Extreme Coupon Show Backlash as Stores Change Policies: Learn Coupon Do's & Don'ts

A recent article on The Consumerist found the TLC show, Extreme Couponing, has sparked a trend of out-of-control couponers who ransack stores with little regard for fellow shoppers. Merchants have taken notice and many major retailers are starting to change their policies. Here are some of the big ones.

Rite Aid
Rite Aid has taken the same steps as Target to crack down on shoppers looking to exploit BOGO coupon offers. The drug store chain has also made other changes including limiting the number of coupons per item to four. If inventory is running low, managers may limit the numbers further.

Target
The biggest change at Target comes to their buy one, get one (BOGO) policy. They now only allow one BOGO coupon per purchase. Previously, customers could "stack" Target printable coupons, combining store and manufacturer BOGO coupons to get both items for free.

Walgreens
Many high tech shoppers have even started to crack coupon barcodes, allowing them to use coupons on products they're not intended for. Walgreens is working to combat this fraud by adopting a new type of barcode. New barcodes will be able to hold more data and can better make sure Walgreens coupons are used for the right product.

Publix
At Publix stores throughout the country they're also limiting the number of coupons that can be used on one product. Their new policy limits couponers to one manufacturers coupon and one store coupon per item.

Shopping with coupons is certainly a smart way to save, but there are right and wrong ways to do it. Here are some basic do's and dont's to help you coupon with class.

DO play by the rules. Couponing isn't too complicated and common sense should get you by in most cases. Rules vary store to store, so if you're planning to use a large amount of coupons, it helps to brush up on coupon policies before you shop. This includes making sure you're buying the item the coupon is intended for and checking to see if they'll accept expired coupons or not.

DON'T clear the shelf. In the eyes of casual shoppers, clearing entire shelves of popular sale items crosses the line between couponing and hoarding. If you really want to stock up on certain products, try making multiple trips or call ahead and ask a manager if they'll set aside an order for you.

DO be organized before you check out. It's a nightmare for cashiers and people waiting in line when you hand over a haphazard pile of miscellaneous coupons. It'll be much appreciated if you clip them before hand and make sure they're all facing the same direction. Also, remember to remove coupons for products you didn't end up buying. If you are using mobile coupons, have them ready on your smartphone for the cashier to scan.

DON'T shop during the busiest times. The stress level of those waiting in line during peak times is high enough. Using dozens of coupons takes time and will only irritate other shoppers. Instead, go shopping when business is slow. It takes the pressure off to complete the transaction as quickly as possible for both you and the cashier.

DO be polite to the cashier and fellow customers. Sure, you might have some knowledge other customers and even clerks don't, but it's no excuse to treat others like they're beneath you. If a cashier isn't familiar with coupon policies, stay calm and ask to speak with a supervisor. They're much more helpful if you don't lose your cool. When your cart is overflowing, give those behind you a heads up that you'll be using coupons. If someone is waiting with just a loaf of bread and gallon of milk, let them cut ahead.

DON'T steal coupons! A growing trend turning the tide against couponers is theft. Newspapers and newspaper subscribers are increasingly finding coupon inserts stolen. This is a big no-no and can get you into some serious trouble. Many people will willingly part with their unused inserts if you ask nicely.

###

Consumer Savings Expert, Andrea Woroch, is available to share "Extreme Coupon Show Backlash as Stores Change Policies: Learn Coupon Do's & Don'ts" with your audience for an in-studio, satellite or skype interview. Andrea has been featured as a media expert source on The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, FOX & Friends, ABC News NOW, MSNBC, Kiplinger Personal Finance, Smart Money and many more. To view recent interviews or for more savings tips visit AndreaWoroch.com.

Indulge, With a Friend, For Less!

Amy Hannold,

247Moms Frugal Living Editor

Treat Your Feet: You and a friend can rejuvenate your feet – give yourselves a pedicure:

Skin softening soak: Ingredients: 1/4 fresh lemon juice, a bit of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 water; Method: Mix all the ingredients and soak your feet as long as you like. This foot soak can be done twice a week for maximum effect.

