Photo by Ninjapoodles
Alicia from “Let Joy Resound” left a comment asking: “How do most people get FOUR coupons from the weekly inserts? Do you buy four Sunday papers?” Well Alicia, 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. Out 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.
- 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. My in laws are happy to share their inserts with me. Whenever they visit I make sure to show them one or two things I have bought cheap with the coupons they provided. For them it is a free way to lend a hand.
- 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? 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 thread. Or just check out the thread to read the funny stories in it.
Being frugal is all about being resourceful and exploring multiple options until you find the one that works for you. Hopefully, one of these options will work for you.
I would love to hear if anyone has given dumpster diving a try. I would like to but there are no recycle bins in my small town.
