2012 Sunday Coupon Insert Schedule

2012 Sunday Coupon Insert Schedule

Here's what to expect:

January
1 — (2) Redplum, (2) Smart Source & P&G Inserts
8 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
15 — Smart Source Insert
22 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
29 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts

February
5 — Redplum, Smart Source & P&G Inserts
12 — Redplum & (2) Smart Source Inserts
19 — Redplum Insert
26 — (2) Smart Source Inserts

March
4 — Redplum, Smart Source & P&G Inserts
11 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
18 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
25 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts

April
1 — (2) Redplum, (2) Smart Source & P&G Inserts
8 — No Inserts
15 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
22 — Smart Source Insert
29 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts

May
6 — Redplum, Smart Source & P&G Inserts
13 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
20 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
27 — No Inserts

June
3 — Redplum, Smart Source & P&G Inserts
10 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
17 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
24 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts

July
1 — No Inserts Due to Holiday
8 — Redplum, Smart Source & P&G Inserts
15 — Smart Source Insert
22 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
29 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts

August
5 — (2) Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
12 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
19 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
26 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts

September
2 — No Inserts
9 — Redplum & (2) Smart Source Inserts
16 — Redplum & Smart Source Insert
23 — Smart Source Insert
30 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts

October
7 — Redplum, (2) Smart Source & P&G Inserts
14 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
21 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
28 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts

November
4 — Redplum, Smart Source & P&G Inserts
11 — (2) Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
18 — Smart Source Insert
25 — No Inserts

December
2 — Redplum, Smart Source & P&G Inserts
9 — Redplum & Smart Source Inserts
16 — Smart Source Insert
23 — No Inserts
30 — No Inserts

Thanks Freesnatcher!

Where to Find Coupons

One of the first questions people ask when they're interested in couponing is "Where do I find them?" Here are some common places to look:

The Sunday paper: This is the main source of coupons. The Sunday paper generally comes with 1-4 coupon inserts per week, specifically the Smart Source, Red Plum, and P&G inserts. While getting one copy of these coupons will save you some money, the real key to big savings is getting multiple copies. So many deals are dependent on having multiple copies of the same coupon. Some people recommend you get as many copies as you have family members, but I think a good number is 3 or 4 papers.
In our area we have access to several papers: The Spectrum, The Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune, as well as some Las Vegas Newspapers. Although many people agree that The Spectrum is not the best option for those who want great content, it is the best option for couponers because you'll get the Red Plum inserts (most Utah papers no longer get them), all the local store circulars, and Albertsons Twice the Value coupons when they are published. None of the other available papers give you those things.

If you really don't want to get the Sunday paper you could turn to coupon clipping services where you can buy multiple copies of individual coupons or entire inserts. Many people sell coupons on eBay as well. Here are a few coupon clipping services:

Coupon Carryout

The Coupon Clippers

Coupons by Dede


Other places to get coupons:

At the store in small coupons dispensers located in aisles (blinkies), attached to products (peelies or hang tags), inside product boxes (that you can use after you buy a product, on your next purchase).

Catalinas: These print from a machine next to the register at Albertsons, Smiths, Target, and Walgreens.

In magazines (All You magazine is basically a magazine for couponers and those who want to live frugally).

In the mail with free samples.

Where to Find Printable Coupons Online

Here are some of the best places to find printable coupons online:

KCL coupon database: Regularly updates, this page gives a list of all the available printable coupons online. I like to use ctrl+F to do a quick search rather than scrolling down the looooooooong page of available coupons.

Coupons.com: The most popular coupon site online, you can generally print each coupon twice. Wanna earn swagbucks for printing and using your coupons? To to the main Swagbucks page and click on "Coupons" under "Quick Links" or here. Here you'll find the same coupons as on coupons.com, but you'll be earning rewards for using them.

Smartsource.com: Another good site. Gives you printable access to some of the same coupons in the Sunday Smart Source inserts.

Redplum.com: Like Smart Source in that a lot of these coupons are those also offered in the Sunday Red Plum inserts.

How to Get Cheap Printer Ink and Paper

There are many places where you can get great coupons online, and often these coupons are higher value than those that come in the paper. I suspect that the reason printable coupons often have higher values is that the consumer is using their own ink and paper to print them. With that in mind, here are a few tips to minimize your ink and paper usage:

Get printer paper for cheap: Staples regularly has paper for $1 after rebate. Around back-to-school time I've seen it sold for $0.50 after rebate or even free after rebate (in fact, in the last month I have scored 4 reams of paper for free at Staples, and that's not counting the 2 I missed by not going in one week). Staples rebates are very reliable and can be submitted online in under 5 minutes. You can receive your rebate via Paypal or check.

Get printer ink for cheap: I am a firm believer that you should buy a printer based on the price of ink, and not the price of the printer. Inexpensive printers tend to have the priciest ink. When buying a new printer, shop around for ink first. I find that 4-cartridge (black, yellow, magenta, blue) printers have cheaper ink than those that take 2 cartridges (black, color). If you can get off-brand ink cartridges you can really save. I buy my off-brand ink cartridges on Ebay, where I can get a set of 4 cartridges (black, yellow, magenta, blue) for under $20. These last me about a year, at which point I return my empty cartridges to Staples where they give me $2 back for each one in Staples rewards.

The last trick I have for stretching your printer ink is to set your printers settings to use less ink for each print. Your printer preferences generally allow 3-4 ink settings, usually draft, normal, and high- or photo-quality. My printer has a setting called "fast normal" which uses less ink but still prints my coupons high enough quality to be scanned at the register. Play around with your settings and set your default to use less ink.

Utah Deal Diva has some more great tips on saving money on ink and paper here.

Electronic Coupons

Loading electronic coupons onto your loyalty cards is an easy way to coupon without having to worry about clipping inserts and remembering to bring them with you. Currently the only local retailer to accept e-coupons is Smiths. There are several websites that will load coupons onto your Smiths Rewards Card:

Smiths Food & Drug homepage: The Smiths site allows you to load up to 150 coupons onto your Smiths Rewards card. You have to create an online account first. They will be ready to use 1 hour after loading. Also, if you give them your mailing information, Smiths may send you coupons from time to time in the mail. I receive special coupons from Smiths about once a months or so that correspond with upcoming sales and promotions.

Cellfire: After creating an account you can load coupons onto your Smiths card or onto your cell phone to use at other local retailers.

Shortcuts: Another site where you can loan coupons onto your Smiths card. This site also offers printable coupons and cash back for online shopping.

Upromise: Upromise is the only site that currently allows you to save from multiple retailer's loyalty cards. In our area, you can save from your Smiths, Albertsons, or Rite Aid cards. Unlike other digital coupons, however, Upromise does not give you "cents off" upfront, rather, they take the savings and add it to your Upromise account, which is a college savings account. If you don't have a child that needs saving for college you can appoint a grandchild as your beneficiary or even use Upromise to pay off student loans. See Upromise.com for more information.

All You Magazine

All You is a monthly magazine that is chock-full of coupons (over $50 of coupons in every issue). It features many articles with money-saving ideas as well. It is available only at Walmart stores (for about $2.25 an issue) or by subscription. You can sign up for a subscription at the All You website or though magazines.com. Magazines.com is an online superstore for almost every magazine, and offers lots of deals and discounts too. The other great thing about it is that you can get 26% cashback when you shop magazines.com through Ebates.

