The Real Savvy Saver Coupon Workshop by Live Now Enterprises LLC

Savvy

The Real

SAVER

Coupon Workshop www.therealsavvysaver.com

Table of Contents WEEKLY SALES SCHEDULE ........................................................................................................ 3 GET ORGANIZED ............................................................................................................................. 4 Tips on Staying Organized .................................................................................................................... 4 START A PRICE BOOK .................................................................................................................... 5 LOCATING COUPONS ..................................................................................................................... 6 Sunday Newspaper Inserts................................................................................................................... 6 Tearpads ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Blinkies ................................................................................................................................................ 6 Catalinas.............................................................................................................................................. 6 Free Samples ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Wine Tags............................................................................................................................................ 6 Online Printables ................................................................................................................................. 6 From the Manufacturer ....................................................................................................................... 7 Magazines ........................................................................................................................................... 7 The Real Savvy Saver Database ............................................................................................................ 7 UPromise and SavingStar eCoupons..................................................................................................... 7 TYPES OF COUPONS....................................................................................................................... 8 Manufacturer Coupons ........................................................................................................................ 8 Store Coupons ..................................................................................................................................... 9 STORE POLICIES............................................................................................................................ 10 RAINCHECKS .................................................................................................................................. 14 MAIL IN REBATES.......................................................................................................................... 14 TIPS .................................................................................................................................................... 15 COUPONING ETHICS .................................................................................................................... 15 EXPIRED COUPONS...................................................................................................................... 16 HARRIS TEETER EXAMPLE ....................................................................................................... 17 HARRIS TEETER SUPER DOUBLES ......................................................................................... 17 DRUG STORES ................................................................................................................................ 18 STORE ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................. 21 COUPON ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ....................................................................... 22

WEEKLY SALES SCHEDULE Most weekly ads are delivered with your Sunday newspaper but others are sent in the mail on Wednesday. You may always view them online at the store’s website at your convenience. The main goal is to match the current sales with coupons that you currently have saved. Below is the sales schedule by release day.  Sunday  CVS  Rite Aid  Target  Walgreens  Walmart  Wednesday  Aldi  Food Lion  Harris Teeter  Kroger  Lowes Foods AND MOST RETAILERS MAKE THEIR WEEKLY SALES FLIERS AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH THE COMPANY’S WEBSITE

GET ORGANIZED The organization of your coupons can either provide relief or frustration. I suggest organizing in a manner that works well for you. Below are three options.

Coupon Binder

Coupon Box

Coupon Insert

Tips on Staying Organized  Find a set time to clip and sort coupons and follow through each week, possible during your favorite TV show. Try to file them as you clip them.  Always put coupons in the same place so they are not lost  You do NOT have to go through and purge all the expired coupons every single week. Once a month is sufficient for most people.  Whatever you do, find the system that works best for YOU. If it doesn’t make sense to you and seems hard to use, you won’t use it.

START A PRICE BOOK Think about the top 10 or 20 items you purchase on a very regular basis. It would be lovely to save money on them right? So YES you CAN!!  In a small notebook, begin writing down what you pay for them at each store you shop  Note when the items go on sale and how much they cost. Write down the date, store, and price.  To make sure you are getting a fair comparison, be sure to calculate price per unit. That’s the price divided by the number of ounces or grams, etc. o

Example: An 8 oz. tub of sour cream sells for $1.29. So $1.29 divided by 8 ounces = 16.13 cents/ounce.

 Over time, you will begin to see what you actually pay for your staple items. You will also be able to tell whether a sale price is really a good deal.  If you are diligent about recording the dates of sales, you will also get a good idea of how often that item goes on sale. If it’s nonperishable, then you can stock up when it is cheap with enough to get you through to the next sale.

LOCATING COUPONS There are a multitude of places that coupons can be found. They range from your Sunday paper to online coupon providers to the manufacturers themselves. The number one source is the Sunday newspaper. There are coupon inserts and additionally coupons within magazine sections that are usually overlooked. Below are some examples of sources:

Sunday Newspaper Inserts The local paper is the best source of coupons. If you have the Sunday paper delivered, this will ensure that you receive every insert available. Many local paper distributers provide a discount for Sunday only delivery.

