This is an example of a BLINKIE coupon, found in the aisles.

One of the biggest questions asked is: Where do I find coupons? I remember watching extreme couponing and how couponers would jump into a dumpster and dig out coupon inserts.  Or how they would take papers from homes that were foreclosed and were no longer occupied.  I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it when I first started, and yes, we DID, my husband and I, we visited a paper recycling bin and fished out a few coupons.  I would not recommend this.    So, here are some good ways to obtain coupons and a little bit about illegal activities that we should avoid when getting coupons.

Legal Ways to Obtain Coupons

The best way to get coupon inserts is to check your Sunday papers (and sometimes Wednesday or Thursday papers).  I buy my papers at King Soopers for $1.50 each (after checking each paper to make sure all the coupon inserts are in them) or wait until the sweet ladies are at a kiosk at King Soopers and order the Sunday paper for less than $1 a paper for 20 – 52 weeks.  (My first year couponing, I spent a TOTAL of $5 for a whole years worth of Sunday papers, just by getting the deal at the kiosks).

The second best way is to print off coupons from online sources such as coupons.target.com or coupons.com.  Some major stores also offer digital coupons that you can load to your store card and it will take off the discount at the register.  There are pros and cons to this, more details to come later.

Some times stores will have coupons that are near or on products.  Blinkies (a flashing light box that contains coupons that you can pull), Hangtag (a coupon that hangs on a product such as on a soda bottle or mouthwash), Peelies (coupons that are stickers on a product), Catalinas (coupons that print off as you make purchases at the register), Store coupons (some stores send you these coupons in the mail, or you can find them at the registers, or on the news stands).

There are also magazines that give coupons such as All You, and free magazines that give coupons such as Viva, Yes, Colorado Parent Magazine.  You can find these magazines on the news stands outside of bus stops, resteraunts, grocery stores, etc.

There are also coupon clipping services

Overall, if you can’t afford a Sunday paper, I would ask your friends/family members/church members/neighbors/facebook friends to donate their coupons to you.

Illegal Ways to Obtain Coupons

Sometimes people steal coupons on purpose, and sometimes it’s because we are new at the concept of coupons and don’t know what constitutes stealing.  So, please be sure to read this section on what is considered illegal and try to avoid those practices.

Stealing coupons from a newspaper that wasn’t bought is illegal.  Sometimes shoppers will take the coupons out of the newspaper and not buy the paper itself.  Stealing coupons from someone else’s paper is illegal.  PHOTOCOPYING coupons is illegal.  This practice actually is stealing from your local stores.  What happens is a manufacturer gives out a certain number of coupons and will only redeem that number, so if a store sends in illegal coupons, they will not be reimbursed for those coupons.  Do not copy coupons. Most coupon websites will only let you print up to 2 coupons per item per computer (ip address).  So, if you have three computers at home, you could print 6 coupons per item. 

Tomorrow we’ll be discussing everything about coupons, so you can recognize a valid coupon and an invalid coupon.

If you have any other ideas for how to get coupons please leave a comment!  We’d love to hear about ways people have gotten coupons (legally)  .

Happy Coupon Hunting!