To Stockpile Or Not

Do you purchase items that you use regularly as they are needed, or do you purchase them when they are on sale and store them until they are needed?  Stores have sales cycles where the items go on sale in rotation.  The sales cycle usually occur every six to eight weeks. When looking at a weekly sales ad, the best deals are usually posted on the front and back page of the ad. These are rock-bottom sale offers that bring consumers to the store.  It is ideal to use coupons for these items, if available, to obtain maximum savings.  When you find a sale item that gives you the opportunity to save big, by combining the coupon with a great sale, this is the time to stockpile.  Buying enough of the items to last until the next time the item goes through the sales cycle = moderate stockpiling.

How To Stockpile

Stockpiling takes time and organization.  It occurs over a period of time. Try to focus on one or two items each shopping trip based on the week’s sale in order to build your reserve.

1. Write down list of items that your family usually uses in a month.

2. Monitor weekly sale ads to identify when items from your list are on sale. Grocery ads generally run Wednesday-Tuesday. Drugstore ads generally run Sunday-Saturday.

3. Combine sale prices with coupons for maximum savings.

4. Ask for a rain check if the item is not in stock. This will allow you to return within 30 days to purchase the item at the advertised sale price.

Example of drugstore purchase:

My daughter loves Nivea lip balm…

RiteAid has Nivea lip balm on sale 2 for $3.  Redplum insert from 2/10/2013 has a coupon save $3 on 2.  Free lip balm with use of coupon. Limit of four coupons per purchase. You can purchase 8 lip balms and it’s free after coupons.

Thank you www.iheartriteaid.com for the saving tip.

Buy what your family uses/eats. It doesn’t matter how much you are saving if your family will not eat canned tomatoes or use single ply toilet tissue. Money saving choices are made when the items purchased are going to be used.

Maintaining Your Stockpile

1. Store items that will not spoil quickly

2. Check expiration dates on a regular basis

3. Buy items that most of your family members use

4. Buy items that you have storage space for

5. Have adequate coupon inventory or have quick access to a coupon clipping service.

The sale of coupons is illegal.  Coupon clipping services organize and clip coupons and charge individuals for mailing and clipping the coupons.

A Few Coupon Clipping Services:

1. www.thecouponmaster.com

2. www.coupondede.com

3. www.couponcarryout.com

Coupon Terminology

BLINKIES = coupons found in the little boxes with blinking lights near the products in the grocery store
BOGO/B1G1 = Buy One Get One
CATALINA = Coupon printed at register after items are purchased
CNP = Coupon Near Product (similar to BLINKIES)
CRT = Customer Receipt Tape (CVS receipt coupons)
DND = Do not Double

EB/ECB = ExtraCare Bucks (CVS)
ES = Walgreens own coupon book found right inside the door at Walgreens, contains coupons that are stackable with manufacturer’s coupons and rebate information

ETS = Excludes Trial Size

FAR = Free After Rebate
GM = General Mills (Newspaper insert)

IP = Internet Coupon
K = Kellogg’s (Newspaper Insert)
MIR = Mail in Rebate

MM = Money Maker
OOP = Out of Pocket
P&G = Proctor & Gamble (Newspaper Insert)
Peelie = Coupon you peel off package
RP= Red Plum (Newspaper Insert)
RR = Rebate Rewards (Walgreens)
SS= Smart Source (Newspaper Insert)
STACKING = multiple use of coupons for one item – manufacturer’s & store coupons or rebates.
TEAR PAD = A pad of coupons or MIR near a product or on display

UP = Up Reward at Rite Aid
WYB= When You Buy

Faith, Hope, and Love

Tyra