Collecting Coupons: Swapping Coupons

Part of being a savvy coupon shopper is having a great coupon stash to work from. If you're just starting out, building an adequate stash can take some time. Even if you have a few coupons to work with, you might have trouble collecting coupons for the products your family purchases regularly. A fun way to accumulate the coupons you need is to start a coupon swap group with other shoppers in your area!

What's a COUPON SWAP?
A coupon swap is an organized way for a group of money savers to meet on a regular basis to share or swap coupons. Simply bring the coupons that you know you won't be using and take home the coupons others have offered that you can use.

I'm proud to be part of a fun coupon swap group in my area! Not only do we benefit from adding a few extra coupons to our stash once a month, but the ladies have become frugal friends. Along with coupons, we share the latest deal sightings, trade store experiences, encourage and empathize with each other. It's a true couponer's support group!

You can set up your group and agree on guidelines that work for you! We've added a few guidelines for our group to make things more interesting:

• WISHLIST REQUESTS
  One week before the swap, we each submit a few "wishlist" coupons to the organizer. A group email is then sent; if you can spare coupons on the list that others really need, simply bring them to the swap and gift them accordingly!
  
• SHARE TEARPADS
  When we find a great tearpad or non-insert coupon in the store, we try to collect enough (while still leaving plenty for other shoppers!) to bring and share with everyone in the group. Some of our members have found amazing coupons!
  
• BRING DONATIONS
  The church where we meet also collects items for area food banks and homeless shelters. It's a great chance to share from the surplus of our stockpiled items!

Looking for other great ideas for sharing your coupons?

• HELP the MILITARY
  Some groups also bring their expired coupons to the swap, package them and send them to military groups overseas (where they can be used at military bases up to 6 months past the expiration date).
  
• START a SWAPBOX
  If meeting in person isn't ideal, you can always organize a coupon swapbox at your daycare, church, library, school, or work. You can learn more about how to organize a swapbox (including rules and sample interest letter) here.
  
• FIND a FRIEND
  Maybe you can't organize a group, but have you met a fellow couponer that might be interested in swapping? It's even better if you can find a friend with opposite shopping needs. For example, if you have a baby and no pets, you could really benefit from finding a friend who has pets but no babies in the house!
  
• RIDE a COUPON TRAIN
  While there are a few different varieties of coupon trains, the most useful type is one that "leaves the station" every week. Train riders share their coupon wishlists and addresses with each other, then get matched up with a partner each week. As a rider, you send one envelope according to the train rules (25-40 coupons per envelope is common, with mailings usually early in the week). If you have coupons to share and can commit to participating each week, this may be a good fit for you!
  
  Interested in being part of a coupon train? Join A Full Cup here (it's FREE) and set up an account, post a wishlist, then visit the Coupon Train forum for more information. If there's enough interest, we could always start a Macomb Money Savers Train! :)

Collecting Coupons: Manufacturer Coupons by Mail

As you're cleaning out the remainder of those coupons that expire at the end of the year, it's a great time to think about building up your coupon stash! In the coming days, I hope to share a series of posts with you on some of the best ways to create an abundance of coupons. It's always easier to save and stock up when you have a variety of savings to choose from! Today's focus is on collecting coupons directly from the manufacturer of your favorite products!


Start by thinking about your favorite items - the products you use every day. Rummage through your pantry or refrigerator if necessary! Every product has a website or phone number listed somewhere on the packaging. Call or email, letting them know how much you like the product and request coupons. They'll usually send great coupons that can't be found anywhere else! This is a great trick if you like specialty items that aren't usually featured on coupons.

All the same, don't hesitate to contact the company if you find the quality of an item to be less than what you expected; they like to keep customers happy and will often send a coupon for a free item to replace what you purchased. For example, I recently opened a package of long grain and wild rice that had puffed beyond recognition (though it was well within the expiration date). Since I was in the middle of making dinner, I called the contact line and asked if this was normal. They assured me it was not, and sent a coupon or two for a free product to replace what I'd lost.

