Couponing Basics:: What You Need to Know!


Everyone has to start somewhere. When it comes to couponing, I KNOW it can be overwhelming at first. Keeping track of deals, clipping, organizing, finding time to actually go out and get the items, the list goes on. Hopefully what I am posting here can be a resource to those who need it!

 

How to Get Coupons:: Maximizing Your Deals!


I am often asked how I get so many coupons. Where do they all come from? I say ask anyone and everyone you know if they get the Sunday paper. Chances are, if they do, most people do NOT even look at the ad/coupon section. If they do, they tend to clip what they will use and trash the rest (yes, this is how I even was before!). All you have to do is ask for them to put them aside for you every week, you will take whatever they won't use. I have gotten a ton of extra inserts by doing so. Friends, coworkers, neighbors. It's definitely worth a shot.

Another way is to buy extra Sunday (or early edition) papers. The best place to go is the $.99 Store or the Dollar Tree if you have any near you. Most grocery stores near me sell them for $1.75 each so I don't even bother there. If neither of these options are for you, you can always try eBay. Every coupon you could ask for is for sale. The only downside is that you don't get them quick enough sometimes to do the deals you want.

Barcode Basics:: What are the all the Numbers For?


When you look at a coupon, most will start with a teeny tiny little 5 or 9 on the far left- almost not even as part of the rest of the numbers. As tiny as it may be, this first number plays a HUGE role in making deals! If the Q starts with a 5, it will double at registers and stores that allow it (even if it states "DO NOT DOUBLE"). If the coupon starts with a 9, there is no way that sucker is going to double. Luckily for us, most coupons DO start with a 5.

 

Next you will see a 5 digit cluster of numbers. This is the Manufacturer code. The item you purchase in combination with the coupon should match these same 5 digits.

The next 3 digits are the family code. These are also assigned by the manufacturer to certain products and is what tells the register that you have the product.

Another 2 digit set follows and is the value code. This fun little number tells you how much the coupon is worth- its coded redemption value. 76, like the one above is equal to $1 off 1 item, and is a very common number on coupons.

The final single digit is the check digit that calculates that all the previous numbers add up.