Saving money can be a chore. It takes work and time. The payoff can be huge – but it always doesn’t pay to save. What do I mean by this? Well, some deals just aren’t worth your time, energy and sanity.
It doesn’t always make sense to do every deal. I post a lot of things in a day, not every deal is meant for each one of you. You need to pick and choose what is a deal to you. For example, if I post free photo prints that you have to pay $3.99 shipping on – and you run outside and take 20 prints just to get your freebie, that doesn’t make sense. However, if you just had a big birthday event for your kid, it makes sense for you to save $7.00 and get your prints done.
When I first started couponing and reading money saving blogs, I tried to do EVERY SINGLE DEAL. I was like a crazy person running from CVS to Rite Aid to Target and then starting all over again. I got burned out fast. This is what happens to many newbies, they try to do everything, they get burnt out and quit. Do not do that to yourself. You have to ask, does this really pay for me to be running around to get free trial size shampoos at Target when I can wait until Sunday and get a full bottle for $.25.
If I am busy and I cannot fit in shopping a particular week, this is how I decide if a deal is worth me fitting it in:
1. Do I need it? If you are out of toilet paper and a toilet paper deal pops up, then most definitely do the deal.
2. Does the item go on sale infrequently? I may drive to CVS and Rite Aid for deals that only occasionally pop up. There are medications like Benadryl that had a great deal this summer, that I can usually only get for about 50% off. When they went to free, I was all over it. If the deal is shampoo or toothpaste, I guarantee you will find it next week.
3. Are you brand loyal and its the product you love? If you are brand loyal, your chances of finding a deal frequently might be a little less, so in this case I would do the deal.
4. Are you going to buy it anyway? If you have a birthday coming up and toys are 50% off, I would take advantage.
My life has been quite busy and I did not shop Rite Aid for two weeks in a row ! For those of you who read my posts, you know that this is unheard of for me! Bottom Line: It is okay to not do every single deal you see.
How do you decide what deals pay?
There is a new $1.00/2 Campbell’s Chunky Soup printable coupon here. This is great to combine with a catalina or sale.
For more coupons, don’t forget to check out the Coupon Database.
Save $1.00/2 Stove Top Stuffing Mix Products (90210)
Save $1.00/2 Horizon Organic Eggs
Save $3.00/1 Elnett Hairspray
Save $1.00/2 Libby’s Fruit
You can print them all here.
Another weird word! Last week we talked about what a catalina is.
So I use the term YMMV often in my posts. What exactly does this mean? YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY
What YMMV might mean:
- This deal may or may not work for you .
- This deal may or may not be in your store.
- This deal is depending on your cashier’s mood.
- This deal is clearance and you may not find it in your store.
- This deal is regional.
- This coupon is regional and you may not be able to find it in your circular.
What YMMV does NOT mean:
- You may not be using a coupon properly
- You may get away with it
- You may be going against the store’s coupon policy
So in general, a YMMV means you cannot count on the deal being at your store. I would say ALL CLEARANCE deals are YMMV.
Any questions about YMMV?
What does it mean when you say use $1.00/1 04-05 RP ?
This means in that in the 04/05 edition of Red Plum Coupon Insert there is a coupon for $1.00/1 of that product. Other abbreviations for coupon sources are:
SS= Smart Source insert found in newspapers
PG= Proctor & Gamble insert found in newspapers
IP- Internet Printable – a coupon that is printed on the internet via different sources
Bricks- A company who provides many of the internet printables
UL – Unilever Insert found in Newspapers
Why doesn’t the value of my coupon match what you have here?
Regional papers have different values for different coupons, so your coupon maybe for more or less. If you are a Philadelphia area reader, I use the values found in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Other local papers may be more or less than this value.
Why don’t I have the coupon you have listed as a match?
Just like regional amounts are different, so are the actual coupons that may come in your newspaper inserts. If you are in smaller markets, you may not get some of the better coupons.
How do I know how many newspapers to buy and can you tell me each week?
That is a really tough question! Each of us has our own individual taste, so sometimes there are coupons that may appeal to me and not so much to you. I suggest you visit for the coupon preview each week and make a decision based on that. However, remember you may not get all the coupons each week. I buy a copy of the newspaper and check it out first. I never use the coupon previews as a definite list, I use it as what I could be getting. Once I look through the paper, I make a decision on what to purchase.
If you are just getting started couponing, here is a quick cheat sheet on coupon lingo.
BOGO – Short for Buy One Get One Free
WYB – When You Buy (Typically associated with dollars off when you buy an item)
OOP – Out of Pocket otherwise known as the money you will spend out of your pocket
OYNO – On Your Next Order – Usually refers to a coupon that can be used the next time you shop.
CAT – Catalina – This is a coupon that will print out at the register when you check out.
ECB – Extra Care Bucks – A “coupon” for dollars off a future purchase at CVS.
RR – Register Rewards – Walgreens version of a catalina.
SCR -Single Check Rebate – The check that Rite Aid sends for it’s rebate program.
YMMV – Your mileage may vary – Means you may or not be able to do the deal depending on your stores policy
IP -Internet printable coupon
Bricks – Company that provides internet printable coupon
MIR – Mail in Rebate
SS – Smart Source coupon insert from your newspaper
RP – Red Plum coupon insert from your newspaper
V- Vlassis coupon insert (also known as RP)
PG – Proctor & Gamble coupon insert from your newspaper
UL – Unilever coupon insert from your newspaper
Are there any others that you aren’t sure what they mean? Ask in the comments and I will update this post.
and a select Disney Movie. (Thanks, 
