How to get your coupon stash going.

So, you ask...where do you get all of your coupons? Here are just a few ideas on how to get yourself a stash of nice coupons.

-The most obvious one is to subscribe to the newspaper. I have the Sunday StarTribune delivered to me, for $1 a week. I have recently realized that the Pioneer Press is $1.00 on Sundays, so I have started buying the early edition of the Pioneer Press on Saturday. This way I get two sets of coupons, and if there happens to be any super wonderful coupons I have time to buy a third paper. (I haven't done this yet, but I am sure I will some time soon. :) )

-Beg friends, neighbors, co-workers for their inserts. I was at K-Mart on double coupon day and ran into another crazy couponer. We chatted about the whole coupon clipper subculture on the internet, and I asked her where she gets all of her coupons. She knew someone who lived in a seniors apartment complex where every resident receives a Sunday paper. Her friend gathers the extra inserts for her instead of tossing them. She had so many copies of coupons she gave me 5 coupons- which gave me 5 free bottles of shampoo! She also told me that was the FOURTH Kmart she had gone to. Her total after coupons(she was ahead of me in line) $4.50! Sorry, went off on a tangent there...


-Always be on the lookout for coupons...those little blinking dispensers at Cub, the peel off labels on products at Target, the tear pads on the beverage coolers at gas stations. Take them now, and use them when there is a good sale to match them up to. This is a good way to get free/ cheap stuff. For example, those gas station coupons used on a beverage on sale at Walmart is a way better deal than taking it off gas station prices.



-Email companies that you like and ask for coupons.

-Start a coupon trade box. This would be great if you belong to a church, have a community center, or coworkers that like coupons. Everyone puts the coupons that they don't need in a box and you pull out the ones you do want. Here is a great article on starting a trade box.

-Make friends with your local gas station or grocery store. They usually end up throwing away the extra inserts after Sunday, so ask if they will set aside extras for you.

-EBay coupon auctions. I haven't done this, but it is out there.




-Join www.afullcup.com This is an excellent resource for the beginning couponer. There is a thread (here) where they pair up coupon newbies with veterans and the vets send the newbies an envelope of coupons! So join that site, and you can get your stash started!