Extreme Couponing Tip: Maximize Coupons for Free Products
Extreme Couponing Tip: Maximize Coupons for Free Products
So I know we are all disappointed with how we’re seeing an increase in the amount needed to spend in order to earn our Free Holiday Turkey, Ham or other Thanksgiving Day Favorite at various grocery stores this year. As many of you know, we now need to spend $400 at ShopRite from October 14 through November 22 to qualify for the free product. That’s a lot of money to spend in 5 weeks. Thankfully, the amount to qualify for our turkey is calculated BEFORE the face value of manufacturer’s coupons but AFTER ShopRite store coupons, ShopRite Price Plus Deductions and any doubled or tripled value of manufacturer’s coupons.
If you’re struggling to hit the $400 to qualify, here are some tips that will help you qualify for your free product while keeping your out of pocket as low as possible.
- Do you save coupons that you might receive for a FREE product? For example, sometimes we receive coupons in the mail from samples we post here at LRWC or other freebies, or from companies we contact asking for coupons. I’ve accumulated some FREE Product Coupons which I’ve been holding on to. For example right now I have coupons for a FREE Product for Nivea Lip Care, Tree Ripe Orange Juice, Land O Lakes Eggs, Ssips Drinks, Emmi Swiss Yogurt and Day-Lee Foods, mostly from contacting the companies requesting coupons. Now is the time to cash in on these coupons! This will help drive your total up to qualify for your Thanksgiving Favorite will keeping your OOP expenses very low.
- Go through our Shop For Free post each week and be intentional about “buying” items that are FREE with coupons that week at the store you’re shopping at to get your free product, even if this is a product you typically would pass on. Donate the item or give it to a friend/family member who can use the product if you won’t use it. Again, this is keeping your OOP low while helping you reach the qualifying amount.
- This tip doesn’t just apply when you’re trying to earn a Free Turkey. Often we want to use coupons such as $10 off $50 at CVS or $10 Baby Bucks off a $50 purchase at ShopRite, for example. If I receive a $10 off $50 coupon at CVS, I might toss it and think I’m never going to spend $50. Using coupons for Free products is a great way to bring up our total to the amount we need to spend in order to allow us to use these in-store savings coupons.
So next time you receive a coupon for a FREE product, try to be a bit patient and hold onto it for a little while until you can maximize your savings and make the most of the coupon!
What are your tips for qualifying for using coupons for Free Products?
Do you have an idea for an Extreme Couponing tip you’d like to see addressed? Leave your ideas in the comments!
Awesome tip! I’ve been purposely purchasing more items and rolling cats to donate (all free of course) so I can hopefully reach the free turkey limit. Thanks to you Cindy, it now takes me at least 8 to 10 weeks to spend that $400!
Cindy,
How do you get all of those free coupons that you noted here? Or even others that you have gotten? I’ve tried to do that with some companies, write to them. Nice comments, ect. But I’ve either never heard back from the companies or if I do, all it is, is thank you. That’s it! No coupons or anything. So I have honestly stopped doing that. Should I specifically ask for coupons? Any suggestions would be great! Thank you!
Definitely contact companies and tell them how much you like their products and at the very end, ask for any coupons. Also, contact companies and tell them you would love to try their product and ask for coupons. Also call to ask questions about their product. For example, I just called Pepperidge Farms last month to inquire if their regular chocolate chip cookies are made in the same area where Nuts are used. They told me that there is a possibility that these cookies could have been in contact with “tree nuts”. Anyway, at the end of the conversation, the representative told me she would mail me out some coupons. I received a $3.00 coupon, 2 x $1.00 coupon and 2 x $.50 coupons. It took 5 minutes of my time.
Thank you Myrah. I guess I’ll try it again. I think I’ll start with the UP2U gum. I was going to comment on one of their new flavors, in a good way! We’ll see how that goes! Thanks again!
I have also been holding on to my FREE coupons in order to help qualify for my free turkey. I have a free coke 12 pk (from Coke rewards), 2 free Niveas, 2 free Nabisco crackers,free Duncan Hines, free Land of Lakes spread, and some free coffee creamers. I also make certain to use these coupons when the items are not on sale,in order to get the maximum $$ credit for them. I’m also looking buying items I need for Christmas such as a canned Krahaus Ham, soda, and cream cheese – although I’m hoping for sales on those items. I also try to buy any gifts I can at Shoprite – such as the Keurig that is on sale.
That is a great idea, to try to buy some gift items at ShopRight! Thanks!
I hold on to my free coupons, mostly the beauty coupons and wait for CVS to have an extabucks sale or BOGO sale.
Also if you scan your card for your WIC items (that is if you get WIC) they actually credit you that amount towards your turkey !
Oh I get wic. I’ve never thought about using them at shoprite towards the free turkey. Thanks!
i also do the same thing when we get the vsuper coupon for 10 off 50 or 15 off 75!
I guess this could work, but the best strategy is to simply ignore these “free turkey” promos. Inevitably, a competitor (like Acme, Giant or Safeway) is going to offer turkeys at an insanely low price, like 60 cents/lb. So it’s just not worth the trouble to try to “win” something that’s only worth about 8 bucks.
Hey Dave! After using LRWC for a while now, $8 is about 1/4 of my weekly food bill! Also, Cindy makes the process of getting a free turkey very easy and the Shoprite brand turkey is good!