Extreme couponing can help you snag countless freebies and slash your bills. It may be challenging in practice but is very useful if you want to get more value for your money. To guide you, we have put together all the extreme couponing tips and tricks.

With today's increasing economy, an excellent way to cut your expenses is Extreme Couponing. It is wise to hunt for promos and discounts and shop savvy at significant markdowns.

Who wouldn't love the idea of paying less for a lot of stuff? But it takes a little effort of clipping coupons from newspapers, downloading from websites and apps. And the most dedicated be victorious when it comes to extreme couponing.

If you are a beginner or a regular couponer and want to know the extreme couponing secrets, you are at the right place. And guess what? You don't need to be a participant of any secret club to gain access to the best kept extreme couponing secrets.

Let's learn some practical extreme couponing tips and tricks to save money the right way.

How to become an Extreme Couponer?





Extreme couponers are somewhat different from regular coupon shopper because they put extra effort to grab multiple deals. They enjoy bulk shopping. Extreme couponing isn't about just cutting a voucher out of a magazine; it's about investing time and grabbing hundreds of coupons and deploying them more effectively. And if you do it right, you could grab stacks of toiletries, food, grocery, and much more for a fraction of the cost.

Extreme Couponing Tips for Beginners

Real extreme couponing requires common sense, organization, and shopping smartly. The magic of it is that you never have to pay the real price. It can stretch your dollars and get you items nearly free.

Don't get overwhelmed by the fancy deals and break your budget, save more dollars with these extreme couponing tips and tricks.

1. Learn the basics

If you are a beginner and aspire to learn the tips for extreme couponing, you need to learn the nitty-gritty things to couponing. Coupons are of two types, Manufacturer and Store Coupons. The manufacturer coupon is issued by the brand that makes the product, and the Store coupon is issued by a specific Retailer or supermarkets like Walmart or Target. These coupons are available in three forms; insert(which you can get from the magazines), printable (which you can print directly from your printer), and mobile coupons (which you can access with your phone.)

2. Understand the Primary Rule of Extreme Couponing

Buying only the items on sale, and combining them with one or more coupons to land on a much better deal is the essence of extreme couponing. The best bet is to wait for a 'two for' sale and score double savings. Using two coupons on one item usually results in a cheaper or even free product.

3. Learn to use Coupons Strategically to Save Big

What sets extreme couponers apart from regular old couponers is that they know how to use coupons strategically. Increase your savings by understanding the various aspects of using coupons. Like how to use a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon together, how many coupons can be applied on one item? Or how to use coupons alongside other money-saving methods. Extreme couponers should know all of the rules for using coupons, to utilize them effectively and take full advantage of savings.

4. Identify the Formula for Savings

Want to know the answer to how does extreme couponing works? It's Simple. Understand the formula for saving, and you are all good to go.

BIG SAVINGS = Buy an item when it's on Sale/use BOGO coupon + doubling, tripling or stacking Coupons (Manufacturer/Store) + Store Loyalty Card + Cash Back Coupon Offers.

5. Collect Coupons as Many as you Can

Get the Sunday Paper as it has a majority of coupons for the week to get started. Merely cutting coupons can save you 10% on grocery bills. Have coupons for the things you frequently buy like Toilet paper, health and beauty items, shampoo, etc. You could find coupons for lifestyle, fitness, or travel online from the couponing sites like PennySaviour. Save that coupon flyer, scope deals from nearest stores, and find printable coupons from websites like Red Plumb and Smart Source.

6. Get Multiple Duplicates of Coupons

Extreme couponers always purchase more than four magazines every Sunday to use them. It is one of the clever extreme couponing tips. You can search for every product you are buying. If you buy a couple of boxes of grain, you may use two-grain coupons. So always have various duplicates of printable or insert coupons. Grabbing duplicates means collecting more than one coupon for the same product but from different manufacturers.

7. Get Organized

When you are on a mission to hunt coupons, you could have a stream that you can't handle. So the next step is to organize them accurately. Cut all the coupons and arrange your collection as per the expiration date or product category, whichever is easy. There is nothing more annoying than finding a coupon when you are going to shopping or coming back home with some more as many stores honor coupons on showing the receipt. Separate your coupons with clear bags, or try a coupon organizer or binders.

8. Learn the Coupon Lingo

One of the best extreme couponing tips and tricks for a beginner is getting to know the jargon words for coupons. Brushing up on the acronyms can help you make the most out of your coupons.

When you navigate the world of extreme couponing, you will come across these words as some couponers speak their own language.

