Couponing without the Newspaper

Saving money with coupons does not require buying ten newspapers (or searching the neighbor's recycling bin). There are a number of ways to save money with coupons without ever touching a newspaper.

Check the extra coupons printed out on your receipts - they tend to be coupons related to what you just bought. Check the back of the receipt and bottom of the receipt as well as the extra coupons handed to you at check out. You can also consider using others' discarded receipts for coupons.

Do you have an email account you rarely use? Answer surveys for the grocery stores, gas stations and others who have printed this information on the receipts they give you. Do not send a text message with your opinion of their service, since this counts as an existing business relationship and gives them legal pretext to start sending SMS marketing messages.
Review food and drink containers that you have in your house for loyalty points. Do you drink Coke products? Consider signing up for Coke Rewards and entering the codes off the Coke, Sprite, Minute Maid and Seagrams boxes and drinks - - then redeem them for coupons for free Coke brands products. Dr. Pepper has a similar loyalty program. Pepsi discontinued its loyalty points program. However, other food product brands have similar points programs such as Huggies Diapers, Stouffers meals, Budweiser beer and Disney movies. The Box Tops for Education program rewards go to schools, not individuals, but could help you stretch your charity budget.

Do you have a loyalty card with a grocery store? While these cards require you to give up some privacy, the cost saving may be worth the effort. Do you already have a loyalty card with the grocery store? Talk to their customer service department to ask what coupons your discounts you are eligible to receive. For example, Kroger grocery shoppers can use their cards to get 10 cents a gallon discount on the next gas fill up after they've spent several hundred dollars on groceries. You can also get Coke rewards such as free 20 ounce sodas loaded as a coupon to the Kroger or Target card.

Do you save your receipts? If not, you should do so for at least two weeks. You can't return the item without the receipt in most cases.

Periodic mailers like Valu-Pak contain coupons for local businesses. These coupons tend to center on service based businesses like hair salons, pest control and restaurants. Flip through them for coupons you'll almost certainly use like half off of a hair cut or significant discounts for a type of restaurant you enjoy.

Look at the packaging your food and drinks came in. You can often find coupons on the back of cereal boxes, yogurt containers, pre-prepared meals and other packaging. This has the secondary benefit of providing instant coupons for products you already eat, compared to coupons for something you may or may not use.

Research coupon codes online and printable coupons off the internet.
Check your junk mail. You may find coupons for hair salons, local restaurants and entertainment venues.

Ask your friends if they have coupon books and coupons they are not using. While most coupon books focus on restaurants, spas and entertainment venues, there are occasional coupons for farmer's markets and local grocers.

Don't throw away coupons given to consumers when they make purchases. You may be able to use those coupons given when you pay for a haircut or clothing purchase.

Sign your kids up for the local library's summer reading club. Not only will they have incentives to read instead of playing video games all summer, but the first level prize tends to be a bag full of coupons to local family-friendly venues and free, single serve ice creams and burgers.
Review the terms of any loyalty cards you carry, and check your points level with each program. You may be able to redeem those points for free merchandise online or coupons for a set percentage off your next purchase.

Do you follow your favorite brand on social media? They sometimes give coupon codes and discounts to followers to keep them engaged with the brand and generate social media mentions.