All You is very popular among couponers and All You-exclusive coupons are often cited in coupon match-ups in the various couponing blogs.

Grocery Smarts

Grocery Smarts is a great tool that a lot of shoppers use. It allows you to create a printable custom shopping list for each store, lets you know which deals are hot (and how hot), and directs you towards the coupons you'll need for the sales. To get started simply click the logo below:

 Once you get there, use the drop-down menu to select your desired store (in our area - Walmart, Smiths, Albertsons, Harmons, Kmart, Lins, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens). You then press the "Start" button at the top, click on the items you want to add to your shopping list, and click "Shrink" when you are done. Then you can click the print button to print your shopping list to bring to the store. Use the right-hand column to see what coupon match-ups you'll need (this column will also point you to where you can print applicable coupons). Then go back to the home page and do the same for the next store you want to shop. 

I have to confess, I don't use Grocery Smarts. I've played around with it and I can see why some people love it, but for some reason it just doesn't appeal to me (it might be my knee-jerk reaction against printing out my grocery list - I've always been very frugal with how much I print). Also, I question some of their star ratings. Some sales that they list as 5-stars aren't 5-star worthy, in my opinion. I do think it's a great tool, however, especially for beginners.

Coupon Methods: The Binder

 

I love my coupon binder. It has saved me thousands and thousands of dollars. Yes, it's bulky, heavy, and difficult to carry when my arms are full with a infant car seat, a toddler, and my reuseable bags, but it is so worth it.

This method involves cutting and organizing all of you coupons on a weekly basis, and then bringing your binder with you whenever you shop. I think this method is superior to the filing method because of my other favorite shopping experience: the clearance shelf. If you've always got your coupons with you, you'll be ready when you find a great clearance deal. I've combined coupons and clearance to get many, many items for free over the years, everything from blue jeans to light bulbs to feminine hygiene.

Utah Deal Diva recently switched to this couponing method and has a great post that breaks down the specifics. I recommend clicking on the link to visit her site to read this post, as she's got great photos detailing what she's talking about.

My Coupon Binder

As many of you know, I recently switched my coupon organization method from using 3 accordion files to the infamous coupon binder. It's been a month now and I feel like I can give an honest review as to how it's been.

First, a little background as to what I switched to. I'm using a 1.5" zippered binder and it's FULL. I should probably be using a 3", but it's just too huge for me to carry around. I might splurge and get a 2-2.5" online within the next year, we'll see. But for now, this works. I purchased 2 sets of 35 baseball card holders from Walmart for $5.97 each. I also purchased 2 packages of ten 4x6 photo sheets for $2.36 each. I get my coupons from so many different places, I don't want to limit myself to a certain size. I also bought 2 packages of plastic dividers for $3.97 each. (That was after I bought 2 packs that totally didn't work!) Both packs have 8 dividers and I'm using them all. Overall I spent just over $27 on my transition costs.

I have 1 photo sheet page at the very front of my binder for coupons that I am planning on using during that shopping trip. I've also put coupons there that I print off, but don't get a chance to file yet. Behind that I have all my free product coupons. I look at them often, so as to make sure I don't let any expire! 

Behind that all my different categories begin. I have 16 different categories as follows: Dairy, Cereal, Crackers/ Dry Goods (granola bars, pasta, bread, etc), Pre-made Foods/ Side Dishes (canned soup, Boxed potatoes, etc), Dessert, Baking Items (spices, boxed muffin mixes, etc), Condiments & Sauces, Meat (refrigerated), Frozen Items (anything that's frozen except desserts), Beverages, Baby Items, Personal Care (shampoo, razors, etc.), Medicine, Cleaning, Paper Goods, and Misc.

Within most of my categories, I have individual pages for certain items. For instance, in the dessert category, I have a page for frozen desserts, a page for gum, etc. Within Personal Care, I have a page for body wash & bar soap, shampoo & conditioner, razors, etc. I found that making a zillion categories just filled the binder with a ton of dividers, some of which only had 1 page behind them. Space was too important for me.

So here's what I think of the method...separated into Pros and Cons...

Advantages of the Binder Method:

• It's a lot easier to find coupons for unadvertised deals. It's just a lot easier to find coupons, period.
• Once you have it all organized, it's very easy to put your coupons in each week. Although I do spend more time trimming them all neatly so they fit in the slots, the whole process only takes me about 30-45 minutes each week, which isn't bad considering all the coupons I have!
• It's so very easy to see when coupons have expired and to pull them out. That is a huge plus!
• It's a gazillion times easier to shop with my kids now. Outings are less stressful. I am a happier mom while shopping with my kids, which just makes life better. My coupons sit safe and secure either in the cart or on the top of the car cart and I flip through them as needed. As I decide to use coupons, I transfer them to the front 4x6 page so I can easily hand them all to the checker.
• I can more easily carry all the different items I need while shopping. My calculator, scissors and pens all are in the pouch in front. I don't have to clip every coupon in every coupon booklet if I don't want to- I just file it in the accordion file on the front and I have it in case I need it. I can also easily carry around individual store coupon policies. It's nice to have all those items so accessible! 

Disadvantages of the Binder Method:

• It took me several hours (about 10!) to transfer my coupons over. It was a horribly tedious, boring job that I never want to do again.
• Not all coupons fit in those little slots. I have to fold many, including all printable coupons. That makes it hard to see all the details of the coupon- description and expiration date, at a glance.
• Most coupons do fit, but you have to trim them really well. I spend a little more time carefully cutting each coupon I want in my binder.
• I shopped around to find a good price on the materials needed and I still paid $27! In addition, the baseball card sheets are flimsy and I can see myself having to replace sheets continually.
• Visually, the sheets are busy. I've seen some that are all neat and clean and all coupons are the same size- mine isn't like that. I just have so many coupons of so many shapes and sizes, the one-size-fits-all look just isn't happening. It took me a couple weeks to get used to that. A friend of mine put a solid colored sheet behind each category and while that helps a ton, I just don't have the space for them. 

My recommendations:

• Make your own categories. Know that every person's categories are going to be different! This is just what works for me. With any category system there will be some overlap. (Coupons that can logically go in more than 1 category.) I developed these categories after taking into consideration the items that I use coupons on. Everyone should do the same!
• Get good dividers. The first ones I got were clear and super cute but didn't stick out enough on the side for me to see them. Seeing them is important! The ones I use are plastic and have pockets on each side- also very handy!
• Even though it's less aesthetically pleasing, I like having 2 sizes of pages available. I use the 4x6 pages for tearpad coupons, coupons from packaging, insert coupons that are just gigantic, as well as many printables.
• Zippered binders are a necessity. I've seen my coupons shift around as I've turned my binder. If they weren't all enclosed, I'd be very worried about making sure I was carrying it upright all the time.
• Get a binder with a removable shoulder strap as well as a handle. It's nice to be able to be hands-free when I am carrying my baby! 

Overall, I'm pleased with my choice to switch. Even though I have just as many disadvantages listed as I do advantages, the positive points are more important to me. Each method I've used has had its disadvantages. I think we all just have to consider what stage in life we're at and analyze what is most important to us. This will be a great method for me right now. Although it was a hassle to switch over, I'm glad I finally took the plunge!


