Target Mobile Coupons

 

Found another coupon source for those of you with smart phones!  Target mobile coupons!! 

I just signed up this morning!!  Got my text and I'm already planning on using the photo lab coupon and the frozen chicken (meat!) coupon!  Store coupons are awesome for stacking, and Target is a great place to learn how to stack!

For more information on how to get the mobile coupons on your phone, check out this YouTube video of how to coupon at Target... how to sign up specifically for the mobile coupons is located at the 4:27 mark.  Thanks to Grocery Coupon Network for providing!

To see the video and learn "how to:"   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU-tFRmsEEE&feature=g-user-u&context=G224b87bUCGXQYbcTJ33bJ-Mbyc_dj-qLWNRgDf99MRcJrcnpaA3c

As always, good luck, and happy couponing!

~Amy

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Store Coupons vs. Manufacturer's Coupons What's the diffference?

Store coupons vs. Manufacturer's coupons...

What's the difference?  How do they work? 

First, let's cover manufacturer's coupons...

Manufacturer's coupons generally look something like this:

This is an example of a manufacturer coupon for Ken's dressing.

Where can you get them?  In your newspaper, out of "blinkies" or pads at your grocery store located near the product, on coupon databases online, in/on products you are/have purchased, by "liking" facebook pages, any many, many more places!   Manufacturer coupons are everywhere... and that's a WONDERFUL thing!  Check out "Where to Find Online Coupons" for some ideas, too!


Manufacturer Coupons:

• Will have the words "manufacturer coupon" written on them.  They also have the information in the "fine print" as to where the store you redeem them at needs to return them for credit.

• Have an expiration date.  You must use the coupon by/on the expiration date.

• List what specific item(s) must be purchased.  They may also list an amount (e.g., buy 2, get $1 off, etc.).  They might list what size product must be purchased (e.g. 16 oz bottle, not valid on trial/travel size, etc.).  On the other hand, the coupon may NOT list these specifics (e.g.,  good on any size or flavor, 25% off any purchase of XYZ brand product).  These are the best kind!! 

• Generally, you may use one coupon per item purchased. That means if you purchase five bottles of Garnier shampoo, you may use five $1 off coupons -- one for each bottle. There are exceptions to this rule, though: e.g., your coupon says $1 off two bottles, your store only allows four like coupons per transaction, etc.

• Sometimes a manufacturer coupon will say "available/redeemable at Wal*Mart."  You do NOT have to purchase the item at Wal*Mart.  A manufacturer coupon may be used at ANY store that honors coupons. 

• May be combined with STORE COUPONS to provide additional savings.  You are generally allowed to use one manufacturer coupon and one store coupon PER ITEM.  This is referred to as "stacking."  Stacking maximizes the dollar amount you can receive off of an item.  Stacking is AWESOME!

Now, let's cover store coupons.

Store coupons come in different shapes and sizes, but might look something like this:

These are examples of store coupons from Walgreens. 

Where can you get them?  In store flyers, in newspapers, in the mail, online, by liking Facebook pages, through company loyalty cards, in the monthly "coupon booklets" at the front of the store, etc.  There are many places to find store coupons. 


Store Coupons:

• May or may not have the words "store coupon" written on them.

• Will most likely say the name of the store they are honored at.  They generally cannot be used at a different store -- unless your store specifically states that they honor competitor's coupons.

• Have an expiration date. You must use the coupon by/on the expiration date.

• List what specific item(s) must be purchased. They may also list an amount (e.g., buy 2, get $1 off, etc.). They might list what size product must be purchased (e.g. 16 oz bottle, not valid on trial/travel size, etc.). On the other hand, the coupon may NOT list these specifics (e.g., good on any size or flavor, 25% off any purchase of XYZ brand product). These are the best kind!!

• Generally, you may use one coupon per item purchased. That means if you purchase five bottles of Garnier shampoo, you may use five $1 off coupons -- one for each bottle. There are exceptions to this rule, though: e.g., your coupon says $1 off two bottles, your store only allows four like coupons per transaction, etc.

• May be combined with MANUFACTURER COUPONS to provide additional savings. You are generally allowed to use one manufacturer coupon and one store coupon PER ITEM. This is referred to as "stacking." Stacking maximizes the dollar amount you can receive off of an item.   Did I mention that stacking is AWESOME?!?

I hope this has helped you to learn more about manufacturer vs. store coupons.  Feel free to post any questions or comments.

Happy couponing!

~Amy

NEW! Online Red Plum Ebook Coupons!!!

Head on over to http://ebook.redplum.com to sign up and get awesome RedPlum coupons online!!  It seems, so far, there is a new one published weekly!

From what I have heard, so far, it's the same as what is printed in the newspaper!

SCORE!!  :)

Enjoy!

~Amy

BOGO?! What's That? How to use BOGO for FREE and Cheap Stuff

BOGO?!  What's a BOGO? 

Yes, by now you have learned a whole bunch of new couponing acronyms... but BOGO is probably going to be one of your favorites! 

BOGO stands for Buy One, Get One...  half off, for 1 cent, or free. 