Simple Salt Foot scrub: Ingredients:1 tablespoon of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of olive oil; Method: Mix together and scrub feet and calves with small circular movements. Rinse off scrub

You’ll find more pedicure ideas and recipes here:

http://www.guide-to-living-naturally.com/home_spa_recipes_foot_treatments.html

Rub Away Your Aches n’ Pains:

Discover massage, read up on the techniques and watch short videos. Practice makes perfect: http://www.howcast.com/videos/14315-How-To-Give-a-Massage

Find a “New to You” Accessory or Décor Item:

Invite a few friends to bring something they’d like to swap. Between yourselves, you can decide what the items to swap could be (décor, holiday decoration, cookbook, clothing item, accessory, etc. Consider a spa treatment, food theme, or other activity for more fun.

Send Someone a “Kleenex Share Package”: Show someone you care by sending them a Kleenex Share Package:

http://kleenex.com/SoftnessWorthSharing/

Make Something Warm: Learn how to knit, including videos and a forum, will get you on your way to all sorts of warm creations:

http://www.knittinghelp.com/

Have fun and enjoy some time with those you love!

$10 off $25 at Macy's

Christmas Shopping Deal: S$10 off a $25 Macy's Purchase TOMORROW only (11/17 until 1pm.) Click Here and insert your zip code to get your printable coupon. Works on all sale and clearance apparel and select home items. Use it tomorrow 11/17 until 1pm. See fine print for restrictions.

Restaurants Where Kids Eat FREE

Whether you're on a road trip or just want to take the family out to eat you need to first check out the Kids eat 4 free website that I discovered and has the Best kids eat free listings across the country.
Click here to find the best kids eat for FREE restaurants in your area or on the map of your next road trip.

Make Every Summer Day Special:

Amy Hannold, 247Moms.com Frugal Living Editor

Celebrate each day, always – and find some new holidays or “observances” you can enjoy. August begins with “National Clown Week”, August 1-7 – and I’m sure you can think of many ways to enjoy clowning around with your kids. Invite the neighbors and make it a party or play date! Serve circus food and create a relay race of clown items – see which team can get clownly-dressed the fastest!

August 1-7, according to http://www.brownielocks.com/august.html, is also “Simplify Your Life Week”. School supply sales and yard sales are great opportunities to find organizing tools – for less. Choose one area of your life, whether it is daily paper work, kids’ toys or your car to organize – and set out to find the tools at a great price.

Here are a few other of Augusts’ special weeks. Find someone to encourage, and a memory to make – have fun!
Single Working Women’s Week, August 1-7 (Is there a single mom at church or living near you? How can you help her this week?)

National Resurrect Romance Week, August 8-14 - (Surprise your sweetheart!)

Weird Contest Week, August 15-21 – Create fun, silly times with your kids and friends!

Be Kind to Human Kind Week, August 25-31 – Enlist and encourage your kids to practice random acts of kindness this week. Adopt a neighbor for the day (yard work, invitations to tea, handmade notes, etc.) or other ways to show love to one another.
Other Frugal Fun Times in August:

Friendship Day, August 1. Be a Friend, Make a Friend. Talk with your kids about friendship skills. Find friendship-themed book at the library or create a puppet show!

National Night Out, August 3. Neighbors getting to know neighbors, as well as safety-related and family-focused organizations gather to promote drug free, crime-reduced communities. Many communities and neighborhoods have planned events: http://nationalnightout.org/nno/

Smores Day, August 10. Can you say campfire and chocolate! Experiment with new smores ingredients – and don’t forget the washy-wipes n’ cameras!

National Garage Sale Day, August 14 – Get out there and find great deals – use http://www.garagesalestracker.com/ for Garage Sale Apps, sale listings and lists of consignment/flea markets near you.

