Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: Understanding Your Local Stores and Sales 5
Polish Up on Your Local Store Policies 6
Coupon policies 6
Price-matching policies 7
Price-guarantee policies 10
Special savings programs 10
Deciphering Sales and Circulars 12
Translating the lingo 13
Sale cycles 14
Unit prices 15
Loss leaders 16
Chapter 2: Finding Coupons Online 21
The Different Types of Coupons 22
Manufacturer coupons 22
Store coupons 23
Finding Coupons Online 24
Printable coupons 24
Digital coupons 26
Mobile coupons 28
Cash-back coupons 29
Cash register coupons offers 30
Couponing Terms and Abbreviations 32
Chapter 3: Avoiding Online Coupon Fraud 37
Identifying a Standard Coupon 38
Understanding the Fine Print 39
Spotting Fraudulent Coupons 43
Common Mistakes to Avoid 47
Chapter 4: Using Coupons to Maximize Your Savings 49
How Coupons Work 49
Rules of Stacking 51
Store loyalty cards 51
Manufacturer coupons 51
Store coupons 52
Money-off-money coupons 52
Cash-back coupons 53
Stacked to the max 53
Buy-one, get-one sales 54
Rolling Rewards to Make Money 55
Types of rewards 56
How to work rewards 57
Rebates 60
Finding rebates 61
Using rebates 61
Tips for organizing rebates 63
Chapter 5: Preparing to Shop 65
Creating a Grocery Price Book 65
Using the Shop-to-Stock Method 66
Organizing Your Coupons 67
The clip-’em method 68
The don’t-clip-’em method 70
Couponing with a Meal Plan 72
Why plan ahead 72
Menu-planning made simple 74
Saving with a detailed shopping list 74
Devising a plan of attack 76
Chapter 6: Going Online to Save 79
Online Communities 79
Types of online communities 79
Using online communities 81
Shopping Online 82
Coupon codes 82
Cash-back programs 83
Earning rewards 85
Chapter 7: Where to Go from Here 87
Next Steps Checklist 87
Online Resources 88
Finding coupons online 89
Avoiding coupon fraud 89
Going Online to Save 90