In the particular example I'm going to show you for this week's lesson (which you will be able to use at CVS starting on 5/20), it's going to be Buy One, Get One FREE!

Ready to learn?  Here we go...

1.  Go to the following link:

http://www.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=15493&zid=yn07&nid=10&bid=05161405073cd222d8a20318

2.  Type in zip code 30303 at the top left.

3.  Click on Beverages, and look for Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Drink (or just search through for other cool coupons and check it off when you find it).

4.  When ready, print.  You will be able to print two copies.

5.  Sources say that next week, CVS will be having a Buy One Get One Free sale on Ocean Spray juice starting 5/20/12!  AWESOME!  Off to CVS we will go!

6.  When you go to the store, pick up two bottles.  Make sure that you follow the rules on the coupon, which reads:  Buy one (any) 64 oz. Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Drink, Get One 64 oz. Ocean Spray Cherry Juice Drink FREE (Redemable at Walmart).  That means you have to get one cherry, one form of cranberry.

7.  As you can see, at the top of the coupon, it reads "Manufacturer's Coupon."  This means that you can use it ANYWHERE THAT ACCEPTS COUPONS.  You do NOT have to use it at Walmart!  Keep this in mind for all other coupons, too.  If your coupon reads "manufacturer's coupon," it can be used anywhere.  "Store" coupons must be used in the store they are from, and are labeled "Store Coupon."

8.  Bring both bottles of juice to the cashier.  Of course you brought your green bag tag, and your CVS card.  Also your green bag.  When you cash out, give the cashier the BOGO coupon.  You will pay nothing!!

Wait!  How did that work?

One bottle will be FREE from the BOGO store sale and the other from the coupon. 

In other words, the coupon paid for ONE bottle of juice.  CVS is paying for the other bottle. 

Pretty sweet deal, huh?  THIS is how to make the best of your BOGO coupons!

Hope this works well for you.  Please feel free to post any comments or questions! 

Good luck, and happy couponing!

~Amy

Using and Earning CVS ExtraBucks Part II aka "How'd you DO that?"

A Lesson on How to Use Those CVS ExtraBucks... otherwise known as "How'd you DO that?"  A question I get frequently.  For this lesson, I will try to keep it as simple as possible... Ready!  Let's GO!

Okay, you have your CVS card in hand, your Green Bag Tag, and your ExtraCare Bucks (if you have any left over from last week) in hand, and you are getting ready to head off for shopping!  (See CVS Part I for more information if you aren't familiar with this procedure yet.)

3.  Before you leave the house, when you get your CVS flyer, look for items that will give you ExtraCare Bucks ("ECBs"). In your weekly flyer you will see examples like the following:

Note that this ad says the "price with card" is $5.99. It also states that you will received $2.00 in ExtraBucks back for your next purchase. Additionally, CVS is also good at noting items that have current coupons in this week's Sunday paper. That it shown with the little pair of scissors and the --$2.00.   Nice of them to show you that!!

TIP: If you didn't get this week's paper (but, of course you did!), you can also go into your coupon archives or check out other sites (such as Coupon Divas, which I link to each week) for other ideas on finding great coupon matchups.  If you don't have one on hand, you may also check out my Internet Coupons and where to find them and see if you can find one online to print as well!


4. Find the correct coupon and clip it from the paper. The one I used looks like this:

5. When you go into CVS, check out the Coupon Machine and see if there are any new coupons for you.  Remember, scan your card until it says, "No more coupons.  Please try again tomorrow!" 

 

TIP: There are usually TWO per store. Sometimes the one in the front of the store isn't working, although this rarely happens. For example, it might be out of paper. If you run into this, try the one in the BACK of the store, which gets used less often! 

6.  Now find the correct item you were originally looking for.  Be sure it matches your coupon. Also, make sure that the items have the tags stating that it gives back the "ExtraBucks." They will look like this:

Note: It reads much like the ad: Price $5.99 with card. $2.00 ExtraBucks given.  IF IT DOES NOT, AND YOU FEEL IT SHOULD, CHECK WITH AN EMPLOYEE!  They do not mention the coupon here, though.

Awesome, we found our item! Grab one!

7. The first time you do this, you might experience some out-of-pocket expenses ("OOP") to get you started. In this particular case, it would be $3.99. (Don't worry, you'll get half of that back!)

BUT, once you get started, you will have ExtraBucks to be able to pay for these items with little to no actual money exchanged.


8. So, checking my CVS ExtraBuck envelope, I see that I have a $3.00 ECB and a $4.98 ECB I can use.

NOTE:  If you had a $3 and a $1 ECB, you COULD use that instead... more than 1 ECB may be used per transaction!!  However, they do NOT give you cash back from any "overages" on the ECBs.  It's use it all or lose them.

My cost right now will be $3.99 ($5.99 for the item, less $2.00 in the coupon). Here is what an ECB looks like:

Hmmm... My best option today is to use the $4.98 ECB. BUT, I don't want to lose that extra $1, so I need to pick up a "filler" item for $1. That's easy enough.

