I've always lived by the (1) set of coupon inserts per person in your family philosophy, but recently, I read that you should acquire coupon inserts in multiples of two. Then, you will have the right combination of coupons to take advantage of a Buy One Get One sale.
You don't always have to buy every paper yourself. Here is how I get my inserts each Sunday. We have three in our family - my husband, teenage son, and myself.
- Early Sunday Edition - I buy a paper on Saturday to write the Post-Dispatch Coupon Preview. I also like to look at the Sunday ads early.
- Paper Subscription - Reading the paper has always been part of my life - shower, brush teeth, read the paper.
- Neighbor - My neighbor doesn't coupon, so she give me her inserts. I make sure I pass on a few freebies her way.
- Spend RR or ECBs - I'm going to try and get in the habit of buying my fourth paper with my "earnings" form the drugstores.
I've been able to grow a nice stockpile, keep my family feed and cleaned, the dog feed, and the house cleaned, with a $50 weekly budget and 3-6 sets of coupon inserts a week. As a bonus, I'm never tempted to clear shelves of something my family doesn't eat, because I don't have that many coupons.
Your turn. I would love to hear from readers how many inserts they are looking to acquire each weekend, where they get them, and how many in their families. Or, any other tips about how you acquire inserts.
Posts
I buy 3. I use my EBs at CVS to buy them most of the time. I usually get a couple of Suburban Journals as well, so that usually comes with a version of one insert or another. I would agree that there have been several times though that I wish I have even numbers of all of the inserts. Very rarely I will buy another paper to make 4, but only if the Qs that I KNEW I would use - right away! - were at least a $4 value or better.
ReplyDeleteI always get my papers from Sams Club. They are cheapier and it is just easy for our family. I normally buy 3 papers. I then will pick up the ocasional insert from a few family members. The most I ever get is 5.
ReplyDeleteThere are only 3 in our family. Me, my husband and our 7 year old. We do not have any pets at this time. The amount of inserts plus printable coupons works great for us!
I also have 2 computers and two printers. This helps with the IP's. I can get 4 IP instead of the nornal limit of just 2.
Thanks for all you do and all your help!
Julie
I buy 5 papers evey week at Sams. I get the Journal insert from 1 neighbor and a friend gives me all her coupons. I end up between 6 to 7 coupon inserts. There are 3 of us but I always give my daughter and her husband lots of stuff eveytime they come over they hit up my stockpile closet.Evey other month I take boxes to my son of anything he needs. So really I take care of 3 different households with my shopping.
ReplyDeleteI look at the inserts first. I usually end up with 4 then 2 or 3 hand-me-down inserts. The hand-me-downs are from people who use a few coupons, but don't keep them from week to week.
ReplyDeleteWe have a family of 4. Last year we bought a house with a pool, in the summer my household triples on occasion! :) I feel like I should be able to take care of the 'bonus family' without feeling the crunch.
I'm a "light couponer" haha. I subscribe to the Sunday paper (even though most times I don't read it, it ends up being worth the $, and we recycle it). I also print out a lot online and have recently gotten my mom to send me some from her Sunday paper as well.
ReplyDeleteThere's only two of us right now, and I buy a lot of organic/natural foods, so many coupons in the Sunday paper don't apply (though I find plenty of good organic coupons online).
Today, for example, I saved $13 using coupons. I'm pretty proud of that!
I get (1) paper and my mom saves her inserts and gives them to me once she's gone through it. I'll clip the pet food ones that I dont use and sen on to a local shelter. I'll use the various coupons and stock up on stuff and will have stuff to donate when a food drive is in the area. Another source has been the online coupons. I'll match my shopping with the sales and coupons and run in when I am out, not making a trip to just to to the store.....
ReplyDeleteI get the Post (signed up with the SNS gift card deal). I also get a free journal that has the SS inserts in it usually. So that is two sets. My MIL saves inserts for me but she is in KC so I only get them from her about 1/month. So, I have about 2-3 sets of inserts.
ReplyDeleteMy church sometimes has the Belleville paper for just a $1 so I get that too if the coupons are good that week (like the first week in January!).
There is five in my family - me, hubby, & 3 girls ages 4.5, 2.5 and 5 months.
I almost never buy the paper. We eat a ton of organic and real foods that don't have coupons. Even my dog eat's organic so no coupon saving's there.
ReplyDeleteI mostly use coupons for personal care products. I play the drugstore game to get most of these items for free. Also many free sample requests come with coupons as well as vocalpoint and shespeaks mailers
We actually get the smartsource coupons free every week in our neighborhood. I collect extra's from neighbors that don't use them. If there is a coupon in another insert I want, I ask around and trade with friends or the sweet little old lady down the street.
I'm curious about the best place to buy extra papers. I have one copy delivered, but occasionally I like to buy extras if the coupons are really great. :)
ReplyDeleteI live in rural WI now. I don't subscribe to any newspapers here. The State Journal is $2 at the gas station. I only buy it when it has really good coupons, like when there's a P&G insert. Other than that, I focus deals on sales alone and those involving printable coupons. It's just simpler for me this way. :)
ReplyDeleteI have a family of 7 and I buy 2 Dallas and 2 Oklahoman, as I live close to TX. Because of regional differences, I get a few different or higher value coupons from each paper. I don't buy our local paper, as it does not have as many coupons as the above listed. But, I do get several inserts from it from friends who don't coupon.
ReplyDeleteI get one delivered and if there are a couple of different coupons that I know will really benefit my family, I'll use a clipping service to buy several of those particular coupons. I probably order from a service once or twice a month.
ReplyDeleteHi All - Thanks for chiming in.
ReplyDeleteI know there is a lot of interest in couponing now, not only becuase of TLC's Expreme Couponing, but also the skyrocketing gas and grocery prices. I hope when new couponers see that everyone approaches what and how they coupon a little differently the newbies will realise "one size dosen't fit all".
I buy at least 2 papers usually using RR. Jeri, I love your Saturday post of the actual good coupons in the Post because that helps me determine if I want more papers. Also, I get a redplum in the mail every week and sometimes my parents get a smartsource in their Journal. Luckily, I have 3 computers so I do A Lot of on line couponing. We have 5 in our family and a dog so couponing is a HUGE blessing for us all!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jen - Thanks for the feedback on what posts you like to see.
ReplyDeleteI have been fluctuating between 5 and 10. we have 3 in our family. I'm thinking 10 might be over kill. but when there is a good deal I have 10 Q's vs. 5. I'm thinking maybe I should buy 3-5 and then order from a clipping service for specific q's. Any suggestions or is anyone else doing this?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous - I think buying 10 papers a week might be a little over kill for a family of 3, unless you are acquiring them for free from friends & family who don't use coupons.
ReplyDeleteYou can build a sufficient stockpile over time and if you already have a stockpile it dosen't take than many on one product to keep it up.
There are a few times a year where the coupon and their values are fantasctic, those would be the week's to buy more papers.
I've never ordered from a clipping service, but I know some people get most of their coupons from one.