S is for Spreadsheet

Spreadsheets. Love ‘em, hate ‘em but always use ‘em. I have my homeschool lesson planner in a spreadsheet, I tally up coupons using a spreadsheet and right now I am working on an awesome menu planner in a spreadsheet. There are times that I love creating monstrosity formulas just to see them do something. I know that a huge formula isn’t the answer to getting everything done though. They are just fun! The only way I have learned algebra and higher math are with spreadsheets.

I love ‘em! Do you?
What is your favorite spreadsheet project that you have ever created?

Find all my April Blogging from A to Z Challenge Posts Here

This is Letter S for my #atozchallenge
If you want to see more of the A to Z Blog Hop Challenge, click here!

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Stockpiling Sale Items

Do you remember this? Yah! My Coupon Class... I started this HOW MANY YEARS ago? Well... I still teach the classes on occasion but I never found the time to finish my class and outline on here.

Without further ado... a continuation of my coupon class:

Stockpiling sale items may get you thrown into the category of a hoarder very quickly. I used to have a HUGE stockpile. It wasn't all mustard and floss either. My stockpile held a wide variety of items. And than the attack that made me so mad I wanted to scream. I often wonder how a stockpile ties into the stockpile of manna that some of the Israelite retrieved. Should we keep huge stockpiles or are we just setting ourselves up for attack from worms, bugs or mice. Hmmm... I am a total geek aren't I?

At any rate, the mouse attack and limited space in the house isn't the only reason our stockpile has dwindled. We have begun to eat more clean, less processed. I make more things from scratch. This is a required diet change for one of my kiddos who has an illness and also I have found the benefits of weight loss! Shocking weight loss actually. More on that later...
 
What is stockpiling?
Stockpiling is basically picking up multiples of an item that is on sale or has an awesome price on it. My stockpile is a manageable amount of items that I can store throughout the house in creative ways we use on a daily basis. For example: shampoo, conditioner, razors, deodorant, etc because those are easy to store and we inevitably run out of them at weird hours.

Why Stockpile?
The idea of the stockpile price is that you would than have items at your disposal for less and not paying full price later when you do run out. This works really well for nonperishable items that can be stored in a proper environment.

How to Start? 
It takes awhile to get a good stockpile started. You can't expect to get everything at once and you wouldn't want to either. You would be broke! Take things slow and set aside a certain amount of your current budget to just focus on stockpiling. This keeps your regular staples coming in to the house, while you grow the stockpile. I recommend $10 to start and use that $10 to only buy the best deal items that you will use. Just because it is free, doesn't make it a good deal for you if you won't use it. Buying a few extras of a sale item you will use that is under $.75 will help you later to not pay the full $2 it usually runs in the store.

Where to Store?  
Looking at non-perishable items, you should store things in a cool dark environment. Be careful of pasta though because there are pasta bugs that will break into those nice to stack cardboard boxes. You also want to watch your expiration dates! Don't get more than you can use in a 2-3 month period and rotate items. When I purchase new things, I try to put them in the back of the stockpile and pull the other stuff forward. This way you don't suddenly pull up a jar of something that expired two years ago and it's your last one. EEP!

Head on back over to the Online Coupon Class syllabus or learn How to Teach a Coupon Class.

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My Coupons Blew Away

Usually my coupon box looks like this:
 

  

Neat. Tidy. Organized.
Yesterday that all changed.
This is how NOT to store or organize coupons.

As I was walking into the store my box fell open. I am not even sure what I have in this bag right now because most of my coupons blew away. Yes… Blew away. I was horrified! Stunned! Crushed! And now I am in pain from chasing coupons all over the front of the store. Ugh…

This was WAY worse then when I just spilled my box. This time they BLEW AWAY!

Am I crazy for being so upset about this?
No wait.. don’t answer that! Hehe…

I was really upset yesterday. REALLY upset. I think I’ve lost every last marble I ever had. Now time to prepare for the garage sale this weekend instead of any deal planning I had in mind. Sigh…

This post is linked up to 5 Minutes for Mom Wordless Wednesday.

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The UNShopping Trip

An evening of bad errands was not a fun way to end the day. By bad, I mean BAD. I was only supposed to be 15 - 20 min tops in the store. My list was sour cream and lettuce for our tacos and an attempt at finding a coupon from a tear pad that I really, really, really wanted.

My first mistake was using the restroom. UGH! How disgusting!! If I hadn't had to go so bad, I would have walked in and walked right out of this restroom. Broken locks, no purse hook, yuky seats that I cleaned with my own handy wipe (I'm SO glad I saved those restaurant alcohol wipes in my purse!) and a hand dryer that didn't work. The only good thing about that restroom was leaving it.

UGH! UGH! UGH!

Second mistake was looking for the coupon FIRST. Duh! This blew my mind on my list. Yes, a two item list and looking for a coupon totally made me forget why I came to the store in the first place....

Oh look, a coupon! Now what was I saying?

Hehe... Just kidding! This time... Sometimes (I'm such a ditz) this would be reality!

So after I remember what my list was while in the back of the store, I decided to get the lettuce that was in the front of the store and a head of broccoli because that's needed with tacos too right? Ah well... we've been wanting broccoli for awhile now. And once I was at the front of the store I remembered that I needed sour cream which was in the back of the store. (See a problem here?! This is a pretty big store too!) ERGH! Then after locating the sour cream and headed to the check outs at the front of the store I come across an awesome clearance rack of cereal! Yes... CEREAL! How was I supposed to pass that up? So now I feel pretty smug that I remembered to bring in my coupon box (that I wouldn't have needed for lettuce or sour cream in the first place) and start digging for a coupon that I knew I had for this cereal. Where was it? Hmmm... I couldn't find it so I picked up two boxes of cereal because they were a favorite treat to have and I don't usually get them because they are so expensive.

Are you still reading this?! Wow! Thanks!!

The mistake that hurt my heart the most was not trusting my memory in what I have in coupons. See, I can't remember a two item grocery list, but I can remember what coupons I have. I can't remember where items are located in the store to plan a route, but I can remember what I have in my box of over 200+ coupons. I had a coupon for the boxes of cereal! It was $1.50 off of 3 and it was in my wallet. ARGH! Remember that I only picked up two? Can I throw myself against a wall now? This coupon would have made 3 boxes of cereal less than $1.20 each, which isn't a great bargain because I used to get cereal for less than $.99 each but now-a-days that just doesn't happen.

