"Hey there! Hello?!?"This ever happen to you too? I always appreciate the "booger police" because I hate knowing it was there all along and someone should have told me but NO ONE bothered to tell me, ALL DAY!!
((Whispering)) "You, um...well...you have a booger hanging from your nose."
"I just wanted to tell you so you don't walk around all day with it just - OUT THERE!!" ((Soft giggling ensues))
Jenn and Em are telling IT like it really IS in this Girlfriends’ Guide To Couponing. It’s everything someone SHOULD be telling you to your face (but probably won’t) about couponing, coupon etiquette and some common sense advice on “keeping calm when things go wrong” from seasoned pro Jenn.
Let us help you save face and avoid common mistakes new couponers make when starting out!
Advice from your thrifty girlfriends (or TGFs) - Em and Jenn
TGF Em says: "Keep it real, girlfriend!
We ALL LOVE FREE but when you figure in the time, cost of coupons, if you happen to buy your papers and the gas to drive to the stores - then free just ain't free, baby!
Couponing = discount, not F-R-E-E. Just be sure and keep a realistic and down to earth idea of saving money with coupons.
We like to post the free deals all day long, but we also pay for items ALL the time too, we just don't ever pay FULL RETAIL price!"
TGF Em says: "Sorry to burst your bubble sweetie, but couponers have NO rights.
It's a true privilege to use coupons to save money and if we abuse, misuse and overuse coupons then manufacturers and retailers make the consumers pay the price to make up for the loss.
Please be courteous and nice and remember that you represent all of us thrifty girlfriends everywhere when you do your coupon deals! Make us proud!"
TGF Jenn says: "ANY savings you create over what you are currently spending is an improvement for your family.
Don't stress if you aren't matching the large crazy haul photos you've seen online.
If you usually spend $100 a week at the grocery store, and you are able to save 25% off with coupons, that's an annual savings of $1300 for your family!
And if you are able to save $1300 for your family towards your goals -- whether that's savings, paying bills, education, or heck, vacations and manicures! -- then GO YOU."
TGF Jenn says: "Yes, it's frustrating to see empty shelves when you get to the store. But odds are good it isn't just one couponer who swiped All. The. Things.
Other possibilities: a) your store didn't get enough in b) your store got the product in but it's still in the back c) your store got product in and 40 other shoppers each bought two!
If you're constantly finding empty shelves, ask your store when they unload their trucks -- and be there when they do!"
TGF Jenn says: "Companies set limits on their coupons because they have to manage a set marketing budget that they can afford to spend on a brand.
If a company budgets, say, $10,000 in discounts on a brand, but has to reimburse grocery stores $50,000 because shoppers were misusing the coupon and/or ignoring limits per transaction, it results in fewer coupons from that company in the future."
TGF Em says: "Couponing is hard and learning to coupon is even harder.
Be patient with yourself and it is a TON of information to learn so slow down and follow this motto - "Keep Calm and Coupon On!"
You might be a couponer if....any of the above apply to you!"
TGF Em says: (I was soooohhh guilty of this when I started out so I make it my personal mission to help all new couponers not make the same mistake!)
"Read the entire coupon deal post AND comments and THEN ask questions. The person posting the deal took the time to snap a perfect haul picture to share and write up the entire deal and breakdown, so please be nice and read it, even if it is loooooong.
Make sure to read ALL of the comments to see if someone has already asked and answered your question.
If you end up being a repeat offender because you never read the whole post and comments then everyone will start to ignore every question you ask and we ALL feel uncomfortable!"
TGF Em says: "Couponing is very personal and unique because no two households, budgets or deals are alike. You will need to do plenty of your own legwork and research to find your own deals and savings.
I see many new couponers take a picture of their coupon and then ask the group where is the best place to use it. Girlfriend, everyone is so busy hunting down their own deals that they can't stop to find yours too!
The ones who share their deals are usually the bloggers, and they can't share ALL the deals, I mean, when would they sleep, eat and live a life? lol
You can easily Google search for deals for your product in particular, visit the blogger's actual website to see if you find a deal post and check the weekly store ads yourself. Most of these are available online or on your phone to easily view."
Look for more TGFs tips and advice in the future! Be sure and share The Thrifty Girlfriends' Guide to Couponing with your best thrifty friends too! Happy Couponing!
Follow your Thrifty Girlfriends' Online!
Follow your Thrifty Girlfriend Jenn at Spend Less, Shop More. Jenn covers freebies, savings tips, and weekly deals for Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, Dollar General and more! Save the blog to your phone, or sign up for daily emails to be sent direct to your inbox.
Follow your Thrifty Girlfriend Jenn at HEB Bargain Hunter: Independent consumer commentary for discerning HEB shoppers! Features ad recaps and coupon matchups, dollar deals, reader tips, and more. Save the blog to your phone, or sign up for daily emails to be sent direct to your inbox.
Follow us on our Facebook Group - Saving Pennies Nickels Dimes and Dollars. We have over 10,000 couponers from all over Texas and the U.S.! It's a closed group but we'll approve your request to join, after all, we're Texans and we're known for being friendly!
YouTube for my visual learners!
Are you a visual learner? I created YouTube videos because I learn best by watching and then doing it myself! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel - The Korean Couponer and watch and re-watch videos on couponing, quick & easy money saving recipes, my product reviews and my SAKHs (Super Awesome Kitchen Hacks) to your heart's content! I LOVE making my homemade videos and although I should probably use a script, it's more fun to improvise and edit! I will be adding more videos soon and if you want me to make a video about something, let me know in the comments section on my channel.
tsū is the New Social Media for Couponers!
Join me on tsū, the new social media network for couponers! Read this awesome post by my tsū grandmother - Audrey Krippendorf, and learn why the hottest deals are being posted there and not here on Facebook or Instagram! http://spendlessshopmore.
We are all family on tsū, Jennifer King is actually my tsū mom! So let me become your tsū momma and you'll have three generations of tsū superusers in your family!
You will need my referral link to join. Just copy and paste in your browser!
Facebook
Facebook is a great social media outlet for sharing information instantly on my fanpage. I share my latest blog posts and events as well anything else I find interesting for my readers.
Funny true story - I didn't know that my page settings were set so that no one could post anything at all! I kept wondering why my page was like a ghost town and all I would hear are crickets and elevator music in the background until my friend Amin at Sendoutnice with cards graciously brought it to my attention! Sometimes you have to point out the obvious to me because it's not always completely obvious to ME!!
Join me on Facebook! You can comment, start a discussion, chat and hang out with me!
See you soon and thanks for visiting!!
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