Coupons & Deals for Newbies!

Sorry I have been MIA lately. I've been busy chasing my wild infant around and there are just way too many coupon/deal blogs out there to compete with!

This is a special post for all my friends that have come to me in the past months with questions on saving money and finding deals. Instead of replying back individually and sharing the same info time and time again, I decided it's best to compile it all in a blog post! So lets get started, shall we?

Helpful couponing tips

-Subscribe to the Sunday paper.
It's the easiest place to begin! You'll usually get 2-3 inserts of coupons each week as well as coupons to department and drug stores. You'll also get a preview to each week's sales.
-Know your local stores' coupon policies.
Publix, for instance, accepts all competitor coupons. Target allows you to use one Target store coupon and one manufacturer coupon per item. Here's an extensive list of store coupon policies.
-Combine coupons with buy one, get one free sales.
-Search for store match-ups before you shop.
There are people out there with wayyy too much time on their hands that research what items are on sale each week (flyer ads) and they tell you which sale items have coupons on the web or in the paper. Some of these lifesavers even post direct links to the coupons, which makes life easier for the rest of us! Here's an example
-Request free samples online
The companies usually send you coupons with your sample! Here are some places to start: All You,Walmart
-"Like" your favorite companies on Facebook
Many of them now offer coupons for free products and samples just for being a "fan"
- Search for coupons online
Google is a great tool! Before you head out to shop, just google the product you want to purchase followed by "coupon" to see if there are any online printables you can bring along. Otherwise, Coupons.com and Smartsource are great places to start.
- Follow coupon blogs
In my opinion, this is the BEST way to find deals. Here are some of my favorite blogs that I follow on a daily basis: Couponers United, Freebies 2 Deals, Thrifty Wifey, Nifty Thrifty Savings. Those should be enough to get you started..believe me..they all link to other great blogs and you will become addicted to deal searching!

And here are some pictures of some recent freebies (some were free samples, some were redeemed by coupons, and others were free deals I found on blogs) Just click on it to make it larger!

Restaurant E-clubs

Want a better excuse to visit your favorite restaurant? Have you been yearning to try the new place in town...but want to score some freebies along the way? One of the easiest ways to score free food is to join restaurant e-clubs. Many offer free memberships in exchange for a few emails a month (or every few months).

Aside from valuable coupons, many restaurants will email you first about new promotions and specials...before the general public finds out!

Here are some suggestions and what they offer:

-Papa Murphy's e-club: A coupon for buy one get one half off pizza (immediately after you sign up) and free take 'n bake cookie dough on your birthday
-Bruster's Sweet Rewards: coupons about once a month for ice cream! And a heads up on new seasonal flavors...with a coupon to try them!
-Atlanta Bread's VIP e-club: offers about once every month or two.
-Coldstone Birthday Club you get a free creation on your special day!
-Moe's e-worldoffers you a free entree on your birthday, as well as a coupon for a free cup of queso that is normally worth $3
-Firehouse Subs will give you a free cookie with any purchase as well as a free cherry lime-ade with any purchase. I've also gotten a coupon for free chips.
-O'Charley's eclub offers a free appetizer with any purchase.

And don't forget about local restaurants that aren't a part of chains.

For instance, Hyman's Seafood Company (a local Charleston, SC favorite), offers a mailing list (you sign up after you eat) that lets you know when specials are! Some are email inclusive.

For a place that charges between $10-20 an entree, you get quite the savings. For instance, my latest email from Hymans offers an email only invitation for all you can eat snow crab and shrimp, plus one side, coleslaw, hushpuppies, AND homemade potato soup for only $19.95. Imagine what you would normally pay for a meal like that!

In addition to the emails, Hyman ALWAYS has a link to their website for free crab dip

So take a look around and ask local businesses if they offer special mailing clubs or e-clubs. You might find a hidden treasure.

Walmart's Free Samples

I have been getting free samples from Walmart for years!

It's great because not only do you get free trial size (sometimes full) samples..you get coupons too!

All you have to do is fill out an information sheet (don't worry, it takes like 30 seconds!) and be patient. Some arrive in 4-6 weeks.

Check every few weeks because samples rotate in and out. Samples are great because many of them are "travel size" Just pop one in your bag before your flight, hotel stay, or family visit!

