How to save $$$$$ on groceries and other items!

1. Couponing 101
How To Thrive in Today’s Economy
Presented by:
Helen Maddox
founder of The Lifeboat
www.thelifeboat.info

2. My Story
2002 – Year of Challenge
2010 – Launch of The Lifeboat
The Lifeboat – www.thelifeboat.info
Couponing 101
Action Plans for Assistance
Mortgage Assistance Info
Prescription Assistance Info
Deals & Updates – signup for emails

3. Extreme Couponing – Joyce’s Checkout

4. Shopping Strategies
• Shop the sales (coupons or no coupons)
• Shop different stores for weekly deals
• Postpone buying items until they are on
sale
• Buy item on sale and match with a
coupon***
• Buy multiples when on sale and match
with coupons***
• Shop deals at all types of stores – grocery,
drugstore, Big Box stores, dollar stores

5. Where Do I Find Coupons?
Answer: Where don’t you find coupons!

6. Paper Coupons
• Newspaper/Magazines
• Peelies/Blinkies
• Mail
• Store coupons/circulars
• Catalina – print when checking out

7. Digital Coupons
•Internet – MFGR Website - Facebook
•Setup special email address for Deals
•Register all Store & Restaurant
Shopper Cards
•Load/Print Digital Coupons

8. Store Coupon Policies

9. To Get Started….
• Purchase, Acquire, or Recycle
• Storage box, plastic container, or bag
• Coupon organizer
• Scissors or paper cutter
• Computer with Internet access
• Printer
• To Do
• Store shopper cards – acquire and
register on their websites
• (Kroger, CVS, Walgreens, etc.)
• Register on Shortcuts.com and
cellfire.com

10. Organization is imperative
• Index Card Box
• Coupon Folder
• Couponizer
• Coupon Binder
• Organize:
• Alphabetically
• Section of store – frozen, dairy,
cans, staples

11. Organizer – sections needed
• Categories – sections of the store
• Section for drug store coupons/bonus
bucks/store specific coupons
Ex: CVS – Extra bucks coupon
• Kroger - $2.00 off – Kroger coupon
• Section for restaurant/entertainment
coupons & receipts

12. Each Week:
• Buy 2, 4, or 6 (doubles) paper on Sunday
• Pull coupon booklets (Redplum,
Smartsource, Grocery Store, P&G, etc)
• Write the dates on front of each booklet
• Store in a container – most current on
top
(Don’t cut unless you need item now)
• Pull out sales circulars for stores.

13. Time to shop! - 3 steps
Step 1 - Scan circulars
• Kroger/Publix/Food Lion
• CVS/Walgreens/RiteAide
• Target/Kmart
• SmartSource/Redplum
Proctor&Gamble circulars – cut
coupons for regular purchased
items/what you need this
week/rebates/special orders only

14. Step 2 – Tools of the Trade
http://www.couponmom.com/
http://www.southernsavers.com
http://thecouponclippers.com
http://moneysavingqueen.com
(The Power of Coupons – Sarah Roe)
www.wholecouponinserts.com
Purchase coupons

15. Lookup Deals
Couponmom
http://www.couponmom.com/ (register)
Choose Grocery Deals by State
shop: (ex: Georgia - Kroger)
Southern Savers
http://www.southernsavers.com
Choose Store and find this weeks list
Scroll through and check items you
would like to purchase. Print list.

16. Example of Printouts
• Southern Savers
• Coupon Mom
S or SS = Smartsource RP = RedPlum BOGO – Buy One Get One

17. Step 3 – Load and Print Coupons
• From your printable list:
• Click on links and Print coupons
• Load coupons to shopper card
(Cellfire, Shortcuts, Kroger.com)
• Optional: Print lists of coupons that have
been loaded to your card.

18. Step 4 – Clip Coupons
• Work on clear surface
• Layout printouts at the
base of the table
• Starting with most current
date – pull coupon book
and cut out coupons for
each list
• Write number of coupons
clipped by each item

19. Step 5 – Shopping here I come!
Put coupons with list in organizer pocket
or coupons in sections in organizer
Grab your purse & keys
you are ready to shop!

