A crash course in coupons

[coffeegirl]

I have a really simple, basic, beginners question about coupons. I LOVE coupons and use them whenever I can. Most of the ones I use I get in the mail as circulars, or from diaper and formula companies, etc., and occasionally from newspapers and magazines. We can't afford a newspaper subscription at this point just to get the coupons, but would it be worth it, do y'all think, to buy the Sunday paper every week for the coupons?

Where else do people find the really good coupons? I'm looking for ways where I specifically don't have to spend money to get the coupons, if possible. (Except for an issue of the newspaper every week or so if need be.) Is there a goldmine out there that we're missing? I'd like to really start couponing in a way that'll make a difference in our budget.

(FTR, we are very poor right now. We're on food stamps, WIC for another two months, and I try to get assistance wherever I can. Our situation: my husband works full time and makes a couple dollars over minimum wage. Up until two months ago, when he was promoted, he only made minimum wage. We have no savings because of those months of living paycheck to paycheck. We have no insurance aside from my daughter's medicaid, and I'm a SAHM.) 

Thanks in advance for any help or advice. :)

[terrordactyl]

 i would post in your local freecycle or craigslist asking people for there sunday coupons most people dont use them

[zebra15]

Go to www.afullcup.com and start reading!

[moneymama]

Definitely check subscriber rates for your newspaper - for example, in my area (Orlando), a home delivery subscription for 3 days/week costs less than buying the newspaper at retail price on Sunday.  

[DuckDuckGoose]

The majority of coupons that I use are internet printables.  Find a blogger that does matchups for your local store (and hopefully you have a store that doubles coupons) and that will save you a lot of legwork in rounding up the coupons and matching them to the sales.

Another way to get coupons is to dumpster dive.  Not at convenient store because they have to send the papers back whole, but at your local recycling place.  A lot of coupons inserts end up there.  :)

[ZakareyasMama]

Check out your local dollar stores, some of them sell the Sunday paper (for a dollar) and I've had some let me have them for .50 on Monday. Also there are "clipping services" you can check out on Ebay. As far as finding out about deals/matchups, try www.hotcouponworld.com they are great for the stores in my area.

[fiona2359]

When I was doing coupons I used to walk down the street and pull them out of the neighbor's recycle bin on trash day.

Now I just shop at Aldis and Dollar Tree and that seems to be cheaper than I can manage w/ the regular store (even sales + coupons)

[JamieB]

Email companies and ask them for coupons. I've gotten so many this way. I also buy hundreds of dollars worth of coupons for about five dollars on eBay.

[Mulvah]

Originally Posted by JamieB 

Email companies and ask them for coupons. I've gotten so many this way. I also buy hundreds of dollars worth of coupons for about five dollars on eBay.

Yes, this.  Also, whilst this isn't something everyone would feel comfortable doing, you can also e-mail companies for samples. 

[Nitenites]

Originally Posted by ZakareyasMama 

Check out your local dollar stores, some of them sell the Sunday paper (for a dollar) and I've had some let me have them for .50 on Monday. Also there are "clipping services" you can check out on Ebay. As far as finding out about deals/matchups, try www.hotcouponworld.com they are great for the stores in my area.

Yep, that's what I do! And then I got an offer from our local newspaper to DELIVER to us on Sundays for 99 cents. I was ALL OVER that! So I get 2 papers every Sunday, and more than make up my subscription costs by couponing. hotcouponworld and afullcup are both great sites for couponers to share their wisdom. I highly recommend both.