I hardly used coupons before TLC’S Extreme Couponing show. But after I saw what was possible, it motivated me to try some of their techniques.
My goal isn’t to get $1,000 worth of products for $40. Let’s be realistic here. Most of what we saw on TV was that person’s biggest haul. That means that they don’t get that kind of savings every single week!
Also, some of the rules are bent so that the extreme couponer can be filmed for the show. For example, there are limits on the number of coupons that a register can handle per transaction.
When the camera shows the store manager going to the back office to bypass the system so that the coupons can go through, they aren’t going to do that for everyone else! Or when they showed someone doing 9 transactions on 9 different registers at once, let’s be real! They’re not going to let you do that either!
The store wants the cameras there to film for publicity purposes, that’s why some rules are bent. Otherwise, if the couponer isn’t successful in completing their transactions, there would be no show!
So don’t have those kind of expectations when you start couponing or you will be severely disappointed and give up. The goal here is to save money, more than you did before.
I’m not trying to compare myself to someone else but more like trying to one up myself. And if I use that as my measuring stick then I am successful.
Now I never pay full price for these things and you won’t either.
Don’t know where to begin? Here are 21 extreme couponing tips to get you started.
1. Subscribe to the Sunday paper.
Find out which Sunday paper has the best coupons, then subscribe to it. My coupons come from a free Sunday paper that we used to throw away. It was like throwing money away! I bought the regular Sunday paper, which was a whopping $3, and it only had a few more coupons. So now I only use our free Sunday paper for coupons.
2. Use a coupon clipping service.
What’s great about a coupon clipping service is that you can get coupons from other parts of the country, that might have a higher value than the coupons in your area. And you can stock up on coupons for your favorite products without buying more papers. Here are some coupon clipping services to check out.
3. Join the store loyalty program.
Most stores have a loyalty program and it’s free to join. So there’s no reason not to join except that you’ll pay more if you don’t! Sometimes coupons are loaded onto your store savings card like at CVS.
4. Stack coupons with store sales.
You can also follow bloggers who do this. They spend hours matching up coupons with store sales to get the best deal. Don’t re-invent the wheel! Follow these extreme couponers and get the same deals that they get!
5. Get familiar with store couponing policies.
Does your store allow double couponing or using more than one coupon per product? Find out. Each store has a different coupon policy so it pays to know. For instance, did you know that Trader Joe’s accepts coupons? And Walgreens only allows 1 coupon per item.
6. Get around couponing policies.
So what do you do when Walgreens only allows 1 coupon per item? Buy a “filler” item, which is a cheap item like a 5 cent pencil, that will allow you to use that extra coupon.
7. Know what a good deal is.
Start a grocery price book. Compare apples to apples when it comes to deals. Make sure you compare the per unit price to see if you’re really getting a good deal. You can do this by dividing the price by the number of items in the package. For example, with diapers you would divide $27.99 by 192 = $.14 per diaper.
8. Be aware of the coupon expiration date and exclusions.
Sunday paper coupons usually expire within 30 days. And with the popularity of TLC’s Extreme Couponing show, there are limits now on how many of the same coupons you can use per transaction and how many products you can buy with the coupon. With CVS, since the coupons are loaded on your card, they place a cap on how many times you can take advantage of an in-store coupon or sale.
9. Shop at more than one store.
The way extreme couponers are able to save 90% or more on their purchases is because they shop at multiple stores, multiple times. To save the most money, be willing to go to the store with the best sale for toilet paper. Don’t be loyal to only one store.
10. Make multiple transactions.
Extreme couponers will make multiple transactions to maximize savings, depending on the coupon. This would allow you to maximize savings if there is a limit of coupons per transaction. You can do this by asking the cashier if it’s ok to do so, if the line is short, or be willing to go to the back of the line or come back another time. Some extreme couponers will do their grocery shopping separately from their sales runs.
11. Plan out your shopping trips.
Instead of just heading out to the store, plan ahead to see what’s on sale and which coupons you can use. When you have a plan of what to buy and which coupons to use, shopping trips will be faster. And you won’t be stuck figuring things out at the store.
12. Shop with a store circular in hand.
Even if you know what you’re going to get and which coupons to use, sometimes you might not be sure which particular product the sale pertains to. For example, the 2.5 oz moisturizer is on sale but the 7 oz. version isn’t. With the store circular handy, you won’t have any surprises at the register.
13. When in doubt, ask.
Sometimes the store circular isn’t clear or has misprints. One times CVS printed that Aquafor was on sale for $1! But when I got to the store, it was actually only $1 off.
14. Use overages to get free stuff.
An overage is when a coupon is worth more than the product itself and the store gives you store credit towards something else you are buying. Not all areas or stores allow this. So check your store’s policy.
15. Use store rewards towards your next purchase.
When you earn store rewards, use them to your advantage. Don’t lose them because they’re like store credit. Use them towards your next purchase perhaps on items that never have coupons or never go on sale.
16. Stock up during a sale.
When something good is on sale, stock up! Get enough to last you until the next sale then you won’t have to run out and buy something at full price.
17. Start a stockpile.
Extreme couponers have a stockpile of stuff in their garage or closet. The reason for having a stockpile is not to become a hoarder, but it allows you to buy stuff only when it’s on sale. Then you won’t be forced to pay full price on something you need because you have it in your stockpile. Your stockpile doesn’t have to be 100 packs of toothpaste, but enough to last you until the next sale. And start your stockpile slowly, buying 2-3 of an item when it’s on sale. Then you’ll be able to stick to your budget.
