap that you are not using any coupons on so that the system sees 2 coupons and 2 items. This is the only store that is set up this way. CVS, Kroger, Target and Meijer for example with let you use their store coupon and manufacturer coupon for the same item regardless of how many items you have in your transaction.

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Rebates are the best way to get the most bang for your buck. There are always rebates in the newspaper, on company sites (P&G, Olay etc), on tearpads at the stores, etc. Getting a rebate for an item is easy. You buy certain items that are listed on the rebate form, save the receipt, sometimes save the upc codes, mail it all in with your rebate form filled out and 6-8 weeks you will get a check in the mail. The best part is that you can use coupons along with these rebates to make the items cheap, FREE or even make money from buying them.

For example; Pert shampoo was on rebate last summer. It had a sticker on it that said Try Me for FREE!! This was during the Kmart Super Double Event. So I when online, printed the rebate form to make sure that I followed the directions, since they are all so different. Purchased Pert shampoo for $3.49, used a $1.50 off 1 coupon, which was doubled since it was Super Double at Kmart. Paid .49, sent in my receipt and rebate form and 6 weeks later got a check for $3.49. Now all rebates do not work this way, some state that you will only get back what you pay. That is why it is best to read the fine print before you purchase the item. You do not want to waste your time mailing it in when you already got it for FREE and then they do not send you a check because it was stated that you would not get it.

If you liked this, check out more ways of Getting Started 101: with Coupons!

Stacking coupons is a very simple idea. Your store offer store coupons (the store pays for the cost of the coupon) and manufacturers offer coupons (the manufacturer reimburses the store). These are 2 different coupons. But you can use them together at most stores. This is a great way to get additional savings.

Stacking store coupons with a manufacturer coupon allows you to use 2 coupons for the same item. There are several stores that offer store coupons, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Meijer, etc.

For example;

Walgreens has a coupon in their ad for $1.00 off an item; you also have a manufacturer coupon for $1.00 off the same item. You can use them together and get $2.00 off that item. Although Walgreens is a little tricky, their system counts items per coupons. Which means if you buy 1 item and want to use a Walgreens ad coupon and a manufacturer coupon you will not be allowed. Their system only allows 1 coupon per 1 item, even though it is for the same item, it will not allow it. So you need to add a filler item, something cheap that you are not using any coupons on so that the system sees 2 coupons and 2 items. This is the only store that is set up this way. CVS, Kroger and Meijer for example with let you use their store coupon and manufacturer coupon for the same item regardless of how many items you have.

If you liked this, check out more ways of Getting Started 101: with Coupons!

Keeping a price list is one of the best way for you to keep track of what is the best price on certain items. This will help you to know when to buy extra to add to your stockpile. I have added my best prices to my shopping list. Next to the item on my shopping list has a price next to it. That price is the lowest I have ever paid for that item. Once I see that item on sale for that price or close to it again, I stock up!

Knowing what the lowest price for that item is will help you continue to only buy at its best price. Here are few items and the prices that we have paid for them consistently over the last year.

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When you first start couponing, trying to find all the deals on your own can be overwhelming. Luckily you have access to a lot of great bloggers that do all the hard work for you. Each week we put together lists of the best deals at your local grocery stores and drugstores! But you will need to learn a little bit about how we abbreviate some of our deals. Putting deals together each week is very time consuming, so I will use abbreviations to help make my job easier. I have listed below the abbreviations commonly used it store match-ups!!

Q= Coupons

SS= Smart Source (Coupon insert in the Sunday newspaper)

RP= Red Plum (Coupon insert in the Sunday newspaper)

P&G= Proctor & Gamble (Coupon insert in the Sunday newspaper)

ONYO= On Your Next Order

Cat= Catalina Coupon (Coupons that print out of that separate machine at the checkout)

ECB= Extra Care Bucks (CVS- use like cash, prints out when you purchase certain items, usually last a month, can roll these)

RR= Register Rewards (Walgreens- use like cash, print out when you purchase certain items, usually last 2 weeks, can not roll)

IP= Internet printable coupons

MIR= Mail In Rebate

WAGS= Walgreens

Filler= This is an inexpensive item that you will need to add to your purchase at specified stores to either allow the register count a specified amount of items or to get your total purchase to a specified amount to use specific coupons

Rolling= Use one RR, ECB or CAT to pay for a purchase that will in return give you another RR, ECB or CAT

DND=  Do Not Double- Some coupons will state DO NOT DOUBLE on them. This means the manufacturer does not want their coupon to be doubled at the register. But the true way to check if the coupon will double or not is in the code. At the bottom of your coupon there are a couple bar codes. The one usually on the left will start with a 5 or a 9. 5 means that if your store doubles, this coupon will double. 9 means that if your store doubles, this coupon will not double.

If you liked this, check out more ways of Getting Started 101: with Coupons!

Getting Started 101: Learn How To Roll (ECB, RR & Cat’s)

Ways To Save- Add Dates To Your Stockpile

Getting Started 101: Stacking Coupons

Getting Started 101: Save With Rebates

Getting Started 101: Create A Price List

Getting Started 101: Learn Store Policies

Getting Started 101: Where To Get Coupons

Getting Started 101: I Can Freeze What?

If you are just getting started in couponing, here are some tips that will help you get the most bang for your buck!

• Getting Started 101: Where To Get Coupons The first step to getting started at couponing is learning where to get your coupons
• Getting Started 101: Learn Couponing Lingo
• Getting Started 101: Create A Price List
• Getting Started 101: Learn Store Policies
• Getting Started 101: Stacking Coupons
• Getting Started 101: Learn How To Roll (ECB, RR & Cat’s)
• Getting Started 101: Save With Rebates
• Getting Started 101: I Can Freeze What?

Ways To Save: Add Dates To Your Stockpile

Things to Stockpile in February
Things to Stockpile In April
Things to Stockpile in September