OYNO (On Your Next Order)

MIR (Mail-in Rebate)

Blinkie (coupon-issuing machine often found in grocery aisles)

BOGO (Buy One Get One)

Exp (Expiration date)

IP (Internet-printable)

MFR (Manufacturer)

MOC (Money-off coupon)

OOS (Out of stock)

Wyb(When you buy)

WyS( When you spend)

9. Learn to Stack Coupons

One of the most exceptional extreme couponing tips is to stack coupons. You can stack coupons in different ways like combining store coupons with sales, combining coupons with cashback, mix-up coupons, cashback and deals, use coupons on yellow-stickered items(products which are broken, or nearing their sell-by date usually with a yellow/orange/white sticker on them). But remember that you can't stack 2 Manufacturer's, or 2 Store coupons.

10. Don't be Allergic to Research

Be a student and research as much as you can. Most of the newbies say that they don't have time to watch videos or find coupons. If you don't have time to put the necessary homework in this hobby, then extreme couponing is not your cup of tea. It's not the sort of thing that you just walk into the store, made in the voyage, and get 100% success. You need to figure out how to win at couponing.

11. Understand Per Purchase Per Transaction

The primary thing that people misunderstand often is coupons allow them to limit one coupon per purchase. Or you can't buy more items with coupons. Limit one per purchase means you can use one voucher for one item purchase or two coupons if you are buying two things. That's what that means. You can't use two coupons on a single item. If the voucher has the limit one per transaction, or one per person or one per household, in that case, you can only buy one item and use one coupon.

12. Start Small with Stores

One of the fabulous extreme couponing tips and tricks for beginners is that you don't need to trace out every single deal at every store. Find the stores near your area or begin to scoop up bargains. It would consume your energy in trying at 3 Grocery and 3 Drug Stores. So, explore one at a time and master those first. For example, you can focus on Walmart, learn their prices, do they offer weekly BOGO coupons or deals? Accept competitors' or manufacturer's coupons? Is the staff friendly? Figure out all the things and take the baby steps so you won't get confused.

13. Take Advantage of Rain Checks

An extreme coupon shopper never forgets to take advantage of rainchecks. Stores have their own policies on issuing rainchecks. Some only issue when the items you want to purchase are out of stock, some have limits on the number of rain checks, while some don't have any expiration date on rainchecks.The idea behind a rain check is straightforward. You get the promotion whether you purchase the product tomorrow or after a month. For example, if a store offers 2 Aveeno lotions at $5, but that item is out of stock at the store, you can get a rain check. And as a result, even after a month from now, you can still buy the product at prices stated on the rain check voucher. You can also combine rain checks and coupons simultaneously.

14. Don't Miss Overage Opportunities

Do you want to get money back on using coupons? Take benefit of overage as it is one of the smartest extreme couponing tips and tricks for beginners. It helps you get money back on using a coupon by a store. The coverage usually happens when the worth of your coupons exceeds the total purchase value.Such as, if your purchase total is $20 and you have $25 worth of coupons, you would get $5 by a store.Overage occurs in different scenarios; use coupons strategically, and combine them effectively.The best way to let overage occurs is, use a coupon on a product that's on sale.

15. Make Better Use of Store Coupons

Extreme couponers always try to set up bigger and better deals. They take the same measures as regular Coupon Deal buyers, but they still hunt for multiple deals. Extreme couponers always think, 'Why getting one deal when you are getting three or four at a time? 'They opt for the ultimate saving scenario of combining all the three coupons (store sales, manufacturer, and store coupons). Like if a grocery store offers a $5 off coupon on $20 purchase, so you could buy great deals that worth at least $20 and get another $5 off the total to make a sweet deal even sweeter.

16. Compare your Coupons with Store Flyers

If you have ever watched any coupon shows, then you must knew some extreme couponing tips and tricks. Let me include one more to the list. If you want to boost savings, check the weekly circulars of the stores and know which items are on sale. Check your weekly circulars for items that are on sale, compare the coupons and the sale item. Buy the thing for which you have multiple coupons and is on sale, keep buying as long as the product is nonperishable. It helps you stock up on items, and you will never have to pay the full price. But make sure to redeem the coupons that are worth it.

17. Watch out the Store Coupon Policies

Most of the cashier doesn't know the actual coupon policy, and sometimes they make up rules on the spot, and you can't do anything. So, knowing the store policy empowers you to what's allowed at the store and what's not. And when cashiers start telling you their own false rules, you can pass out the coupon policy. It is one of the best extreme couponing tips to make a list of all the stores you frequently visit and know their coupon policies before any purchase.

18. Be Flexible on Shopping Timing

Saving money via extreme couponing is thrilling. Not all shoppers have got the same enthusiasm to save money like you. So when you use multiple coupons while shopping, it can hold up the line, and other shoppers may get annoyed. So, avoid shopping during peak hours, and when you buy, be gentle with the cashier and let the customers behind you know that you will use the coupons which may hold up the line.

