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Giving Back to the Community – A Couponers Super Power

So far, this blog has discussed the basics of couponing, rewards and rebates and organizing your stockpile. This week, I am going to discuss the most important part about being a couponer: giving back. As a couponer, you will inevitably obtain excess items that you don’t actually need! The best way to maintain a manageable stockpile is to give away excess items to those in need! In this weeks blog, I will talk about my recommendations for who to donate your items to, and the top 5 reasons why you should give back.

Everybody has their reasons for couponing. Some people, like me, coupon as a hobby. Of course, it helps when you’re on a college student’s budget, but for me, it continues to be for fun. Whatever your reason for wanting to save money, it’s always important to give back when and where you can. That said, I hold no judgement towards anybody who can’t give back. 

Over the past few months, I’ve donated countless bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, feminine products, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes and more. This wouldn’t have been possible without couponing. As a college student, I’m on an extremely strict budget. However, through couponing, I am able to give back! Now I’m not saying this because I’m trying to brag or tell you that I’m an awesome person. That’s not the point. The point is that I want you all the take inspiration and understand that couponing can make a real change. And better yet, anybody can do it!

One more thing. If you aren’t able to donate money or items, you can always donate your time. Time is one of our most valuable resources. To some, donating time is far more valuable than donating money. You can always make more money, but you can’t make more time. 

Let’s talk about some very deserving causes in the La Crosse area that you should consider donating your time or items to!

1. Coulee Region Humane Society

I’ve volunteered at the Coulee Region Humane Society since I was in high school. Founded in 1971, the Coulee Region Humane society will “accept all animals from young to old, healthy to sick, friendly to aggressive, small to large, etc., allowing every animal a safe refuge regardless of its circumstance.” It’s an awesome organization that takes care of homeless dogs, cats, birds, Guinea pigs, and everything in between! Fun fact, one time the CRHS had a mini pot-bellied pig up for adoption! They’re always looking for volunteers who love animals! It’s a very relaxed environment with flexible scheduling. Typically, I volunteer once per week for two hours. 

My responsibilities consist of playing with animals, tidying up their cages and doing laundry. Although playing with animals sounds like such an easy task, it’s so incredibly important. Many animals who come to the CRHS are scared and/or under-socialized. This makes them far less attractive to adopters than those who are confident and playful. Over time, with enough patience and awesome volunteers, the animals regain their confidence and get adopted in no time!

I also hold a soft spot for the CRHS because it’s where I adopted my two cats, Neenah and Norah. 

Norah ^

Neenah ^

I love to give the CRHS items from couponing, particularly, laundry detergent. We can always find great deals on laundry detergent, so donate away! The Coulee Region Humane Society does an average of 40 loads of laundry per day! That’s because they have to wash heavy blankets, dog pads, wash cloths, hand towels and bath towels! It’s important for each animal to have fresh laundry so they stay healthy! 

Click here for the Coulee Region Humane Society’s wish list. 

Donations can be dropped off at 911 Critter Court, Onalaska WI. While you’re there, don’t be afraid to go look at the animals up for adoption! 

Side note - be sure to like my Instagram post that’s going up on Wednesday, June 13th! For every like I receive I will be donating a bottle of laundry detergent to the Coulee Region Humane Society. 

2. New Horizons

New Horizons is a women’s shelter and resource center for those who have suffered from abuse. Many women must escape dangerous situations at a moment’s notice, and some have children and pets to take care of too. That said, many must completely start over without any clothes or cleaning supplies or food. That’s why it’s so important for New Horions to always be stocked with plenty of essentials. 

Even if a Domestic Abuse Survivor isn’t a resident at New Horizons, they are still welcome to visit the Boutique and Food Room to pick up necessary items free of charge. Giving back to New Horizons directly impacts the members of our community!

Here’s a few photos of recent donations I’ve given to New Horizons!

Click here for New Horizon’s wish list. 

Donations can be dropped off at 1223 Main St, La Crosse WI. Note that this is their outreach center and no residents live at this location. There is a doorbell at the front that you can ring and somebody will help you out. 

