- Get a shopping card or customer loyalty card ASAP!!! They are free for the asking. You will not be able to get the sale prices without a customer loyalty card.
- Register your shopping card on the online site for your favorite supermarket or pharmacy (CVS.com; RiteAid.com; Walgreens.com.
- Load eCoupons (from the store's online website) to your card (must register your card first).
- Scan your store circulars for sale items that you feel may be great deals.
- A day or two before shopping, take 30 minutes to walk the aisles of your favorite supermarket or pharmacy to check out unadvertised sales. Make notes... Most stores have thousands of items on sale each week that are not advertised in their circular.
- Make your shopping list.
- Use a coupon database to locate coupons (from inserts and printables) to match the items on your list.
- Arrange your list and/or coupons by shopping aisle to make your trip through the store faster.
- Get your frozen and refrigerated foods last.
- Arrange your items into transactions, if you need to meet the coupon policy for your supermarket or pharmacy.
- As a courtesy to shoppers behind you, do not do more than two transactions. Get out of line to do any additional transactions.
- Watch each coupon to see if it scans and/or doubles.
- Look over your register receipt(s) before leaving the store. If you find a mistake, go to customer service and take your "southern sweetie pie, sugar bunch" smile and attitude with you.
If you have found all of this a little confusing, then consider becoming one of my "Coupon Buddies". I will take you through each of these steps and more. Unfortunately, this is only available, if you live in the vicinity of Laurel, Maryland and/or don't mind making the trip to the area.
The dates for the preparation and shopping for my "Coupon Buddies":
- Prep Date @ QC Fellowship Hall - Tuesday, November 5th (6 PM-9 PM)
- Shopping Date @ ShopRite - Saturday, November 9th (8 PM-11 PM)
- Prep Date @ QC Fellowship Hall - Tuesday, December 3rd (6 PM - 9 PM)
- Shopping Date @ CVS - Rt. 1 North, Laurel, MD (8 PM-10 PM)
In the meantime, gather your coupon inserts and printables. You will need your coupons, coupon inserts, laptop, copy paper, and scissors. You can also print your coupons before you come to the prep sessions. You can share a laptop with a friend. BUT, if that friend wants to print the same coupons as you, you must remember that only two of the same coupon per computer may be printed.
You can attend both the prep and shopping event or just one or the other. You do not have to stay for the entire 2 to 3 hours for any event.
The cost for each prep or shopping event is $5 or 5 cans of veggies. All donations will be for the United Methodist Women's Holiday Basket Drive for Needy Families. Forty or fifty needy families throughout the Laurel/Beltsville communities will benefit from your generosity.
Happy Couponing!
