So what are you waiting for?! Click the play button above or head over here to watch the video!

If this video has motivated you to head out to your local Goodwill store, you may want to take some time to clean out your drawers, closets etc. and take any unwanted items with you to donate. Consider the fact that a donation of a bag of clothes provides someone with an hour of job training AND you’ll score a coupon valid for 20% off your entire purchase every single time you bring a donation into Goodwill (note that the coupon offer may vary by region).

If you don’t happen to live near a Goodwill Store, you can also snag some great deals online at Goodwill’s online auction site, ShopGoodwill.com. Find everything from clothing, toys, tools, musical instruments and much more!

Come back to let us know what sort of great finds you have snagged at your local Goodwill Store or local thrift store.

* A BIG thank you to the staff at the Goodwill here in Idaho… especially Jason Asher, the Donor and Community Relations Officer for Easter Seals-Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain! He rocks!

If you are a frequent JCPenney shopper, I am guessing you may be quite familiar with JCPenney’s Best Price Friday shopping event. On the first and third Friday of each month (which is tomorrow!), JCPenney offers up their lowest prices on select items storewide until they sell out; you simply look for the prices marked in blue.

When I first learned about Best Price Friday, I knew I wanted to go check it out. So I grabbed my video camera and headed to the local JCPenney store here in Boise, Idaho. Check out my video below to see how I snagged 5 cute shirts for $10 + tax–no joke! (Note that this was filmed last month.)…

(If you can’t see this video, go here to watch it.)

* Be sure to check out the Best Price Friday Event at your store tomorrow, April 20th, and then come back to let us know what items you snag!

After moving all the way across the country from North Carolina to Idaho, I can finally say that I feel completely settled in my new home, my kiddos are adjusting to their new schools and making friends, and I am loving being surrounded by family and even some good friends from high school. Life is good!

With that being said, I felt that it was only appropriate to start off the 2012 Coffee with Collin video series with a film about my new life in Idaho. This video will give you a sneak peek into my new home where I will share some tips for maximizing small spaces, as my new home is definitely on the tinier side.

So you know the drill… grab a cup of coffee (or tea or water!), get comfy on your couch and come check out my new life in Idaho! Enjoy!

* If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

WARNING: This video has a lot of background noise due to the fact that filming took place inside Petco. Be prepared for barking and other loud animal noises.

If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

* Closed Captioning is now available on select videos! To use this feature, click the play button above and then click on the CC button. (A big thanks to reader, Courtney, for transcribing this video!)

“Hip” Tips for Pet Shopping

* Email your favorite companies, let them know how much love their pet food/items, and ask them for coupons. You may be surprised by what you find in your mailbox several weeks later!

* Check out RecycleBank. For example, back in April, I posted about the fact that you could snag coupons for 2 FREE cans of Fancy Feast cat food using your RecycleBank points.

* Print those coupons! In a recent coupon round-up post, I mentioned that you can head over here, register for the Halo newsletter and snag $1/1 Spot’s Stew coupons which made this item only 19¢ at Petco!

* Always be on the lookout for peelie and tear pad coupons… they can often make for some super sweet deals!

* Look for clearance items! I was able to snag some amazing deals by simply going through the clearance bin.

If you live in the Wilmington, North Carolina area, I highly encourage you to check out Petco. The staff is amazing, very coupon-friendly, and provides excellent customer service! You can find Petco at the following location:

324 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 799-2472

A very BIG thank you to Tina Allen (a Petco department manager), Michael, and all the awesome readers who came out to the donation drive this past weekend. I am also so appreciative to all of you who mailed me your free pet product coupons to use for the Hip2Help Tour… thank you, thank you, thank you!

* Closed Captioning is now available on select videos! To use this feature, click the play button above and then click on the CC button. (A big thanks to reader, Courtney, for transcribing this video!)

** If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupons (also known as BOGO coupons or B1G1 coupons) allow you to purchase one item and Get a second item of equal or lesser value for free! You’ll want to pay special attention to the fine print on the coupon as there is usually a maximum value stated on the coupon (this maximum value is the most that the manufacturer is willing to reimburse the store for the “free” item). For example, in the coupon pictured above, P&G will only reimburse the store up to $3.99 for the CrossAction toothbrush. If the toothbrush is priced at $4.50, you will be required to pay $0.51 out of pocket ($4.50-$3.99) for this “free” item.

How does a Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon work with a Buy 1 Get 1 Free store sale?

With a B1G1 store sale, you are purchasing 2 like items and then automatically getting one item for free when you checkout. Since you are still essentially purchasing 2 items, you can use a B1G1 coupon in conjunction with the B1G1 store sale to get the both items for free (one is free after the store sale and one is free after the coupon). See the picture below as an example. *Important Note: Read your store’s coupon policy very carefully as some stores (most recently Rite Aid ) may prohibit the use of a B1G1 coupon in conjunction with a B1G1 store sale.

Since you are purchasing 2 like items with a B1G1 store sale, you can use two $ off coupons (one that is applied to each purchased item). For example, the Walgreens coupon policy specifically states “When items are featured in a Buy One, Get One Free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the items being purchased.” * Important Note: Read your store’s coupon policy very carefully as some stores may prohibit the use of two $ off coupons in conjunction with a B1G1 store sale.

Can you purchase 2 like items and combine both a B1G1 coupon AND a $ off coupon?

Hmmm…. check out the video above for my opinion and please feel free to share what you think in the comments.

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

Here are some of the Hip Tips that I mention in the video:

* Be a coupon fairy
* Just because an item is not marked does not mean that it isn’t on sale
* You may need to buy something you don’t need in order to get something you do need
* Clearance isn’t always a good deal
* Have fun and don’t get coupon road rage!

