If you’re on a Mac and have recently upgraded your OS to Max OS X Lion, you may have run into some trouble printing coupons. If so, here is an easy tutorial for downloading Java and getting the coupon printers to work again!
tips and tricks
The Toilet Paper Principle: Stock-Up Price For TP
Let’s talk toilet paper for a moment. It’s definitely a necessity, and I personally find it to be one of the most difficult items to stockpile. Deals have been somewhat scarce lately, and in addition, it’s just darn hard to figure out whether you’re really getting bargain on it. With double rolls and ultra packs, etc., how do you know if you’re paying a reasonable price or not?
Reader Beth left this tip on my recent Target and CVS Savings post that makes it super easy to tell if a sale price on toilet paper is worthy of stocking up or not. It shall forever be known as the “Toilet Paper Principle” here on Deal Seeking Mom!
Look at the front bottom of the toilet paper package to determine the total square feet. Now insert a decimal point in this number two places to the left. If the cost of the package minus coupons is less than or equal to this figure, it’s a decent deal — basically $0.01 or less per square foot!
Example:
TP #1 = 400 sq. ft.; price = $6; stock-up price $4, so not a fabulous deal.
TP #2 = 650 sq. ft.; price = $5; stock-up price $6.50, so definitely a bargain!
Thanks so much, Beth, for sharing this simple concept!
Do you have any similar tips and tricks that you use to determine whether a price on a product is a stockpile deal?
Brand Newsletters: Register for Recipes, Coupons + More
Registering for my favorite brands’ newsletters is probably my number one trick for getting great coupons for the products that my family uses the most. The Betty Crocker newsletter is no exception. Register to receive recipes, coupons and more!
Other newsletters I love:
- Home Depot Garden Club — We’re getting ready to plant our garden, and I can always count on receiving great coupons from the Home Depot Garden Club at just the right time.
- Home Made Simple — Not only does Home Made Simple have awesome coupon booklets you can sign up for, but they often send additional printable coupons in their newsletters!
- Pillsbury — Each Pillsbury newsletter includes recipes, coupons, meal ideas and more!
What are some of your favorite newsletters for coupons and more?
MomAdvice Simplified: Simplifying Coupon Clipping
I had the honor of being a guest on MomAdvice Simplified yesterday, the Blog Talk Radio show hosted by my good friend Amy of MomAdvice.com!
I shared tips on organizing your coupons, how to maximize your savings, and where to find the best coupons. I highly encourage you to listen to the replay because Amy taught me a thing or two as well about shopping at Bed, Bath & Beyond!
I had good intentions on posting this yesterday so you all could listen live, but my schedule has been very off this week with my oldest boys on spring break.
5 Great Coupon Resources
When Ellie from NBC4 approached me about doing a guest post on her blog Elaborating With Ellie, I really struggled to find just the right topic.
In fact, I started and scrapped several posts before it occurred to me that my problem was I wasn’t considering the type of audience that her site would have. While I get a good number of newbies here (which I love!), I’m willing to bet that visitors to her site are even greener at couponing and deal hunting than most.
Once that struck me, I found it much easier to settle on a topic, resources for coupons other than the Sunday newspaper inserts. I actually think this information is useful for newbies and pros alike!
Here are just a few of the highlights, and you can see the full post on Ellie’s blog:
- Online printable sites – Online printable sites like Coupons.com and SmartSource.com are a great resource to check before you make your next trip to the grocery store. They often have coupons that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Just select the coupons you want and click print!
- eBay – Did you know that there are loads of coupons for sale on eBay? Well, actually, most coupons state that they cannot be sold; however, sellers circumvent this by stating that you’re actually bidding on their time to cut, sort, and list the coupons. This is a super way to stock up on coupons so you can stockpile an item when it’s on sale.
- Coupon clipping services – In addition to eBay, there are several websites where you can also purchase specific coupons like The Coupon Master, The Coupon Clippers, and Cents Off. The prices are only a fraction of the coupon’s value, and if you use them wisely, the savings far outweigh the minimal price to purchase the coupons.
- Blinkies – Have you ever noticed those little machines in the grocery store with the flashing red lights that spit coupons out? If not, look for them next time you’re walking up and down the aisles. In the couponing world these are called “blinkies,” and they tend to be really good coupons. However, unless the item is on sale or is something you were planning to buy anyhow, don’t be coerced into using them that day. Take just a few and stick them in your coupon keeper. Wait to use them until you find a great sale, which just might even be at another store. They’re manufacturer’s coupons, so they can be used anywhere.
- Magazines – You can find great money-saving coupons in magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens and Woman’s Day, and even better, you can often find free subscriptions to these magazines online. The very best magazine for coupons is ALL YOU magazine. This magazine is only available at Walmart; however, I found a great deal on it right now where you can get 2 years for just $17.99. It’s jam packed with coupons, and often there are coupons for free items, so the savings to be had more than defray the cost of the subscription.
Eventually these will all be compiled in a comprehensive list on Deal Seeking Mom, so I’d love to hear your favorite coupon resources!