Soooooo...

My final mistake was my checkout lane. I had problems at the self check-out that I chose (shocking!) because by now I knew I'd been in that store for a crazy 40 minutes and I needed to get out. Pronto! I thought the self-checkout would be faster. But guess what... the clearance cereal would not scan correctly. (Hold me back!) I was about to loose it. 

Long story short:
Awful bathroom trip, forgotten list, bad store route planning, lack of coupon usage on items not on my list in the first place and items not on my list not scanning properly = What was I thinking?!

I think I need help. Would a therapist even listen to me with this story? I think they'd be laughing me out of their office by the time I reached the cereal boxes.

OH and in case you care to know, I never did find that coupon in the store either. This is how NOT to shop, okay. Glad you learned something here. Moving on....

Have a great day!

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Ultimate Blog Party 2012

I love a good party and 5 Minutes for Mom’s annual Ultimate Blog Party never fails as a GOOD party. As a matter of fact, it’s a GREAT party! If you are reading this post during the week of April 13-20 YOU still have time to join the fun too.  
I joined the Ultimate Blog Party back in 2010 and made sure to jump in again in 2011. I’m a little late getting in on the party this year, but that’s okay. This is a great motivation for me to get back into blogging!

In thinking back to the previous blog parties most of what I remember is my complete and total surprise at how many people stopped by my blog. It was so much fun to meet so many new people and I found a TON of blogs that I had to add to my reading list too. In 2010 I had a terrible time figuring out what to say about myself in my party post but did a giveaway. I think it was my first giveaway on my blog ever. I don’t think I’m very good at them. Hehehe…
In 2011 I had a lot of fun running around our house taking pictures of things to include in my post! I decided to repeat those images this year to see how things changed. 

I still love gardening and I did get a late start on my plants indoors. They are doing really well though. For more information about how I start plants inside, come back tomorrow for a detailed post.

Our homeschooling has adapted and changed a lot. I outgrew our little shelf from 2011 and am even beginning to expand with more shelves this year already! With our second child experiencing bouts of CVS (Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome) and other symptoms I’ve had to keep adjusting things. It’s been a tough year but we are going to make it. Through school and through life.

I’m not so half-baked with my CRAFTS anymore. I feel like I am with everything else though… I took on a part time job this year and then had to quit. It was the worst feeling to have to do that but it really made me re-work my priorities and work out a schedule that worked for all of us. I get a lot more side projects done around the house and fun projects with the kids. What’s suffered now is my blog. SIGH! Everyday is a reminder that I can’t do it all.
Something I am hoping to work on again would be my coupon classes. I’ve not taught one in such a long time now. I really miss them! I also am so wanting to redesign my blog! I took a new profile picture and everything for it… just never enough time to put it all together these days.

And in the spirit of my, “I wish I could get to this…” lifestyle right now I am going to go attend the Ultimate Blog Party twitter event going on RIGHT now! I wanted to join earlier but we had a string of doctors appointments today that have my head spinning and it’s developed into a lovely headache. I forgot all about this until JUST NOW. Talk about real time blogging. Your getting it right here.

Take care!

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Coupon Spill

I dropped my coupons. Everywhere.


My heart went to my stomach. This was a horrible way to start the errands of the day. It ended up that I had to leave them at home, on the floor, behind closed doors. There was no time to pick them before we were leaving.

I did get them when we got home. Only took 1/2 hour too! I was so glad to have them back where they belonged.


I almost ALWAYS check the clasp on my box but I had been in a hurry and just grabbed the handle to run. Big mistake! Hopefully one I won’t repeat!


Make sure your box is closed before you yank it off your desk and run.

I am linking this SOMEWHAT Wordless Wednesday post to:
5 Minutes for Mom
It's a Blog Party Bloghop!
Dagmar's Momsense
Crazy About my Baybah

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How to Teach a Coupon Class

I am not the end all be all of coupon classes. Hehehe… There’s so much information about coupons to cover that it’s EASY to loose focus during a class. It’s best to have a plan and that’s what I offer here. This is my coupon classes outline. It’s what I use to teach a coupon class and I am offering it to you to get you started with your own classes!

Location
First things first, you will need a place to teach your class. This can be a building that is rented, someone’s home, your home, etc. Pay careful attention to the equipment available to you at your location and space. Will you have a screen or TV to use or not? Overhead projector? If technology is not in place, there’s no reason to make a big presentation. Focus more on handouts… What about chairs and tables? Are there some available? Setup and tear down required?

Advertise
Secondly, advertising your event is key. Will you require registration because of limited seating? How will people register? All things to keep in mind. I use email for registration so that I do not have to field phone calls all day. My church is my base for my classes so advertising has been mainly with them.

Visuals
I use PowerPoint and handouts. I modified my outline (below) a bit so to remove regional information. You will need to input the information that you find pertinent to your area. This is JUST an outline. I go in depth more during the class.

I USED to do an entire display of items. I would unveil it at the beginning of the class and ask everyone to tell me how much they think I spent on it. I'd tell them the amount than and the best guess gets a prize (either off the table or an envie of Q's). Everything on that display went to the food pantry after the class was over.
I don't do this anymore because while I was pregnant the display got to heavy to haul around. Hehehe...
NOW I have pictures in my slides of shopping trips (specific to the stores I am talking about) and basically do the same thing. I ask, they guess and the winner gets coupons for a prize. I also give random prizes (extra coupons) throughout the class and have coupons sitting on the tables for attendees to pick through. No one leaves my class without at LEAST $5 worth of coupons to use.

If you decide to use this, I request that it not be used to make a major profit. I created this to help people. I do not believe a class that teaches someone to save should be something that has a huge charge/fee involved. Is that a bad thing? I hope not... I totally understand the need to cover your copy charges though. By all means, cover your fees! Copies, rental of space or equipment costs money. Cover those! Something that I have loved seeing with coupon classes is that profits go to a charity!

Have fun and I hope this helps you help more people to learn to save. :)


Here it is my Beginner Coupon Class Outline:
Text in italics are notes for YOU. Don't put those on the slides (if you make a presentation).

