Building up your coupon “collection” takes time and if you live away from the bigger cities you may not find as many coupons in your paper. If you do live in an area that carries most of the inserts an easy way to get coupons is to buy the double coupon edition of the paper or buy multiple copies when you know the inserts have coupons you will use. Also ask family members or friends if you can have the coupons they are not using. If you are a commissary shopper make sure to always check the baskets at the front of the store for coupons you need. (The Clear Creek basket has moved to the table near the rest rooms).
In the Killeen area, we have access to 4 papers and you can buy them at any local convenience store such as Mickey’s, Valero, CEFCO and 7-11. My favorite paper to buy is the Austin paper because it costs just $2 per issue and usually contains all of the available inserts. You can also flip through it before purchasing to be sure that the coupons are actually there. The Dallas paper costs $3 per issue and should carry all the inserts as well. Unfortunately all of the ads and inserts are packages inside so it is harder to figure out what you will get until you buy. The Dallas inserts often contain a few more coupons and some that are higher value than the Austin paper. The Killeen paper, which costs $1,only carries a slim Smart Source insert and P&G when available, (The Killeen Daily Herald has recently not been carrying Smart Source, but they have had the P&G), but it is nice to have the local ads and news. The Temple paper is also just $1 and carries a small Red Plum insert and the P&G when available.
In the Killeen area, we have access to 4 papers and you can buy them at any local convenience store such as Mickey’s, Valero, CEFCO and 7-11. My favorite paper to buy is the Austin paper because it costs just $2 per issue and usually contains all of the available inserts. You can also flip through it before purchasing to be sure that the coupons are actually there. The Dallas paper costs $3 per issue and should carry all the inserts as well. Unfortunately all of the ads and inserts are packages inside so it is harder to figure out what you will get until you buy. The Dallas inserts often contain a few more coupons and some that are higher value than the Austin paper. The Killeen paper, which costs $1,
You can also print coupons online at coupons.com, redplum.com, couponnetwork.com, and smartsource.com. I try to check these sites twice a week to see if anything new has come up and I search under 2 or 3 different zipcodes (my zip, 90210, 12345 and 30303). You may not want to spend that much time, but I recommend checking at least once a week. (You can also view the 15 newest national coupons on the sidebar). Many major companies such as Nestle, Betty Crocker, Kelloggs, Pilsbury and Kraft offer coupons on their websites. Just sign up and they will email you when new ones become available. Companies will also offer coupons via facebook so fan your favorite brands fro exclusive offers. I sign up for every list I can so I get as many coupons as possible. You may want to create a new email account just for these deals. An of course keep an eye on our feed as we post hot coupons as we find them.
Every time you go to the store peruse the aisles for coupon booklets and tearpads– Even if you don’t plan to buy the item that day you can take one or two and use them when it goes on sale to get a good deal. At the commissary pay special attention to coupons that are not military store only because you can use them at other local stores to get a deal too.
Lastly, if you really need a coupon or want several copies of one, use a clipping service. I personally use Coupon Dede or Kuntry Klippers. Coupon Dede is based in Texas so you get you coupons pretty quickly. I usually order Monday or Tuesday and have them by Wednesday or Thursday. Coupon Dede charges a little more for shipping than other clippers, especially if you are ordering while inserts. I only order if I know the amount that I am going to save minus the shipping and cost of the clipping service are worth it. I have been using her for months and am always pleased. I know some of the readers of this blog use her as well. Kuntry Klippers only sells coupons in packs of 20 so it is great if you need a lot of one, but not if you just want a few. (Note that buying coupons is considered wrong by some, including the Coupon Information Center–You can read their stance on the subject HERE).
There are also magazines that offer coupons you can subscribe to…I usually wait until there is a free or extremely cheap deal before subscribing though. Currently I get All You, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, Cooking Light, Weight Watchers and Parenting Magazine. All You is definitely the best magazine resource for coupons and worth the subscription. I paid $25 for 2 years through a special offer, but you can get a subscription for as low as $1 per issue on Amazon HERE quite frequently when they offer promotions.
I’m new to the world of couponing and would LOVE the opportunity to learn from an experienced couponer. Are there workshops or classes I may attend? My husband and I are expecting our second child and we need to cut down on expenses, including groceries. The best way I can help my family is through couponing on top of working a full-time job. If there are classes or someone who could teach me, I would be forever grateful 🙂
Best,
Kisa
Hi Kisa – Jennise at Savealotmom (another local blogger) does classes. You can check out her events page here for upcoming dates.