We’re halfway through January and saving money this year is on everyone’s mind. One of the biggest bills that families have in their household is groceries, and with the cost of living going up those prices are going to continue to rise.
My name is Kelsey and I run Kelsey’s Couponing Tips and Tricks Facebook page. What if I told you that you can cut down the money that you spend on groceries by following a few simple steps, devoting some time and patience, and a little bit of simple math?
Yes, I’m talking about couponing and despite what many people think it IS possible in Canada. Not like the television shows, but still possible, and very much worth it. So, let’s get started.
Download All The Apps
To get started you will need to download a few wonderful apps to help you get going. These are the ones that I love and use.
Flipp
This app is used to follow all current filters and deals. I also use this app to do all my price matching in-store. All you have to do is click on the item want to “clip” and show the cashier at checkout to successfully price match.
PC Optimum
If you don’t already have a PC card…GET ONE! This app allows you to see all your offers for what you can collect PC points on. For example: Get 200 points (.20 cents) per $1 spent on bread. You can use your PC Points to get free groceries at Superstore, Shoppers, and No Frills.
Checkout 51
This app allows you to get cashback by submitting your receipts. It will show you how much cashback you will get for that item, then once you reach $20 you can request a check! Easy as that. Don’t have it yet? You can sign up here! Once you sign up you can also invite friends to download the app too and you will earn $10 once they submit their first receipt.
Flashfood
This app allows you to purchase food that is close or near expiry for 50% or more less than the retail value. This app is a fantastic way to get meats/bread & cheese which are easy to freeze and use at a later date! So why not?! By using this referral link you will get $5 off your first order and if you share your referral link with friends and family you also get $7 after their first order.
Bring On The Coupons
There are many places that you can get your coupons, you just have to know where to look!
Tear pad coupons can often be found throughout your favourite grocery store like Safeway, Shoppers, Save On Foods, Walmart and many others. Superstore and No Frills also have the large coupon boards that the front of their stores.
Emailing companies and asking if they can provide you with coupons for their products is also another way that I get my coupons. It never hurts to ask, and the worst that they can say is, no! Businesses that I have had success with include Bolthouse, Aveeno, Baby Gourmet, Johnsonville, Similac, Enfamil, Chapmans, Sunlight, Method, Purina and Blue Diamond.
Join Some Facebook Groups!
There are many awesome Facebook groups that you can join to learn about couponing, trade coupons with other members, and also get starter envies.
What are starter envies, you ask?
Starter envies are an envelope full of either hand-picked or mixed coupons. These are typically traded for mailing stamps. 1 stamp = $10-15 in coupons.
Not sure what Facebook groups to join? These are a few of my favourites!
Alberta Couponers And Product Trades…
The Stir – Trading Canadian Coupons
Coupon Club House Canada
I Love To Save – Canadian Deals & Coupon Exchange Group
There are many other couponing Facebook groups that you can search for online and once you join them it becomes much easier to understand the whole couponing process.
Now Its Time To Plan Your First Shop
Once you get all your apps, groups and coupons figured out you can start matching up deals.
Different stores have different policies so make sure to check them beforehand. Some only allow up to 4 coupons on one specific product, where others may have no limits.
Out of all the stores, London Drugs is the only store that allows the stacking of coupons (Stacking means that you can use multiple coupons per 1 product). This may help you get products for free but it’s important to remember that coupons must have different UPC codes and cannot state on the coupon that it cannot be stacked.
Walmart will typically allow overages. This means if your coupon value is more than the product the remainder well come off the rest of your owning balance. Walmart also doesn’t tend to have limits on how many coupons you use in a single transaction.
Superstore also tends to allow you to use as many coupons as you would like in a single transaction. A great time to use coupons at Superstore would be when they have a spend a certain amount and then get said item for free. You can ring up all your items to get to the spend amount to receive the free item then use coupons to lower the cost of your purchases. For example, $250 spent gets you a free item, then you apply -$40 in coupons bringing your total down to $210 and you still get the free item for reaching the $250 before coupons.
Shoppers Drug Mart is also another great place to use coupons and earn points. I try to match up points deals, like spend $40 get 10,000 points ($10) with the use of coupons as well. For example, let’s say they have Dove products on for $2.99 and you have $2 off coupons for each one. You would buy 14 products to bring your total to $41.86. You would get 10,000 points for spending $40 then minus your coupons $41.86-$28= $13.86. You would spend $13.86 out of pocket plus earn $10 in points. So overall 14 dove products would only cost you $3.86!!!
Couponing does take time, but it is so worth it! For more tips and tricks on how you can save money on your groceries, you can follow me on my Facebook page Kelsey’s Couponing Tips and Tricks. There is always money to be saved, and I can’t stress enough how much couponing has saved my family and how much of a normal routine it has become. Happy shopping everyone!