{"id":125846,"date":"2013-06-21T11:15:56","date_gmt":"2013-06-21T15:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.krogerkrazy.com\/?p=125846"},"modified":"2019-10-17T12:16:33","modified_gmt":"2019-10-17T16:16:33","slug":"couponing-for-beginners-get-to-know-your-coupons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.krogerkrazy.com\/couponing-for-beginners-get-to-know-your-coupons\/","title":{"rendered":"Couponing For Beginners | Get To Know Your Coupons"},"content":{"rendered":"

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So you want to be a Couponer?<\/span><\/h2>\n

First things first. Let’s talk about coupons since they will be the most important part of your new adventure. I can not stress enough how important it is for you to READ READ READ as much as you can about couponing before you start using them. Nobody can do it for you. You have to educate yourself. And trust me…you’ll be glad you did. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

The casual couponer will buy one paper on Sunday, clip only a fraction of the coupons inside and use them at their local stores to get maybe $0.50 or $1.00 off something that they might not normally buy…but do just because they have a coupon. Or even if you do normally buy the product, you are just getting one of them at a good price with your coupon. You are here because you want to take it to the next level and learn how to maximize every coupon to get max savings!!<\/p>\n

The first installment of my Couponing For Beginners series will teach you everything you need to know about the coupons themselves.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0What is a coupon?<\/h2>\n

Coupons are what manufacturers send out to entice people to buy their products.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Every coupon should have the following attributes:<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

:: Type of Coupon<\/span><\/h2>\n

Manufacturer or Store (stated at the top of the coupon).<\/p>\n

::\u00a0Value<\/span><\/h2>\n

How much money will be deducted from your purchase, plus how many items you must purchase in order to use the coupon.<\/p>\n

:: Terms<\/span><\/h2>\n

If the coupon says \u201csave $1 on ANY Charmin product\u201d then it can truly be used on any Charmin product, including the smallest size of toilet paper…or even Charmin flushable wipes since that is a Charmin product. If the coupon says “save $1 on Charmin Ultra Soft 6 Mega Rolls” then that is the EXACT product the coupon should be used for. If you use it for the 4 pack single rolls, that would be fraudulent use of the coupon and that ruins things for everyone.<\/p>\n

::\u00a0Expiration Date<\/span><\/h2>\n

MOST coupons have an expiration date.\u00a0If the expiration date is 6\/30\/13, you have until 11:59 pm on 6\/30\/13 to redeem your coupon.<\/p>\n

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:: Image<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Manufacturers generally put the newest or most expensive product in the picture for advertising purposes, hoping you will buy that product. Although the picture can be useful if you have never heard of the product, it does NOT dictate what you must purchase. The TEXT on the coupon is what you need to follow.<\/p>\n

Example: Since the coupon above states “Save $2 on ANY two Kashi Cereals” you can use it on the single cups! \ud83d\ude42<\/em><\/p>\n

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:: Barcode<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every coupon needs a barcode. That’s what holds the information the cash register needs! If a printable coupon prints without a barcode – something went wrong. Try to print it again. If you are clipping coupons from an insert, be careful not to cut any of the barcode off because you need that! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Insert coupons (from the newspaper) will all have the same barcode. Printable coupons should all print with a unique code found in the upper right hand corner. This proves that each of your coupons was printed legitimately (not copied).<\/p>\n

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Printable coupons can typically be printed TWICE per computer or device. When you go to print, DO NOT change the number of copies to 2. That will print the SAME barcode. You need to go back to the original link and start from the beginning (or hit the back button to refresh the coupon page) to ensure you get UNIQUE barcodes.<\/p>\n

Some manufacturers choose to release PDF coupons. These make me very nervous because we are all printing the exact same barcode and prints are virtually unlimited. Balance is needed when choosing how many coupons you will print.<\/p>\n

:: Fine Print<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every coupon should show some type of instructions for retailers including a redemption address. There is also information\u00a0intended for the consumer. Some of the most common clauses I have explained below.<\/p>\n

Purchase<\/strong>\u00a0Vs. Transaction Vs. Household Vs. Shopping Trip<\/span><\/h2>\n

This is VERY important! You might look at your coupons and think, “How do these people save so much money?” All the coupons I get say I can only use one! Well, in some ways that’s true but mostly it is just worded in a confusing way. It is important to educate yourself on coupon terminology so you can intelligently defend your case when redeeming coupons.<\/p>\n

PURCHASE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Almost all coupons will say, “Limit One Coupon Per Purchase.” All this means is that if your coupon says “Save $0.50 on One (1) box of Cheerios” then you CAN’T use TWO coupons on that ONE box to get $1.00 off.<\/p>\n

One coupon per purchase means = one coupon per ITEM(s) purchased.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n