Utilizing Apps to Pad Your Wallet and Up Your Savings

There are bajillions of free apps for your smartphones out there. 

But, did you know that there are a bunch of them that can save or even actually MAKE you money?? It's true! You can be paid via check, direct deposit or gift card on most of them.

Most of them are super easy to use - snap a photo of your receipt or just link your rewards cards. I've already made $187 in check/dd and $85 in gift cards - since the middle of May of this year. Just for doing my regular shopping.

**I opened a dedicated online savings account just for my couponing & rebate money so I could easily track it.

Below is a short list of some of my absolute favorites that I use all of the time. Don't miss out on the extra cash in your pocket. 

Free Couponing/Rebate Smartphone & Computer Apps

*click on each name below to be taken to the app page. Many of these will include a referral link and by using it you will usually get an extra bonus in points or even CASH! Plus, you'll be helping me keep this website afloat.

Snap

Ibotta 

Jingit

Shrink

BerryCart

SavingStar

Ebates

Receipt Hog - on your smartphone, go to the app store and sign up for a FREE Receipt Hog download. Use the referral code:  SWUNG436 and you'll get a bunch of free spins.

Shopmium - on your smartphone, go to the app store and sign up for a FREE Shopmium app. Use the referral code: KUAHHAHE and we will both get a $2.00 bonus. You will also get a FREE Lindt chocolate bar..yum

CheckPoints - on your smartphone, go to the app store and sign up for a FREE CheckPoints download. Use the referral code: brideofmikey to get a chunk of extra points just for signing up!

*There are affiliate links on this page.

Coupon Stacking - How To Utilize Multiple Coupons To Save More Money!

I get questions all of the time regarding the terminology and abbreviations that are commonly used in our couponing world.  One of the most frequent and in my opinion, one of the most important is STACKING.

Coupon stacking is simply the art of using more than one coupon when purchasing an item to maximize your savings. There are some rules to it, but that is basically it in a nutshell. 

The most important thing to remember is that you can only use 1 MANUFACTURER coupon, no matter what you're stacking with it. I am not familiar with any stores that will allow you to use more than 1 MANUFACTURER coupon - PER ITEM. If you are purchasing multiple identical items, you can generally use 1 MFR coupon for each one. Always read the fine print on your coupons as there may be limits per day/trip/shopper.

BUT, here is a lovely twist to add to the excitement:  Some stores will allow you to use more than 1 STORE coupon at a time!  Target is a great example of this with their in-ad, digital and Cartwheel app coupons. CVS will also allow you to combine some of their own coupons together. 



Here is a basic stacking scenario:

Safeway has Orowheat Bread on sale for $2.50. They have an in-ad STORE coupon for $1.00 off any brand of bread. The MANUFACTURER has offered a coupon in the Sunday insert for $1.00 off 1 loaf of Orowheat bread. You may combine these as follows:

Buy (1) loaf Orowheat Bread for $2.50
Use (1) $1/1 Safeway STORE coupon
Use (1) $1/1 Orowheat MANUFACTURER coupon
Final Price: pay just .50 after stacking both coupons



Now for a CVS multiple STORE coupons + (1) MANUFACTURER coupon stacking scenario:

CVS has Irish Spring soap on sale for $5.00/12 pack. The Big Red Machine (BRM) prints out a $1.00 off any Irish Spring product coupon. It also prints out a $2.00 off $10.00 any soap product coupon. You just happen to have two MANUFACTURER .50 off Irish Spring soap coupons that you printed online from HERE. Here is how you would stack them:

Buy (2) 12 packs of Irish Spring Soap at $5 each (total of $10.00)
Use (1) CVS $1.00 off coupon
Use (1) CVS $2/$10 coupon
Use (2) Irish MFR .50/1 off coupons
Final Price: pay just $6/2 or $3.00 for each 12 pack
- you had to buy 2 packs in order to meet the requirement of spending $10 for the CVS q which in turn allows you to use 2 mfr coupons as you have 2 individual items.

And that folks, is how we roll STACK!