If you're interested in starting your own coupon binder, I recommend buying a sturdy zippered binder as thick as you can find. Amazon.com has several options with competitive prices (when compared to the prices of local stores like Office Max). Go here to see zippered binders.
After price checking locally for baseball card holders I've determined that it's much cheaper to find these online too. Amazon.com has them as cheap as $0.16 a piece (when buying a pack of 100), whereas local retailers like Roberts sell them for $0.40 each. Go here to see baseball card inserts on Amazon.com.

Coupon Methods: Filing Your Coupons

Since I don't use this couponing method, I'm pointing your in the direction of someone who explains it better than I could, Utah Deal Diva:

Clipless Couponing (Or Don't-Clip-'Til-You-Need-It Couponing)

You're new to this whole coupon idea and so far, you're completely overwhelmed. You get the Sunday  inserts, but staring at all the various coupons, wondering which ones to clip and then attempting to figure out what to do with them makes a triathlon seem easy.

Maybe you just had a baby and can barely read this sentence without dozing off. You have little time to take a shower, much less the two hours it would take to clip your stack of coupon inserts. The cost of diapers and formula are adding up, but you can't muster the energy to get back into couponing.

Do either of these scenarios sound familiar? I bet many of you are nodding your heads! And if they don't, just wait, at some point you too, as a result of life circumstances or boredom, will hit a wall with couponing.

For that reason, I'd like to share with you a couponing method that only requires 30-45 minutes a week. Max. It's simple and easy, yet still results in high savings at the grocery store. 

 
 There are three steps to this method:

1. Each week, date the Sunday inserts and file them away. I used to use a cardboard box, but have since graduated to a plastic file box. You can date them by specific insert {Smart Source, Proctor & Gamble or Red Plum} but I prefer to file them by date they come in the Sunday's paper. If you forget to date them, don't worry, the date is in small print on the spine of the insert!
2. Access the Grocery Smarts lists to build a shopping list. They cover just about every store in Utah. Each week the lists are updated with the current sales. Stick to the 4 or 5 star deals so you can save the most money! After you've selected a store, press the "Start" button in the upper, right hand corner to begin creating your list. Scroll down and click on anything you realistically need or might buy. When you're done, press "Shrink" then press "Print" to print the page out.
3. Now grab your coupon box and sit at the kitchen table with your list. The coupon location is on the right hand side of your printed list. You know exactly what coupons you need, so pull the insert out of your files, find the coupon and clip it. I use a plastic page protector to hold my list and coupons. Write additional notes on the side. You're all set to go grocery shopping! Keep the insert in your files for 5 months, then recycle!

No wondering what coupons to clip, no carrying around a bulky binder, and no dealing with expired coupons. This is a simple, proven method that saves you time and money on your grocery bill!

Good Couponing Blogs

These are some of the best couponing & deal blogs I've come across:

GENERAL COUPONING/DEAL BLOGS:

The Krazy Coupon Lady: These ladies blog about grocery & drug store deals, online deals, free samples, etc. They post deals for the upcoming week on Saturday generally, covering Rite Aid, Walgreens, K-Mart and Target. They also often give ideas on how to use Albertsons doublers. KCL is probably my favourite deal blog. They have great beginning couponing info including how-to videos, an extensive coupon database, up-to-date catalina info, as well as answers to frequently asked couponing questions. Their site is a really great tool for both beginning and experienced couponers.

Common Sense with Money: Although she lives in the Midwest, this blogger is another one of the best, with very up-to-date deals. She posts about the grocery stores (Target & Walmart) as well as Walgreens and Rite Aid. She also blogs a lot about daily deal sites (like Groupon) and online deals. She has also recently written a free Couponing E-book and you can request a copy to be emailed to you on her site.

Utah Deal Diva: Although she doesn't put out the same volume of posts as the previous two blogs, this blog is good because she's based in Northern Utah. She will blog about Smith's deals as well as other Utah-related deals. She often blogs about free activities to do in Utah, which sometimes includes St. George. I don't check her blog as often, but try to catch up on it once or twice a week.

Dixie Coupon Chicks: This blog is written by a blogger in St. George, and is good because she posts deals weekly for most of the local stores, including Lin's (which is useful because the Lin's ad is not delivered to our area). She also posts about local events.

Hip2Save:Another good blog with deals that some of the other bloggers miss. I haven't spent much time reading this blog but I'm impressed with what I see so far.

WeUseCoupons.com: If you were able to see the very first, hour-long episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC you will know about Nathan, the "extreme couponer" who bought cases upon cases of Total cereal. This is his site. I haven't had the chance to explore it much, but it seems like a good resource. It seems to be of a forum-type site and not really a blog, so individual users can post their own deals. There's also "virtual couponing classes" in YouTube video form.

STORE-SPECIFIC BLOGS:

I Heart Rite Aid: I recently found out about this blog, which covers Rite Aid offers exclusively. This blog is useful because it features the Rite Aid circulars for the upcoming 2-3 weeks, meaning you can see what will be on sale weeks before the ad comes in the paper. Our local Rite Aid has fantastic management, and they are willing to take orders from regular customers in advance and set items aside for you, as long as you let them know before they submit their order. By looking at the upcoming ads you can see if there's anything that you might want and you can get an order in ahead of time. This can often equate to free stuff if you have the right coupons.

I Heart Wags: Just like I Heart Rite Aid, except for Walgreens (which is known as Wags among couponers). Seeing the circulars ahead of time can also help you print off any internet coupons before they reach their maximum print limits.

Totally Target:  Although this blog does cover other deal happenings, as it's name implies, it focuses largely on Target-centric deals.

OTHER GOOD SITES:

Sunday Coupon Preview: If you've ever debated whether or not to hold off on your Albertsons/Smiths/Lins shopping trip until Monday, this is a site that can help you decide. This site gives you a preview of what coupons will be in the coming Sunday inserts. Since Albertsons, Smiths, and Lins ads run Wednesday until Tuesday, checking this site could save you some money. If there's going to be a coupon in the Sunday paper that corresponds with the current sales circular, you might as well wait until Monday or Tuesday to shop.

Pinching Your Pennies: A huge site with forums, coupon codes, etc. This site has deal forums categorized by state with deal threads specific to Utah stores and deals, with links to the Grocery Smarts lists for each store.

Hot Coupon World: Another really good resource. This site is extensive. It's a forum-style site and has oodles of information. It has a good Couponing 101/102/103 section for beginners. Here's the link to that.

Sales & Couponing Tips

Here are some tips to help you get the most bang for your buck and steer clear of store tricks that end up costing you more:

1) When using s coupon, it's usually cheapest to buy the smallest size of whatever you're buying. If you're deciding between a 6 oz. toothpaste and a 4 oz. toothpaste and you have a coupon it's almost always better to buy the 4 oz. The larger size may have a lower cost per ounce regularly, but not after you factor in the value of the coupon. If you do the math it's almost always smartest to buy the smaller version. A large product may be much less expensive with coupons, but the smallest size may be free! This is part of the logic behind multiple coupons.

2) Stores like to confuse customers with wording like 10/$10 in their circulars. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BUY 10 TO GET THE SALE PRICE. 10/$10 is essentially $1 each. If a purchase of 10 is required to get the deal, it will say that it is required. Furthermore, these types of sales are not always the best deals. Sometimes they even increase the price for this type of sale. If a can of tomatoes is on sale 10 for $10, but the regular price is $0.89, then it's not really a sale, is it? Having a good knowledge of both the sale & regular price of items is important.