3. Hunger Task Force

Since 1996, The Hunger Task Force’s mission has been “to eliminate hunger by harvesting community resources and being the voice of the hungry.” They also established and maintain the Kane Street Community Garden. Although the Hunger Task Force is known for helping those who need food, they also accept household items, such as laundry detergent and body wash. I confirmed with them on Facebook just to be sure. Many people already donate food items, so it’ll be extra helpful if you’re able to donate those common couponing items! 

Click here for Hunger Task Force’s wish list. 

Donations can be dropped off at 1240 Clinton St, La Crosse WI. If a company has a large donation, they can arrange to have somebody pick it up. 

Now that we’ve talked about where you should donate, here are the top 5 reasons why you should donate! 

1.  Health Benefits

Volunteering has been proven to reduce stress, make you feel physically healthier and manage chronic health conditions. Not to mention, it just makes you feel great inside! I have never walked away from volunteering or donating with a negative feeling. I don’t expect that I ever will. 

2. Learning Lesson

Donating to those in need is a great way to teach your children about the importance of giving back. Meanwhile, they will learn how to empathize with others and will grow up to understand other’s hardships. Check out this video by SavvyCouponShopper where she takes her kids with her to drop off donations.

3. Find New Opportunities 

When you’re out in the community, talking to people and learning more about organizations, you can find new opportunities you didn’t know about! For example, I learned that New Horizons has volunteer and internship programs. While volunteering at the Coulee Region Humane Society, I spoke with my Volunteer Coordinator about helping their Social Media staff member. As a student, it’s very important for me to always be looking for ways to boost my skills and resume, and getting involved in the community has opened my eyes to new opportunities! Even if you don’t take advantage of them right away, it’s a great way to get your foot in the door or meet a new reference. 

4. Save Resources

Many non-profit organizations take cash donations and use that money to pay for important things, such as staff members, the energy bill or buying extra items that they’re low on. That said, donating your extra items from couponing is a great way to preserve that organization’s cash so they can use it on other things! For example, take the Coulee Region Humane Society. They’re not going to let their animals sleep on dirty blankets or eat out of nasty bowls. So, they make sure they always have plenty of laundry detergent and dish soap on hand. If they run out, they will buy more. However, if you drop off 10 bottles of laundry detergent, that frees up resources for them to put elsewhere. 

5. Meet New People 

I can’t imagine a better place to find new friends then through volunteering or donating to the community. It’s easy to talk to somebody who shares a common interest in helping others. Trust me, I understand how hard it can be to go out of your comfort zone and talk to new people. But volunteering and giving back has introduced me to awesome new people who I have an easy time getting to know! 

As always, thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. I hope you enjoyed this week’s topic! If you have any additional recommendations for places in the La Crosse area that need household items, leave it in a comment! I will look them up and be sure to drop off a donation soon. 

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Organizing Your Stockpile

So, you’ve been couponing for a while and have managed to accumulate a ton of great products! That’s great news, but now you have to figure out what to do with all of it. You could go ahead and shove it all in a corner somewhere, but that’s not as fun as an aesthetically-pleasing stockpile. When I first started couponing, I watched tons of videos of well-organized stockpiles, filled with rows and rows of great products. It really inspired me to get after it and become a dedicated couponer. 

This week’s blog is all about organizing and maintaining your stockpile. I’m going to share some helpful tips and tricks. I’ll also show you how I organize my stockpile, and how master couponers organize theirs. Let’s begin: 

1. Set Goals and/or Expectations

Although it may be tempting, you should not accumulate stuff for the sake of accumulating stuff. Lots of products have expiration dates, meaning you can’t horde an unlimited amount. Even if it doesn’t have an expiration date – for example toilet paper – you only have so much room to store it.

Many couponers aim to maintain a stockpile that will last them a specific period of time. For example, I try to maintain a yearlong stockpile. That means if I stopped buying products today, we could live off the stockpile for a year. If I have more products than we’ll use in a year, I will I’ll donate my excess so I can continue to coupon for it. 

