This topic is not something you can cover with just one sentence. In fact, if you are trying to get the best coupons available for you it could be a part time job because there are so many sources; couponing becomes a hunting game. Indeed a game that can pay off considerably. In this article I will explain all the offline and online resources available and cover the different types of grocery coupons available today.
Offline Sources
Newspapers: The three major companies that produce coupons in the Sunday paper are Smartsource, Red plum, P & G. Sometimes there are extra coupon inserts, but even the extra ones come from these three companies.
Mail/phone: A few times a year your favorite manufacturers will mail you coupons if you inquire. All it will take is just an e-mail or phone call and you will have coupons number to your mailbox. These coupons are generally better than those in the local paper, and are highly sought after. And sometimes they will even send samples to you with the coupons.
At the store
On package coupons: These coupons are either attached to the package like stickers or are printed on the inside of the empty carton. These are coupons that you can use during the purchase of the product or at a later time after you have opened the package. Hangtags fall into this category as well, these are coupons that hang around the bottle or attached by string to the product.
Blinkies and tear pads: These coupons are usually on display near the product and can be used at any time. Take as many as you need in good conscience.
Store ads: Store ads are generally located at the entrances of the store, and many store ads contain store specific coupons that you can use at that particular store and sometimes in conjunction with manufacturers’ coupons.
Catalinas: These special coupons will print out at checkout with your receipt. They are generally store coupons although they can be manufacturer coupons, and they are used just like regular coupons. Some Catalina coupons will be dollars or cents off a product like a normal coupon, and others will be dollars off a total order. For example, a store may have a special that when I buy $100 worth of groceries I get five dollars off my next visit.
Online sources
I must emphasize the importance of using safe resources for printing coupons online. There are many websites out there that attract coupon hunters by boasting of the database of hundreds of coupons. Only to lead you to download unwanted malware or adware and send you to their referral link on coupons.com or worse never deliver. These sources I'm about to list are not only trusted but verified and safe, they will not download any unwanted software or steal your information in any way.
coupons.com
redplum.com
smartsource.com
couponnetwork.com
Also it's good to visit any of the manufacturers’ sites of the products that you regularly buy, as they can have coupons that you can print there as well. Some popular ones are
Kellogg's and
BettyCrocker.
Virtual coupons
If you live alone or don't have many people in your household virtual coupons may be the way to go for you. What you do is go to your local grocery store’s website, or the website listed below, and set up a free account and browse the many coupons available to load to your store card. This only works if your store has a discount card like Kroger's.
Be aware that if you are using paper coupons along with your virtual coupons, the coupons may interfere with each other in certain situations (like when doubling, coupon limitations).
Also, there are coupons online that turn your cell phone into a coupon by displaying an image of the barcode on your cell phone. Some manufacturers’ sites may have this option available.
Cellfire.com