3) Hit the clearance racks! One of the best things about bringing all your coupons with you to the store (a.k.a. the binder) is finding hidden treasures on the clearance shelf. Just yesterday I was behind some savvy shoppers who were combining Albertsons "Twice the Value" coupons, manufacturer coupons, and what they found on the clearance shelf for some amazing deals (2 Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascaras for $0.50! I wish I'd found that deal!). I've found killer deals on the clearance racks at Smiths, Albertsons, Target, and even Walmart. It's all about being prepared for any shopping situation!

4) You've put the work in finding the deals, filling your cart and have all your coupons in hand. Now watch that cashier! Don't ever expect for things to go completely smoothly at the register. I have to correct cashiers almost weekly. Sometimes they're looking at the coupons they're scanning and they miss that the computer needs additional information. Meanwhile they've tried to scan 4 or 5 more coupons and those ones haven't been deducted from your total. Sometimes they accidentally drop one on the floor and look at you like you're crazy when you try to tell them so... (and sure enough, when you look at your receipt after you're missing a $2 coupon.....grr....). Anyhow, I always count the number of coupons I have to make sure I have the correct number of deductions. This is especially important in situations like Smiths self-checkouts, because often the cashier will be scanning your coupons several feet away from you and not at your register.

5) Don't let the cashier pull the "one coupon per purchase" line on you! One coupon per purchase does NOT mean one coupon per transaction. Each item is considered a purchase-- many coupons actually say "one coupon per item purchased, which is a much better way to phrase it. 

6) Buy-one-get-one-free coupons - Did you know when using a B1G1 free coupon that you can use 2 coupons? For example, you have a B1G1 free coupon for deodorant, but you also have a $1 off coupon for the same brand and size of deodorant. You can use both coupons, because you have 2 items. This kind of scenario happens fairly frequently with P&G insert coupons.  Also, some stores, like Rite Aid, allow you to combine a B1G1 free coupon with a B1G1 free sale, making both items free.

Stacking Manufacturer and Store Coupons

Did you know you can use both a store coupon and manufacturer's coupon on the same item? This is a great way to maximize savings. Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Albertsons (and occasionally others) all offer store coupons which can be combined with available manufacturer coupons.

Target: Target offers coupons on their site that you can print off. Most have a print limit of 2. Check them out here. These coupons are updated a few times a month, and can get you some great deals.

Walgreens: Walgreens has store coupons in both their weekly circulars and in a booklet that they publish monthly. You can find both their weekly ad and their coupon booklet in the front of their store when you walk in.


Rite Aid: Rite Aid offers store coupons in both their ads and online. Although the coupons in their ads read "manufacturer's coupon", these can be combined with regular mfg coupons. Rite Aid online coupons can found at their adperk site, where you watch short ads to earn these additional coupons. Each month there are also additional dollar-off coupons that can be earned by watching a certain number of ads, ex. $4 off a purchase of $20.

Albertsons: Albertsons often has store coupons in their weekly ads or in special inserts that occasionally come in the Sunday paper. The most valuable Albertson's store coupon is the doubler, which usually comes in the Sunday paper, though occasionally will be in the weekly ad. These doubling coupons allow you to double the value of whatever manufacturer coupon you want, up to $1. You can only use 3 doublers per transaction. You can almost always get free or nearly-free items by using doublers.

Rainchecks

From HotCouponWorld:

Do you wait for your local sales announcements, and rush to the store to cash in on the too-good-to-be-true pricing? If so, you have probably experienced the “empty shelf” syndrome. Hot sales prices on one or two advertised items can drive customers in quickly, depleting the stock on hand. Late comers must choose between purchasing alternate higher priced items or checking back regularly in hopes of finding the item restocked.


A third choice is available, providing a blessing in disguise for smart shoppers. This choice is the “rain check”.

In 1971, the Federal Trade Commission issued the Retail Food Store Advertising and Marketing Practices rule; also know as the “Unavailability Rule”. Amended in 1989, the Unavailability Rule protects consumers against grocery stores that advertise bargains to attract customers but fail to have adequate stock available. Unless an advertised sale states clearly and adequately that “quantities are limited” or “not available at all locations”, the store must offer customers a comparable offer, either:

• A "rain check" that allows customers to buy the item later at the advertised price
• A substitute item of comparable value to the sale item
• Some kind of compensation that is at least equal in value to the advertised item

Most stores offer customers a “rain check”. These paper vouchers are a valuable “I.O.U.” guaranteeing consumers receive the same sale price at a later date of the customers choosing. Consumers are not required to check back during the advertised sales period. Rain check vouchers are available immediately at any time during an advertised sale, whether or not the store receives, or plans to receive, an additional supply. And to ensure the product is available in the future, rain checks are typically valid for up to one year from date of issuance.

This provides some key advantages to obtaining rock bottoms prices:


Rain checks are sales, not coupons, and can be combined with other manufacturer offers. New coupons or additional special offers and rebates may be issued during the rain check period, providing an even lower overall cost.


Rain checks are not required to be redeemed. They can be used during another promotion on the same item; if the “current sale” price is higher, use the rain check to receive the lower sale price. If the “current sale” prices are lower, save the rain check and purchase at the current sale price. Or, if the store is out of stock once again, pick up another rain check for the better price.


If storage, refrigerator, or freezer space is an issue, “capture the savings” on the rain check, and wait until space is available before purchasing the items.


If items are not needed immediately, or a stockpile has already been purchased, save the rain check until it’s needed. Purchasing items later generally provides fresher product with a later expiration date.


If you know income or finances will be limited in an upcoming month, stockpile rain check sale prices along with your coupons to stretch your grocery dollars during that period.

There are several techniques to augment the value of rain checks. Some consumers check back to see if the items have been restocked during the sale, and receive an additional rain check with every inquiry. They may also check with different store locations within the same grocery chain: rain checks can be received at each store where the product is unavailable. Also, if a store is out of only one specific product or flavor, e.g., the store is out of Kraft Fat Free Ranch salad dressing, but other flavors are in stock, a rain check can be received for the Kraft salad dressing sale price.

So, next time you find the perfect sale, you might not need to rush out to the store. Just remember to walk up to the customer service desk and get a rain check.

Store Coupon Policies

Knowledge is power, and the more informed you are about a store's policies, the better prepared you will be to rack up your savings. For example, Walmart just released their updated coupon policy which states they will give cash back if a coupon value exceeds their shelf price. For example, if you have a coupon for $3 off a product, and Walmart sells it for $2.78, they will give you $0.22 back, either towards your other purchases or in change.