2. Determine “Stock-Up” Prices

Most seasoned couponers already have enough products to tide their families over for a few months (tide laundry detergent pun intended). Since they already have plenty of products, they’ll turn their nose up at anything that’s above their “stock-up price.” A stock-up price is essentially the maximum amount a couponer will pay for a certain item. For example, you might say “my stock-up price for fabric softener is $1.50 per bottle.” That way, when you come across a deal that’s less than that amount, you know it’s go time. I’ve heard some couponers go as far as saying “My stock-up price for toilet paper is $.02 per foot.” I’m not like that, but you get the point.

This especially works for couponers who need help exercising self-control. Sometimes it’s easy to be tempted by the deals, but they may not be the best deals.

3. Unload Extra Products by Selling or Donating

I have never sold a single item from my stockpile because I prefer to donate those items. However, I hold no judgement towards those who chose to resell some of their items. It’s just like any other garage sale but with consumer products! It’s a great way to pass on your savings to others while making some money for yourself. Here’s a great video by Running Kimono where she talks about her stockpile sales. 

Below is a picture of some of the items I am donating next week. By the way, stay tuned for next week’s blog where I will talk about giving back! Deals for shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste come around all the time, so I have no problem giving away tons of it! There are always great deals on those items, so I donate them regularly. On the other hand, paper towel, toilet paper and fabric softener deals don’t com around very often, so I tend to hold on to those items.

I have always viewed couponing as a hobby. I will go out and get the best deals regardless of how much I have or need. However, if I end up with more than I need for the year, I will donate it. Of course I’m going to encourage you to donate as much as you can, but you’re the one with the power to set your limits and expectations for your stockpile.  

Now – let’s look at some stockpiles!

My Stockpile

Because I live in a tiny house with extremely limited space, I have to get creative with my storage. Someday, I’ll have a beautiful stockpile with actual shelves, but for now, I have to use the random cupboards in my house. If – like me – you have limited space, keep in mind it may not be beautiful but it’s all about making it work for you! Here are some of the creative solutions I have come up with:

Condensing Items Into Storage Containers

I’ve managed to save a lot of space by getting rid of bulky packaging and putting my items into containers. For example, I take my laundry pods and razors out of their packages and put them into these fun containers that I got from Walmart. I also repurposed a giant pickle jar I got from Woodman’s! 

I also take toothpaste out of their original boxes and put them into this basket.

Utilizing Under-Sink Space

Here’s a couple of lovely pictures showing where I keep my shower products and laundry detergent:

I just went through my shampoo and conditioner and plan on donating a bunch to New Horizons, so I have some room for growth there! My laundry detergent, on the other hand, could use some thinning out (stay tuned for next week, hint hint).

Like I said, my stockpile isn’t gorgeous. It features dingy pipes and awkward spaces, but it’ll do for now. That said, let’s look at some of the best stockpiles I’ve ever seen! The following videos are by some of my favorite career-couponers:

Savvy Coupon Shopper: Click Here!

My favorite part about her stockpile video is when she talks about the progression of her stockpile. She mentioned that she used to have tons and tons of stuff, but eventually started donating a lot of her items. This is truly what it means to be a great couponer! Make sure you’re giving back when and where you can. One family can only use so much stuff.

Running Kimono: Click Here!

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog and social channels, you’ll know that I am obsessed with Running Kimono. Don’t judge me, but there’s just something relaxing about her voice (comment on this post if you watched her video and you agree with me). She also has an awesome stockpile and great weekly deal breakdowns. My favorite part about her stockpile is her plethora of paper products!

Clean Cut Couponing: Click Here!

If you like shopping at Target, CleanCutCouponing is your girl. Her videos are amazing and her stockpile is too! My favorite part about her stockpile is her laundry detergent “collection.” That girl has ALL the Tide. Also, her stockpile looks like it’s five products away from being an actual drug store.

Nicole Burgess: Click Here!

During this video, Nicole said “What most people look forward to in a stockpile tour is the laundry soap.” I couldn’t agree more. Maybe it’s just me, but I am obsessed with laundry detergent. My favorite thing about her stockpile is all of her Gain Flings. Fun fact, I’ve never purchased any Gain Flings; however, Gain is my favorite smelling laundry detergent. I’ve been patiently waiting for a good deal!

