Ultimate Guide to Couponing
It’s not difficult to save a dollar or two with a coupon, but to save big bucks on a regular basis is more complicated. If you’re ready to start saving a significant amount on groceries or whatever it is you like to buy, you’re in the right place. We scoured the Web to find the most helpful and informative information available for couponing related to groceries, restaurants and retail stores. Filled with 40 resources, this guide will appeal to those just beginning to coupon or those who are interested in taking their couponing to the extreme. When you arm yourself with the right information and an organizational system, you’ll have the potential to save thousands of dollars a year!
General Coupon Resources
From the history of couponing to preventing coupon fraud, these general resources are a good place to start reading.
Coupon Information Corporation – Before you try to use that coupon you printed from a website, check out this link. The CIC is a non-profit association of consumer product manufacturers who fight coupon fraud. The site has a coupon-alert database, which shows photos and details of counterfeit coupons.
Coupon Lingo Cheat Sheet – A comprehensive resource for defining all the confusing coupon lingo out there. With this resource, you’ll understand the ins and outs of coupon-specific language in no time.
A Non-Boring History of Coupons – Coupons have been around since 1887. Check out this interesting historical account of coupons and how they have evolved over time.
Coupons in the News – Find daily news and information regarding coupons. The site also contains a plethora of in-depth original stories that aren’t widely circulated.
Resources for Finding Coupons
When searching for coupons, you want utilize sites that are considered trustworthy and avoid counterfeit materials. Check out the links below for coupon resources that you’ll want to visit often and with confidence.
Coupons.com – Find a large number of grocery coupons that are constantly updated as well as social, mobile and loyalty card promotions.
Smart Source – Use this resource for the same coupons you can find in the Sunday coupon inserts in newspapers. Additional printable coupons are also found here.
Red Plum – Check for new printable coupons on Sunday mornings to get the best selection. The coupons you find on the site are the same ones that you would find in the Red Plum coupon book that is inserted in newspapers or mailed directly to consumers.
Retail Me Not – This marketplace is the largest available for digital offers. You can regularly find offers for over 700,000 retailers and approximately 600,000 digital coupons.
Groupon – For discounts on local attractions, eateries, and stores, Groupon is a go-to resource for anyone looking to save money. New deals are added daily, and the site is user-friendly.
Arm and Hammer – Arm and Hammer products offer deodorization, fabric care, pet care and personal care solutions.
Colgate – Find Colgate coupons for toothbrushes, mouthwash and toothpaste and other special offers.
Kellogg’s Family Rewards – Save on Kellogg’s full line of adult and children’s cereals, Pop-Tarts and fruit snacks.
P & G Everyday – This online platform created by Procter and Gamble offers plenty of printable coupons for items from product brands such as Secret, Tide, Gain and Luvs.
Nestle – If you’re searching for a coupon for any Nestle brand, you’ve found it. Brands include Stouffer’s, Nesquik, Juicy Juice, Edys and more. Breakfast Essentials.
Couponing Forums
No matter how into couponing you are, there’s likely someone who’s a little more knowledgeable. Consider joining a coupon forum to keep up with the latest news and information in the couponing industry.
Grocery and Drugstore Forum – Check out Fat Wallet’s grocery and drugstore forum where you can discover which coupons and offers other people are talking about.
We Use Coupons Forum – Once you register for free on this site, you can find, discuss and trade coupons with other forum members.
Hot Coupon World – Find forum discussions on deals, coupons and rebates for grocery stores, drug stores and other retailers nationwide.
A Full Cup – Join a community of friendly coupon users who get excited about helping others maximize their dollars through conversation and collaboration. In addition, find information about latest and greatest current bargains.
Couponing Tips
Unless you’re the queen of coupons, you probably can benefit from some couponing tips. Browse the links below to find tips that can take your coupon crusades to the next level.
Stores That Accept Competitor Coupons – One of the ways to get a good deal is to find stores who will accept competitor’s coupons. Find a list of those stores here.