You can find a great listing of email contacts here, thanks to A Full Cup:

Manufacturer's Internet Contact Information

Some people like to work through the list alphabetically and contact every company they're interested in - if you have the time, it can be worth the effort. Or simply pick and choose from the companies that catch your interest. As a habit, Couponing to Disney contacts 5 companies daily as part of her 5 A Day Mail Campaign (she also has some great tips for getting results!). Aim to write a quick note to a few companies each day and you'll soon have a mailbox filled with savings as well!

Collecting Coupons: Newspaper Inserts

As you're cleaning out the remainder of those coupons that expire at the end of the year, it's a great time to think about building up your coupon stash! In the coming days, I hope to share a series of posts with you on some of the best ways to create an abundance of coupons. It's always easier to save and stock up when you have a variety of savings to choose from!

Most of the coupons in existence arrive each week in the Sunday newspaper. While it can be more convenient to have a subscription, it's not necessary. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• BIGGER PAPER = BETTER COUPONS
  Newspapers in large cities (like the Detroit News/Free Press, Chicago Tribune, etc) generally offer more coupons with better values than smaller papers. In the Macomb area, the Detroit News/Free Press is your best bet.
  
  
• HOW MANY PAPERS DO I NEED?
  A good rule of thumb is to purchase 1 copy for each person in your household. I purchase additional copies if the coupons are especially good that week (i.e. savings on items I know we'll use) and less if there aren't many inserts. If you're just starting out, 1 or 2 newspaper copies will still help your budget. Many deal matchups may require you to use 2 or 4 coupons in one transaction in order to save - and you'll want a few to be able to stock up on items when prices are at their lowest.
  
  
• WHAT CAN I DO WITH ALL THAT PAPER?
  First of all, you'll want to be sure you've grabbed every coupon in the paper. Some coupons will hide in the Parade or USA Weekend inserts and others have been found in the newspaper itself. Then you can find a creative way to recycle it! You can wash your windows, line your bird cage, wrap a gift or donate copies to a classroom if you'd rather not take it to the recycling center!
  
  
• ISN'T IT EXPENSIVE TO PURCHASE EXTRA PAPERS?
  Since the cost of a newspaper copy has risen recently (in our area to $1.50), you will want to make sure you're serious about using your coupons if you're thinking about purchasing extras. You can quickly earn back the money you spent on a paper in one well-planned shopping trip. Many dollar stores (including Dollar Tree and Dollar Castle) offer the Sunday paper for $1.00 - and often you can still find remaining copies available on Monday and Tuesday.
  
  Ask your friends, coworkers and neighbors for extra coupon inserts - those who don't use coupons have no use for them! If you're able to pick up items for cheap or free with those coupons, you might consider bringing them a little treat every once in a while to show your appreciation or letting them know what you were able to donate with their help.
  
  If you're a CVS or Walgreens shopper, buying papers is an easy way to use up your Extra Care Bucks and Register Rewards before they expire.
  
  
• DO I REALLY NEED TO CUT ALL THOSE COUPONS?
  NO. And if you're short on time (like me), I don't recommend it. I like the method Coupon Mom endorses. Group your coupon inserts each week (use a paperclip, binder clip, staple, rubberband, file folder, etc.) and write the date on the front. Then use the free Grocery Coupon Database she provides to search for existing coupons and clip only those you'll use as you prepare your shopping list each week. (You'll be asked to register, but there's no cost).
  
  If you like having your coupons with you in the store, you'll want to cut a couple copies worth. You can stack each identical page from each insert together and cut at once to save a little time. Organize them in a way that works for you (coupon box, file, binder, etc.) and you're ready to shop!
  

Do you buy extra papers each week? Do you have any questions about collecting coupons from newspapers? I'll be back with more on swapping coupons to beef up your coupon stash even further!