Everyday Cheapskate

Want to learn how to make coupons work for you so you can save big at the checkout counter, too? Hang out with the experts. Learn all you can from those who know the ropes. Here's a quick sampling from "Everyday Cheapskate" readers who know their coupons!

EXTREME COUPONING. Make sure you ask for a rain check if a store is out of a sale item. Stores in our area are doing a lot of "buy one, get one free" deals. Often they run out of the items. I hold on to rain checks and then stack them with two coupons. Sometimes I even can get the sale items for free. I normally only purchase the things I know we like and will eat. However, when an item is free, it is a good time to try something new or donate it to the food pantry. — Pam, e-mail

SAVINGS SITE. I found a terrific coupon site called CouponMom.com. It lists local store ads all over the country and matches manufacturer coupons to the ads. Click on your local store and up pops the weekly ad. It shows what unexpired coupons are available and which week's coupon supplement they are from. Registration is free. It's a great site to visit if you buy your local paper each week to get the coupons. — Renae S., e-mail

SMART SHOPPING. I use an iPhone application called Grocery Gadget. It's free with an option to pay for an upgraded version. Grocery Gadget allows you to log on via your phone or the Web, to create a grocery list, to enter the prices of what you usually buy and even to take pictures of brands you prefer.

My husband and I both have iPhones. We can add things to our household list from each of our phones, and when I go to the store, I have the complete list of what we need. It also helps keep us on a budget. — Ally B., e-mail

ONE-STOP SAVER. Another incredible Web site is RefundCents, where you can get all the information you need before you shop. For instance, on one page, you can see that Walgreens has something on sale, an in-store coupon, a Register Reward for the purchase and a coupon in the Sunday paper. The site even shows you what the final price will be! It also provides rebate forms and ways to donate your coupons if you don't need them. It is thorough, and once you get the hang of the site, it's addictive! — Tia G., e-mail

CODE CLIPPER. I always do a Google search for "coupon codes" when I find something online that I want to purchase. Without fail, I have found a coupon each and every time. Recently, J.C. Penney had a coupon code for free shipping. It amounted to $12.99 for a pair of winter boots, which is a huge savings! Remember to check for coupon codes before you fill out the online order form. — Karen C., Idaho

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Include your first and last name and state. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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