Here is some more information about Walmart's coupon policy:

Walmart will accept the following coupons:

• manufacturer's coupons
• internet printable coupons
• competitor's coupons that have a specific price listed
• soft drink container caps
• Catalina coupons clearly labeled as "manufacturer's coupon"

Walmart does not accept the following coupons:

• internet printable coupons for a free product
• competitor's coupons for dollars, cents or percentage off, B1G1 free, and double or triple value
• Catalina coupons for dollars, cents or percentage off entire purchase

Walmart also has a great ad-match policy that is worth knowing:

Walmart will match the following types of ads:

• buy one, get one free ads with a specified price
• ads that feature a specific item at a specific price
• preferred shopping card advertised prices for specific items
• fresh produce and meat prices

Walmart does not match the following types of ads:

• items that require a separate purchase to get the ad price
• items without a specified price to get a free product
• items that require a purchase to receive a gift card
• buy one, get one free ads without a specified price
• going out of business or closeout prices
• percentage off sales
• private label price promotions

It can really pay off to orient yourself with the policies of the stores you shop. Some couponers even print off and carry store policies in their binders. Here are some links to the coupon policies of several local stores:

Target   Walmart coupon policy   Walmart ad-match policy    

        Rite Aid    Walgreens     Smiths    Albertsons     Harmons     KMart              

When to Shop, When to Stock: Sale Cycles

Seasonal Sale Cycles

JANUARY:

Sales/Deals:
Oatmeal (it’s National Oatmeal Month!)
Quaker products

Diet foods and products, New Year, New You type promotions
Healthy Choice, South Beach, Lean Cuisine, yogurt, 100 calorie packs, Special K, K20, Right Bites, Smart Start
Diet aids

Winter Health: Cold Medicines, Pain relief, Health products, Vitamins

Soup, Chili, “warm you up” type foods

Super Bowl party foods-
Pepsi, Coke, soda, chips, dips, cheese, sandwich items, crackers, snacks

Cleaners/household items (winter cleaning, organization, storage, Rubbermaid totes)

White sales/home items

Furniture

Computers

Sports and Weight Loss Equipment

Special promotions introducing new product lines, especially hair color, make up, beauty products, bath products

Clearance items:
Calendars, planners, anything dated items

Christmas/Hanukkah/New Years party supplies
Wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, cards
Ornaments
Candles

Toys
Winter clothing, coats, gloves, hats, boots, etc.

FEBRUARY:

Sales/Deals:
National Canned Food Month – Canned vegetables, Canned fruits, Canned tuna, Canned beans, Cherry pie filling

National Hot Breakfast Month promos-
Kellogg’s, General Mills, Post, Quaker, etc. Hot cereal, Eggo’s, waffles, syrup, etc.

Heart and heart-healthy products (American Heart Month) -
aspirin, supplements, low cholesterol oils and spreads, etc.

Westminster Dog Show this month-
Dog food, Eukanuba, Pedigree, Purina, Iams

Valentine’s Day promos-
Chocolate (also Celebration of Chocolate Month), Valentine’s candy, KY, Monistat, etc., Hershey’s, Hershey’s kisses promos

Chinese New Year promos- Soy sauce, Teriyaki, Canned water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, Crunchy noodles, Ramen, Stir fry

Electronics

Floor Coverings

Housewares

Furniture

Clearance items:
Valentine’s candy, Candy, Chocolate

MARCH:

Sales/Deals:
Frozen food month- Frozen vegetables (box, bag, steam), Frozen fruits, Frozen dinners/meals, Ice cream, Waffles

Cleansers and household items (spring cleaning month)

Peanuts (national Peanut Month)

St Patrick’s Day –
Potatoes, corned beef, “Irish” foods

Gardening supplies

Clearance items:
Winter items
Popsicle, ice cream, frozen novelties, etc (this is the time when “last year’s flavors” are cleared out, packaging redesigned, etc., to make room for the new products in April)

APRIL:

Sales/Deals:
Easter/Passover: Eggs, Ham, Asparagus, Horseradish, Butter, Coconut
Some Jewish/Passover items not found during other months, 

Toys (Easter basket-type toys)

Earth Day promos- Organic foods, Organic/environmentally conscious products
Energy savers, Coupon inserts for environmental causes

Daylight Savings Time promos- Batteries, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide monitors

Clearance items:
Easter - great time to stock up on decorations & non-perishable gifts for next year

Olive Oil (April starts the new season)

MAY:

Sales/Deals:
BBQ/Memorial Day promos- BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Marinade, Pickles, Salad dressing, Popsicles, Hot dogs, Hamburger/ground beef, Ribs, Steaks, Buns, Paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, etc., Soda
Insect repellent
Sunscreen
Allergy meds
Coupon inserts of Summer Blast-off theme

Cinco De Mayo promos – Salsa, tortillas, tacos, seasonings

National Pet Week promos- Dog food, cat food, treats

JUNE:

Sales/Deals:
National Dairy Month promos- Dairy Products, Milk, Cheese, Ice cream, Yogurt, Sour cream

July 4th promos- BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Hot dogs, Marinade, Pickles, Salad dressing, Popsicles, Hamburger/ground beef, Ribs, Steaks, Buns, Soda
Paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, etc.
Insect repellent
Sunscreen
Hats
Self-tanner

National Headache promos- Aspirin, pain relievers, headache meds, allergy / sinus headache meds

JULY:

Sales/Deals:
Back to school starts school supply “deals”

National Ice Cream Month

July 4th promos- best BBQ sales of year through 7/4.
BBQ Sauce, Baked beans, Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Marinade, Hot dogs, Hamburger/ground beef, Ribs, Steaks, Buns, Soda
Paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils, etc.
Insect repellent
Sunscreen

Fireworks

Clearance Items: Toys (Target)

AUGUST:

Sales/Deals:
Back to School promos-
Lunchbox foods/meals, Pudding cups, Lunchables, Lunch meat, Bread, Cold cereal, Waffles
Kellogg’s promos
School and office supply – Pens, Pencils, Markers, Crayons, Glue, Paper

Backpacks
Lunchboxes

Fuel for School/Back to School coupon inserts and rebates

Teacher Appreciation Days at various stores (Staples, Office Depot, etc.)

1c sales on items each week at Staples and Office Depot

Clorox Classroom cleanup, disinfecting wipes, Purell, sanitizers

Clearance items:
BBQ equipment
Patio furniture, equipment
Charcoal, lighter fluid, etc.
August White sale/linens
Summer items
Sunscreen
Insect repellent

SEPTEMBER:

Sales/Deals:
Back to School promos continue up to Labor Day-
Lunchbox foods/meals, Pudding cups, Lunchables, Juice boxes, Capri Sun, Pop Tarts
Lunch meat, Bread, Cold cereal, Waffles
School and office supply – Pens, Pencils, Markers, Crayons, Glue, Paper

Tomato products begin- Spaghetti Sauce, Tomato soup, Canned tomatoes, Tomato sauce

Diabetes Smart coupon themes - Diabetic meters, Glucerna/Boost, etc., Diabetic care

BABY ITEM MONTH, look for sales mid month on major baby equipment, baby safety, general new baby "stuff"

Organic Harvest month sales

Clearance items:
Summer holiday and picnic supplies
After Labor Day end of season clearance - look for 75% off BBQ and picnic supplies this weekend and after.

OCTOBER:

Sales/Deals:
Halloween promos- Candy, Cookies, Baking season begins, Baking chocolate chips, Fruitcake/candied fruit, nuts

Fall promos
Apples
Pumpkins (fresh)

Pet products, food

Cars, Car care products

Daylight Savings time ends promos- Batteries, smoke alarms, safety equipment, alarm clocks

Clearance items:
“last year” flavors of holiday foods – time to clear the shelves for new products and packaging…

NOVEMBER:

Sales/Deals:
Quilts, blankets
Hot cocoa, coffee, tea

Canned foods – soup, broth, condensed milk, vegetables, fruits, spaghetti sauce
Baking goods - nuts, chocolate chips, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, cake mixes.