Coupon Class
1. Understand Coupons
2. Define Coupons
3. Find Coupons
4. Coupon Resources
5. Store or Organize Coupons
6. Share Coupons
7. Use Coupons
8. Plan with Coupons

Special Slide, No Title
At this time I take a break to give credit where credit is due. I am no genius here and my life is far from perfect... matter of fact *I* am far from perfect. I make a LOT of mistakes. God seems to know all of this and inspite of my shortcomings the deals I attempt seem to work best for my family, friends and those I donate to. I give credit of my class, all my great savings and how well my budget works for my family to God. No other way it would work for me. I just like to make sure everyone else knows it's not me too. :)

Understand Coupons
Where do coupons come from? - manufacturers
Are stores getting ripped off with coupons?!
One manufacturer coupon is permitted per product purchased

Define Coupons
Talk about each kind of coupon and where the originate.
Manufacturer Coupons
- IP = Internet Printed (can also be a store coupon)
-- RP = Red Plum insert
-- SS = Smart Source insert
-- PG = P&G insert (usually only comes out once a month)
-- There are other specialty inserts from time to time too.
Tear pads
- Usually found in a store, it’s a pad of coupons you tear off from.
Blinkie
- It’s a machine that blinks a red light, to get your attention, that you can pull a coupon from.
Catalina
- Print from a machine next to the cash register.
Wine Tags
Cash Register Tape Coupons (CRT)

Find Coupons
(Goes with Resources Handout - below)
Tear pads, Blinkies, Catalina’s and more
Newspaper
- Coupons are Regional
- Newspapers will carry manufacturer coupons that can be used at almost any store.
-- (List your areas newspapers for inserts)
-- ALWAYS be sure to check the newspaper for the correct amount of inserts
Preview Coupons
- Helps you decide how many coupons/inserts to get
(I take a moment here to explain how to use Coupon Preview websites.)
Store Coupons/Websites
Online Resources

------------
COUPON RESOURCES HANDOUT
The BEST source of coupons is a newspaper!
Newspapers will carry manufacturer coupons that can be used at almost any store.

Be sure to list the newspapers in your area that carry the best coupons. :)
ALWAYS be sure to check the newspaper for the correct amount of inserts so you don’t buy an empty paper.

To find a PREVIEW of what will be in the Sunday paper visit:
www.TaylorTownPreview.com (Preview Pages) Post Wed or Thur
www.TheCouponClippers.com (Coupon Tracker) Post Wed or Thur
www.CouponMom.com (Virtual Coupon Database) Post Sat late afternoon
CouponMom is the ONLY site that will break the coupon’s down by AREA. All areas will receive different coupons. This information will help you decide how many papers you would like to get on Sunday, if at all, based on the coupons inside.

HERE I LIST REGIONAL STORE WEBSITES THAT HAVE COUPONS TO PRINT. My focus was on Kroger, Meijer and Target.

Printable manufacturer coupons from online sources:
www.Coupons.com
www.SmartSource.com
www.RedPlum.com

Manufacturer:
Another great way to get coupons is to contact the manufacturer of the product.

I also list major blogs that I might follow and forums (including AFC!). I go over these items a bit, but they are covered more in my second class.
------------

Store and Organize Coupons
I discuss three methods: Box, Binder and File; their advantages or disadvantages. Pix of examples or bringing your own is great.

Get MORE Coupons!
Discuss each section with details.
TRADE
Neighbors and friends
Recycle bins! (BE CAREFUL)
Buy Online

Share Coupons
Military bases overseas have stores called Commissaries and these overseas Commissaries accept expired coupons up to 6 months past the expiration date!

This is a great way to recycle your expired coupons in a way that benefits more people.

Check these links for more information how you can help:
Overseas Coupon Program - www.OCPnet.org
Coupons for Troops Program - TheHappyHousewife.com

Use Coupons!
  (Use with Handout - Click Image to Load Handout)
Expect to get items for free, do not expect to get items for a negative amount.
(This is explained that negatives do happen, but it's best to not be setup for the heartbreak. Planning is necessary for deals that may turn negative.)
Do not photocopy a coupon.
Expect to complete smaller transactions.
Coupons are not cash.
Break away from product loyalty!
Clipping and using coupons takes TIME.
You have to have the coupons to get the best deal.
Find your way of using coupons and do it!

Plan with Coupons:
(Goes with Shopping List)
Check out the ads
Write down what you want most
Match Ads to Coupons
Calculate
Figure in ECB and RR (Next Class)
Find hidden deals Online (Next Class)

Plan with Coupons
(Goes with Handout - Below)
Here I discuss/list every store in our area, a brief description of their coupon policies and we go over all this information one store at a time. I STRESS on the handout and during the "lecture" that this is NOT from the stores. This is information that *I* have gathered and cannot/will not be accepted at stores as the official store policies. And I show/tell them where to get that official information too.

------------
PLAN WITH COUPONS HANDOUT
Knowing how each store uses coupons is KEY to you using coupons. Every store ad you receive will contain the information you need somewhere in small, itty-bitty print OR you can check the store websites for coupon policies.

The list below could change and cannot be used as store policy.
Here is where I list all the stores in our area. I specify coupon policy and other fun tips such as:
Do they double or triple?
How long their ads run? (We have a screwy store that runs ads from Thur-Wed here.)
Fun sales to look for throughout the year (For example: Mega sale events at Kroger, Meijer holds 10 for $10 get the 11th item free, etc)
If you have a CVS, mention the weekly ECB and monthly ECB deals difference here If you have Walgreens, I note the 7day AD coupons, Easy Saver Catalog coupons and catalina's
This handout should be VERY specific to your area. Copying mine won't help you. Heheehe... My area has some goofy store policies which no other area around us has.
------------

Advanced Class
We will be going in-depth on:
Stockpiling Sale Items
Additional Savings Tips (including Ad Matching)
Using Online Resources
Rebates
Rainchecks
MORE Planning with Coupons
CVS 101 and Walgreens 101
And so Much More!
End of class! :)

I have posted this outline on a www.AFullCup.com too but only on this blog here do I break it all down into a Online Coupon Class.

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Coupon 101 - Plan with Coupons

You would imagine that this part of coupon use would be the easiest part of all. You gather up the coupons and go right? Well… it’s better to have a plan! There are a LOT of ways to play your coupons. This is just my little method. I use my Shopping List handout (below) with this slide too.