Other Random Tips for Maintaining a Great Stockpile

Rotate Items

When you buy new items – especially those with expiration dates – put those towards the back of your stockpile and move up your older items. By doing this, you ensure that your old stuff is getting used up first!

Keep Paper Products Off the Floor

In case of a flood or any other random situation, it’s best to keep paper products off the floor. This is a must do in the couponing community. Apparently, enough people have suffered major paper towel loss due to flooding that it has became the unwritten rule! I understand why people are so protective of their paper products since we don’t see too many great deals on them!

Don’t Overload Your Shelves

Some shelves – especially the cheaper or prefab ones – can only handle so much weight. Be mindful of how much weight you’re putting on your shelves. Over time, they can start to bend under the weight of heavy items. Make sure to keep heavier soaps on surfaces that can handle it.

Don’t be Afraid to Move Things Around

After I set up my stockpile, I was pretty committed to the layout I had established. However, I realized that I would outgrow my system very quickly! As your stockpile grows or your needs change, don’t worry if things come and go or if you have to re-organize, always do what’s best for you!

As always, thank you so much for taking time to read my blog post. The goal of my blog and social channels is to help you learn how to save money through couponing! If you ever have any questions, please leave a comment! And be sure to stay tuned for next week’s blog, we will be talking about giving back to the community! I will be making donation drop offs at the Coulee Region Humane Society and New Horizons. Also, I’ll be doing something super fun on my Instagram… so stay tuned! 

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Rewards and Rebates: How MAKE Money Through Couponing

First of all, if you have not read my first blog post Introduction to Couponing, please take a minute to do so. There is a ton of information in that post that, especially for beginners, will help this post make a lot more sense. Second, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog, I truly appreciate it! The purpose of this blog is to help you save money, especially if you live in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area. I have been couponing since January 2018 and it’s completely changed the way I shop. This blog covers tips and tricks for couponing at Walgreen’s, Target and Walmart! And as always, if you have any questions, please leave them in a comment and I’ll answer it as soon as possible.

This week’s topic is all about rewards and rebates. Most stores in La Crosse – especially Walgreen’s – will not allow overage. Overage is when your coupon(s) exceed the price of the item. Additionally, Walgreen’s won’t adjust the coupon to let you have the item for free. For example, if an item at Walgreen’s costs $1.64 and you have a coupon for $2.00 off, you’re out of luck.

Walmart is a little different because they will allow overage, but they won’t pay you cash from the register. If you end up with overage at Walmart, be sure to grab some low-value “filler” item (like a pack of gum) to get you back up. Ideally, it’ll be an item that’ll make you only pay a few cents.

With that said, rewards and rebates are a magical tool in a couponers’ toolkit. They are what allow us to get stuff for not only free, but to potentially make money on top of it. This is because rewards and rebates aren’t taken into consideration at the register. Instead of “ignorance is bliss,” it’s like “what the companies and registers don’t know won’t kill them.” First, let’s talk about Walgreen’s Balance Rewards, Walgreen’s Register Rewards and Target Gift Cards. Then we’ll talk about third party rebate companies.

In my previous blog post, I discussed how important Walgreen’s Balance Rewards program is. Most of your “moneymaker” deals come when you earn points on a sale item that you got for free or cheap with coupons. Here is a screenshot of Walgreen’s breakdown of points:

As you can see, the more points you have, the higher the value per point. However, in most Walgreen’s couponers’ minds, 1,000 points = $1.00.

In addition to earning bonus points for specific deals, Walgreen’s has a program called Beauty Enthusiast. This is where, for every $50 worth of beauty products you buy, you’ll earn an additional 5,000 points. The cool thing about this is that you don’t actually have to spend $50, you just have to buy items that are worth that much. So even if you score a bunch of free beauty items through couponing, Walgreen’s tracks that towards your beauty bonus. Don’t let the “beauty” part fool you, beauty items can be anything from makeup to shampoo to toothpaste. Personally, I think they should call it “Body Products Enthusiast,” but it I guess that doesn’t have a good ring to it. I started couponing in January 2018 and I’ve already hit beauty 10 times (that’s $50 in points that I didn’t even factor into my deals!).  