17. Anticipate store sales and plan your savings accordingly.
After awhile, you will start seeing a pattern at each store and know when things go on sale. Save the most during seasonal sales like after Christmas sales or Back to School sales. Here is a list of Grocery Sales Cycles and when things go on sale.
18. Shop online.
Couponing doesn’t always have to mean going into the store. The CVS.com website, for example, offers discounts like 20% off everything, from time to time, that can be used on anything you buy from their website. It’s like having a 20% coupon for every item you’re buying. And you know some products never have coupons so it’s great to use this to your advantage to stock up on these things. Plus, CVS.com gives you coupons and free samples with your shipments!
19. Print coupons online.
There are some coupons that you’ll never see in the Sunday paper. They’re available only online like at our Coupons.com database. Here are some other resources for printable coupons.
20. Subscribe to magazines that offer coupons.
All You is a favorite magazines among couponers. It’s popular because it has high value coupons you won’t find anywhere else.
21. Follow your favorite brands on Facebook.
Some coupons are available only on Facebook. Follow your favorite brands and be the first to know about special sales and exclusive coupons.
22. Don’t get suckered into buying things you don’t need.
Yes, coupons are great, but don’t let it become an addiction where you buy something just because you have a coupon and it’s on sale. If you buy something that you or your family will never use, it’s wasteful and you’re not really saving money. You’re spending money on things you don’t need. Then you have to ask yourself, are you buying things just because they’re on sale or because you really need them?
23. Don’t compare yourself to others.
Sure, that person on the Extreme Couponing show got $1000 worth of stuff for only $60. That’s not a realistic measuring stick of success. You may not live in an area where there are double coupons, overages, or high value coupons.
Plus, manufacturers are cracking down on extreme couponing. If you look at most coupons, the fine print limits the number of products you can buy with that coupon and how many like coupons you can use per shopping trip.
24. Check out dollar stores.
Some items are cheaper or just as cheap at the dollar store than they are with a coupon and on sale at the grocery or drug store. One example is Softsoap liquid hand soap. With a coupon and on sale, the cheapest I have gotten this is $1 at CVS. While at the dollar store, it’s only $1 everyday and without a coupon!
25. Review your strategy.
Did you get the best deal this month on that product or did another store have a better deal? Could you have used a better coupon? Don’t feel like you have failed if you didn’t get the best deal. Learn from your past purchases and put together a better strategy for the next sale.
* How to make the coupon binder pictured in the photo.
Need coupons? Print coupons here.
Photo Credit: jenniferworthen
Beginning Couponing Articles:
- 7 Coupon Clipping Services
- Where to Find Printable Grocery Coupons
- Why You Need a Grocery Price Book
- 9 Apps to Help You Find Coupons On the Go
- 7 Extreme Couponer Blogs to Follow
- How to Coupon in 10 Minutes or Less
- Grocery Sales Cycles – When Do Things Go on Sale?
Photo Credit: jenniferworthen
I’m glad that you’re giving legitimate tips to everyone. I read a story where a lady would pay for one paper out of a paper machine and take the coupons out of every other paper. She was arrested for it.
That’s GOOD. I used to be a paper carrier. I had several home deliveries, countless gas stations, and 3 racks. Ended up having to leave one of my best rack ($75/wk in quarters, I paid my rent with that) empty on Sunday due to people stealing all of the papers. It’s so inconsiderate and wrong. Please be sweet to your paper carriers! I drove 120 miles a night EVERY NIGHT, was not paid for mileage, and had to have extensive car maintenance. No benefits and often had to pay a “paper bill” to my boss due to the strange fluctuating paper prices. The press was constantly breaking down, so the papers were often late. Not super duper late, 99% of the time before daylight, but I had one guy at a gas station who would call and complain if the papers weren’t there at 4:30 am sharp. It’s a relatively fun job.. you can bring friends to keep you company, snack, listen to music, whatever as long as you get everything delivered, but there was so much crap to deal with. Be polite and understanding to everyone you meet!
Im trying to learn how to do this but today dirbergs had a 10 for 10 sale. One of the items was campbells soup and i had a .40 coupon that would double to .80 thought I was doing good but…… I had to buy 3 to save .80…… How does this work? Im still paying 2.20 for 3 cans of soup. Every coupon I come across has limitations. Please Help.
Don’t compare yourself to others. Start small. You still saved $.80. Keep watching sales and clipping coupons and you’ll find bigger deals.
[...] few tips for those of you interested in “stock-piling” and couponing! I will definitely pay attention to some of these tips Let me know if you have ever tried it and if you have any tips! Share this:TwitterFacebookLike [...]
I saw that is the barcode on the coupon is a 5, it will double. If the coupon barcode starts with a 9, it will not double
[...] 12 Extreme Couponing Tips [...]
[...] 12 Extreme Couponing Tips [...]
Thank you for all the great info! Now my big question is where on earth did you get that adorable little organizer/folder pictured on this page?? It looks great for preparing for shopping trips!!
Karin, thank you for your comment! I wish I could take credit for this coupon binder, but I just found this on Flickr. I think it’s homemade. You can ask her http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferworthen/3645701516/
I hardly ever use coupons but I really need to learn how. With four daughters, I want them to be frugal and great with money. I think this combined with credit card rewards cards, you could make a killing. Or save a killing.
Where did you get the folder shown above??
Here’s the tutorial: http://symmetry.typepad.com/symmetry/files/file_folder_organizer.pdf
Where did the picture with the coupon holder towards the top come from??? I love it and would like to replicate it!
Alicia,
Check out the tutorial: http://symmetry.typepad.com/symmetry/files/file_folder_organizer.pdf
Thank you so much!!
[...] 25 Extreme Couponing Tips [...]
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