• Check out the Ads
  • Ads are the keys to a stores vault! Use them to find the best deals. I have been known to buy a paper in my area just for the ads. The coupons, not so good… but the ads? Vital!
• Write down what you want most
  • This is SO important! You don’t want to miss a big sale because you forgot about it. Write it down! The better your list, the less likely you are to forget an item in the store.
• Match Ads to Coupons
  • Here’s where you save time in the store. Don’t take all your coupons with you in unsorted inserts or envelopes hoping you will use them. Take the time before you get to the store to match up your coupons. You will be sure to use them if they are already in hand with your list and ads! And while it might take you an extra hour in the store to do this on the spot it might only be an extra 20min at home to match them up.
• Calculate
  • A must step for those of you with a budget. If you know what you are getting from the sales, you can have a rough estimate in your head what it will cost. So say you only have $50 to spend. With your list written at home you see that you are spending about $38. NOW when at the store you can see if any extra deals might fit in your budget or not. It’s easier to NOT impulse buy as well… once the item sat in your cart throughout the store you feel like you should have it. If it never makes it in your cart, because you already know the finances aren’t there to get it, you won’t over spend as quickly.
• Figuring in your ECB/RR and finding hidden deals will be covered later.

Now be sure to print at least one of these lists out so you can have it on hand. You don’t have to use it exactly. I use a notebook now but setup my list in the format on the list. It helps to have a calculated list in the store at checkout too because if there total is WAY different than mine there might have been some missed coupons or a double scanned item.

Here’s the list for your personal use. I recommend printing it in Black and White if you need to save ink! 

Go back to Coupon 101 Main Page

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Coupon 101 - Use Coupons

This is the brief moment in my presentation where I discuss Coupon Etiquette. I try to keep people realistic with their coupons. Coupons are a GREAT way to save money, but for some people who are new to using them almost daily there’s little things to keep in mind. I can’t tell you how many times I get asked why they just can’t photocopy a coupon to use again. EEP!

I use this section as a handout as well.

Be in the ‘KNOW’ about Coupons

It’s always great to save money and everyone wants to save money, right? Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are using coupons:

• Expect to get items for free; do not expect to get items for a negative amount.
  • Yes, it does happen with coupons to sometimes end the transaction with a negative balance. This usually means the cashier will panic and the ONLY store who will admit that it would be okay to give you money from the till right now is WalMart. (April 2011, you can peek at it here: WalMart Coupon Policy) This little “etiquette” statement is just to keep things in perspective.
• Do not photocopy a coupon. This is considered coupon fraud and can possibly be tracked back to who has done it.
  • All coupons have a barcode on them. Printed coupons from the internet are also attached to your personal information! Check all the fine print on a printed coupon. It should have a unique serial number, watermark and your zip code on there somewhere. Or at least, most of them do. This is attached to you and can be tracked. I can’t stress enough how much a coupon should NEVER be copied.
• To get the maximum amount out of your coupons you should expect to complete smaller transactions.
  • This isn’t ALWAYS true, but it does seem to work. I am seeing more stores relaxing on their limits which is helping to allow me to put all my items into one transaction. The biggest stores that smaller transactions work in would be drugstores with rewards given back. Sometimes I only have a $5 reward from them and want to get products that add up to $10 in rewards. Well, I will split that into two transactions so I don’t spend more rewards than I get back per transaction, which keeps my costs down. (More on this later! Hehe…)
• Coupons are not cash but do have a monetary consequence attached to them. The Manufacturer’s of the product listed on a coupon foot the bill for coupon usage.
  • This is just stated to remove confusion about coupons. The manufacturer’s of the products send out coupons to entice you to get addicted to buy the product. The stores receive an additional $.08 over the face value of each coupon to entice them to accept coupons. It’s all a trickle affect.
• To get the best use of coupons you will need to break away from product loyalty! (Please keep family allergies in mind when trying new products.)
  • This is so important. When I can use a coupon and try something new for free, I might just do that! Who knows if I will like it or not? And if I don’t… well… it was free or cheap right?
    If this isn’t something you are comfortable with, I do encourage you to at least pick up free or cheap items to donate to your local food pantry! This is an excellent way to bless someone else.
• Clipping and using coupons takes TIME.
  • Yes! Sometimes it takes more time than people are willing to invest. When I first started using coupons more extensively it would take me several hours to work up deals. Now I have a rhythm. A coupon routine, if you will. Things are more streamlined and I can get my planning done in less than 20min per store now. Granted, this doesn’t include just sitting around clipping coupons, sorting and pulling expired coupons. I perform these somewhat menial, yet very important, tasks while I am doing something else. Watching TV, attending a sporting practice with kids, making dinner, RIDING in the car, etc. Doing something else during these tasks makes them less daunting.
• You have to have the coupons to get the best deal.
  • A lot of people get so excited about the deals only to find out they do not have the coupons to finish it. Don’t tease yourself like that! Hehe… Find where you can get the best coupons in your area and start getting them.
• The way I do things may not work for you, so please don’t stop there! Find a way that does work. It can be fun to save money with coupons; you will have to take the time and effort to find the way that works for you and stick to it!
• Please, please, PLEASE remember this statement! In order to accomplish using coupons to the best of your ability for your family, you have to find YOUR way to doing it. Mine might not work for you.

And as a bonus, here is the handout I use for your own records or coupon class you might teach:



Go back to Coupon 101 Main Page

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Coupon 101 - Get MORE Coupons and Share

Now that you are familiar with the types of coupons available and know where to find a lot of coupons. Let’s look at ways to find MORE!