Extreme Couponing Tips – This link contains information to help you bump a 20 to 30 percent savings with coupons to an 80 to 90 percent savings level. Learn more about extreme couponing to get the most out of your coupons.
How to Read Coupons – Check out this handy infographic to understand the wording and anatomy of a coupon.
How to Receive Free Manufacturer Coupons by Mail – Browse an alphabetized list of companies who will mail you free coupons for the products you use or are interested in trying.
Online Couponing Classes
Are you interested in couponing and don’t know where to begin? Or is your goal to take your couponing to the next level of savings? Either way, there’s an online class that can help you reach your goals.
Free Couponing Class – In nine lessons, you can learn how to shop wisely and save lots of money while using coupons. Nine lessons.
Extreme Couponing Classes – If you’ve ever heard about people who are able to leverage coupon knowledge and deals to get tons of things at a discount, look no further. In ten lessons, you can learn how to save money on just about anything you buy.
Free Online Coupon Class – This class, posted in segments on YouTube.com, teaches you how to save up to 75% at the grocery store and use drugstore programs to get free items that you actually will use.
Beginner’s Guide to Using Coupons – Save thousands of dollars per year by strategically shopping and couponing. Learn all you need to know in the five online sections that teach you legitimate and easy couponing methods.
Frugal Living Blogs
If you aspire to be a coupon queen, then you need a mentor or two. What better place to find one than on one of the following coupon blogs? These are some of the most recommended blogs by readers and other bloggers in the couponing field.
Queen Bee Coupons – Heather Clarke, Queen Bee, started this site to help others save money – and time – by sharing the latest coupons, sales and rebates out there.
Coupon Connections – Discover coupons, deals and helpful articles that will help you make intelligent budgeting decisions.
The Coupon Project – If you’re interested in living well for less by following practical and ethical couponing tips, this blog’s for you.
This Beautiful Frugal Life – Established in 2010, this blog maintained by Melody Hansen shares what she’s learned over the years about saving money, including couponing.
Money Saving Mom – Crystal Paine’s well-established blog not only features the latest coupons and deals but also includes a freebies and giveaways section worth checking out.
Free Stuff Finder – It’s all about getting something for nothing! Follow the author of this blog on Instagram to get the latest freebies and hot deals.
The Krazy Coupon Lady – Perhaps Joanie Demer came up with the name for her site because she used to dumpster dive for coupons. At any rate, she and her partner Heather Wheeler run a wildly successful site that offers daily deals of all kinds from major retailers.
Stockpiling Moms – Besties Melissa Jennings and Shelley King blog about current deals, coupons, free stuff, stockpiling and more on their popular blog.
Coupon Mom – Stephanie Nelson, The Coupon Mom, will help you cut your grocery bill in half with her tried-and-true actionable tips.
Couponing Apps
In the age of mobile devices, access to a helpful app is always convenient. Check out the following resources to find an app that will help you become more organized, save money or both.
Snip Snap – Described as the “biggest database of printed coupons on the planet,” Snip Snap will help you never forget a coupon or miss a deal as long as it’s not a manufacturer coupon you would redeem at the grocery store.
Coupon Sherpa – Coupon Sherpa helps you search and save specific coupons that match your interests and needs. While many coupons can be saved to your virtual wallet, others must be printed that don’t include a scannable barcode.
Grocery IQ – Make your grocery list within the app and it matches your items with available coupons from stores you frequent. While you may have to print some coupons, the app also allows you to enter your loyalty card details and save the coupons directly to your account so they are automatically applied when you swipe your card at checkout.
The Coupons App – This app is your gateway to coupons and savings from over 100,000 retailers. Sign up for alerts for new deals or auto notifications when a deal is nearby. You can also save coupons for future use and get reminders before the coupons reach expiration.
Cartwheel – The app is specifically for scoring deals at Target that aren’t advertised in the store. You can either browse offers online or scan barcodes of items you want to buy while in the store. Simply add the offers you want to your custom Cartwheel barcode using the mobile app. Then, when you’re ready to check out, show your custom Cartwheel barcode to the cashier who will scan it, which results in instant savings.