I've noticed that the Emerald Nuts snacks are on sale for 10 for $10. Awesome!  I love those, and my nutritionist wants me to add more to my diet. Perfect! Let's grab that, too.

8. So, let's head to the register with these two items: trail mix and toothbrush. The friendly lady rings me up. I give her my CVS card, and naturally, I brought my reusable bag (or large purse) so I can also use my "Green Bag Tag." She scans that, too, along with my items.

The total comes out to be:

• Emerald Nuts --                                               $1.00
• Colgate Sonic --                                               $5.99  Saved $2.30

Used:

• Used 1 Coupon --                                           - $2.00 (Colgate)
• Used 1 CVS Coupon (ExtraCare Bucks) --    - $4.98

TOTAL:                                                                          .01

Yes, I paid 1 penny for these items!  1 cent was the only CASH that transferred between me and the cashier.  :)  All by only using my coupon and ECB!   AND, I earned another $2.00 in ECBs to pay for something else later!!  NOTE:  "Later" to CVS means any other transaction... which means, I could turn around, go back into the store, and buy something else IMMEDIATELY! 

ONE PENNY!  What a great deal!  Take a look at the receipt and see for yourself!

As you can see, it takes a SMALL amount of simple math work, but is WELL worth it.  Bring a calculator if you need it.  I do it all the time. 

This particular item is going to be donated to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, along with some of my other hoard I have been collecting.  For more information about Pine Ridge, you can view here:  http://friendsofpineridgereservation.org/

Again, I encourage you, even if you do not need the item yourself, and if it is FREE (or in this case one penny), after you build your own stockpile, consider donating to whatever charity that is close to your own heart.  Not only is it good for your community, but it warms your heart to know that you are helping those less fortunate in a way that does NOT break your budget. 

I hope this helped everyone, and please, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to comment below.  I look forward to hearing from everyone and seeing how this program works for you!  Let me know about your "brags!" 

Hugs to everyone. 

Amy aka Sweet Savings 

CVS ExtraBucks... Where to Get 'Em and How to Earn 'Em - PART I

Extra Care Bucks at CVS is one of my favorite programs! Today's post will be how to earn Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) which we can use to get free/severely discounted products.  In the next blog, I'm going to walk you through step-by-step and show you how to USE them... But first things first!  :) Hope you have fun!

1. You will need to get yourself a CVS card. If you don't already have one, next time you go to the store, request one at the register. You will need to fill out a quick form, and then you get a key ring tag and a regular card. I highly reccommend that you use your "Coupons Only Email" that we created in Coupons 101 Part Two.

2. Every time you go to CVS, be sure to stop by the Coupon Machine and scan it. Little coupons will print out. Continue trying to scan until the screen reads: "No More Coupons for Today; Try Again Tomorrow." The coupon machine looks like this, and it can also be used as a price checker:

TIP: There are usually TWO per store. Sometimes the one in the front of the store isn't working, although this rarely happens. For example, it might be out of paper. If you run into this, try the one in the BACK of the store, which gets used less often!

The ExtraCare Coupons the machine will print look like this:

Sometimes, the coupon is for a dollar amount or percentage off off any (e.g., $4 off a purchase of $20 or more; 30% off your total purchase; $1 off any deodorant, etc.). Other times, it will be for a dollar amount off of a particular item, as pictured above -- $1 off Belvita Breakfast Biscuits.

TIP: About a third of the time, in my experience, if it is for a particular item, the coupon will cover the ENTIRE COST OF THE ITEM -- meaning you get it for FREE!! That's right, Belvita Breakfast Biscuits cost $.99 -- making this a free item for me to try!

Did I mention that I LOVE FREE?!? So, be on the lookout for these coupons. Even if its something you might not normally buy, you might be able to get some freebies out of it. I always check the price of the item in the store just to see if it will be a "freebie." I have discovered several items in the past few months that I LOVE that I might never have tried if I didn't get it as a free sample.

GOOD KARMA TIP: Additionally, sometimes the items are things I might not need or want. However, I will DONATE them to a food pantry/other charity. Seriously, if it costs you NOTHING, try to remember that there are people out there who need food, toiletries, and other items. Please consider getting these FREE things -- even if you don't want them -- and donating them. There are many people out there in need.

3.  Get yourself a "Green Bag Tag" and always bring it with you to CVS along with your CVS card.  I attached it to my key chain.  Bring a reusable shopping bag, or an oversized purse with you too.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUY A REUSABLE BAG FROM CVS.  ANY REUSUABLE BAG WILL WORK FOR THIS PROGRAM.  This little gizmo earns you 1 free ExtraBuck for every four uses.  And hey, recycling is AWESOME for the environment.  Half the time, the cashier will try to give you a plastic bag, anyway, LOL.  But, let's keep our landfills as free of plastic as we can... and that $1 in ExtraBucks can add up and also come in handy!  Free "money" is always good! 

TIP:  You can use your Green Bag Tag once per day, but ONLY once per day!  

Now that you have a little information on the basics of the program, see Part II, where I will walk you through step-by-step through using your ExtraBucks and how they can get you free or severely reduced products!