Spring Break On A Budget

by: Amy Hannold, 247Moms Frugal Living Editor

Frugal, Super Spring Break Fun

Want to have a fun, fulfilling and affordable staycation? The key is prior planning. When you have a plan on paper, you can begin to create memorable experiences. Start now and you’ll be enjoying the Spring Break along with your children.

At Home or Away “Active” Ideas:

Scavenger Hunt: Get to know your hometown, or find your way around a new place with a scavenger hunt. Add a journaling/scrapbooking element by creating a “Photo Scavenger Hunt”. Hunts can be laid out ahead of time (visit the stops yourself to leave the following notes) or simply set out as a team to find historical, nature, or creative “photo-ops”. In parks or at the beach, you can make a list of things to find (blue rock, feather, daisy, tree bark, pinecone, bird sighting, etc.).

Snapfish has ideas for creating a photo scavenger hunt:

http://www.snapfish.com/backyardscavengerhunt

Creating Keepsakes author blogs on her family’s photo hunt:

http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/articles/family_photo_scavenger_hunt

At-Home Staycation Ideas:

Complete a project: Research, design and complete a fun project. Make stepping stones, crafts, flower boxes, picture frames, scrapbooking, playhouse, etc. Designate this “Fun Project” time as a time to unplug all distractions and focus on spending time together – just as you would away from home.

This Old House Family Projects: Fun, functional project “how-to’s” and videos are free for the viewing. Each project is rated by difficulty, time commitment and cost.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/info/0,,20168465,00.html

Moose’s Weekly Lesson Plan at NickJr.com: A source for Monthly and Weekly Activities: Each week’s activities include games, printables, learning about the theme subject, book picks, and more: http://www.nickjr.com/

Community Service: As a family, spend some time giving back to your community. Park or beach litter clean-ups, sunshine visits to nursing/retirement homes, collection drives for solider care package supplies, and making cards (or writing letters) for care packages are examples of opportunities to make a difference. Make these plans as soon as possible. Coordinate your schedule with the volunteer work. As a family, you can begin looking forward to this experience.

Escape Day(s): Take a day trip to a neighboring community. Explore their city’s website and local newspaper for ideas. Call ahead to their visitor/chamber of commerce office to receive brochures and potential coupons, etc. Pack fun activities for the parks, pools or beaches. Be sure to bring along fun surprises for the drive and snacks.

Spring Planting: Whether you’re going to grow a garden or try container gardening, spring break is a great time to get started. Research what grows well in your climate. Enlist your children in designing the garden, large or small. Find the containers, seeds, soil, and a cute watering can. Help the kids help plant the seeds and make the markers for what will soon bloom in their garden. When they get antsy for flowers, encourage them to make a collage cut from magazines or their own artwork of their future garden.

Make the Ordinary, Extraordinary: A staycation need not be boring. Make a plan now for each day. Be creative in your themes for each day, and organize a day built around that theme. Themes can be countries (your heritage?), colors, “Upside-Down Day”, Career Day (be a firefighter, with a trip to the fire station), “Place day” (zoo animals: popcorn, and peanuts), etc.

Boosting Your Theme Activities: Utilize your local library, museums, community organizations, the internet, books, movies, music, food experiences, and costumes to create themed fun. Get together with friends, neighbors and family to coordinate some group activities. From the internet, you can find the association or organization (such as dental association or fire fighters) where you could print and/or request free materials for learning and decoration. Find a local high school or college sporting event to enjoy, or try your hand at a new backyard sport.

Budgeting your Spring Break: Begin now by setting money aside every week for Spring Break. If your children can be included in the saving, talk to them about forgoing today’s luxuries on behalf of your upcoming vacation. Be creative in how you can use your resources, both family and community, for the best time you can afford. Consider giving each child a few dollars as their own budget to spend during the week. Staycations can become a family tradition – and a great learning opportunity as well. Your children, as they grow, will learn vital life skills as well as creativity.

Make Your Own Birthday Card Kit

From: Family Fun Magazine

When it comes to crafts I search for those Mommy Stewart ones "SIMPLE". I have never claimed to be a Martha Stewart Mom.