• TRADE 
  Find other people in your area, meetings, gatherings, friends, etc who use coupons (or maybe not) and trade for the coupons that you would use! I am always coming across coupons that I won’t use, but my mom will. My friend will. I just keep a handy reference list in a little notebook to keep track of who is looking for what and give them the the coupons next time I see them. They do the same for me! Sweeet!
• Neighbors and Friends
  Sometimes even BETTER than trading is finding people who don’t even use their coupons. They will just GIVE them to you. Yay!
• Recycle Bins
  Okay, be careful here! I am not talking about “dumpster diving” here. You’d be amazed the businesses that recycle their newspapers inserts. It might even be YOUR work area that this happens at. All you have to do is check it out.
• Buy Online
  There are places online that sell clipped coupons or full inserts. You just have to know where to look. Be careful with some sales! I never buy from someone without a good reference check. If the deal looks too good to be true, it usually is just that.
  • Ebay
  • TheCouponclippers.com
  • CouponCarryOut.com
  • Trading on AFullCup.com
  • Trading on WeUseCoupons.com 
• Share Coupons
  It's always great to share the wealth of coupons with even MORE people and even expired coupons can benefit others. Military bases overseas have stores called Commissaries and these overseas Commissaries accept expired coupons up to 6 months past the expiration date! This is a great way to recycle your expired coupons in a way that benefits more people.
  Check these links to find out more information how you can help:
• Overseas Coupon Program - www.OCPnet.org
• Coupons for Troops Program - TheHappyHousewife.com

Go back to Coupon 101 Main Page

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Ultimate Blog Party 2011

There's an ULTIMATE Blog Party going on over at 5 Minutes for Mom and I am joining in the fun this year! Bloghops are a blast and a great way to meet new people. I was part of 2010 Ultimate Blog Party and I also love to join in the Blizzard Bloghop and have been in that for 2011 and 2010.

So now how about a little introduction about me? I have this lovely About Me Page to check out but aren’t pictures so much more fun?

I love gardening and right now it’s at the forefront of my mind because of my fantastic tomato seedlings PLANTS I see everyday! They are about 6 inches tall now. I can get neglectful of the garden around harvest time but my kiddos pick up the slack. The only problem I have with that is only 1/2 of the produce actually makes it into the house. Hehe…

My kiddos are in school at home. It makes for crazy days and often my home is neglected but we all enjoy homeschooling! I am so thankful to have this opportunity to witness my children growing up. Of course you should go “meet” the kids yourself and check out some of their antics. They keep me on my toes! Oh and these books here that’s not all of them. I really need more room!

I rarely finish a craft I have started. It’s a frustrating habit… and I blame my mother! Hehe… Ok, that’s a bit of a reach. I am just always half-baked on my projects. Someday. Right? Just let me hold on to my dream that someday I’ll get crafts done…

I am a coupon fanatic! There are those out there who are better at coupons than I am and keep up on all the latest deals… I try… but I don’t need it all. I pass on a lot of my freebies to those who might though. I also enjoy teaching coupon classes every now and again. Keeps my brain working. Hehe!

Technology is my Achilles heel! I cannot get enough of software, computers, coding, etc in one day. I am hugely distracted by it all and I blame my Hubbie! Hehe… okay, that’s getting old. He is my enabler though because he spoils me with all my techno toys. He has to be stopped! Well… maybe not… I really love all these great toys. Hmmm… I am stuck! I think being able to work through web design code, an issue with my phone or computer problems helps keep me sane sometimes though. Weird? Ah well!

And that’s me in a nutshell! I might have to use this for my About Me page now. Kinda cool… Hehe… I can tell you a few more things like I love researching things and Swagbucks is my way to research while making money. I am an avid reader and will devour a book in a day! I also stay up way too late but don’t like coffee (GASP!) at all so am usually in zombie mode. Hehehe…

You are welcome to follow me here or on Twitter, but definitely be sure to head back to the Ultimate Blog Party and check out more fun people too!

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Irresistible Deal

Sometimes the temptation for shopping is too much for me. Like when you can get boxes of Kleenex’s for $.69 a piece! I’ve mentioned before I have 4 kids and 2 big dogs right? Well, sometime boxes end up destroyed… at $.69 it doesn’t bother me… much. 


Oh and I am missing a box here. Not sure how that happened. Maybe it was already put into use? Or kidnapped by some runny nosed stranger? Ok, maybe not that! Really though, not sure why it’s not here.

Think maybe I need to contact a certain company about a sponsorship?
*snickering*

This post is linked up to:
5 Minutes for Mom
It's a Blog Party Bloghop!
Dagmar's Momsense

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Blizzard Bloghop 2011

Quick: My name is Dee, I have been married for 12 years and we have four kids. Whew! How is that for an intro? Not enough? OH! Okay… Let me try again.

 
Last year around this time I was on modified bedrest with our fourth little one and joined in on this bloghop. It was a ton of fun and just what the doctor ordered for distracting me!

This year is quite a bit different. Now I am trying to keep up with all my kiddos, recovering from a cold and have busy day with homeschool classes for my oldest. Plus, we have some visitors in our home. We had one of these house guests last year but this year there are two! They have been staying with us since Friday. Wanna see? They are just entirely too cute!

I can just hear the collective, ‘awwwwww!’

I don’t think these two could outstay there welcome. They keep our dogs busy and are entertaining. I could do without cold noses under warm blankets or feeling pinned in bed as one sleeps on either side of me, but for the most part they are a joy to have around. So right now I have four kids and four dogs. One dog per kid right? Hehe…

At any rate, back to the introduction!

We are a homeschooling family and loving it! Every now and again I find myself a little stressed out but in our house there’s always something going on to relieve my stress with a laugh! I try and be crafty from time to time but end up more half baked. I do enjoy gardening and I am already starting planning for this year! Shopping with coupons is also a minor addiction for me as well.

Let me know that you stopped by and I will try and make it over to your blog to say HOWDY! If you have a twitter account, leave that as an @ in your comment too. I love to tweet! I am looking forward to meeting LOTS of new bloggers this year from home and may need to adjust my blog subscriptions yet again. Hehe… I can’t resist reading blogs from my reader! It’s like a never ending book!!

This post is linked up to the Blizzard Bloghop 2011:
Household 6 Diva

PS- Follw me on Twitter to keep up with my bloghopping! I will leave a "trail of breadcrumbs"! Hehe...

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Shopping Fun!

I am teaching another session of my coupon class this week and I REALLY need to work on finishing my Online Coupon Class too. So sorry that has been badly delayed!

At any rate, I had some fun shopping this week! I don’t get to head out to shopping until Friday or so usually and I’m happy to say that I can usually accomplish all the deals I want to even then. (PHEW!) I am always worried that things will be sold out but happy to find it not. And if it is sold out, I will just get a raincheck. (Love rainchecks!)