With all of that said, I would like to show you a screen shot of a Walgreen’s deal breakdown from RunningKimono:

As you can see, there is potential to make money on this deal, but that’s only because there’s points at play. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, points are like CASH. Imagine that your Walgreen’s Balance Rewards Card is like a debit card that Walgreen’s adds money to and you can use to pay for other things at Walgreen’s later.

RunningKimono didn’t factor the $24 towards beauty into her breakdown, but if she had, it would be like earning $5.00 to take 4 packs of Schick Razors from Walgreen’s. Sounds crazy right? But it’s possible and it happens all the time. Also, major shout out to RunningKimono for putting together all of these deals in a easily digestible manner. I could not do it without her, and I’m a couponing veteran! 

There’s one final type of reward that you can get at Walgreen’s called Register Rewards. These are completely different from points. However, register rewards are also considered to be just like cash. How it works is that you buy a specific item(s) and the register will automatically print out a coupon to use on your next transaction. It’s just that simple, but at the same time, it’s not. Here are some rules to keep in mind when dealing with Register Rewards:

1. Register Rewards expire relatively quickly, so make sure you come back and use them before they expire 2. You can only earn one register reward per transaction! 3. If you want to get multiple register rewards, you must split your orders up 4. If you do split your orders up, you cannot use a register reward to pay for a transaction where you’ll be earning another register reward

Here’s a picture of what Register Reward looks like:

Here’s a great example of a deal going on through June 2nd where you get a register reward (easy freebie alert!):

If you prefer to coupon at Target, you may have noticed that they offer Target gift cards when you buy a certain quantity of items. Here’s a screenshot of what that looks like:

If you think about it, this structure isn’t too far off from what Walgreen’s is doing with the points system. There’s a lot of great deals to be done at Target, especially if you can use coupons and get a gift card.

Now that we’ve covered rewards, let’s talk about rebates. There are 3 rebate apps that I highly recommend you download. All of them are free and completely legitimate!

1. Ibotta

Ibotta is easily the best - and most popular - rebate app. It was launched in 2012 and has over 22 million downloads. To date, they have paid out over $200 million to their users! Whether you’re an intense couponer or the everyday shopper, it’s very simple to use. You add offers at the store you are going to, buy the item and then scan your receipt to get cash back! If you’re interested in joining Ibotta: use this link to get started. I would highly recommend at least giving it a shot because there’s a $10 Welcome Bonus, but note that you must reach $20 to withdraw cash! You can also join a team with your friends to earn additional cash back!

So far I’ve gotten $67.75 back on Ibotta!

A great example of using Ibotta is happening this week at Target, and I’ve already done this deal twice! The six pack of Bounty Essentials Paper Towels are on sale for $5.69. I used a $1.00 off coupon I printed from PGEveryday.com. Then I submitted my receipt to Ibotta for $2.00 cash back, making it $2.69 each. This was a fantastic deal, especially because paper towel deals are the hidden unicorns of the couponing world, you just don’t see them!

This deal is still going on until June 2nd, so print your coupons, download Ibotta and go save some money! Shout out to SavvyCouponShopper for the heads up on this deal. Here’s link to the video where she talked about it.

2. Savings Star

Savings Star is much less popular but still just as great. Savings Star launched in April 2011 and has approximately 7 million members today! It’s similar to Ibotta, simply add the offer, buy the item and redeem with your receipt! Please note that you must reach $20 to withdraw cash!

So far I’ve gotten $21.00 back on Savings Star!

3. Checkout 51

Checkout 51 is the least popular and least useful of the three, but it still comes in handy occasionally. If you’re going to skip any of these three I would skip this one. So far I’ve earned $6.00 cash back, which doesn’t meet the minimum balance to withdraw. Someday I’ll get there, but I don’t like having my cash tied up in rebate apps for too long.

All three of these third-party rebate companies offer apps in addition to the website. I use the website to research or confirm my deals, but use the app to submit for cash back. I highly recommend downloading all three.

If you’re serious about couponing and potentially earning money while doing it, you must bring rewards and rebates into play. You simply cannot rely on coupons to get the job done. Think of it like a combo deal at McDonalds (or Culver’s, which is far superior by the way). You got your burger (the sale price), your fries (the coupons) and your drink (the rewards/rebates). You won’t get those smoking hot deals without the combo.