Tearpads On occasion, a manufacturer will setup a display for their product. Many times these displays also contain a “sticky note” type of coupon attached to it. This is to encourage the purchase of their product. Remember to be a considerate couponer and only take what you will use to allow others to take advantage of the deal too!

Blinkies These in-store dispensers are usually located next to the product to encourage your purchase of their product. Remember to be a considerate couponer and only take what you will use to allow others to take advantage of the deal too!

Catalinas These coupons print from the machine next to the register, and are usually red, green or blue. They are strategically printed based on your purchasing history. People frequently leave them in their shopping carts-- grab them!

Free Samples Many times you can score high value coupons along with free samples. If a manufacturer is providing free samples, sign-up to score twice: free product + free coupons!

Wine Tags Wine distributers want to encourage the purchase of particular items with their wine (ex. Cheese, crackers, meat, etc.). These coupons can be found hung around the neck of wine bottles. They do not require a wine purchase in North Carolina.

Online Printables There are many sites that allow you to print the coupons online with a preset maximum number (2 or 3). Many manufacturers are utilizing their social media sites to provide exclusive coupons. Below are a few additional sites:  www.therealsavvysaver.com (Database)  www.coupons.com  www.coupons.smartsource.com  www.pillsbury.com/coupons-promotions Copyright © Live Now Enterprises, LLC

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www.eatbetteramerica/Coupons www.redplum.com

From the Manufacturer A lot can be said for asking to receive  Many manufacturers will provide you free coupons when requested. You can email them and provide feedback regarding your last purchase and request a coupon to assist on your next one.

Magazines There are many magazines that provide coupons. One of the main “couponer” friendly magazines is All You. It provides a large number of coupons from many popular manufacturers.

The Real Savvy Saver Database The Real Savvy Saver blog maintains a database of coupons. This is a wonderful way to quickly find out if there is a known coupon out there for an item you would like to purchase. It can locate all coupons that are currently available for use. http://therealsavvysaver.com/coupons/coupon-database/

UPromise and SavingStar eCoupons Any savings that you earn through these eCoupons are put into an online savings account. The discount does not come off in stores. Here is how it works:  Sign up online at upromise.com or savingstar.com  Enter all of your store loyalty card numbers  Load all the coupons you want (have them saved for any purchases during the month!)  When you load the coupons, they are available on every store card you have entered These are a little different than the other eCoupons:  You can use them at almost any store!  The money does not come off at the register but is put in your online account.  Can I use a coupon too? YES! These are not tied to coupons or discounts in the store.  What if I don’t have a kid? No problem. Once you have children you can go in and change from your name to your children names. Grandparents can also sign up and have it go to their grandchildren. You can change the beneficiary at any time.

TYPES OF COUPONS There are different categories that coupons fit in. Below are descriptions to help you understand the type of coupon you may have which will in turn help you understand how to use it.

Manufacturer Coupons These coupons are supplied and supported directly from the manufacturer. The manufacturer is responsible for refunding the store for the savings received by the customer. They generally start with a 5 or 9 if utilizing the old barcode style. The new GS1 barcode makes it harder to decipher how the coupon will scan. If available, the 5 or 9 details if the coupon will be automatically doubled at the register while scanning.  5: Doubles  9: Does not double Below are examples of manufacturer coupons.

Coupon Doubles 

Coupon Does Not Double Below you can see the difference between the old barcode and the new barcode for manufacturer coupons. The best option is to always read the coupon to determine if it can be doubled or not and pay attention at the register. If a coupon does not double, simply point this out to the cashier to receive your credit.

The new GS1 barcode allows the following:  Allow manufacturer to code more complex offers  Reduce mis-redemption and fraud  Retailers would receive more accuracy when scanning coupon  Automatic expiration date checking for retailers

Store Coupons These coupons are supplied and supported directly by the store. Some stores allow the stacking of coupons which would allow you to apply one manufacturer coupon and one store coupon to a single item. This maximizes your savings!

STORE POLICIES FOOD LION 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Does not accept competitor coupons Does not allow stacking of coupons Does not allow doubling of coupons Allows you to purchase 1 during B1G1 sale Allows two coupons on B1G1 sale Check front of store for printer and available by email if you sign up on Food Lion’s web site for the Shopping Companion.