I did get a box of snacks not really on my list because all four of the kiddos were in tow with me on this trip. I didn’t mind though. Splurging every now and again is accepted and expected with kids on my trips! Hehe…

I was THRILLED to see a Philly Cream Cheese Cookbook was FREE with purchase of 4 Philly Cream Cheese’s! I didn’t know that and almost missed it too! Also, I’m glad I had the kids with me because they spotted some peelies on Gatorade on the BOTTOM shelf that I would have missed to use with this shopping trip. Changed flavors really quickly. :)

I was shopping at Meijer here.
Grand Total: $95.18
Savings: $68.17 (in-store promotions, rainchecks used and coupons)
OOP: $26.47

I also went to CVS and WalGreens this week to get in on some fun deals. I found the FREE OralB Stages toothbrushes that so many said were sold out even. So happy about that! All in All my shopping week was very nice!

Total for Week: $178.30
Savings: $136.57
Total OOP: $41.73


I’m linking up to Share Your Savings Saturday here.

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Sleep Deprived Shopping (Cont)

My shopping trip started out as huge fail but turned out very well. I love shopping at Kroger when there’s a major Mega Deal event or other such sale going on. Our local Kroger’s triple coupons up to $.50 too! Wooowho! Love that! :)

So there I was pacing the aisles with my NEW ad and sorted coupon box. My list was out the window being that it was from last week. I ended up purchasing a LOT more than I had anticipated, but also saved more too.

Amazing coupons…

Total: $120.56
Kroger Savings: -$71.03
Coupon Savings: -$49.53
GRAND TOTAL: $34.19

Happy Shopping!

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Store and Organize Coupons

Notice: This post contains an affiliate link.

There's three major methods of storing and organizing coupons that I will cover. Actually, there's a lot of different ways to store/sort your coupons. I am only going over these ways to get your started. I definitely promote that everyone find there own groove when it comes to coupon sorting. If you don't like it, you won't do it. Find the way you like, even if it means changing a few times, so that you are sure to continue sorting your coupons. Sorted coupons makes it easier to find them and if you can find them, you will use them.

Box Method:
It can be any kind of box that you can setup a file system inside. My first box was a shoe box that I decorated and put alphabetical cards made from card stock inside. I file alphabetically in my box by product name. I do have some sections in categories (envelopes) in my box because they are frequently used. For example: baby, cereal, frozen veggies and shaving supplies are categories. It's nice to have a box that will close, has a handle and fits in the shopping cart easily.

I use a really awesome box now that I will have to get pictures of soon. It's cloth covered, clips closed and has a strap like a purse! Love it!

Box Method Advantages:

• Easy Clipping
• Fast Sorting
• ABC’s are universal

Box Method Disadvantages:

• Once dropped, all could be lost
• Maintaining expired coupons is taxing
• Category sorting is challenging

Binder Method:
Binders are very popular and visual! I use a mini binder sorted by store. So when I prepare to head to the store I place my cards, list and coupons in my picture album binder. Sometimes it is all I take in to the store but I usually take my box in with me too. My binder can fit in my purse (picture on right). I slit the top of each photo pocket open to make the pockets be able to hold taller coupons and easier to get in to.

Many binders are used to house ALL the coupons. These are usually 2 inch or larger zippered binders (picture on left). They are outfitted with baseball or scrapbook sticker storage pages. Coupons are separated into categories by divider pages. There's even a place that sells awesome covers with straps for your binder called The Coupon Clutch. Brilliant idea!

Binder Method Advantages:

• You can SEE everything you have!
• Category’s can be by aisle, product or whatever!

Binder Method Disadvantages:

• Clipping coupons to fit the little holders
• Depending on your categories, sorting can be tricky (alphabetizing is difficult)
• Costly to get it started
• Heavy!

File Method:
The filing method is one of the easiest methods to use. You will basically set up a filing cabinet, box or drawer for keeping your coupons. Each folder or pocket you place your coupons in will contain a date or insert title. This lets you easily identify WHEN you received your inserts. By knowing the date you received them you can use a database to find the coupon later. (If you don't remember the date you picked up your coupons, check the insert binder. In TINY print you will see the date the insert was issued. YAY! Write it on the front cover to make it easier to find later.)

I use the Filing Method to keep my coupons sorted before I get them clipped. I get behind on my clipping more often than I care to admit. Whoops!

File Method Advantages:

• Easy Clipping
• Fast Sorting

File Method Disadvantages:

• Coupons are not always with you

So now, go out try all the methods or just one but definitely find the one (or two) that work for you and have fun shopping! :)

Be sure to check out ALL of my Online Coupon Class

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Let the Party Begin!

There's an ULTIMATE Blog Party going on over at 5 Minutes for Mom and I am continuing the fun over here! You can too!! This is my first time joining in on a Blog Hop party of this size and I am excited to meet lots of new people. I hope I will have the time to keep up.

This is also the first time I will be holding a GIVEAWAY on my blog!!!

Read more on that in a bit...

Before I get all distracted (yes, that happens a lot) how about a little about this blog. Of course, I have a lovely About Page to check out but it is in need of updating.

• I am a stay-at-home mom trying to hang on to my sanity.
• Our kiddos are in school, at home.
• Gardening is a passion, but I can get neglectful of it around harvest time.
• I'm an aspiring photographer who needs a lot more time to practice.
• Coupons are a TON of fun to me and I teach coupon classes.
• I find my kids hysterically funny. :)
• I have always loved computers and techie things.
• Coding on a blog is fun to me!
• I LOVE to read and research things like crazy.
• Sometimes I stay up too late but I don't like coffee. Hehe...

Obviously, since I love all of these things they all tend to find their way to my blog. If you'd like to hear more, than please follow me on this Blog or Twitter! I can promise you that I will get carried away at some point in time. :)

Reasons to revisit next week:
Besides the Give Away? Sure! There's more!

• Update to my Online Coupon Class
• Walk through recipe post... Yummmm!
• Funny kid story from my crazy kiddos
• And MORE

Now about that mentioned Give Away:
I know Mother's Day is coming up and it's always fun to get lovely, little trinkets to give to mom... or keep for yourself? Well, I made a pretty, pink bracelet to Give Away for you to give away! (Or keep! Hehe... I won't tell, if you won't.) This bracelet is made from glass beads and has a threaded heart clasp. I used steel wire to make this to keep it strong, yet flexible.

