The Sunday Paper and Coupons

The Sunday paper brings tons of ads and circulars and coupons every week for $1.50. And there are about 17 places that we could buy the Sunday paper on our way home from church,. Not too shabby, right?

A while back a discovered that Dollar Tree dollar stores will sell the Sunday paper for $1. Even better!

Right now, though, the Delaware News Journal is running a deal where you can get the Sunday paper for $1 a week - delivered! This is huge, since delivery is usually more expensive, and it saves the trip to a store when we're tired and just want to get home after church. I've been getting it delivered for a few weeks now and am soooo happy! To find out more and to order go here. The promotion is running through the end of September, so you have a little bit more time to make up your mind...but it is so worth it!

The other thing that I have learned over the past few months about buying multiple copies of the same paper. I have only done this a few times, mostly because I have a relatively small family right now, especially since our third member is less than 8 months old and I puree her food! Depending on the coupons in the paper, buying multiple copies can make you money! One big thing about couponing is that most grocery stores (Acme, Super G, Food Lion in our area) will double manufacturer's coupons that are under $1. So a coupon that says '75 cents off' really gets you $1.50 off! Walmart and Target do not double coupons though.

Since this is just an overview, I wanted to clarify a few things. There are different coupon inserts that come in the paper: Red Plum and Smart Source come at least one of each most weeks. Once a month Proctor & Gamble puts out the P&G brand saver coupon insert. This is usually the only way that you can get coupons on P&G products from the paper. Sometimes there are additional special inserts. A few weeks ago Kellogg's put out an insert with a ton of coupons for their products. Smart Source and Red Plum also have website where you can print additional coupons (duplicating those found in the paper!). Here are links for SmartSource and Red Plum. Coupons.com also has free, printable coupons.

You can also find out about the coupons that are scheduled to be in the paper a few days before they come out by checking the Sunday Coupon Preview website! How cool is that?? One thing to remember is that this is not set in stone; some coupons are regional. Its a bummer, especially when I get really excited about some rare coupons and they end up not being in our paper!

I try to take a few minutes to look through the whole pile of circulars because there are sometimes coupons hidden in the ads. Restaurants do this a lot, especially places like Ruby Tuesday (which is in Middletown). This week there was a whole coupon booklet from McDonald's that includes a coupon for a free small coffee with no other purchase necessary!

Glancing back over this post I realize that I can be quite long-winded. I really enjoy the chance to share what I've learned. I enjoy the "game" of couponing and deals, especially knowing that my ability to look for deals saves us money. The biggest thing that I've learned in all of this is really a life lesson. If I'm not careful, I can make saving money and finding the next great deal an idol in my life. When I approach saving money as something that will give me a sense of fulfillment, I am doomed to be disappointed, especially when something goes awry in my cleverly crafted plans because the grocery is sold out of the great sale or I leave my coupons on the roof of the car and don't realize it until I'm at the store (sad, but true story).

So I hope that what I've said is helpful, especially about the great deal on the paper and some of the places you can get additional coupons online. There are some way-serious couponers out there, but don't be intimidated! Don't try to do everything at once, but pick one thing to start with, and go from there.