Holiday/Thanksgiving dinner foods – Turkey, Pumpkin (canned), Stuffing mix, Potato mix, Butter, Sweet potatoes, Fresh potatoes, Gravy, Bread/rolls, Frozen pies, Cranberry sauce, Fresh cranberries

Clearance items:

After-Halloween sales are the time to stock up on things for the next year. I like to buy the Halloween candy-alternatives like Halloween crayons, erasers, watches, spinning tops, etc. I mix this in with my next year’s candy bowl and it stretches my loot for all the neighbor kids!

DECEMBER:

Sales/Deals:
Christmas dinner/Holiday party foods -Party/deli platters, cold cuts, sour cream, dips, crackers, chips, soda, ham, stuffing mix, potato mixes, butter, fresh potatoes, gravy, bread/rolls, frozen pies, green beans, french-fried onions, cream soups, broth, pie filling

Baking supplies – Flour, Sugar, Butter, Cream, Cake mix, Brownie mix, Muffin mix, Breads, Pie Crust, Marshmallow, Whipped cream

Wrapping paper, cards, ribbon, bows, tape

Egg nog
Party supplies, paper plates, napkins

Clearance items:
Post Thanksgiving clearance
Fall décor and craft clearance
After Christmas clearance

Wanna prove it? Track your savings!

Last year I came across a great pre-formatted spreadsheet to help me track my savings. It allows me to calculate exactly how much I'm saving using coupons, rebates, and other discounts. It also calculates my average rate of savings. I started using this tool in 2010 and found that my average savings rate last year was nearly 65%, thanks in part to over $7000 in redeemed store and mfg. coupons. The blogger who developed this spreadsheet was nice enough to release it again for 2011, and it can be found at her blog here. In her post she explains how to use this tool so that you can easily track how much you save. It's a really great tool that's very easy to use once you figure it out.

Savings Tracker 2011

Bountiful Baskets

If you're looking for a way to save money on produce, a food co-op is a great way to go. The only food co-op (that I know of) in our area is Bountiful Baskets, and it is growing in popularity every day. Since I joined several months ago many more sites have been opened, and it is much easier to ensure getting a basket (they used to often sell out quickly!).
Every Monday Bountiful Baskets makes its offerings available. You generally have 36 hours to sign up for the food you want to buy and pay. Baskets are delivered on Saturday mornings at various sites around town. You'll need to bring your own bags or boxes or baskets to carry your food home.
Produce baskets are about 50% fruit and 50% vegetables, and are different every week. They are offered in either conventional (non-organic) or certified organic.You can order more than one, though you must order at least one fruit/vegetable basket to be able to order anything else. They also offer bread packs, specialty packs (such as "Italian" (basil, tomatoes, onions, etc.) or "Mexican" (cilantro, avocados, tomatillos, etc.), and these vary by week as well. Cases of different vegetables and fruits are also offered.
Bountiful Baskets operates on a week A/week B schedule, meaning that each site is available every other week. There are sites all over St. George, Washington, Hurricane, and Ivins. My favourite site is Bloomington Elementary (week A) because of its proximity.
The price for a basket is $15.00 with a $1.50 handling fee. First time participants must pay an additional $3. Bountiful Baskets is run entirely by volunteers, and asks that those purchasing baskets occasionally volunteer from time to time. The food must be picked up within a 20 minute window of when it is available, or it will be donated to a nearby firehouse.

Every time I order a basket I estimate what it would cost to buy the offerings from the grocery store, and it really is a less expensive way to purchase produce. The downside is that you don't get to choose what you get and sometimes you receive something you've never cooked with or don't even recognize. Many people see this as an upside, however, as it forces them to experiment and try new recipes. I'm always excited for the surprise of what we'll get each time. Baskets almost always contain a few stock elements, however, like bananas, apples, and lettuce.
I tend to participate every other week because my family is smaller, but many people order baskets each week. You just need to log on to Bountiful Baskets between 10 am Monday and 11 pm Tuesday (Utah time) to order.

Tip: I also am a fan of Bountiful Baskets on Facebook because they often post recipes or other information on their wall about recent items or offerings. There have been times when I haven't recognized a fruit or vegetable I've received and I found out what is was by looking at their facebook page.

Save Money by Weighing Produce

Here's an obvious though likely overlooked way of instantly saving money on produce: weigh it! I'm not talking about produce that's sold by the pound, but rather produce that is packaged in a pre-weighted amount. I recently discovered this as I was trying to decide whether to buy apples at $0.99/lb or just buy the 3 lb bag for $2.99. I decided to put the bag on the scale and found that it was over 3.5 lbs! Guess which I chose? The girls over at Krazy Coupon Lady also have blogged about this in more detail. Here's their post:

Extreme Couponing Tip:  Save on produce at the scale!

Here’s a great way to get more produce for less money, without even using a coupon!  Hit the scales!  Now, for those of you who, like me, have severe “scale-o-phobia”, don’t worry.  Here’s one scale that won’t affect your self confidence or make you run for the comfort of Ben & Jerry. Weighing produce is an anxiety free, savvy shopping practice!  I’ve often found that by taking less than a minute to weigh my produce, I can fulfill my bargain hunting obsession and save about 10% on many of the following produce items.  There are two important groups of produce that should be weighed before purchasing:

(1) Individually priced produce:  lettuce, avocado, berries, grapefruit, kiwi, lemon, peppers, pineapple.
When you’re purchasing produce that is priced per item, instead of per pound, it’s always best to weigh each item.  Did you ever think to take your 1 lb strawberries over to the scale?  You may find a variance of a quarter of a pound!  Better to be the one on the receiving or “heavy” end of the scale!  In addition to smelling your pineapples to make sure they’re sweet, place the few top contenders on the scale to see what they weigh!  Got it now?  Last example, then I’ll move on.  Heads of lettuce are usually priced per head.  I always squeeze my iceberg lettuce to find the more densely packed heads, but I’ve found when I combine that strategy with the scale, I have even better luck finding the jumbo heads.  Lettuce is one item on which I’ve found the most variance with weight!

(2) Bagged Produce:  5 lb bag potatoes, 3 lb bag carrots, 5 lb bag apples, bagged oranges.
When you’re purchasing a 3 lb bag of carrots, the processor who originally placed the carrots in the bag is supposed to fill the bag with at least 3 lbs of carrots.  The weight on the bag should be the minimum, though you’ll find, once you visit the scale; that’s not always the case.  Each bag of carrots has a slightly different weight.  On my last trip to the store, I found a bag that rang it at about 3.3 pounds, so I got 10% more product for free just for taking literally 60 seconds at the scale.  Plus, my kids think it’s great fun.  Potatoes are especially important to weigh.  Since potatoes are 80% water, their weight can decrease over time.  I’ve found the widest variance on bagged potatoes than on any other bagged produce.

Will it Freeze?

If you're lucky enough to have a big or 2nd freezer you can score (and store) some great deals. There are times during the year when frozen good are dirt cheap and stockpiling those items will help you save money. Once of twice a year Lin's has a 1-day sale on chicken breast for $1.29/lb. or so, in a 25 lb. box. Around Thanksgiving time Albertsons usually has a buy-1-pie-get-2-free sale, and they also have buy-1-ice cream-get-2-free sales at other times of the year. I so wish I had a deep freeze. :(

There are other things that you can stockpile in your freezer that you wouldn't normally think of. I have a tendency to overbuy cream cheese when i can get it for free or $0.50 a box, and I recently learned that it can be frozen. Here are some other items you can freeze: (from HotCouponWorld)

These freeze great!