I don’t like to spend $3-$5 on greeting cards, fortunately my kids love to make their own. However, often TIME and the making of a huge mess keep us from being extremely creative. Until a few months ago when I saw this amazing yet simple idea in the February Family Fun magazine. It not only would save me Money but would also simplify my life when it comes to needing a Birthday card.

The Birthday Card Kit Binder - you can also create this to be an all around card making binder or create a 2nd binder to be the Thank You card kit binder.

I will be honest and tell you that I did not make my own I begged one of our crafty Team Members Lori to make it for me and WOW! did she do an amazing job. My children are excited about their new card making kit and so is this Mommy Stewart.

Thanks to Family Fun you can make your very own Birthday Card Kit.

HOW TO OUTFIT YOUR KIT

Turn a humble three-ring binder into a one-stop card-making shop by adding homemade supply pockets, a handy printable chart, and plenty of irresistible craft goodies. To jazz up the outside of the kit, have your kids glue cutout decorations to sheets of card stock, write a title with marker, then glue the sheets to the cover and spine or slip them into a view binder's clear front and spine pockets.

You will need:

Envelopes, blank note cards, and craft supplies (see suggestions below)

Plastic ziplock bags in sandwich, quart, and gallon sizes

Colored duct tape

Three-hole or single-hole punch

Three-ring binder (we used a 3-inch view binder from an office supply store)

Printable Thank-You Note Tracker or Birthday Calendar

1 . Determine the quantity and size of bags that will best fit your supplies. We like a smaller size for stamps and labels, while the quart size is perfect for markers. Gallon-size bags may need to be cut down to fit.

2 . For each pocket, sandwich the bag's bottom edge between two lengths of duct tape, creating one inch of overhang.

3 . Use the binder's rings to mark the correct positions for holes, then punch the holes through the overhanging tape. Avoid puncturing the bag.

4 . Affix a printable chart inside the front cover with tape or stickers.
STOCK YOUR BINDER WITH SUPPLIES LIKE THESE:
address book * glitter glue * return address labels * postage stamps * pencils * stamps and ink pad * eraser * sharpener * markers * scissors * hole punch

Trisha's Hint: These would be great Holiday Gifts, Baby Shower gifts and Birthday Gifts for your Girlfriends and family members.

Frugal Living - Wiser Consumer Wednesday

Welcome to Day 4 of the 24/7 MOMS Frugal Living event, our focus today is being a wise consumer. We also have a frugal invite for you to join in tonight and hear a blog talk radio show called Money 4 moms (details below). Be sure to Grab today's FREEbie it's a YUMMY one.

MONEY 4 MOMS Tonight :

I want to invite you to join Common Sense with Money tonight at their new time 9pm CST/10PM EST for their Radio Show Money4Moms. I am very excited about the show this evening. They are having Erin from $800 a year budget as a guest http://www.commonsensewithmoney.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/j4ghead1-300x175.jpg.
Erin sets every year only $800 dollars to feed her family of four. She has done it for a few years now. Because she relies on her stockpile heavily to get this accomplished she will be sharing her best stockpiling tips with us. We hope she will also share how she gets it done. If you have ever read her blog you will know how resourceful Erin is and I hope she can share some of her best money saving tips with us.

So please Join Tara, Erin and Mercedes tonight at 9PM CST/10PM EST, at their new time. You can listen online via their show page or right on their blog Common Sense with Money by using the blue BlogtalkRadio player on the right side bar or through your phone by calling the number (646) 716-8312.


Wiser Consumer Wednesday
by: Amy Hannold, of SavingCentsEveryday.com

Frugal living takes more than making the smarter, healthier choices. It means that we must be smarter than the average slogan or sales promise. We must have the tools (and use them) so that we can be an effective and efficient consumer. Instead of impulse buying and buying in “blind faith”, it is important to have a working knowledge of our options and rights. Taking the time to seek out the best product, and then find it at the best price is one way to use our resources wisely. Consumers have tools at the ready, available to help them in nearly every situation – it just takes knowing where to look. Being aware of these tools before you need them (before disaster strikes) is arming yourself (and those close to you) with priceless information.