20. Deal at Publix
*Buy when item is on sale
• Rotel – 2 for $1.40
(.70/ea)
• Mfg coupon .25
• Double = .50
• Total
• .70 - .50 = .20

21. Bump it up a notch
Stack coupons!
With Manufacturer Coupon total is:
.20 a can
Stack Coupons
Publix coupon = .75 off 3 (.25)
.20 - .25 = Rotel is Free and you get
credit of .5 towards another item!

22. Buy One Get One Deals
(Publix)
Buy One Get One = 2 for $3.68
.50 coupons (double) = $1.00
Use 1 Mfg coupon per package = 2 coupons = $2.00
$3.68 – 2.00 = $1.68 (for 2 pkgs of cookies)
Bump it up a notch - Stack store coupon
$1.68 – 2.00 (2 store coupons/1.00) =
2 Pkgs of Cookies for FREE
+ .32 that you get as credit towards another
item!

23. Example of a Sweet deal!
Kroger – Sweet Baby Rays Barbeque
Sauce – Sale price = $1.00
Purchase coupons on www.thecouponclippers.com
Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce on ONE 28 oz
Available: 534
Value: $1.00
Handling Fee: $0.12
Ex: purchase 6 Coupons =.72 cents
Purchase Price – $1.00 – 1.00 (coupon) = Free
Total Cost of 6 Bottles = .72 cents!!!
***Stock Up – then you can also share with others***
See if there is a limit on number you can purchase.

24. First-Timers
Gameplan!
• Buy 2 Papers each week
• Choose a store, go to website(s), select a
few items and print list
• Cut/print/load coupons for those items
• Go to store and buy only those items
• See your savings!

25. As you shop - remember
• Limit impulse buying
• Plan meals based on sales
• Shop for what is on sale – 12 week sale
cycle (track regular purchased items)
• Stock up on yearly sales cycle items:
Jan – Diet Foods
May – BBQ items
Aug – Back to school items
April/Nov/Dec – holiday dinner items

26. To create a stockpile
• Purchase multiple items at least 50%
off
• As stockpile grows purchase items at
75% off or greater and shop multiple
stores – before you know it you will
have a stockpile and have SAVED
MONEY!

27. • 30 day trial – Lifeboat (promo code)

28. Savings Tip #2 – Drugstore Deals!
• Scan circulars
• Find coupons for items that are offering
extra bucks/register rewards
• Purchase those items – store extra
bucks/rewards for next weeks
purchases
• Following week – shop for items that are
offering extra bucks
• Purchase those items with coupons and last
weeks extra bucks.

29. CVS Deal
• Colgate Total or Sensitive
Cost = $3.79
• Your out of pocket Cost = $3.79
• ECBs Back to you = $3.79
• Total = FREE!

30. Bump that deal up a notch
Colgate Total or Sensitive
Cost = $3.79
Use $1 coupon
Your out of pocket Cost = $2.79
ECBs = $3.79
Total = Free toothpaste +
$1.00 moneymaker

31. CVS P&G Deal
Spend $30 get $10 Extra Bucks
• (2) Tide Detergent 20-32 loads $5.94
(2 X $2.00 coupon = $4.00 off)
• (2) Dawn Dish Soap 94¢ (2 X 1.00 coupon = 2.00
off)
• (1) Charmin Bath Tissue 9 rolls $4.99
(1 X $1.00 coupon = $1. 00 off)
• (1) Bounty Basic Towels 8 pk $5.99
(1 X $1.00 coupon = $1.00 off)
• (6) Puffs Tissues $1 (3 X .50/2 = $1.50 off)
• Total = $30.74 - $9.50 = $21.24
• Extra Care Bucks given at checkout = $10.00
• Net cost = $11.24 (.93 each!!!)