Thank you so much for checking out this week’s blog post! If you enjoyed this post and want to continue to learn more about the couponing lifestyle, stay tuned for next week’s blog post where we will be discussing stockpile organization. We will take a look at my personal stockpile, as well as some popular couponers’ stockpiles, to get helpful tips on how to organize it all! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!

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Introduction to Couponing

So, you live in La Crosse and you’re interested in couponing. I don’t blame you. You can literally clear a shelf of its products and get paid to do so. You can create a stockpile that will last you months, even years, for a fraction of the regular cost. You can set your family up for success. You will never run out of toilet paper, toothpaste or body wash again.

However, you don’t have the slightest idea of where to begin. Trust me, you’re not alone. Every couponer has gone through an awkward learning phase. When I started couponing in January, I had no idea what I was doing. I made all of the mistakes you possibly could. And I still make mistakes.

The overall purpose of this blog is to help others save money through couponing. I have had plenty of family and friends ask me to teach them how to coupon, but it takes much more than a verbal explanation. It takes practice, patience and research.

This blog post will help you understand the very basics of couponing so you can start the learning process. Read the following points below to start your couponing journey. Notice that it gets complicated quickly, but the best way to learn couponing is to muddle through a few deals until you get the swing of things. Let’s begin:

0. Couponers Can -- and Should -- Give Back

Before I even start teaching you how to coupon, we need to get one thing crystal clear. Couponing is a great way to stockpile and prepare yourself. It is not, however, an excuse to be selfish. I have heard of couponers throwing away hundreds of tubes of toothpaste because they expired. That should not happen.

Couponing enables you to give back to the community. For me, because I’m on a tight college budget, I struggle to find ways to give back. But through couponing, I’ve been able to donate much needed items to much deserving organizations, such as New Horizons and the Coulee Region Humane Society. Always keep in mind what you can do for others with your new knowledge of couponing.

1. It’s not like TLC’s “Extreme Couponing”

If you’ve ever seen the show, please understand that real life couponing is nothing like that. You will never spend 4 hours in a store pushing 6 carts. Even if you find yourself in a scenario where that’s possible, I don’t recommend it. You’ll end up messing something up at the register, annoying the employees and those behind you in line, and looking like a crazy person.

On a good day, I’ll get $100 worth of merchandise for $5, not $1,200 for $.02 like in the show.

2. Store’s Don’t Just Give Stuff Away

You’re never going to come across a store that will automatically give you free or cheap stuff. They will never advertise the potential to get merchandise for free. Additionally, you will rarely come across “easy” deals that get you free stuff with a single coupon. Instead, the good deals happen when you combine a sales promotion with coupons, points, and rebates. More on that later.

3. In La Crosse, Walgreen’s is King

I’ve had success couponing at Target and Walmart, but nothing beats Walgreen’s. Other areas of the country have CVS, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous. CVS has incredible deals that are usually a hair better than Walgreen’s. La Crosse simply doesn’t have CVS, so I would ignore those deals and focus on Walgreen’s.

That said, most of this blog will be about couponing at Walgreen’s. We have 4 Walgreen’s in the area: Hwy 16, West Ave, Mormon Coulee Rd and Rose St. If I find a good deal at Walmart or Target, I will be sure to post that on one of my social media platforms, so be sure to follow me!

4. Deals Come and Go Weekly

Most of the deals are Sunday to Sunday. This is because, as I mentioned earlier, to get a good deal, you must layer coupons, rebates, points, etc on top of the sales that stores are having. And most stores sales last for a week. Understand that to keep up with the deals you must do your research and get organized on a weekly basis.

Deals on certain items come and go, so you don’t want to wait. For example, I recently scored a pile of makeup for about $5, but I might not see another deal on that makeup for 3 months.

Also, be prepared to hit Walgreens early on Sunday, especially for the hot deals. You’re not the only couponer in town.