Connect yourself to what I consider to be, the “Go-To Yellow Pages” of buying, selling and being a wiser consumer. The Consumer Action Handbook (http://www.consumeraction.gov/) is available on line or you can order a print version. If you have a consumer question, a need in your life for signing contracts, filing a complaint or recovering from identity theft (and more subjects), you must have a copy of this near your yellow pages. Just for fun even, it is enlightening reading. I find that in listening to others, I am the one who is able to point them in the right direction – and often times save them a whole lot of time and money, because I know about the Consumer Action Handbook.

What sort of information can be found in the Consumer Action Handbook?

*A step-by-step process for filing a consumer complaint

*Identity theft prevention and recovery

*Contact information to major corporations, including retail and manufacturer

*Buying a car, home or looking to invest? You can find tips and references here

*Your local consumer protection agency and Better Business Bureau

*Military Specific Better Business Bureaus (for military-related consumer news) and Military Support Agencies

*Teaching outlines for Teachers and other Consumer Mentors
*Subject information for Internet, Travel, Television, Health Care, Insurance and More
*Tips for shopping from home, junk mail and telemarketers – how to be aware of your rights

How Can Consumeraction.gov be of help to me?

*It acts as a guide when you encounter a consumer crisis. It begins with “be calm”, and continues as it provides a sample letter for you to use as you resolve your circumstances.

*If you want to learn about the importance of your credit score and how to improve it, or you want to know how to correct negative information on your credit report. (Links to all major credit-related organization and governing agencies are listed.)

*When you need to report a fraud, product defect or safety hazard, or you want to be informed of current product recalls and safety guidelines.

Tools You Can Use in These Financial Times:

*“How to Make Ends Meet" tools and links to forms which can help you calculate your circumstances and forms to apply for assistance: http://www.aarp.org/money/personal/real_relief_aarp/



*Ten Things You Must Keep in a Fireproof Safe:
http://www.legalzoom.com/legal-articles/10-Things-You-Must-Keep.html?WT.mc_id=EM_NEWS_JAN09BEST_NPFINAL&WT.mc_ev=EmailOpen&spMailingID=2332991&spUserID=NDE3MjE0MjY4OAS2&spJobID=64470653&spReportId=NjQ0NzA2NTMS1

*Ten Ways to Protect Yourself against Scams and Fraud:
http://www.consumerfed.org/pdfs/ten_ways_to_protect.pdf

Check out the “Go-To-Guide”. Once you have become familiar with it, use their text link to pass the good word onto others. You never know when you’re going to need this information (better to know it ahead of time!), or when you can save someone else their angst.


FREEbie of the day:


Get a FREEbie sample of Betty Crocker Warm Delights mini by signing up to receive the Betty Crocker® email newsletter.
http://freewarmdelights.bettycrocker.com/WarmDelights/Default.aspx?source=900





Frugal Quote for Thought:

“Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child.”
-Author Unknown


Frugal Reading Review:

“Debt Proof Your Marriage”, by Mary Hunt (Author of “Debt Proof Your Kids”, “Financially Confident Woman”, and “Live Life for Half-Price”) Debtproofliving.com

When I speak to groups, a question I often get is how to bridge the financial philosophy gap between spouses. Money, according to statistics, is among the top issue that causes marital breakdown (or worse yet, divorce). Evaluating the expectations, challenges, and feelings about money of each man and wife, Mary Hunt guides you through conflict, and turns it into a workable plan. You can achieve financial harmony through addressing common obstacles and forming a strategy that will see you through the coming days as a team. This book is financial wisdom and insight, with a bonus measure of personal reflection (for you and your spouse), to improve communication and the likelihood that you’ll be able to navigate (as a team), the troubled seas life may throw you.

Upcoming Thursday: “Thrifty Meals & More"