This Give Away is OVER:
You can see who won in the last comment of this post.

1. Leave me a (nice... please?) comment! I love comments...
2. Follow me on Twitter and let me know by leaving another comment.
3. Follow my little Blog and let me know by leaving a comment.

Stuff to pay attention to:

- Each way to enter gets you one entry to win.

 - Please make each comment separate so that I can count easier.

- PLEASE make sure that I have a way to contact you from the comment.

(If I can get to your blog and you have contact info, I can find ya.

I just need to be able to let you know YOU WON! :) )

I (or one of my kiddos actually) will draw a number from a hat to choose the winner! Our little drawing ceremony will commence at the END of the Ultimate Blogging Party (April 16 around 12pm Eastern Time) to make sure everyone hopping over here has a chance to enter.

I really appreciate you stopping by my little part of the party! I hope you come back and visit again!

As a side note, if I am chosen to win something from the Ultimate Blog Party prize list, I would love one of these:

Of course, the GRAND PRIZE would be fabulous! :)
#16 – A custom-made tutu for a baby or little girl.
#17 – One of 3 prizes for aspiring photographers and creative women… a copy of photo book Camera Creative, a copy of Found Art, and the big whopper of a Real Women Scrap pack including a Real Women Scrap TV DVD, Real Women Scrap (the book), a Real Women Scrap t-shirt, and a special notebook
#33 – A custom tutu

Or any gift cards to Amazon, Kroger, VISA Debit or ToysRUs available. :)

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Coupon 101 - Find Coupons

Now that you are familiar with the types of coupons available, let's find them. I always love to find a good coupon too! Really makes my day...

• Tear pads, Blinkies, Catalina’s and more
  These are pretty self-explanatory as to where they can be found. Keep your eyes open when you are in any store.

• Newspaper
  
  • The BEST source of coupons is a newspaper!
  • Coupon inserts in newspapers are Regional!
    This means one state or area of a state will have different coupons than another area will have.
  • Newspapers will carry manufacturer coupons that can be used at almost any store.
  • The ads in a local newspaper are very important for planning shopping trip but the best variety of coupons available in your area could come from a larger paper!
    (In my area the local paper may get 15 coupons, but a larger cities paper will receive 30+ coupons I pick up a local paper for ads and the larger city newspaper for coupons.)
  • ALWAYS be sure to check the newspaper for the correct amount of inserts so you don’t buy an empty paper.

• Manufacturer:
  Another great way to get coupons is to contact the manufacturer of the product directly. You can either contact online or by phone (check out the packaging of your favorite products and look for a 1-800) and just let them know you like their product or have a viable complaint to report. I don’t usually call in with complaints unless I do like the product and just had issues with it though. See, the company will usually send you coupons. Sometimes even coupons for free products. Woowho! But if I don’t like the product at all, why would I want the coupons? Hehe…

• Store Coupons/Websites
  Many stores also have coupons that can be used only at their stores. You can either get mailings of them or print them. Visit your local grocery store websites to find printable STORE coupons, printable manufacturer coupons and coupons that can be loaded on loyalty cards. I am only listing stores from my area that I know about. There may be other stores in your area for you to check into as well.
  
  These are the stores I am familiar with:
  
  • Kroger has Clip-less Coupons to load on your card:
    PGEsaver (May not be functioning anymore? Have not tried them in awhile.)
    ShortCuts
    CellFire
    Load coupons directly onto your Kroger card! Clip-less coupons can be used with manufacturer and store coupons. It really depends on the cashier and store. Each clip-less coupon can only be used once.
  • Meijer coupons are printed or found in the store:
    Meijer Meal Box
    Click on the Specials tab in the MealBox area to view and print coupons.
    These can sometimes be used WITH manufacturer coupons; read the coupon carefully.
    Load coupons on your “cell phone”. You use your cell phone number at checkout.
    www.mperks.meijer.com
  • Target coupons are printed or mailed:
    Target.com
    Scroll the bottom of the page and click on Grocery Coupons
    These can be used with manufacturer coupons.
    You can get some in the mail by signing up for a Target Credit Card OR register for a gift registry. I think. Hehe… There is some trick to get on the “in” list for mailings with Target. I am not sure what that is yet, but this is my speculation.
  • Walgreen's:
    Look for Walgreen's in store coupons in their ad (7 day coupons), in a coupon booklet usually at the front of the store (IVC or Easy Saver coupons) and Register Rewards Catalina’s (RR) print outs.
  • CVS:
    Look for a CVS magazine called Reinventing Beauty that will have CVS store coupons inside. Sometimes the Pharmacy will have booklets of coupons too. There is also Extra Care Buck CRT coupons (ECB).
    You can print coupons from the website too, just look for the In-Store Coupons.

• Online Resources:
  There are a LOT of printable sources online. These are just the TOP ones I know to get you started with printing coupons from online. They are reliable, trusted and not too difficult to use.
  www.coupons.com
  www.smartsource.com
  www.RedPlum.com
  

• Preview Coupons:
  Remember coupons are regional so it's best to find out what is coming from the area that you purchase your coupons. Using a preview will also help you decide how MANY newspapers/inserts you would like to purchase because you know the coupons you will use.
  
  To find a PREVIEW of what will be in the Sunday paper visit:
  TaylorTown (Preview Pages - FL inserts) Post Wed or Thur
  The Coupon Clippers (Coupon Tracker - FL inserts) Post Wed or Thur
  Coupon Mom (Virtual Coupon Database - Lists Regional area!) Post Sat late afternoon
  CouponMom is the ONLY site that will break the coupon’s down by AREA.
  
  There are MORE places to preview too. This is just a few places.

• Everything You Need to Know:
  Well, okay not everything can be in one place all the time, but we can get REALLY close! Check out these links to find some GREAT coupon information:
  
  • The Frugal Map
    Not only are coupons regional, deals will be too. Use this blog to find your perfect match to other blogs that list deals you can use!
  • A Full Cup
    WeUseCoupons
    Message boards (forum) FULL of the best of the best “Coupon Queens” from around the country and they are all willing to share their information
    (and coupons) with YOU!

