Food King in Texas City - Changes coupon rules

So by now if you use coupons and hang around the Internet you know there are TONS of fake coupons out there.  A lot of stores are starting to fight back.  And that really hurts the people who use coupons correctly.  Texas City's own Food King has recently changes their coupon rules to reflect what has been going on with coupon fraud out there.  They are now tripling up to 39 cents, doubling from 40 to 50 cents, and face value over 50 cents.  You can now only use one multiple coupon on identical items.  And they will not accept Internet printed coupons.  Just a heads up if you shop there with coupons.

Coupon savings, to the maxxx!

Here's a fun coupon history fact.  The first coupon came out in 1887.  I was a handwritten note for a free glass of Coca-Cola.  Boy have times changes.  But one thing hasn't, the want to save money.  As the economy becomes more unstable more people are looking to coupons to save money.  And most of them want to maximize their saving.  One of the top ways to do that, is to match your coupons to sales at your local stores.  Each week I like to go through my new store ads and flip through my coupons and match them.  Another good tip is to use your coupons at local dollar stores.  I'm not talking about the dollar stores where everything is one dollar, but stores like Family Dollar and Dollar General.  Both happily take manufacturers coupons and have great prices on many everyday items.  If you haven't looked into using coupons at a local dollar store, you should.  It can be well worth the effort!

Cheap is good, free is better.

Is that a fake coupon in your pocket or are you happy to see me?

As any good couponer knows, there are bad couponers that make it harder for those who do the right thing.  One of the hardest for the stores and manufacturers is fake coupons.  Now, I can only imagine fake coupons have been around as long as coupons.  Manufacturers have made it harder than ever, but the bad guys are always one step ahead.  But not all of them are real smart.  I heard about someone trying to pass a counterfeit coupon for $200 off an iPad2.  I was thinking "REALLY??".  There are so many fake coupons out there.  Fake coupons hurt everyone!  Stores have to eat that money, and they pass the cost on to everyone else.  But I think the biggest problem is that people don't see it as a crime.  It is!  Counterfeiters are stealing from stores and from everyone around them.  They tend to think it's no big deal, nothing will happen to them if they get caught.  Wrong.  Coupon fraud (using fake, or expired coupons), even without knowing it's a bad coupon, can get you arrested.  Something to think about...

Cheap is good, free is better.

I'll never figure out Black Friday..or Purple Thursday!

OK, I admit that I LOVE to save money.  Most people do.  But I learned over a decade ago not to go shopping on Black Friday.  I tried going to Target once many years ago.  There was no place to park, it was super crowded, and I didn't even buy anything.  I vowed then and there, never again would I go shopping on Black Friday.  In the years since, it has gotten crazier.  People camped outside stores for days, mobs rushing in as the doors open and people getting trampled and hit.  And of course the stores are opening earlier and earlier.  I can understand 6am, maybe 4am, maybe.  But 10pm on Thanksgiving?  If you plan on venturing out, stay safe.  And by all means, be nice to your fellow shoppers.  I will continue my yearly Black Friday thing.  I will stay home, make a pot of coffee, and read, watch tv, and stay safe.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Cheap is good, free is better.

A hard slap of reality, with a fish slapping dance

Most people who are couponing now have come to it because of the TLC show "Extreme Couponing".  The problem is a lot of them think they can walk into any store and get 99% savings.  That is just not the case!  Normally people will only get about 20 - 50% savings on trips.  You will only be able to get big savings by doing research, and coupon matching.  And even with lots of research, it won't come easy!  But let's all be real for a little while.  Even 50% savings can be hard to come by.  I feel like I'm doing good if I save 30%.  Keep in mind 30% savings is average.  Right now my June average savings is about 49%, which is really good.  Thanks for reading!

"Cheap is good, free is better."

I can get that for free...but is it really?

So, one of the topics on the main coupon site I visit a lot has been "free" items.  If something is on sale for $1 and you have a $1 off coupon, it's free right?  Well, some people say no.  You still have to pay tax on that item!  The government will always get theirs.  Plus you need to figure in the cost of the newspaper(s) you bought.  If you bought 1 Sunday paper for $2 and there were 100 coupons in it...your cost per coupon is $0.02.  And if you get more papers and don't use all the coupons, your price per coupon changes.  If you really want to be super obsessed about it, you can figure out the time spent collecting and clipping your coupons.  Alot of people will also calculate the gas used to go to the stores.  And some people buy clipped coupons and whole inserts from places on the internet.  One of my husband's favorite sayings is "No one will give you anything for free.".    In a lot of ways that is true.  But with coupons, you can give yourself things for "free" all the time!  Thanks for reading.

"Cheap is good, free is better."

I've got a golden coupon, Yes, I've got a golden coupon...

So we've all seen coupons for food, soda, diapers and shampoo.  And they can give you great savings!  So what's a golden coupon?  First of all, it's not really made of gold, or even gold colored.  It is a term I made up for really special coupons.  You know the ones...$5.00 off that fancy new coffee maker.  $3.00 off the water filter pitcher you've had your eye on.  They are coupons for things that normally wouldn't have a coupon.  Or that you would think wouldn't have a coupon.  If it's something you've been eyeing, that's the time to buy, and if you can match it with a sale even better.  I had a coupon for $5.00 off one of those single serve coffee makers, but before I had the money to go even look at one, the coupon expired.  I almost cried.  But I know that the more popular they are, the more coupons will come out.  And that's when I'll pounce, like a lioness.  Cause I love coffee, and that will make it easier to change flavors mid day!  Thanks for reading.

"Cheap is good, free is better."