5. Sign Up for Walgreen’s “Card”

Like I said, Walgreen’s is where 90% of your couponing will happen. It’s IMPERATIVE that you sign up for a Walgreen’s Balance Rewards Card here. When you shop at Walgreens, 99% of the sales will be posted “with card.” That means that without the card you might as well stay home. The card is table stakes, so get one! 

In addition to getting the sale price, the card is how you earn points. More on points later, but they are extremely important in the couponing world. Long story short, you can earn points and use them on later transactions. Points are practically cash.

P.S. - Although Walgreen’s calls it a “card,” it’s attached to your phone number, so don’t worry about the physical card. Just make sure you enter your phone number every time you check out at the register.

P.P.S. – Download the Walgreen’s app on your phone. It’s extremely useful to see what’s in stock, look at the weekly ad, see how many points you have and clip digital coupons.

6. Follow Social Media Pages

Believe it or not, there are people who make a living through couponing. Not only do they go out and get stuff for free, they also manage social pages to help others coupon. These social pages help them earn money through ad revenue.

These folks will do the heavy lifting each week. They track down the deals, coupons and other specifics into “matchups.” That way you don’t’ have to think about it at all. All you have to do is get your coupons organized, go to the store and get the deals! Here is an example of a coupon matchup video created by Running Kimono for May 20-26. These couponing experts typically post the matchups a few days before Sunday so you can get organized.

The following are a few pages and channels I recommend that you follow:

Savy Coupon Shopper (YouTube) Running Kimono (YouTube) Hillary Hok (YouTube)

Couponing at Walgreens (Facebook) Walgreens Couponing (Facebook)

I prefer YouTube videos because the deals are personable and detailed. If you’re serious about couponing, I cannot stress how important it is to follow these pages and familiarize yourself. These people know way more than I do and have the patience to hunt down deals for us each week.

7. The Sources of Coupons

When you think of coupons, you might think of your standard paper coupons that you get in the newspaper. Although that’s one type of coupon, there’s so much more to it. I personally do not purchase the Sunday paper because it’s $4.00 and the point of couponing is to save money. However, my dad does get the Sunday paper, so I make sure to get the coupons from his paper if I need them. Thanks dad! Here’s a list of different ways to acquire coupons:

• The Sunday Paper (not recommended) • Walgreen’s Digital Coupons – these are coupons that Walgreen’s offers in their app. I personally find them to be confusing and sometimes they don’t work; however, I’ll use them occasionally. • Printing Coupons from Various Sources, Mostly coupons.com - you’ll be allowed two prints per coupon, per device. This is my primary source of coupons. Although you must invest in a printer and ink, it’s well worth it.  • Bulk Purchasing Individual Coupons from Klip2Save – this is a great way to get a ton of coupons for those hot deals. Instead of spending $20 on multiple copies of the paper, I spent about $3 (with shipping) to get exactly what I need. This takes much more planning and patience, since you have to wait half a week to get the coupons, but it’s worth it. I don’t know where this company gets the coupons, but it works and it’s legit. 

8. Points = CASH

Just like the heading says, points are equivalent to cash in most couponers minds. That said, 1,000 points is equivalent to $1.00. Walgreen’s also offers a better value for your points when you get a higher value, more on that here. For example, 40,000 points is equal to $50. But most couponers stick to the general rule of thumb, which is 1,000 points=$1. Cash money.

Let’s say you purchase a tube of toothpaste for $2.99 and you earn 2,000 points. In a couponers mind, you got that tube of toothpaste for $.99 after points. On your next transaction, you can use those points to pay. And as couponers, of course there will be another transaction.

As if this isn’t already confusing enough, there are a couple other rules you MUST understand about points. If a deal states that you must SPEND money to get points, you CANNOT use points to pay. If a deal states that you must BUY a certain quantity of items to earn points, you CAN use points to pay. Yes, that was confusing, but trust me, it’ll make much more sense once you practice.

I hope that this initial blog post gave you a good introduction to couponing in the La Crosse Area. If you have any questions, leave them in a comment below or on any of my social pages. Couponing is my favorite hobby. It’s addicting and it enables positive change in my life and in others. I genuinely hope that you try it out.

Next week, we will take a more detailed look at rebates and rewards. Until then, happy couponing!

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