32. Baby Items
• Diapers – Buy on sale – stack
coupons
• (Ex: Publix sale – MFG + Publix
Coupon
• CVS – Sale – use extra bucks
• Check for high dollar coupons:
Target, BabiesRUs, RiteAide, eBay
• Visit diaper, formula, food brand
websites – signup – call for coupons
• **Smaller packages with coupons

33. Pet Food
Pet stores – ask about stacking policy
and if they accept MFG coupons &
competitors coupons
Ex: Purina coupon+
PetStore Coupon (coupon circulars)+
Competitor Coupon = SAVINGS!
Idea: Buy smaller bags + stack = Low cost

34. Kroger – One of Many….
Total = $149.80 - Spent $62.31 – got $83.49 free groceries!

35. Another Trip….

36. Other options!
• Farmers Market Baskets
(food Co-ops)
• Local Farmers Markets
• Food Banks
• Food Pantries

37. Spead the Love!
• Donate to local food bank
• Out of work friends and neighbors –
bags of food are a blessing!
• Donate to Missions
• Outreach – Congregation can work
together to fill a need for a
family/community/ a nation!

38. Ways to Save on
Everyday Purchases

39. Freebies – Discounts – Trade - Recyle
• FreeSampleFreak.com
• Thunderfap.com
• Manufacturer – register on website and
call requesting coupons
• Swap.com – swap everything!
• Craigslist
• The Freecycle Network http://www.freecycle.org/
• Atlanta Parent – Childrens Consignment
Sales

40. Deals – by City
• Restaurant.com – up to 80% off
• – Performances at Half price
Register on sites to get daily deals

41. Deal on livingsocial

43. Hotel Deals - Four Points by
Sheraton Sebring Chateau Elan
• Rack Rate = $200.00
• Average Rate = $125.00
Secret on Hotwire.com
After 10PM rates drop for next
day rental
We booked for $78.00 (got 2
nights at that price)!

44. Bonus Round!!!
Holiday Shopping Hints!

45. Holiday Shopping Strategies
• Shop now for deals –
Oct/clothes,Nov/Electronics,Dec/Appliances
• Use to create a visual gift list
• Use Price Compare Websites: Pricegrabber.com
Amazon.com Ebay.com Nexttag.com
• Big Ticket Items – look every week at circulars
and signup and check sites like Decide.com &
Dealnews.com to track and purchase at the best
price.
• Price Match Policy – check local stores on their
holiday policy to include Black Friday
• Layaway – check prices throughout holiday
season and ask for price match

46. Online Shopping
• Ebates.com – rebate on items purchased at
hundreds of online retailers
• www.Priceprotectr.com – monitors if a item
goes on sale and sends an email (good for
purchase as well as getting refund if store
policy allows)
• Check online prices – hold out for free
shipping - freeshippingday.com
• CouponCabin.com – discount/free shipping
codes for online retailers

47. Smartphone Apps
Shopsavvy or
RedLaser
Load app on
Smartphone
Scan UPC code
Compare prices
Other Great
Apps
KeyRing- load
shopping cards
Coupon Sherpa
GeoQpons

48. Buy Gift Cards at a discount
Give as gifts or use to buy gifts
that are on sale

49. Purchase Discount Vouchers
Shop on eBay – type store name + coupons
ex: Kohl’s coupons

50. Sum it up! (break up into tasks)
1. Buy double papers each Sunday – pull coupon
books, date, & store
2. Scan circulars – note sale items to purchase
3. Check websites to match coupon to sale items
4. Clip, print, load, and/or purchase coupons
5. Organize in binder/pull expired coupons once a
month for military families:
Overseas Coupon Project
6. Shop the sales (coupons or no coupons)
7. Shop different stores
8. Stock up – and Share when you can!

51. Tell your friends about The Lifeboat
www.thelifeboat.info
Coupon Classes
Church/Schools/PTA/Teams/Clubs
Fundraiser option:
50/50 split with organization
Email - helenmaddox@comcast.net
Phone: 770-882-5570
Can hold class anywhere – share the love!