Extreme Couponing Made Easy — before you pay

Collect and Organize Coupons

Clipping coupons is a major part of extreme couponing. One can start by finding and clipping coupons from inserts that are in their Sunday paper. When clipping coupons, they should focus on quantity and collect as many as possible. This is particularly key for more costly items or items used frequently. To ensure that enough coupons are collected, it's useful to purchase several newspapers to clip coupons from. These coupons should be kept in a binder and organized by type so that they are easily found when needed.

Download Popular Coupon and Cash-Back Apps

Along with Sunday papers, one may also use coupon sites online. These sites may require consumers to print the coupons, or they may allow shoppers to show the coupon code on their smartphone. Shoppers might also use apps that offer rebates on items that a person orders. Some of the most popular rebate or cash-back apps include Ibotta and Checkout 51.

Learn and Understand the Language

With extreme couponing, there are certain terms and phrases that consumers need to know, like coupon-doubling and coupon-stacking. "Moneymaker" is another term that one may encounter: This means the consumer earns more than they pay. It applies to situations when the final price after the stacked rebates and coupons are applied is less than $0. When consumers layer savings and deals like coupons, rebates, sales, and other promotions, it is called stacking. There are also certain abbreviations that couponers will want to know, many of which deal with the coupon inserts that routinely appear in Sunday papers. They include SS for SmartSource, PG for Procter & Gamble coupons, and RP for the RedPlum insert.

Learn Policies for Different Stores

Not every store accepts coupons in the same way. Before practicing extreme couponing, a shopper should research what the policies are at the stores they frequent. This is key particularly in terms of multiple coupons. While some stores allow an unlimited number of the same coupon, others may drastically limit the use of duplicate coupons. Stores also may or may not allow coupon-stacking and coupon-doubling. In some cases, stacking may be allowed only if one coupon is a clipped one from the newspaper and the other is an online coupon.

Don’t Forget about Manufacturer Coupons

Few shoppers know that you can write a letter to the manufacturers of your favorite brands telling them how much you like their items and, in return, they sometimes send coupons. Additionally, they may even send free samples of new items for you to try out!

It’s really hit or miss, though, as some businesses won’t respond. But, when they do, the coupons are typically higher-value coupons than the ones you’d find online or in flyers.

Ways to Keep more cash on Groceries

Speaking of manufacturer coupons, you can double the savings by stacking coupons and applying store coupons on one item. Regarding grocery shopping, stacking coupons is key.

Coupon stacking is simply the act of applying as many coupons and perks as possible to save as much as you can. Start by applying manufacturer coupons on items that are already on sale. That way, you’re able to get huge discounts on items that are already less costly than usual.

If you want to take it a step further, stack store coupons with manufacturer coupons. For instance, let’s say your grocery store has a sale on a 75-fluid-ounce bottle of Cascade Complete Dishwasher Detergent on sale for 15%, bringing its price down from $7.99 to $6.79. If you have a $1.50 Proctor & Gamble manufacturer coupon for Cascade, the price drops to $5.29. If the grocery store also lets you use a store coupon, the price will drop even more.

You can also use coupon stacking to score free or almost-free items, especially if you find a BOGO deal. For instance, let’s say a grocery store runs a BOGO deal on 15-ounce cans of Del Monte fresh-cut corn at $1.39 each. If you have a coupon for $1 off two Del Monte canned items of 15 ounces or more, you can buy two cans for a total of $0.39 by stacking the BOGO deal and your coupon.

If you’re doing the math in your head, you’ll realize you’ve paid under $0.20 per can for a total savings of 86% off. That’s quite a deal!

Walmart frequently runs discounts and promotions on its grocery section both online and in store. Check out Sacodes’s verified list of Walmart discount codes to save up to 50% off your grocery bill next time you go grocery shopping.

Other ways to save at grocery stores are to use loyalty programs. You should always shop with a loyalty card because this allows you to earn points to redeem on future savings.

Loyalty Programs

The benefit of participating in loyalty programs deserves its own section. Many retailers offer these programs to incentivize shoppers to keep coming back to their stores and extend beyond grocery stores.

The most common type of loyalty programs is points-based programs. These let shoppers accumulate points that they can later redeem for freebies, store perks, and cashback opportunities. Orders aren’t the only way to earn points, either, as they also allow shoppers to earn points from sharing on social, leaving reviews, and celebrating birthdays.

Some popular loyalty programs include:

• Starbucks Rewards
• MOD Rewards
• Baskin Robbins Rewards
• eBay Bucks
• DSW VIP
• The ScoreCard from Dick’s Sporting Goods
• IKEA Family
• The Nordy Club Rewards

If you frequently shop at a store, check to see if you can open a debit or credit card to earn rewards. For instance, Target offers both a rewards credit card and a debit card that lets you save 5% in-store and online.

Other popular credit and debit card-based reward programs include:

• The Capital One Walmart Card
• JCPenney Credit Card
• Lowe’s Advantage Card

Top Cashback Credit Cards

Major card businesses also offer cashback rewards as an incentive. Instead of a complex system of points, those who have these types of credit cards receive money to put towards all kinds of items and services. Cash rewards can range anywhere from 1% to 6% of the amount of each transaction.

