I went to a rummage sale yesterday. Along with the usual items, the ladies were selling tons of 'new' useful products, mostly for hair, body, home, etc. I asked her where she got all that stuff, and she said she 'coupons' What is she talking about and how is that possible? I saved lot of money buying items cheap, but where can I get information on doing what she's doing?
By Judith Edwards from Milwaukee, WI
There must be a lot of coupons for freebies out there. . .I haven't found a lot yet, and it would make sense to sell them through a garage sale, especially if they have so much, it would get bad before they used it all up. They must be able to get a lot of full sized items for free, or low cost, because how often do we just buy samples at a garage sale? I don't.
I haven't checked up enough about it, but, one of my friend was telling me that his daughter and husband make money doing this with freebies. I suppose, if you can get them for free, gifts are gifts. (09/18/2009)
I know that my daughter got a freebie whole sized baby formula, and she also got another full sized one from someone she traded with coupons. It looked great, however, her son, my grandson, that formula didn't work well with him, and we had to get him off of that formula quick. So, so much for those freebies for that! :s (09/18/2009)
I don't live near any of the stores but if you shop at the drugstores like CVS, WALGREENS, or RITE AID you can get a lot of things ultra cheap or free. You wait for a sale on a certain product then combine manufacturers coupons from the newspaper, from online coupon printing sites or from the webpages of products with store coupons and also e-coupons and then if that store has monthly rebate books or other incentives you can get a great bargain. A lot of it will depend on what 'big box' drugstores or grocery stores you live near or shop at but the concept of waiting for a sale and combining with coupons and buying several of that item to hold you over until the next sale will save you a lot of money on groceries.
This page has info on 3 of the stores: http://www.dealseekingmom.com/drugstores/
I also recently started reading this site...she does a great job: http://www.krazycouponlady.blogspot.com/
A bit overwhelming but a ton of info also at these forums: http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/index.php
http://www.afullcup.com/
Make sure if you sign up for manufacturers newsletters for coupons or freebies to get a free email account separate from your reg email account like from yahoo.com or gmail etc.
I have heard of people using the cheap or free stuff to make emergency backup stockpiles for hard times or even donating their excess to food banks or shelters but have never heard of anyone selling their surplus. (09/18/2009)
By KL
Thank you all for your help and advice. I will look into those websites. Sure seems like a lot of work though. That lady did mention 'trading coupons' don't really understand that - who does she trade them with? I do understand the concept of triple savings as I am a Target retiree and get a lifetime 10% discount, then I wait for a sale on things I need, and use a coupon.
The people I have read about that do that don't live in the rural areas that I live in! They say that you can use coupons of ANY amount on double and triple coupon days, and combine that if a store does price matching ( you bring in a competitors ad for an item on sale for $1 and they will sell it to you for that), and they get a lot of items for free.
Some also say that stores will let you use one coupon multiple times. You have a coupon for 20 cents off something, and you can buy however many you want with that one coupon.
Where I live, coupons are limited to one per item and the doubling and tripling occurs once in a blue moon with a limit (like double a 15 cent coupon). I honestly don't know how these people get all those free items - but I can tell you that fresh produce and other healthy items rarely have coupons - which leave me to wonder why they're buying all that junk in the first place. (12/31/2009)
By Holly
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