Among items I've received over the years:

-Free Kotex/Always Pads of all sizes
-Free roll of Scott toilet paper & disposable wipes
-Shampoo/Conditioner from all major brands like: Pantene, John Frieda Collection, Dove, Aveeno, Sunsilk, Pert, Head & Shoulders, etc.
-Scope mouthwash sample
-Travel size toothpaste
-Lotion from Vaseline, Eucerin, Bodycology
-Dove Deodorant
-Gillette Body Wash & Shampoo for Men
-Old Spice Body Wash
-Skin Degenerist Face Cream
-Biore Face Wash
-Garnier night cream

There are so many more to list, but I think you get the idea. To get these sweet savings, there's no money spent, just time.

The $39 Experiment, or $5, or $100

A couple months ago, I stumbled upon a fascinating site. Tom Locke, an average guy, decided to write to companies and ask for free stuff. At the time, stamps were only 39 cents, so he decided to write to 100 companies. He ASKED for free samples and ended up getting about $272 worth of free stuff.

I decided to fashion my experiment differently. Instead of ASKING for stuff, which sounds needy, I raved about products I like or mentioned products I would love to try.

And with the advent of technology, many websites now feature comment sections online. A handful still require handwritten comments, but my few minutes of scribble was worth what I got in return.

Before you begin, check out who Tom wrote to for ideas

My suggestion is to think about what you use often, think about what you'd like to try, and think about expensive expenses when brainstorming.

Here's my results:

-Nutro (dog food company) sent me $20 worth of coupons. Granted, each bag costs about $50, so this was helpful!
-Nivea sent me two 2oz samples of their NEWEST body wash products after I raved about how great one smelled and how I desperately wanted to try their body wash that featured "diamond powder." Nivea also sent me 3 sets of $2 off coupons!
-Bath & Body Works sent me a 20% off entire purchase coupon
-Sally Hansen sent me $18 worth of coupons for nail polish and beauty supplies!
-Glade sent me a coupon for a free Lasting Impressions start up kit ($7 value) and a free Glade Candle ($2 value) after I wrote in about how much I love their products
-Busy Bone (Purina) sent me several $1.00 off coupons for dog treats

The possibilities are endless. And most of the time, you don't even have to spend any money. Sweet Savings, huh?!

Baby on the way? Friends with infants or toddlers? Read on!

For those of you expectant mothers, new moms, and experienced moms...if you haven't already, you need to sign up for the
Publix Baby Club Babies are expensive, and what better way to start saving then logging online, filling out a 30 second form, and clicking submit? Even if you aren't expecting anytime soon, fill one out for a friend who you know is! They'll definitely appreciate your thoughtfulness!

Most importantly, they will provide valuable coupons for free items (trial size and full size) Hello, Diapers?

Among the FREE coupons I received:

-Free 16oz Publix Brand Cocoa Butter
-Free 16oz Publix Rubbing Alcohol
-Free 2oz Publix Hand Sanitizer
-Free 8oz box of Beech Nut Rice Cereal Baby Food
-Free 14 day supply of antibiotics

Some of the BOGO (Buy one, get one) deals:

-Buy Huggies diapers, get wipes free
-BOGO Kotex Maxi Pads
-BOGO NUK Pacifiers
-BOGO Custom Baby Announcements
-BOGO Playtex Nursing Pads

And finally, among the value saving coupons:

-$10 off when you buy ANY two Huggies Boxed Diapers
-$1.00 off Lysol Disinfectant Spray
-$3.00 off Ensure High Calcium Formula

These are only some of the coupons I received, there are about 22 in total.



Did I mention you get a FREE book ($20 value) The parenting books if from the American Academy of Pediatrics and covers birth to age 5 of your child's life.



You also get a newsletter about every three months with tips and information about family life and baby care.

And don't forget, you will still receive coupons for up to 2 years!

When your child is a preschooler (they grow up fast, don't they?), you can register them for Publix Preschool Pals. Your little one will receive birthday cards, newsletters, prizes, and a CD-rom full of educational games.


So remember, free stuff is only a click away and the savings are always sweet!

Sweet Savings

Finally.

I've been thinking about it for months. I need to start a blog about saving money and teach others how to get free stuff. Little things YOU can do that will add up in the long run.

I'm usually the "go-to" person when anyone wants to know about coupons, deals, and savings. And I've decided it's time to share that experience with the world.

Now granted, yes, I'm only 20 (almost 21), but I guarantee you I can help you save and get a lot more (in the long run) than some of those older folks who speak at conventions and seminars. And believe me, my advice will be a lot easier to comprehend (and more fun).

So now, brace yourself, as I drive you into the world of coupon clipping, how to get free stuff from Walmart, baby stuff from Publix, free samples from companies, and coupons for free products. And if you're an online shopper, I have good news for you too.

I'll also tell you how to save on textbooks, prom dresses, and more :)

I told you I had lots of ideas built up. Look out!