Welcome to the ABCs of Savings! Each day we’ll be discussing another money saving topic, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. Be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you don’t miss any steps along the way. You can read the full alphabet of posts here (updated as they are posted).
P: Printable Coupons
We’ve already talked a bit about coupons from the Sunday newspaper. Let’s delve into my favorite kind of coupons…. printable coupons!
There are several great places to find printable coupons. My favorites?
These coupons are usually restocked with new printable coupons at the beginning of each month. Then, throughout the month, new coupons are added sporadically. I like to post any new coupons that might be worth printing in my printable coupons area.
Printing Tips
Printable coupons can save you a ton of money. Let’s make sure that you’re not wasting money when you’re printing. Use this checklist to make sure that you’re ready for printing.
- Is your printer set on Draft mode? This will use less ink.
- Is your printer set to print in black & white only?
- Is your printer set to the default printer for your computer? If not, you may not get your coupon!
- If you’re printing from Coupons.com, SmartSource, or RedPlum, are you printing at least 3 coupons? They print 3 per page, so make the most of your paper and print several at once.
I’ve also received some email questions from readers who have been a bit frustrated by printable coupons, so let me share a few tips and tricks that might help you.
Change Your Browser
Everyone has a favorite web browser software. The problem is that each browser handles printable coupons a bit differently. If you’ve ever tried to print a coupon and been instructed over and over (and over and over!) to install the coupon printer software (though you KNOW you installed it), be sure to read my Having Trouble Printing Coupons post. It explains the problem and the solution.
Print Limits
You can usually print two copies of a printable coupon from each computer that you use. There’s a rare exception to this, but two prints is standard. Most printable coupons are released by the manufacturer with limits on how many can be printed overall. That means that once the coupon has been printed X number of times, it will no longer be available. What does this mean to you? It means that you should print any coupons that you think you may use. If you wait until you find the perfect sale to go with the coupon, it may be gone by the time you try to print it. It may have reached its print limit. My advice is to print anything you think you may use. It doesn’t cost much to print a coupon, and you won’t kick yourself for missing it.
Facebook Coupons
If you’re an avid Facebook user, this won’t be news to you. If you’re not a Facebook user, you may want to consider signing up, even if it’s just to print coupons. Many manufacturers are starting to reward customers who “Like” them on Facebook. Many offer high-value printable coupons or coupons by mail.
Finding What You Want to Print
If you want a printable coupon for a particular product but can’t seem to find one, you can use the Saving & Giving Coupon Database. You simply enter the name of the product you want the coupon for, and click Search. You’ll be rewarded with a list of all of the available coupons for that product, both newspaper insert coupons AND printable coupons.
If you’re new to couponing, hopefully this helps you get started with printable coupons. If you’re a pro, hopefully you’ve picked up a trick or two that will help you save even more. Feel free to share your own tips in the comments so we can learn from each other.