HARRIS TEETER 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Does accept competitor coupons Allows stacking of coupons Allows doubling of coupons up to 99¢ for 20 per day Allows you to purchase 1 during B1G1 sale Allows two coupons on B1G1 sale e-VIC coupons available on their website and can be used with paper coupons Rainchecks do not expire Double guarantee Harris Teeters has quarterly Super Double events

KROGER 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Does accept competitor coupons Allows stacking of coupons Does not allow doubling of coupons Allows you to purchase 1 during B1G1 sale Allows two coupons on B1G1 sale You can compound your savings by signing up for a Kroger card to save on weekly specials, earn towards gas points, load manufacturer coupons and receive personalized offers.

LOWES FOODS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Does accept competitor coupons Allows doubling of coupons up to 99¢ for 20 per day Allows you to purchase 1 during B1G1 sale Allows two coupons on B1G1 sale Double Guarantee You can compound your savings by signing up for a Kroger card to save on weekly specials, earn towards gas points, load manufacturer coupons and receive personalized offers.

PUBLIX 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Does accept competitor coupons Allows stacking of coupons Does not allow doubling of coupons Allows you to purchase 1 during B1G1 sale Allows two coupons on B1G1 sale 8 of same coupon each day 5% off every Wednesday for 60 & up

ALDI 1. Does not accept competitor coupons 2. Does not accept manufacturer coupons 3. Price match at Walmart

DOLLAR GENERAL 1. Does not accept competitor coupons 2. Allows stacking of coupons 3. Does not allow doubling of coupons

TARGET 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Does not accept competitor coupons Allows stacking of coupons Does not allow doubling of coupons Cartwheel Mobile Coupons RedCard Price Matching: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com, and BabiesRUs.com Reusable Bag

WALMART 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Does accept competitor coupons Does not allow stacking of coupons Does not allow doubling of coupons Price Matching Savings Catcher

COSTCO 1. Does not accept competitor coupons 2. Does not accept manufacturer coupon 3. Does accept their issued store coupons

SAM’S CLUB 1. Does not accept competitor coupons 2. Does not accept manufacturer coupon 3. Does accept their issued store coupons

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Does not accept competitor coupons Does accept manufacturer coupon Does accept their issued store coupons Allows stacking of coupons Does not allow doubling of coupons Allows coupons on multi-pack items w/barcode

RAINCHECKS  Many stores offer rainchecks if they are out of a sale item, including: o Harris Teeter (they never expire) o Lowes Foods (expire in 30 days) o Walgreens o Target o CVS  The item must be advertised as being on sale in print, usually in the weekly sales flier, to be eligible for a raincheck. Request one at the customer service desk.  Use in combination with coupons, Super Doubles or Triples coupon events to maximize savings.  Make especially sure that you get a CVS raincheck if your CVS is out of an ECB deal.

MAIL IN REBATES There are several types of mail in rebates available. They allow you to receive an additional savings on items you purchase regularly. They generally require the original receipt be sent as supporting documentation as to the purchase of the required items. Rebates can be found in the following locations:  Beer and wine isle  Tear pads  Product packaging  Manufacturer website

TIPS Below are a few tips to keep in mind!  Set up Coupon Swap Boxes  Trade coupons with friends, or co-workers  Obtain coupons online if needed  Walk through your neighborhood on recycling day  Look for brochures at the pharmacy of doctor’s office.  Contact manufacturers  Rewards programs  Moneymakers  Setup coupon email account  Some stores discount their Sunday paper or offer specials. Walgreens is currently one store that offers a lower price on their Sunday paper than the usual $2!  Don’t always buy the larger size because it is a good deal. Sometimes the smaller size is actually FREE!  www.therealsavvysaver.com  ASK PEOPLE!

COUPONING ETHICS  Only take tow of any coupon from an in store dispenser, tearpad, or booklet – leave some for others.  Coupons that are stuck to products are meant only for the person who purchases the product.  Stock up by getting what your family needs for 6 weeks. Remember that items will come on sale again.  If you are shopping for charity, please don’t deplete a store’s stock even for a good cause. There are many families that need to be able to save money on their groceries, too.  Over-stocking to be able to resell items is bordering on illegal in many ways. It’s also very unfair to the folks in your area that would like at least one.  Use only one manufacturer’s coupon per item that you purchase. Remember that an on product coupon is usually a manufacturer’s coupon, so pick either the one you came in with or the one on the product but not both (unless you buy two).  Coupons should be used as they were intended, for the products intended, including competitor coupons. If they say limit one per person then plan to use just one.  Make sure you buy the size specified on the coupon; even if it works for other sizes please have integrity and be responsible in your usage.  Do not photocopy coupons.