Popular cashback credit cards include:

• Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
• Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card
• Citi Double Cash Card

Buy in Bulk Online

The savviest shoppers stock up when they can get something at the lowest price. Double up on the benefits of this smart shopping strategy by stacking coupons on top of bulk orders.

To do this successfully, you must never bulk buy an item that you haven’t tried before. The last thing you want to happen is to be stuck with items that seem like they would work but simply do not. For instance, if you buy a new brand of shampoo only to realize that it dries out your hair, you’ll have bottles of shampoo lying around that take up precious storage space and ultimately contribute to a problem, not a solution. You’ll want to be sure it works for your needs and doesn’t sit around collecting dust because it doesn’t do the job you need it to do.

Retailers with Best Annual Sales

Another shopping hack used by the best bargain hunters is to shop the annual sales! You can expect to see store-wide discounts of up to 75% during these types of yearly sales. Macy’s has a semi-annual sale twice a year where shoppers can get up to 75% designer fragrances and apparel. Combining this sale with other verified Macy’s discount codes could let you save up to 90% off during the sale. Many retailers also allow shoppers to partake in coupon doubling, in which they’re able to combine or stack coupons and discount codes with sale prices to get all-time low prices on items.

Popular annual sales include:

• Bath and Body Works Semi-Annual Sale
• Nordstrom Anniversary Sale
• Amazon Prime Day
• Wayfair’s Way Day
• Macy’s semi-annual sale

Shop the Deals

With traditional couponing, consumers don't generally plan out their coupon use to coincide with sales. Because of that, they often don't reach their maximum savings potential. With extreme couponing, planning and waiting for the best deals or sales is crucial. Shoppers should peruse ads and only use coupons and cash-back or cash-saving apps on items that are currently on sale. If more than one store has an item on sale, choose the location that offers the best savings or take advantage of price-matching if applicable. Also, consumers can boost their savings by applying rewards or loyalty cards from grocery or drug stores.

• The New Extreme Couponing Is Online and it's Not That Hard: The Balance offers its readers this article on extreme couponing and ways to get bigger savings with app-stacking. The page discusses selecting a shopping portal along with rewards programs and rewards credit cards.
• Extreme Couponing! Ways to Get $1,100 of Merchandise for $40: Extreme couponing is a trend that's gaining in popularity; this article discusses what it is and ways to get started.
• Eight Secrets of Extreme Couponers: Consumers who are interested in spending less should click this link to read eight extreme couponing secrets.
• Seven Strategies of Extreme Couponers: People who are interested in extreme couponing can learn seven strategies to increase savings here.
• Is Extreme Couponing for You? Anyone who questions whether they have what it takes to become an extreme couponer should click this link to visit a page that provides details and tips.
• Five Steps for Couponing Today: Start spending less by reading up on the five steps needed to become a pro.
• Keeping more cash With Coupons: Learn ways to find coupons and ways to use them by reading this brief article on the Rutgers site.
• Clip and Save: Stretching Your Grocery Dollar(PDF): This University of Kentucky newsletter discusses the topic of couponing and how it is done.
• Extreme Couponing: Learn from the experts on TV's Extreme Couponing with the strategies on this page.
• What to Know About Extreme Couponing: Anyone with an interest in extreme couponing can visit this page to read details on finding stores with good coupon policies, planning ahead, or applying a coupon-clipping service.
• 30 Things You Didn't Know About Extreme Couponing: There's a lot to learn about extreme couponing for those not in the know.
• Extreme Couponing Tips and Tricks Revealed (video): This ABC News video investigates extreme couponing and provides tips on ways to save big.
• Extreme Couponing: Click this link to view a CBS News article on extreme couponing.
• Get Bigger Deals Through App-Stacking: Open this page to learn about app-stacking, which is outlined in three steps.
• Tips on Digital Coupon-Clipping (PDF): Convenience is key for people who live busy lives. This NBC News video explains digital coupons and ways to use them.
• Seven Tips for Navigating Group Coupon Sites: This article on the Real Simplesite discusses how consumers can navigate and get good deals on group couponing sites.
• Top Six Online Coupons and Ways to Use Them: Online coupon sites have become increasingly popular, but for many, they can be confusing as well.
• Searching for Savings (PDF): Open this document for instruction and advice on extreme couponing.
• Ways to Make Money With Your Walmart and Target Receipts: Click this link to read ways to keep more cash with cash-back apps at stores like Walmart and Target.
• Get Money Back at the Grocery Store With These 11 Apps: Popular shopping apps are designed to help people get cash back on goods that they purchase from stores and restaurants.
• Ten Sneaky Online Shopping Tricks for Scoring Major Discounts: Prices often seem high, but there are ways that consumers can get serious discounts when they shop. This page on the Forbessite reviews tips including ways to search for coupons, get deals on social media, and even potentially have expired coupons extended.
• Tips for Keeping more cash With Coupons: Anyone who has ever wondered ways to keep more cash with coupons will want to click this link for valuable tips.
• Keeping more cash With Coupons (PDF): Consumers who click this link will find a fact sheet that offers useful couponing hints and provides details on where to find coupons.
• Cash in With Coupons (PDF): Learn ways to properly clip, organize, and maximize coupons by reading this couponing fact sheet.
• Keep more cash With Coupons: On this site, visitors are given four cash-saving coupon tips.

Topics Promo codesStudents