In upcoming How To installments, I will talk about yet more ways to STACK onto these scenarios to save EVEN MORE MONEY with rebate apps, paperless coupons and actual Rolling deals. Oh yeah! $$$$$$

  

Couponing Lingo and Terms - What Does It All Mean?

"What is a MFRQ and why can I stack it with a store Q, but not a peelie or blinkie?"

~~~~~

Understanding abbreviations and definitions is one of the first hurdles new couponers must overcome.  Many of the couponing sites (including this one) and the coupons themselves have what can appear to be an alien language to us mere Earthlings.  Here is a little tool to help you learn this lingo and be able to converse with fellow couponistas..

While long, the list below is by no means all-inclusive. These are things that I've personally come across or have been made aware of.  If you have any that should be added, please be sure to let me know!

Couponing Lingo

• $1/1 - $1.00 off 1 item or $4/2 - $4.00 off 2 items, etc.
• AC – After coupon
• ALA – As low as
• AR – After rebate
• Bar Code – Product bar code (universal product code)
• Blinkie – Coupon from box attached to store shelf – could have a “blinking” light
• B1G1, BOGO – Buy 1, get 1 – could be free or 50% off etc.
• B1G1F – Buy 1, get 1 free
• Bricks – Internet printed coupons – can only be printed 2 times
• BTFE – Box Tops for Education
• B&M – Brick and mortar store vs online
• Catalina (CAT) – Coupons that print at register after you've made a purchase.
• Chrome – Google browser
• CPN – Coupon
• CRT – Cash Register Tape (see bottom of your receipt)
• CS – Customer Service
• DND – Do Not Double
• Double Coupon – A coupon that can be doubled
• ECB – Extra Care Bucks (at CVS)
• ETA – Edited to Add
• ETS – Excludes Trial Size
• EXP – Expires, expiration
• FAR – Free after Rebate
• FF - Firefox
• Filler – Items used to raise your receipt total
• FS – Free Shipping
• GC – Gift Card or Certificate
• GDA – Good Deal Alert
• GM – General Mills
• HBA – Health & Beauty Aids
• HTH – Hope that helps
• IE – Internet Explorer
• In Ad – Coupons or savings in the current store ad
• IP, IPQ – Internet printable coupon
• ISO – In search of
• IVC – Instant value coupon (Walgreens store coupon booklet)
• K, KB – Kelloggs coupon or insert
• MANI – Manufacturer's coupon
• MB2 – Must buy 2, MB4 – must buy 4, etc
• MFG, MFR, MFGR, MQ – Manufacturer's coupon
• MIR – Mail in rebate
• MM – Money Maker
• NAZ – Name, Address, Zip
• NED – No expiration date
• NLA – No longer available
• OOP – Out of pocket
• OOS – Out of stock
• Overage – Coupon has a higher value than cost of item
• OYNO – On your next order
• P&G, PG – Proctor & Gamble
• Peelie – Coupon usually attached to a product or packaging
• PP – Purchase price
• PSA – Prices starting at
• Q – Coupon
• RC – Rain Check
• Regional – Only available in a specific region
• Rolling – Using rewards from one purchase to pay for the next
• RP – Red Plum
• RR – Register Rewards (Walgreens)
• SCO – Self Check Out
• SCR – Single Check Rebate (Rite Aid)
• SMP – Specially marked package
• SS – Smart Source
• Stacking – Pairing a store coupon with a manufacturer's coupong
• Tear Pad – Coupons or rebate forms on a pad attached to a shelf or counter
• TMF – Try Me Free
• Triple Coupon – Coupon that can be tripled
• UFT – Up for trade
• UPC – Universal product code (product bar code)
• UPR – UP Rewards (Rite Aid)
• V – Valassis coupon insert in some Sunday papers (Red Plum)
• WAGS – Walgreens
• WSL – While supplies last
• Winetag, WT – Coupon hanging on bottle or other product
• WYB – When You Buy
• YMMV – You Mileage May Vary – all deals may not work for everyone!
• $/$$ - Such as $4/$20 = save $4 why you spend $20, $5/$50, $3/$12 etc
• .50/1 – Save 50 cents on 1 item, .25/3 – 25 cents off of 3 items, etc

This list is also in the resource tab above.