Return to Understand and Define Coupons

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Coupon 101 - Understand & Define Coupons

Obviously a coupon is a piece of paper or something electronic that is used to save money. Wooowho! What more is there to know about coupons? Well, not too much but to help with knowing how to use coupons better there's just a few things to know... and you may already know this stuff. So no biggie! :)

1. Where do coupons come from?
Coupons come from Manufactures who make products and from Stores who sell products. (Mind blowing right? I am easing some of you into the world of coupons here. Hehe...) Manufacturers put out coupons to entice buyers to buy their stuff. Stores put out coupons to entice buyers to come to their stores to buy stuff. Yay!

2. Are stores getting ripped off with coupons?!
Nope. Manufacturer coupons are reimbursed to stores for face value plus .08 for handling. This makes coupons a moneymaker for most stores to take in the first place!

Now Store Coupons are a different story. The stores are using those coupons in hopes to draw people in for a few items but really want you to buy a lot of other things NOT on sale. That's how the store makes money.

3. Something to keep in mind with coupons:
One manufacturer coupon is permitted per product purchased.
This just means if you have a coupon that says $.50 off 1 box of cereal you can get 1 box of cereal and use that 1 coupon. You cannot get that box of cereal and use 2 coupons on it. Just keep that in mind... it'll be covered again later.

There are LOTS of different kinds of coupons out there and if you intend to find them you should know more about them. Some coupons are easily overlooked because people don't know to look for coupons there.

1. Manufacturer Coupons
The biggest "form" of coupons. These can be found in newspapers and on the internet. When you are looking at online deal blogs, forums, etc to find a good deal there's some terms to keep in mind for your coupons so that you know where to find them in your stash.

• IP = Internet Printed (can also be a store coupon)
  Printed from the internet. Generally you can get 2 prints per computer depending on the source of the coupons. There are bricks, smartsource, coupon.com, pdf files and more styles of IP coupons to print.

• 1/3/10 RP or 1/10/10 SS = From a newspaper
  These are Newspaper Insert coupons. When you see this crazy information it's telling you the date that the coupon came out and what insert they are inside.
  
  So the 1/3/10 would be the date of the Sunday Newspaper the coupon came in and the RP would be Red Plum.
  
  There are several different kinds of inserts the coupon could be inside. Here's a list of them and their abbreviations:
• RP = Red Plum insert
• SS = Smart Source insert
• PG = P&G insert (usually only comes out once a month)
• There are other specialty inserts from time to time too.

• Tear pads
  These coupons are found in a store (hanging on shelves) and resemble a pad of paper. You tear coupons off the pad.
• Blinkie Coupons
  There are these crazy machines in stores that BLINK little red lights at you. It's not to annoy you or cause a seizure... it's trying to tell you to come and check out the cool coupon it has inside!
  
  My kiddos are trained to ransack these little machines. They stalk them in the store and generally get two coupons really quick but have to wait longer for the next one.
  
  I've been known to stand in front of a machine (especially if there's an awesome $1/1 box of cereal coupon inside) and look at it like I've never seen anything like it before until the next one comes out. Or I will randomly shuffle through my cart/coupon box pretending to be busy and than inconspicuously snatch the coupon that comes out. I mean, standing there just pulling coupons makes me crazy right? (Don't answer that... :) OH and no, I do not empty the machine. I usually only grab 6 of them.)
• Catalina Coupons
  These handy coupons come out of a "printing box" next to the cash register. Be sure to get these with your receipt when you are checking out. (Some cashiers forget or aren't patient enough for them to print.)
  
  Walgreen's fabulous Register Rewards coupons print this way.
• Off Your Next Order Coupons (ONYO)
  These are Catalina Coupons. When you are in a store sometimes there deals that if you purchase so much of product X you will receive $x.xx Off Your Next Shopping Order. Look for signs around the stores or in the sales fliers indicating these specials. Once you accomplish the necessary purchase your coupon will print from the Catalina machine.
  
  Meijer and Kroger run these specials a lot.
• Wine Tags
  These awesome coupons are hanging on bottles of wine! They are usually rebates, but sometimes they are coupons. They are more general in products purchased than other coupons. For example, the coupon might be for $1.50 off any purchase of 2lbs of cheese! Love wine tags! I have found some for salty snacks (chips), cheese, produce, meats, frozen desserts and more.
  
  These coupons can be regionally restricted (especially the rebates) which only makes them eligible in certain states (read the back of wine tag carefully). Most of them will state that you do not have to make a wine purchase to use the coupon.
• Cash Register Tape Coupons (CRT)
  Coupons printed at the bottom of a receipt are referred to in this way.
  
  CVS's awesome Extra Care Bucks print this way.

So did you learn anything  here? Do you feel that I've left something out? Or maybe you are just overwhelmed already? More coupon information from my class will be coming soon! :) I hope this helps someone out there at least a little bit.

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Online Class - Coupons 101

First off, I do not know everything there is to know about coupons. I have been using coupons and stockpiling sale items for over a year now to help my family meet our budget. I also use coupons to acquire free or inexpensive items to give to our church food pantry.

I teach coupon classes for free at my church. I've been teaching them for over 9 months now. I LOVE teaching these coupon classes. It's a lot of fun to have the freedom of rambling on and on and on and (you get the idea)... about something that you love so much. It's a great opportunity for me to help others to learn a bit about saving on their groceries too. I made up an outline myself to teach my class and put it into a PowerPoint presentation. (At this time, due to size and other reasons, I am not emailing my presentation anywhere. Sorry!) Over 50+ people have been through my classes and have found coupons to be an effective way to save money and feed their family.

I'm taking these posts straight from my outline, going in a bit more detail for each section (like I would discuss things during a class) and also trying to make this not specific to one region as much as possible. If you have any questions, leave a comment and I will answer them either in the comments or adjust the post. I might even gather all the questions into another post to answer them there.

Here is what I intend to cover in this "online" coupon class:

• How to Teach a Coupon Class - Outline
• Understand and Define Coupons
• Find Coupons
• Store and Organize Coupons
• Get MORE Coupons and Share
• Use Coupons
• Plan with Coupons
• Stockpiling Sale Items

Normally this is broken down into two classes but seeing as this will be a series of posts, it shouldn't be too bad. I will attempt to keep the posts short, sweet and to the point for easy reading too. :) We will see how well that goes. :)

This is something that I really love doing and I hope that by sharing it online I will be able to reach further than just those I teach in person. I REALLY hope it helps someone out there at least. :)

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