19. Ask for a Manufacturer Coupon

If you got stuck on a specific brand, then find the manufacturer coupon by visiting their website. It is one of the most useful extreme couponing tips. Extreme couponers don't hesitate to ask for coupons if they failed to find them on the site. Just send a polite email and ask. And the next time, you will be on the manufacturer's email list.

20. Double up on Coupons

Coupon doubling is another one of the most interesting extreme couponing tips. Select your favorite stores, double coupons up to a specific value (if the store allows), and grab double-decker discounts. When the store has 'BOGO' sales, it is going to be the real deal. You can use a manufacturer's coupon on both the items that are under BOGO sales. All you need is knowledge of how to use BOGO coupons correctly. Some stores also allow using other store's coupons; in that way, you can double the coupons and make the most of promotions and sales.

21. Identify Real or Fake Coupons

Knowing some useful Extreme couponing tips and tricks won't get you fooled by the false promotions or coupons.Many Stores make sure only to accept legitimate coupons.Sometimes computer-printed coupons cause problems as there are a number of coupons circulating on the internet, which is a criminal offense. You can quickly identify an authentic coupon if it has the following details,

Built-in anti-copy technology and copy detection

A product image.

A watermark that shows through semi-transparent behind the coupon value.

Nonstandard fonts

Encrypted unique serial numbers in a 2-D barcode

Exclusive coupon info with a print time stamps repeated throughout coupon. You can see it at the border or frame of the coupon.

22. Learn the no-no's of the Coupon Game

One of the handiest extreme couponing tips for beginners is that they should know the commandments of the coupons. You can't copy or scan a coupon to make additional copies as it will be rejected, and you will be considered as fraudulent. A website called Coupon Information Corporation works as a watchdog group and keeps a list of fraudulent coupons on its website. So if you make any mistake, they won't show any mercy.

23. Grab Cashback Coupons

An extreme coupon shopper won't miss out on Cash Back coupons. They are easily accessible and don't require any complicated scenario. Cashback offers only request a copy of your receipt as evidence that you bought the product in the offer. If it cost 0.25 cents for the product, you will still qualify for it. Download coupon apps and join Cashback programs likeSavingStar, Checkout51, ibotta, or Snap by Groupon. Just sign up and don't wait any longer. There's some cash waiting to add in your wallet!

24. Don't get Fooled by the Image on the Coupon

Let me uncover one of the most profitable extreme couponing tips to save you from false promotions. Most of the manufacturer often show the photo of the most expensive item on coupon. The extreme couponer should have an eagle eye to look at the description instead of the image. You can purchase the least expensive product and even save the most money.

25. Trade out a Coupon at a Certain Location to Redeem it at your Favorite Store

Some coupons are not store-specific, and you can redeem them anywhere that better suits your family. Walmart has its name printed on manufacturer coupons, but you can use them at other stores. Just read the fine print carefully. If you see a statement' Redeemable only at …' on a coupon, you must redeem it at the store listed. If not, then you're free to use your Walmart coupon at Target.

26. Hoard items with long Expiration Dates

Extreme couponing tips also involve hoarding sale items with long expiration dates. Create a pantry reserve of various items and save time and effort. Extreme couponers don't purchase things when they need; they buy when they can grab it at the lowest value. These savvy shoppers then stock up to save money in the long run. Once you realize how much you can save with extreme couponingSpree, you will enjoy stockpiling.

27. Only Purchase Items you Actually Use

Becoming an extreme couponer doesn't mean to buy everything that's on sale and then waste those items later. Don't forget to apply extreme couponing tips to save wisely. Only purchase items you will use in the long run. Getting 15 cans of tuna because of a great deal is never wise. Because you won't eat all of those.Buying the products you won't use, is not the art to extreme couponing; instead, it's just a waste of money, even if you are spending a few cents.

28. Hunt for the Deals

The prime purpose of extreme couponers is to hunt for bargains. Find different deals from Facebook, Instagram, and other social media avenues. Talk with your neighbor who is in the couponing game and knows where they get most of the deals. Interacting with communities on social media can also get you great deals every day. Watch out r/DealsReddit, r/Couponing, r/deals, and r/DealsCouponsBargains for exciting and authentic deals.

29. Go where the Sales Are

Extreme couponers always wait for the right sale instead of wasting the coupons on full-priced items. Reading the grocery ads in the newspaper is a good practice to know when certain things go on sale. Extreme couponers are not store-specific bugs; they go where the sales are. Visiting three different supermarkets during the sale might get you better rebates. So, plan your shopping accordingly and save more and forget store or brand loyalty.

