Bed, Bath and Beyond publishes lots of coupons in circulars, etc... and even though the coupon says it expires, the stores will take them anytime and also wil also allow you to use as many as you are able by ring them up seperately to allow for maximum discount. I just keep a stack of them in my car so I have them handy. The rules online are much stricter of course.

Coupon Use 101:

http://renovationtherapy.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/the-mortgage-coupons-101/

Did you know that the Target coupons are STORE coupons and can be combined with a MANUFACTURER coupon? That Tidy Cat coupon for $1.50 off 1 tub plus the $1 manufacturer coupon means I got $2.50 off my Tidy Cat...

I might not be good at mixing multiple patterns, but coupons...well...that's another story.

if you could only see the GIANT trash bin in the mail room at my apartments, filled every single day with coupons. I hate coupons. why not just have stuff ON SALE? (without a wasteful mailing involved)

I rarely find coupons for any of the things I normally buy, so I don't really bother looking anymore.

antimatt - I'm gonna need an address...

;)

I love coupons! In fact, several neighbors are kind enough to give me all the coupons from their Sunday papers, and I clip the ones of items that I normally buy. Did you know that people in the armed services can use manufacturer's coupons up to 6 months past the expiration date? I send the expired ones that I don't use to families that may be able to use them.

I am much more likely to use coupons when I get them online. Like Borders Bookstore. I'm not a huge coupon fan for smaller items. But I hate rebates even more, and avoid them whenever possible. Better than a coupon or a rebate, is when Target gave a $100 gift card when we bought our tv. We were able to use it immediately on our gift purchases last month.

dmh--I was one of those AF wives faithfully using my expired coupons that others like you sent in when I lived in England for six years. We REALLY appreciated them! Thank you for making note of that and sending them in! :)

Grocery coupons...I gave up cutting those out eons ago. They're always for stuff that's overly processed, not staples like flour, rice...

And in my experience to date, the department store coupons are rarely better. Usually for stuff I have no actual need of.

man. i wish i knew about military being able to use coupons passed their expiration date. my hubby just got out though... oh well. i always look for coupon codes for online shopping- and if im going shopping sometimes ill look for printable coupons for specific stores - sometimes toys r us, american eagle, old navy, and kohls have them. i was on a kick before with coupon cutting and clipping from coupon.com and i'd usually save about $10 per shopping trip.

a month or so ago i was behind a lady who had a huge binder organized and full of coupons... she took forever in line but i didnt mind because i couldnt wait to see how much she saved... she saved $90!!! i couldnt believe it- she said you can go on you tube they have a video on how to organize a coupon binder and she said it makes it so much easier.

Yes, I am way into using coupons and keep a zipper pouch in my bag with a small collection. They do add up, even though it might not seem like it.

My CVS coupons are always useful. And I almost always use the coupons they give me at Jewel, the ones that come out of the register with my receipt after I've paid. Mainly they're products I've already purchased in the past (especially Kashi and Morningstar products). But they know what coupons to print based on your buying history, if you have Jewel card. Most of the time, the coupon is decent enough to hang on to for the next grocery trip.

I recently started using coupons because with a baby, well, it helps. They start sending you all these coupons for formula and diapers and every time you buy baby food you get coupons for more baby food. It's hard to get in the habit, but the last time I went to CVS, I watched as they scanned my coupons and my total went from $36 down to $24! I came home and told my husband "did you know about these things?"
But getting used to them is hard... never remembering to bring them with you and having them burst out of your pockets...

antimatt - manufacturers make coupons so they can't guaruntee that stores will pass on their savings. In-store coupons are puzzling phenomena... I think it's because they want you to go through extra hoops to get a discount; just putting it on sale would allow *anyone* to take part in the savings. I hate loyalty cards for the same reason. They're just an excuse to charge you extra if you don't have the damn thing on you.

I'm with paintitbright... coupons tend to be for crap I wouldn't buy anyway. I get whole, basic foods (rice, beans, produce, eggs) and a lot of store house brands, which rarely have coupons. It's just not worth it to look for coupons for the few things I buy that have them.

I think most of the products I buy give me more bang for my buck anyway. I'm puzzled by a lot of the things people buy. Rice-a-roni? It's rice and broth and too much salt, people. Baby food? Steam a veggie for your own dinner. Mash up a smidgen with your fork.

I'm also suspicious about those coupon clippers 'saving' so much money. Coupons are printed to entice you to buy things you normally wouldn't. No one would make them if they weren't profiting somehow.