The coupon world has a language all its own, with abbreviations and terms like BOGO, Peelie and Catalina (not just a tasty salad dressing anymore). My favorite, and one you should familiarize yourself with and embrace, is stacking. Stacking is the act of using both a manufacturer coupon and a store-specific coupon on one item. It is a rare opportunity to use two coupons on one item, and it’s what gets my blood pumping. Not all stores allow stacking, so read your coupon policies carefully. A tip I picked up from another blogger is to print the store’s coupon policy and keep a copy with you when you shop. If a question arises at the check-out, you’ve got your backup right there in your bag.
So how does one get their stack on? It’s simple, and requires only a small amount of organization. First, gather your manufacturer coupons via Sunday paper or the internet. Next, collect store coupons from the store’s website, ad circular, in-store displays, etc., you get the idea. My stacking destination of choice is Target; you can find me roaming the health & beauty aisles on a weekly basis.
Target’s coupon page is a great resource for printable store deals. Just log in, and select which coupons you’d like – you can print each one two or three times before reaching the limit, and the site will reset the expiration dates, so don’t max out your print limit right away. Think Donna Martin; take it slow, no need to rush things, just look where that got Brenda.
I like to clip my coupons and keep them organized in a wallet-sized file folder. Through some trial and error, I’ve discovered this works best for me and allows me to flip through them quickly and keep them from getting lost. You figure out what’s best for you and run with it, start small and build from there to keep from getting overwhelmed. Anyway, I go through my stash and match the printed store coupons with my manufacturer coupons, clipping them together so they’re bundled up and ready to go when I hit the store.