• Cream soups -- poured into ice cube trays. Thaw and stir with milk or water if it separates.
• Goat Cheese
• Croutons
• Hot dogs
• Heavy cream -- shake well and mix with a small amount of dissolved gelatin if it separates.
• Eggs (raw, out of the shell)
• Egg Beaters
• Red potatoes, halved
• Avocados, halved and pitted
• Guacamole
• Poultry, cooked and off the bone
• Butter
• Margarine (sticks and tubs)
• Pasta
• Rice
• Tubes of Cookie dough
• Yogurt
• Gogurt tubes
• Yeast
• Cheese singles
• Shredded Cheese
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Flavored coffee creamer
• Berries
• Orange Juice
• Cookies
• Tortillas
• Bread
• Green onions -chopped in 1/2 inch pieces. Smaller pieces are too watery.

These are ok -- minor troubles

• Lunchmeat
• Milk
• Soy Milk
• Ricotta Cheese
• Cottage Cheese
• Block Cheese - slightly crumbly, but fine in recipes
• Cream Cheese - a little watery and grainy when thawed, but fine in recipes
• Bananas
• Onions and green peppers (chopped)
• Lemons (whole)
• Pillsbury Crescents & Flaky Layers - not as flaky and layer-y as the MFR intended

Don't even try it!

• Sour Cream
• Mayo
• Miracle Whip
• Apples (whole or chopped/sliced)
• Ready made sandwiches

More information on what to freeze or not can be found at the original source here.

Buying in Bulk: How to Make the Most of Bulk Purchases

Items like meat and cheese might not be what you think of when it comes to stockpiling, but buying these higher-priced items at their cheapest is another great shopping strategy. It does take ever freezer space as well as time and effort, but it pays off. Jessica over at Utah Deal Diva is really talented at stockpiling all kinds of things in her freezer, and she's written a post on how to process some meats and cheeses to freeze for longer-term storage. Here's a copy of her original post:

Today I want to show a few simple ideas on how to save with buying bulk chicken breasts, ground beef and block cheese.

Last week I price matched Winco at Walmart and got boneless, skinless chicken breasts for .98/lb. {Compare to Costco's frozen chicken breasts at $2.19/lb!} I bought over 10 lbs worth as it was such an incredible deal! We generally only use 1-2 breasts per meal, so I paid $10.02 for what will most likely cover 14-17 meals, which breaks down to .59-.71 per meal.

Back to the chicken! We froze half individually on a large jelly roll pan covered in plastic wrap. The other half we grilled, then froze individually. When it comes time to prepare dinner, the grilled chicken will take only a fraction of the time to cook after it defrosts. Plus it will have that yummy grilled flavor even in the middle of winter!

Freezing each breast individually is a huge time save as then I was able to put it all in 1 big storage bag so that I can pull out one or two pieces for meals later on.

A couple weeks ago I picked up a package of ground beef that had been marked down at Albertson's. The mark down price made it only $1.11/ lb! {Compare to Costco's $2.69/lb or frozen ground beef for $2/lb!}

I defrosted a package of ground turkey I got a while back for .03 and browned some of the beef and the turkey together with chopped onion. I'm not a huge fan of ground turkey by itself, but when combined with beef, you get the added nutritional value and you can hardly tell the difference. Another tip: even if a recipe calls for 1 lb of ground beef, I use less and you'd never notice!

Altogether I had 4.62 lbs of meat that cost me $3.84. I was able to split it into 6 meals so each cost about .64.

You can also brown the beef and actually make a few meals to freeze. Meatballs and meat loaf are good options. One of my favorite make-ahead meals is lasagna. Actually making the meals and freezing them is a real life saver as you then have inexpensive, home made meals for those nights when you are out of time and energy!

I got these 2 bricks of Tillamook cheese at Albertson's last week for $1.49/ lb. {Compare to non-Tillamook block cheese at Costco for $1.89/lb.} Preparing the cheese for freezing is a no-brainer- I grated it. Normal bags of shredded cheese come in an 8 oz package, however, I opted to stretch them a little farther and made 10 bags, each holding about 6-7 oz and costing me about .60 each. Depending on the meal I prepare, each bag will cover about 2-4 meals.

 

Shelf Life, Stockpile Rotation, and the Truth About Expiration Dates

Here's a great post from Krazy Coupon Lady:

One of the most important Extreme Couponing tips that a beginner needs to learn is how to know how much to stockpile AND how to properly rotate what you have in order to avoid waste (because throwing away anything, even if we paid only pennies for it, is so not cool)! My rotation strategy is pretty basic: when I purchase 10 new boxes of cereal, I place them behind the other boxes on the shelf in my garage: same goes for everything else from pasta sauce to toothpaste. Then, at least 4 times a year, I go through everything I have to make an inventory. I don’t write it all down, but I’ve found it helps me to take a mental inventory. Anything that’s in my stockpile that’s going to expire in the net 3 months gets brought inside or marked for donation.

The more you coupon, the easier it will become to know how much to buy at a time. You’ll learn how often body wash is free or peanut butter is $1.00 or less, and that will help you gauge how much to buy when you find a great price. In addition to knowing how often an item can be found for a certain price, it’s also vital to have a basic knowledge of a product’s shelf life. In order to help, we created a list of what we thought were the Top 100 shelf-stable products and listed them, with their corresponding shelf lives, below.

Salty Snacks

Chips, corn tortilla 3 months
Chips, potato 2 months
Crackers 3 months
Nuts, shelled 4 months
Popcorn, kernels 18-24 months
Popcorn, packaged/ microwave 12 months
Pretzels 3 months
Snack mix 3- 6 months

PB & J

Jams/ Jellies/ Preserves 12 months
Peanut Butter Unopened: 2 years. Opened: 6 months; refrigerate after 3 months.
Nutella 8 months

Fruit

Applesauce 12-18 months
Fruit, canned 12 months
Fruit, dehydrated 8- 12 months
Raisins 6-12 months

Vegetables

Beans, canned 24 months
Beans, dried 12 months
Beans, refried 24 months
Lentils, dried 12 months
Olives 12 months
Pickles 18 months
Pumpkin, canned 24 months
Tomatoes, whole or diced 12- 18 months
Tomato sauce 12-18 months
Vegetables, canned 24 months

Pasta

Pasta, dry 24-36 months
Pasta sauce, tomato based 18- 24 months
Pasta, white 12-18 months

Soup

Bouillon 24 months
Broth, canned 12 months
Chili, canned 18-24 months +
Dry soup mix 12 months
Soup, canned 24 months

