Photo by Ninjapoodles
There are many questions I get from people just starting to coupon, like “How do most people get FOUR coupons from the weekly inserts? Do you buy four Sunday papers?” Well, that’s an option. Here are other alternatives for getting your hands on multiple coupon inserts:
- Buy multiple newspapers: This is perhaps the easiest one, though not the cheapest. Usually Sunday versions of the newspaper cost higher than everyday versions. To work around that I suggest you check your local dollar store to see if they carry Sunday newspapers. Another option is to find a cheaper newspaper. If you take a look at your coupon inserts, on the spine of it on very tiny print you will find the list of newspapers that carry that version of those inserts. See if you can find a cheaper alternative among those listed.
- Buy multiple inserts: You also have the alternative of just buying the inserts. Of the top of my head I know “Coupons and Things by Dede” offers the service. I am sure you can find full inserts being auctioned on that big auction site. Please make sure to make a cost/benefit analysis before you decide to use any coupon clipping service.
- Ask friends, family and neighbors: It is a fact that coupon users are a minority. Chances are friends and family are throwing away their coupon inserts intact or mostly intact. Don’t be afraid to ask them for their copies. For them it may be a free way to lend a hand. Plus you can also show them your gratefulness by sharing some of your freebies with them.
- Make friends with paper delivery person: It is very likely that the person who delivers your Sunday newspaper has a surplus of newspapers at the end of his/her run. Leave him/her a note saying you would like to get in touch with her. When she gets in touch with you explain to her that you would like to get your hands in multiple coupon inserts and if she has any left when she’s done delivering newspapers. Offer to pay for them or maybe to share with her some of the freebies you score. I have a friend who has worked this arrangement with her delivery person and she keeps the delivery person well stocked with the free goodies she’s able to score with multiple coupons.
- Take a walk around neighborhood: another option is to take a walk around your neighborhood before the recycling truck visits and pick newspaper inserts from your neighbor’s bins. If this is too close for comfort maybe you can hit another neighborhood? Just don’t take it off their property without permission! I have to admit this is a little too gutsy for me and I would be more comfortable exploring the last option:
- Take a dive: Not in the pool, in the dumpster! Dumpster diving is perhaps the cheapest way to get your hands on lots of coupon inserts. First, make sure you find out if it is legal to dumpster dive in your state. Then all you need to do is find a recycling bin, someone to go with and take the plunge, literally, ha ha! For more information on some tools to make dumpster diving easier make sure to check this post.
However, I also want to take the time of ways NOT to get multiple coupon inserts. I have also received emails and comments from readers sharing these:
- Take all of the newspapers inside the newspaper box when you have only paid for one.
- Take the coupon inserts from other newspapers in the stack at the store when you are only paying for one newspaper.
What other creative ways for getting multiple coupon inserts have you found? Share them with us to help others who are looking for help with this.