EXPIRED COUPONS If you have expired coupons, do not throw them away! Our service men and women may use them to help save on their groceries. You may find more information at www.ocpnet.org.

HARRIS TEETER EXAMPLE Below is an example transaction at Harris Teeter. The first will show how on a standard day, coupons who have a face value up to $0.99 and below will double up to $0.99. The second transaction will show how during a Super Doubles event, coupons who have a face value up to $2.00 and below will double up to $2.00. Standard Day Deal: Old Orchard Juice on sale for B2G3 Free ($3.19) Action: Buy 5 Old Orchard Juice Coupon: $0.50/1 Old Orchard Juice (Use 3) Pay: $3.38 plus tax

Super Doubles Event Deal: Horizon Macaroni & Cheese B1G1 Free ($1.89) Action: Buy 2 Horizon Macaroni & Cheese Coupon: $1.00/2 Horizon Macaroni & Cheese Pay: FREE!

HARRIS TEETER SUPER DOUBLES Once a quarter, Harris Teeter will offer a special event in which coupons up to $2.00 in face value are doubled. Examples are below. $1.00 coupon becomes worth $2.00 $1.50 coupons becomes worth to $3.00 $1.75 coupons becomes worth to $3.50 $2.00 coupons becomes worth to $4.00

 There is a limit of 20 coupons per day that will be doubled and a limit of three identical coupons per transaction. Any coupons over 20 will be credited at face value.  Check out www.therealsavvysaver.com blog for a heads up and through list of deals!

DRUG STORES RITE AID Rite Aid currently has two programs in place. The first is Wellness+ that provides you with specific rewards after earning points from purchases. The second option is the new Plenti Points (www.plenti.com) program. This program spans more than just Rite Aid (ex. Macy’s, AT&T Exxon/Mobil, etc.). You may link your Wellness+ card and Plenti Point account to accumulate points in both programs for your purchases of qualifying products. Below is a breakdown of the programs. Wellness+  125 points = 10% savings pass  500 points = free health screening  1,000 points = 20% savings pass Plenti Points  1,000 points = $1.00  5,000 points = $5.00  $10,000 points = $10.00 Rite Aid also allows you to triple stack! They will allow one Rite Aid Valuable coupon, one Rite Aid Manufacturer coupon and one standard manufacturer coupon. Rite Aid has lots of store printable coupons in the Video Values program online.  Rite Aid Valuable Coupon: starts with “48”  Rite Aid Manufacturer Coupon: starts with “49” The general suggested order to provide coupons to the cashier is the following. 1. Rite Aid Coupons 2. Manufacturer 3. Plenti Points

Example Transaction  Deal: Buy 1 GE Halogen Light Bulb (4 ct), Get 799 Plenti Points  Action: Buy 1 GE Halogen Light Bulb (4 ct) – on sale for $7.99  Coupon: $1/1 GE Lighting Product  Pay: $6.99 plus tax  Receive: 799 = $7.99 Plenti Points  Final Cost = Free + Moneymaker after coupons and Plenti Points

CVS CVS currently has one program in place. You can currently earn Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) by purchasing specific items with your Extra Care card. Promotions can span a week or an entire month. There is a Copyright © Live Now Enterprises, LLC

19 maximum number of ECBs per card per promotion and they are tied to the producing Extra Care card. You will also earn quarterly ECBs for every 2% that you spend and $1 for every 2 prescriptions. ECBs can be used on anything except prescriptions, gift cards, tobacco products, alcohol, stamps, or milk. You may also use as many as you want in a transaction as long as you remain above the subtotal. The main strategy at CVS is to continue to “roll” your ECBs to lower your out of pocket each week. Make sure you scan your Extra Care card at the Red Machine to receive weekly and sometimes daily exclusive coupons! The general suggested order to provide coupons to the cashier is the following. 1. $/$$ ($5 off $20 purchase) 2. BOGO and other high value coupons 3. Regular manufacturers coupons 4. Store coupons (last) OR 1. 2. 3. 4.