Baking

Baking powder 18 months
Baking soda 24 months
Cake/ Brownie mix 12 months
Chocolate chips, semisweet 18 months
Coconut, shredded 12 months
Cornmeal 12 months
Cornstarch 18 months +
Corn syrup 24 months +
Flour, all purpose 8-12 months
Flour, whole wheat 6 months
Frosting 3-8 months
Gelatin 18 months
Honey indefinitely
Marshmallows 3-4 months
Milk, condensed 12 months
Milk, evaporated 12 months
Milk, non-fat dry 6 months
Molasses 24 months
Oil, canola/ vegetable 18-24 months
Oil, olive unopened/opened: 2 years from manufacture date. (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but the product is still generally safe to consume.)
Pudding mix 12 months
Salt Indefinitely
Shortening 18 months
Sugar, brown 4-6 months
Sugar, powdered 18 months
Sugar, white granulated 24 months +
Vanilla extract 24 months
Yeast, active dry Exp date on pkg

Breakfast

Cereal 12 months
Fruit snacks 9 months
Granola bars 6-8 months
Oats, old fashioned or quick 12 months
Pancake mix 6-9 months
Pop Tarts 3-6 months
Syrup, pancake 12 months

Prepared Sides & Rices

Bread crumbs, dried 6 months
Rice, brown 6 months
Rice, minute 18 months
Rice or pasta, herb/ seasoned 6 months
Rice, white 24 months+
Instant potatoes 12 months
Stuffing mix 6-12 months

Condiments and Toppings

Ketchup 12 months (unopened). Opened: 4 to 6 months. (After these times, color or flavor may be affected, but the product is still generally safe to consume.)
Mayonnaise unopened: Indefinitely. Opened: 2 to 3 months from “purchased by” date. (After this time, color or flavoring may be affected, but the product is still generally safe to consume.)
Mustard 24 months
Parmesan cheese, grated 10-12 months
Salad dressing unopened: 12 months after “best buy” date. Opened: 9 months refrigerated.
Salsa 12-18 months
Soy sauce 24 months (unopened). Opened: 3 months.
Steak sauce 24 months
Syrup, chocolate 12 months

Syrup, maple 12 months
Vinegar unopened/opened: 42 months

Drinks

Creamer powder 18-24 months
Drink mix, powdered 18-24 months
Hot cocoa mix 8 months
Juice, bottled 12 months
Soda pop 3-9 months (Regular, 9 months from "best by date", Diet, 3 months from "best by" date)
Sport drinks 9 months
Tea, bags 18 months
Water, bottled 12-24 months

Baby

Infant Formula Exp date on can
Jarred baby food 12- 24 months
Rice cereal 12 months

Meat

Chicken, canned 12-36 months
Tuna, canned 24-48 months

Shelf lives listed are for unopened products stored in a cool, dry environment and are commercially canned, bottled, or packaged. Dates are approximate and may vary by brand. Always look at the product’s Best By or Use By date and discard any food that exhibits a change in odor, color, or taste. Once products are opened, shelf life decreases substantially.

Here is some more information on expiration dates from HotCouponWorld:

Is It Still Good?

Make-up

nail polish. Unopened/Opened: 1 year from manufacture date.
nail polish remover. Unopened/Opened: Lasts indefinitely.
perfume. Unopened/Opened: 1 to 2 years.
lipstick. Unopened/Opened: 2 years.
mascara. Unopened: 2 years. Opened: 3 to 4 months.
foundation, oil-based. Unopened/Opened: 2 years from date of manufacture.
foundation, water-based. Unopened/Opened: 3 years from date of manufacture.

Cleaning supplies

windex. Unopened/Opened: 2 years.
metal polish. Unopened/Opened: at least 3 years.
wood polish (Pledge). Unopened/Opened: 2 years.
powdered laundry detergent. Unopened: 9 months to a 1 year. Opened: At least 6 months.
liquid laundry detergent. Unopened: 9 months to 1 year. Opened: 6 months.
bleach. Unopened/Opened: 3 to 6 months.

Expiration date terminology
These terms all apply to unopened products.

• Best if used by and use-by date: With emphasis on the best qualifier in this term, it means the product should retain maximum freshness, flavor and texture if used by this date. It is not a purchase-by or safety date. Beyond this date, the product begins to deteriorate, although it may still be edible.

•Expiration date: If you haven't used the product by this date, toss it out. Other dating terms are used as a basic guideline, but this one means what it says.

• Sell-by or pull-by date: This date is used by manufacturers to tell grocers when to remove their product from the shelves, but there is generally still some leeway for home usage. For example, milk often has a sell-by date, but the milk will usually still be good for at least a week beyond that date if properly refrigerated.

• Guaranteed fresh: This date is often used for perishable baked goods. Beyond this date, freshness is no longer guaranteed although it may still be edible.

• Pack date: This is the date the item was packed, most-used on canned and boxed goods. It is usually in the form of an encrypted code not easy to decipher. It may be coded by month (M), day (D), and year (Y), such as YYMMDD or MMDDYY. Or it may be coded using Julian (JJJ) numbers, where January 1 would be 001 and December 31 would be 365. In even more convoluted coding, letters A through M (omitting the letter I) are often assigned to the months, with A being January and M being December, plus a numeric day, either preceded or followed by the numeric year.


A Look at Food Product Dating and Expiration Dates

Why date food products? Quality, NOT safety. Dates on product packages recommend when to purchase or use for best quality. They are not safety dates.

Is food product dating required by law? No, it's voluntary. Except for infant formula and some baby food, product dating is not required by Federal regulations. However, if a calendar date is used, it must express both the month and day, immediately adjacent to the words "sell by" or "use by". Some states, such as Wisconsin, require dating of products such as milk.

Can foods be sold after the product date? Yes. Since product dating is voluntary by federal regulations, a retailer may legally sell foods beyond the date on the package as long as the product is wholesome. It is also legal for a retailer to change a date on wholesome fresh meat that has been cut up and wrapped in the meat department of the supermarket. However, it's not legal to alter, change or cover up a date on a product packaged under federal inspection. However, if a product has an expired date and the food remains wholesome, the product may continue to be offered for sale but the expired date must remain visible to the consumer.

What types of foods are dated? Open dating (use of a calendar date) is found primarily on perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Closed dating (use of a code) might appear on shelf-stable products such as cans and boxes of cereal.

There are several types of dates that might appear on food products:

Sell-By dates appear on highly perishable products such as milk, meat and bread. These dates tell the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product well before the sell-by date to have sufficient time to use it at best quality.

Best Before, Better if Used Before and Best if Used By tell how long the product will retain its best flavor and quality. You'll find these dates on baked goods, cereals, snacks and some canned foods. The food is safe to eat after the date, but it might be stale or changed in taste or texture.

The Expiration, Use By or Use Before date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. You'll find this type of dating on eggs, yogurt and other products requiring refrigeration.

Closed or coded dates are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer to rotate the stock as well as to locate their products in the event of a recall. Look for these dates on canned goods and staples.

Is it safe to use products after the expiration date? A food that has been properly stored at home should be wholesome and of good quality for a reasonable period of time after the purchase date. A reasonable period of time may extend from

1-5 days for fresh meats;
3-7 days for perishable processed products such as milk;
3-5 weeks(!) for eggs.

If a food has developed an off odor, flavor or appearance caused by growth of spoilage bacteria, then discard it. Mishandled food should be discarded, even before the expiration date.

How long can consumers store products and still use them at top quality?
Follow these tips for the best quality:

Purchase the product well before the expiration date.
If the food is perishable, take it home immediately after purchase and refrigerate promptly. Freeze it if you can't use it within the recommended time. Once a perishable product is frozen, it doesn't matter if the date expires because foods kept frozen are safe indefinitely.