Using a coupon-clipping service is a killer strategy for stocking up when you see a particularly good deal.
(And by “stocking up,” I’m talking about a six-month supply. No hoarding!)
Download the KCL app and pay attention to stock-up prices. When you see a deal that’s lower than the stock-up price, order all the coupons you need from coupon-clipping services.
Realize that you’re paying for the clipper’s time in cutting out the coupons, not paying for the coupons themselves, which keeps it perfectly legal.
Here’s everything you need to know about coupon clipping services:
1. You can purchase individual coupons from coupon clipping services for $0.05-$0.40 per coupon.
If the coupon value is higher, you may pay upwards of $0.40/coupon (in this case it may make more sense to purchase the entire insert).
If you’re planning to stock up on a product because of a certain upcoming (krazy) deal on Quaker Oatmeal or Tide, opting for individual coupons is the way to go.
For example, if you have a coupon for $3 off Bic razors, and the razors sell at Walmart for $3.28, you’d only pay $0.28 per razor with coupons.
Since each coupon costs $0.08, add that to your total cost for a total of $0.36 per razor. Which is clearly still worth it, and you didn’t have to search for or clip your own coupons. (Remember to go brag about it.)
2. Don’t ever expect a refund from coupon clipping services.
Selling coupons is illegal (duh!), and like we said, when you purchase coupons, you’re actually paying for the clipper’s time to clip and send them to you.
Most services will not offer a refund on their time — fair warning!
3. If you’re stockpiling, look for coupons in “lots” for bulk pricing.
Coupon “lots” are groups or quantities of coupons.
I like CouponFleaMarket. Buy coupons in lots of 20 (of the same coupon), and you’ll notice the lot price drop as you increase your volume.
For example, 1-9 lots of $.75/1 Paper Mate Pens and Mechanical Pencils (2ct or Higher) go for $2.25/lot ($0.11/coupon) while 20+ lots of the same thing go for $1.89/lot ($0.09/coupon).
4. If you’re a newbie couponer, shop MyCouponHunter for $0.05/coupon in lots of five.
MyCouponHunter has been around since 2005 and has proven to be quick and affordable.
They’ll mail your order within 24 hours (while other companies can take 3-10 days for shipments), and MyCouponHunter’s price per coupon averages $0.05 (that’s $0.25 for a lot of five).
A “lot” with five of the same coupon may feel less overwhelming than a lot of 20 of the same coupon.
They also sell store credit with free bonus credit built in to the price. For example, pay $10 for $12 store credit (instant $2 savings), or pay $25 for $30 credit (instant $5 savings).
5. Never pay more than $1 for shipping + admin fees.
Klip2Save charges $1 for basic shipping, even if you order large quantities. I just ordered 278 different coupons and still only paid $1 for shipping. They also claim no admin fees and no minimums.
But I see this as a trade off.
You’ll see cheaper shipping fees from companies like The Coupon Clippers, which only charges $0.49 for standard shipping, but they also charge a $0.50 admin fee (combine the two for a total of $0.99 — which is comparable to Klip2Save’s $1 all-inclusive shipping fee).
See what I mean?
As a general rule of thumb, the only time you should pay more for shipping is if you need your coupons fast, which brings me to. . .
6. Pay more for expedited shipping if you find a killer deal.
Timing matters! Standard shipping (a.k.a. the cheap or free option) can take anywhere from 2-10 days.
So, if you order 5 coupons with plans to stockpile an insane deal on toothpaste, but your coupons don’t arrive until Wednesday that week, the deal may sell out by then.
Some stores offer rain checks on promotional pricing, but rain checks are usually only valid in limited quantities, like four per deal.
RELATED: 32 Companies That Send Coupons Via Email
7. Ordering more than $15 worth of coupons? Get free shipping with The Coupon Carry-Out.
The Coupon Carry-Out is an Ohio-based clipping service that ships free (with a $15 minimum purchase of whatever coupons you want) six days/week, and coupons start at just $0.05.
8. Ordering less than $15 worth of coupons? Order once a month to save on shipping and admin fees.
Plan your shopping so you only have to order coupons once or twice per month to save on extra fees like shipping and admin costs.
If you’re paying around $1 in fees, try cutting your orders down from four shipments per month to just two shipments to automatically save $2/month.
(Of course, that’s not always possible if a tempting stockpile deal comes out!)
9. Notice an error in your shipment? Email the company with “EMERGENCY” in your subject line.
Coupon clippers are human too, and sometimes your order may include less coupons than you paid for.
I recommend contacting the company immediately (or as soon as you notice the discrepancy) with the word “EMERGENCY” in your email subject line.
Most clipping companies will respond quickly and rectify the situation so you don’t miss out on the deal.
10. Have a purchase plan for every coupon you buy.
Paying for a coupon and letting it go to waste is pretty darn sad.
I highly recommend that you have a purchase plan in mind before paying for any coupons. This includes reading the fine print, and looking at the expiration dates.
11. You can buy coupons on eBay, but double check prices and expiration dates.
Individuals often sell coupons on eBay, and while better deals can be found if you dig enough, coupons will often go for around $0.40-$0.50 each.
Definitely double check the expiration date on the actual photo of the coupon you’d like to buy. There are quite a bit of expired coupons for sale!
