23 Extreme Couponing Tips

Here are things you want to do to avoid Common Coupon Mistakes:

Print coupons as they are released.

Waiting to print coupons when you need them, you will often encounter the printable coupon you were looking for has disappeared. Here is a list of the latest coupons.

Subscribe to the local newspaper.

You will be guaranteed the inserts and the excuse of ‘you forgot to go to the store on Sunday to buy the newspaper for coupons’ will no longer be an excuse.

Have Coupon Aloha

When you come across coupons at the store like peelies, tear pads, hang tags etc. Make sure to have aloha by only taking a few and leaving some for others.

Use Multiple Coupons

Using multiple of the same coupons to stock up on items while on sale. Often times, people want to extreme coupon but they only print 1 like coupon or subscribe to 1 Sunday newspaper. You can’t become an extreme couponer with only one like coupon. A good minimum is 4 like coupons. You can print 2 like coupons per computer, smartphone, and tablet.

Email your favorite companies for coupons.

Tip have a coupon email address just for coupon mail.

Organize your coupons.

I use a coupon binder method. Don’t have a pile of coupons as the pile will become so large you will be intimidated to even to go near it; and as a result, the pile will become larger and larger.

Plan for Sales

Find sales ads available online before the sale starts. In Hawaii, you can find Longs Drugs and Don Quijote before the sales start on Sunday.

- Usually on Friday’s you can check out the sales advertisement that will start on Sunday so you can start planning. Here is how to use this link https://longs.staradvertiser.com/oahu/0504/ The last 4 numbers should correspond with the Sunday the sales ad starts. So if I want to look at the next week I will replace the 4 numbers with 0605 for June 5th. Make sense?
- Don Quijote Sales Ad — https://donquijote.staradvertiser.com/sa/0529/ change the last 4 numbers to the start of the sales ad on Sunday.

Shopping as the Sales Start.

Run to the stores the day the sales start to score the deals. Often times if you wait too long the sale items will be cleared from the store. In Hawaii, many items take up to 2 weeks to restock which means you will miss the sale.

Build Rain Check Inventory.

Run to stores the last day of sale in hopes sale items are out of stock to score a rain check. Building your rain check inventory is just as important as building your coupon inventory.

Coupon Match Ups.

Match your coupons up to your local sales ads. Often times people use Coupon Match Up Databases and solely rely on the match ups to tell them where the hot deals are. Make a list of the hot deals each week. Shop off the list.

Clearance Shopping.

Shopping clearance items and matching coupons to clearance. Many times this might result in FREE products after coupon.

Set a Budget.

It is very easy to get sucked into every deal. Set a budget every month and stick to it! This will help you from overspending, reduce your grocery budget and building a small stockpile.

Throwing Coupons away.

It is ok to not use coupons. If it is a product you are not going to use don’t buy it! Too many couponers are wasting money buying products just because it is cheap but these products end up just collecting dust in their home. If you really feel guilty about this, you can adopt a Military family stationed overseas and mail your unused and expired coupons to. Foreign Overseas military families can use expired coupons 6 months past expiration date.

Clearing Shelves.

Many people coupon and as mentioned above we want to have realistic coupon goals. Driving to every store on island to clear each store of their “Shampoo” deal just to have an extensive Shampoo collection is not ideal. First you are not having Coupon Aloha and second, you do not need 100 bottles of “Shampoo”. These products go on sale every 2-3 months so have a realistic stockpile goal.

Build a Stockpile.

You do not need a drug store or grocery store in your home but having 1 or 2 shelves of products is doable and realistic.

Realistic Goals.

I often receive emails where people ask why they are not able to save 99% couponing. They have the false perception that what they see on TV (Extreme Couponing TV Show) is realistic. Remember it is a show and they want the WOW factor to suck in viewers. This show is not realistic especially when you factor in that the stores are receiving free national TV time which in many cases they bend their own store policies just to be on the show. Like bending their coupon limit, raincheck limit, allow expired coupons, etc. Plus, many times the couponers that appear on the show pre-order products by the cases, purchase coupons in large sums and so much more.

Learn Store Policies.

Does the store allow stacking or doubling? Does the store have a loyalty card?

Rebate Apps.

Using Rebate apps to maximize your savings. Go HERE to see a list of rebate apps.

Price matching.

Reduce the amount of stores you travel to by price matching. Learn what stores around you allow price matching.

Coupon Organizer is an extension of your pocket book.

However, you organize your coupons is up to you; just never forget your coupons at home. One common mistake is a couponer going to a store and stumbles upon an instore special or clearance deal. However, they forgot their coupons at home. By the time they get back to the store the items they wanted have disappeared. So remember your coupons are an extension of your pocket book. Take them everywhere you go as you never know what deals you might stumble upon.

Obey Coupon Limits

Majority of coupons and stores have a limit of how many like coupons to use. You must first abide by the coupon limit. This ensures the store is refunded the money they are owed and you can continue within reason.

Store Brand

Compare Store Brands to name brand items. If the store brand is cheaper ever after you use a coupon on a name brand product – it makes more sense to buy the store brand. Store brands are ok!

Coupon Database

A Coupon Database becomes an Extreme Couponers best friend. Most Extreme Couponers use a Coupon Database frequently. Check often as coupons are loaded daily.

Don’t let this list intimidate you. Make Couponing fun. Don’t make it a full time job. Make it a hobby that helps save your family money!