Saving Money Feels Good!
Welcome to
the GameGirlz.com resource center. Here you will find some
helpful tips on how to save money by using manufacturer and
store coupons.
Every year I redeem between $900 and $1,100 worth of coupons. Every time I shop I save money on groceries, over the counter medicine purchases, toiletries, laundry supplies, and most of the household goods I purchase.
This FAQ will introduce consumers looking to save money while shopping to coupons, plus offer valuable tips on how to use coupons to get free items, and more!
P.S. At the bottom of this FAQ you'll find out how to win your own coupon organizer!
By Vangie Beal
WHAT ARE COUPONS?
Coupons are paper documents that can be exchanged for a discount
on the purchase price of consumer-packaged goods. Two main types
of coupons are Retailer coupons and Manufacturer coupons.
Retailer coupons: These coupons are produced and
distributed by a retail store and consumers may only redeem them
at that specific retail store out partner stores. The coupon
will clearly state that it is only good at a specific Store.
These coupons may be for a discount on a specific product
carried at the store or it may be for a percentage or dollar
amount discount on a total purchase at the retail store.
Manufacturer coupons: These coupons are produced
by the manufacturer of the product and consumers can redeem the
coupon at any store that carries the product and accepts
manufacturer coupons. Remember, some discount and locally owned
and operated stores will not accept coupons, however most
big-box and retail chain stores will.
WHERE DO I FIND COUPONS?
Coupons are distributed in magazines, newspapers, in weekly
store flyers and online (check our
coupon
page for online coupons). You will also find manufacturer
coupons distributed in-store. These coupons are usually placed
on the store shelf, right where the product is located.
WHAT INFORMATION DO I LOOK FOR ON A COUPON?
A paper coupon will have information that you will need to read before
redeeming it when you shop. Some details to look for include;
Product: The coupon
will state the product name and qualifying size for redemption.
Discount: The coupon will clearly state the offer. Some
examples include: Save $1.00 on Product A or Buy
Product A and Product B and save $5.00 etc.
Expiry date: Most coupons will have an expiry date. After
this date a store will most likely not accept your coupon.
Redemption center: A coupon may state it is good only in
Canada, but if not check the redemption center address to ensure
it is redeemable in Canada. Some coupons you might find and
print online could be for U.S. residents. Stores will most
likely not accept any coupon that does not list a Canadian
redemption center.
WHAT ARE PRINTABLE COUPONS?
Printable coupons are those that are offered
online and consumers print them from home. Since printable
coupons can easily be misused or fraudulent some stores will not
accept any printed coupons from consumers. Even if your
coupon is legitimate, the store is not obligated to redeem it.
TIPS FOR USING COUPONS
Don't buy just because you have a coupon!
Unless the product is your usual brand or using the coupon makes
a product you'd like to try equal to or lower than your usual
brand price, don't buy it! If you use coupons for the 'sake of
using coupons' you can easily spend more when you shop.
Example: If you purchase Our Compliments rice at $1.19, then a $1.00 coupon for a $3.49 package Uncle Ben's rice is not going to save you money. Forget the coupon and buy your usual brand.
Find stores that accepts doubles
Some stores will accept multiple coupons on one product if the
coupons are different. For example my local Pharmasave accepts
multiple coupons, and I use this to my advantage. For example,
if I have a $1.00 Tylenol coupon that I printed from online,
plus a $2.00 coupon that I got from the store shelf, I can use
both coupons to save $3.00 on the purchase of one product.
-
If you have a local store that accepts doubles, be sure to request Brandsaver.ca and save.ca coupons plus get the coupons from the Brandsaver distributed periodically in newspapers. You can double already excellent savings!
Combine store sales &
coupons for maximum savings
The best way to save the most money is to keep coupons for
brands you frequently buy, and hold those coupons (if you can)
until the item goes on sale. This is how I save the most money,
plus I get FREE products when I shop. This is when you want to
stock up on the things you use for the best savings.
Here are three examples of coupons I recently redeemed to save more than $25. These are all items I would normally purchase (or would replace a different brand because it was cheaper).
1. Kellogg's Nutri-Grain
Cereal Bars at Walmart
Regular Price: $2.99
Sale Price $1.97
Coupon: (5x) Save $2 coupons.
Total Savings: I purchased 5 boxes and paid $0.00 instead of
$9.85 at sale price
2. Rice Krispies Bars
at Price Chopper
Regular Price: (unknown)
Sale Price: 2 for $4 ($2.00 each)
Coupon: (6x) Save $2 coupons
Total Savings: I purchased 6 boxes and paid $0.00 instead of
$12.00 at sale price
NOTE: School Lunch box snacks for a month were free.
3. Dawn Dish
detergent at Shopper's Drug Mart
Regular price: unknown
Sale price: $0.88
Note: This 325 ML trial size is already a better price per ML
than the regular size bottles.
Coupon: (10x) Save $0.50 on any size Dawn (I got the coupons
right in the store on the shelf where the full-size bottles
were)
Total Savings: I purchased 10 bottles for $3.80 instead of the
$8.80 sale price.
Get Organized!
The best tip I can offer anyone is to get organized. You can
purchase a small vinyl or cardboard coupon organizer to hold
coupons. Take it when you every time you shop. When you spot
coupons on the shelf that you might use if the price was better
-- take a couple and file them until the product goes on sale.
Use your coupon organizer and store flyers to help you figure
out where the best place to shop each week will be.
DON'T HAVE A COUPON ORGANIZER? WIN ONE!
Simply e-mail GameGirlz a question about using coupons or send in your best coupon tip
and we'll randomly choose one entry to win a Vinyl Coupon Organizer with a minimum of $20 in Canadian manufacturer coupons to get you started on the road to saving!
For Canadian residents only. Include your first name initial and full last name along with your e-mail address in the contest entry. Enter as many times as you like until June 30, 2009, using a different question or tip. By entering you agree that your submitted question or tip may be published on our site at a later date (using your first initial and last name).
ENTER: contest@gamegirlz.com
CONTESTS FOR
CANADIANS
Why Buy What You Can Win? Canadian companies are giving away thousands of dollars in prizes each and every day!
Our
GG
Canadian Contests Blog tracks National brand contests for Canadian residents, that offer prizes
valued at $1,000 and greater. The majority of the contests listed here are contests that are sponsored by well-known Canadian brands and companies, meaning they are legitimate contests with guaranteed prize awarding. You can use our blog like a favorites list and check it daily for newly added high-value contests.
Updated Daily.
Visit the blog
and start winning!