$/$$ ($5 off $20 purchase) Then ECB’s or RRs, Store coupons Regular manufacturers coupons (last)

Example Transaction  Deal: Buy 1 Schick Quattro Titanium Razor or Trimmer at $7.99, Get $3 ECBs (Limit 3)  Action: Buy 1 Schick Quattro Titanium Razor  Coupon: $4/1 Schick Quattro  Pay: $3.99 plus tax  Receive: $3.00 Extra Care Bucks (ECBs)  Final Cost: $0.99 after coupon and ECBs

WALGREENS Walgreens currently has 2 programs in place. The first is Balance Rewards which allows you to earn points when purchasing specific items with your Wellness+ card. Any points earned must be used within 36 months of earning them and the card must be used minimally once every six months. Below is a table depicting the structure.  1,000 points = $1.00  5,000 points = $5.00  $10,000 points = $10.00 The second are Register Rewards which can also be used at some grocery stores. Register Rewards are manufacturers coupons triggered to print due to purchasing specific items. In most cases, you cannot “roll” Register Rewards from the same manufacturer. For example, if you receive a Register Reward for purchasing Dove Soap, you cannot use the received Register Reward towards another purchase of Dove soap and receive another Register Reward. You could, however, use it towards another manufacturer Copyright © Live Now Enterprises, LLC

20 who is offering a Register Reward. For example, if you receive a Register Reward for purchasing Dove Soap, you can use the received Register Reward towards a purchase of Bounty paper towels and receive another Register Reward. Remember that you cannot have more coupons that products. If you are stacking coupons, you must take into account the number of products you are purchasing. If you would like to use six coupons, then you must also purchase six items. Example Transaction  Deal: Buy 8 select Dove Products, Get $10 Register Rewards  Action: Buy 8 Dove Bar Soaps (2-packs)–on sale for $2.24  Coupon: $1/1 Dove Face Care coupons (Use 8)  Pay: $9.92 plus tax  Receive: $10 Register Reward  Final Cost = Free after coupons and Register Rewards

STORE ABBREVIATIONS CVS = Consumer Value Store HT = Harris Teeter KG = Kroger KM = K-Mart ST = Super Target SWM = Super Wal-Mart WAG = Walgreens WM = Wal-Mart TG = Target

COUPON ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AC = After Coupon AR = After Rebate BLINKIES = In store smartsource coupon dispensed near product, usually from red blinking box BOGO or B1G1F = Buy one get one free CAT or Catalina = Coupon dispensed at register after purchase, usually has a red border DND = Do Not Double (the coupon is not supposed to be doubled) DOUBLE COUPON = Coupon that a grocery store doubles in value ECB = CVS Extra Care Bucks earned for purchases FAR = Free After Rebate FLIP = Food Lion Internet Printable FREE ITEM COUPON = A coupon that allows you to get the product completely free HT or HGT = Hang tags for refunds or coupons hanging on a product IP = Internet Printable MIR = Mail In Rebate NED = No expiration date NBPN = No Beer Purchase Necessary NWPN = No wine purchase necessary OAS = A coupon that is good on one purchase, any size OOP = Out of Pocket OSI = On a single item OYNO = On your next order P&G = Proctor & Gamble Sunday supplement coupons PEELIE = Coupon that you peel off the package POP = Proof of purchase PP = Purchase price RC = Raincheck RP = Red Plum Sunday Supplement Coupons RR = Register Rewards SCR = Rite Aid Single Check Rebate SD = Store Display SS = Smart Source or Sunday Supplement coupons

STACKING = Some stores allow the use of more than one coupon per item, IF the coupon itself does not restrict such usage. SUPER DOUBLES or DOUBLES = coupons that are doubled $1 + in value (i.e. a $1 coupon = $2, etc.) TEAR PAD = A pad of refund forms or coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display TIA = Thanks in advance TMF = Try Me Free TRIPLE COUPON = A coupon that a grocery store triples in value TYVM = Thank you very much UPC = Universal Product Code V = Valassis Sunday supplement coupons WINE TAG = Coupon, usually for $ off any meat, cheese or produce. WL = Wish list WPN = Wine purchase necessary WSL = While supplies last WT = Wine tag WYB = When You Buy