30. Set Your Price

One of the most excellent extreme couponing tips for beginners is that you fix your price for every product and go with the least expensive. The price points include Average Price (typical price points for the product you buy regularly), Maximum Price (most price you would ever pay for one or two items), and Rock Bottom Price (the Stock-Up Price when a coupon and sale give you the lowest rate). Analyze the price points and then spend money wisely.

31. Use Coupons for Healthy Foods

Extreme couponing tips allow you to get a great deal every time. Many products like fresh produce, meat, and dairy, don't go on sale as frequent as other products do. The coupons printed on your receipts are a goldmine for rare coupons on meat and produce, and tossing the receipts in the trash must be a careless act. You could be stacking savings on healthy foods that other shoppers ignore.

32. Walk into the Drug Stores and Get Ahead of the Game on Grocery Shopping

Put the drug stores on your radar to buy most of your grocery staples. CVS and Walgreens can stretch your budget as they are incredibly competitive in prices on milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt, soaps, and other staples, and of course, OTC medicines. These stores have powerful loyalty programs that you can use to acquire massive savings of well-over sixty percent by combining loyalty deals and coupons.

33. Make the most of your Shopping at AAFES

If you are a casual shopper around your military base, this trick of extreme couponing will be the best bet for you. AAFES (Army and Air Force Exchange Service) accept and allow you to stack military & manufacturer coupons. The stacking of coupons at AAFES seems like a better deal than commissary (grocery store). Remember that you only use 'Military Manufacturers' or 'Military Only Coupons' at the exchange, not the commissary coupons.

34. Use a Tracking Software

One of the clever extreme couponing tips is to get familiar with the tracking software. It sends notifications about the latest and greatest deals in your local zipcode that you won't find online. Make an account and create a virtual shopping list by entering the items you usually purchase. Based on your location and the criteria, the software will track the deals that are relevant to you and skip all the irrelevant ones to avoid spam.

35. Savor your Price Match Rights

Before you head out to a store for shopping, do your research and know the price of items. Put the things that cost more at your selected supermarket, and the ones that are low-priced in another, into one transaction. In that way, you can get the voucher for the price difference. Some big supermarkets like Target or Walmart promise to refund the difference if their rivals sell groceries at cheaper rates.

36. Embrace your Mistakes

Embrace when things don't go with plans. You will make mistakes and miss some deals, and that's okay. When you lose a better deal, tell yourself that 'I am learning.' I am getting better with every experience and every mistake. What's the worst that can happen? Maybe you will pay a bit more, but you can still save money.

37. Know when to Splurge

Sometimes you have to pay the full price of the item that you can't stock up. And that's okay! Be realistic about what you buy. It's useless to stocking up on products that you will never use unless you give them to charity, of course.

38. Cap your Spending

Don't forget to set your budget by getting overwhelmed with the coupons and promotions. Setting your grocery budget before shopping is also one of the most profitable extreme couponing tips. Don't overspend, even if you have good deals and coupons. Extreme couponing helps you maximize savings, not blowing out your budget, so don't cross that fine line.

39. Be Persistent

For a general penny shopping, you can go out maybe 20 times, and of the 20, only one time you find the penny item. It is like finding a needle in the haystack. But keep trying and try a different store, and have a positive attitude. Ask around from the people in your community who are into penny shopping.Having persistence is probably the way to go.

40. Show Generosity

Once this extreme couponing thing lift you in getting deals and massing a whole bunch of goodies and treasures, don't forget to share it with your family and friends. Couponing goods can be a wonderful gift that will make the recipient happy.

41. Put the Money you have Saved in the Jar

With extreme couponing tips, you can save extra money. So put that added income into a jar every time and let it build up over time. It's good to open up the jar and see your savings after have been couponing for a while. Extreme couponing can save up to hundreds to thousands of dollars per year. You can use the saved money on bills or holidays. Or what about giving a treat to yourself? You have earned it. After all!

Final Takeaway

Extreme couponing is time-consuming because you have to spend 3 to 4 hours in shopping. So if you are serious about it and won't get exhausted with the different reward programs at various stores, then this is the habit to enjoy. A dedicated extreme couponer is not only alert about the updated deal but also has the skill to stack coupons and rack up savings. It might sound crazy, but it isn't actually. It's up to you how you deal with it. Don't let the coupons dominate your life. I have uncovered all the remarkable extreme couponing tips and tricks that will give you the satisfaction of getting items at the lowest rates or nearly free.

If you had ever tried extreme couponing before, what extreme couponing tips you used? Share your experience with us in the comments.

Be a joyful, not insane, Extreme Couponer!

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