* Please note that this video was filmed with my Flip Video Camera (instead of the camera I normally use) so I apologize in advance if the audio/visual quality is not so great.

Because we are still in the early planning stages, I thought that it would be more appropriate to share this project with you in a post instead of the typical “Coffee with Collin” video. As you may recall, I posted a survey about 10 days ago to be completed by those of you who live in a community that was recently affected by the tornadoes and floods. I was so moved by all the responses that I received regarding the amount of devastation that your communities were experiencing, which inspired me in a huge way to want to personally help make a difference. With this desire to give back, the Hip2Help Tour was born.

The Hip2Help Tour will involve the Hip2Save team (including 9 kiddos, ages 3-10!) traveling by bus from North Carolina through Georgia and Alabama within an 8 day period from July 3rd-10th. Our goal is to personally provide community service, host donation drives, host community events with music and entertainment + much more! We are also going to be capturing this special trip on video so that all of you readers can be part of the experience.

How Can YOU Help?

* Send FREE (and unexpired) product coupons as well as gift cards to the following address (please remember that we will not be traveling until July 2011, so please only send coupons that will be valid at that time):

Hip2Help Tour
PO Box 8716
Camp Lejeune NC 28547

* Consider mailing personal care/household/toys from your stockpile to the following address (the most needed items are sunscreen, bug spray, diapers, wipes, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, baby wash, first aid supplies, tampons, baby formula, shaving cream, nonperishable food items that do not need to be cooked, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, trash bags, pet food, can openers, batteries):

Hip2Help Tour
PO Box 8716
Camp Lejeune NC 28547

* If you do not want to spend a bunch on postage, consider packing up all of your samples and trial size items and unopened hotel hair care products etc. and mailing them to the address above.

* Stay tuned for a Hip2Help Tour t-shirt; all of the profits from this shirt will be donated to this tour

* If you own/work for a company that may be interested in sponsoring this tour (with free product coupons, donation items etc.), please send an email to Bryn, and she will email you with further information.

If you live in one of the communities mentioned above, I hope to have a chance to personally meet you in July. Stay tuned for additional posts and videos in the coming weeks with further information on the planned events…

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

Enjoy!

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

“Hip” Tips for Checking Out With Coupons

(1) Know your store’s coupon policy!! For more information, check out the Hip2Save Store Guides found here. If you are not able to locate a coupon policy online for your local store, I highly recommend that you email customer service asking for a copy of the policy/guidelines and/or you can contact the store manager.

(2) Consider dabbling in cashier profiling. Personally, I look for happy and laid back looking cashiers.

(3) Make use of your time waiting in line and organize those coupons! Consider grouping together all of your free and Buy 1 Get 1 free product coupons as these typically require the cashier to manually enter the price of the item.

(4) Stack your coupons in the criss cross method demonstrated in the video as this should prevent coupons from sticking together… especially printable coupons. You may also want to consider handing over your coupons one at a time.

(5) Be respectful and patient! Kill em’ with kindness!

So how about you? What are your tips for having a successful checkout experience?

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

*If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

Hip’s Basic Tips for Walmart Shopping:

(1) Park far away…it’s great exercise and you’re less likely to have to fight over a parking spot.

(2) Subscribe to All You Magazine or purchase a copy at your local Walmart. In this month’s All You Magazine, you’ll find over $75 worth of coupons.

(3) Keep your eyes peeled for those Roll-Back prices.

(4) Read through and print a copy of Walmart’s coupon policy to have with you while you shop. One of my favorite additions to Walmart’s coupon policy is the following: “If coupon value exceeds the price of an item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied towards the basket purchase.”

(5) Be sure to stop by the travel section to make use of coupons that have no size exclusions.

(6) Know your price points. You may also want to check out this post for some helpful information.

(7) Pick an off time to shop to avoid the crowds.

(8) Read through and print out a copy of Walmart’s Price Matching Policy. Try to keep all your price matching items together in your cart to make for a more efficient check out experience. Be sure to point out the items that you are price matching before they are scanned by the cashier.

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

Proper Coupon Usage

(1) You can only use one manufacturer coupon per item purchased. For example, if you have 3 $1/1 Colgate toothpaste manufacturer coupons, you can purchase 3 Colgate toothpastes in the same transaction and use all 3 $1/1 Colgate toothpaste manufacturer coupons (i.e. one coupon per toothpaste purchased). This “rule” may seem obvious but many coupon newbies (and even some cashiers/managers) do not always understand the difference between a purchase and a transaction. Since you are purchasing each item, each item is itself a purchase. A transaction is the total of all the items purchased. In this case, the 3 Colgate toothpastes make up your transaction. Still confused? Check out this article.

(2) In some cases, you can use both a manufacturer coupon AND a store coupon for the purchase of one item (this is called stacking). For example, Target allows you to use both a Target store coupon AND a manufacturer coupon for the purchase of one item. This same sort of policy holds true for Rite Aid and Walgreens as well. If you are not familiar with a store’s coupon policy (and whether they allow stacking), I strongly encourage you to read the coupon policy and/or check out my store guides prior to your first shopping trip.

(3) Do not use expired coupons even if they scan! If you have a stash of expired coupons, consider sending them to military families overseas. Check out this post for more information.

(4) If you have a coupon that requires the purchase of multiple items, then you must purchase the stated number of items on the coupon. For example, if you have a $1/2 Ken’s Dressing coupon, you must purchase 2 Ken’s Dressings to use the coupon. Also, keep in mind that this $1/2 coupon is applied/attached to both dressings so you cannot apply an additional manufacturer coupon to either of these 2 dressings.

(5) Read the text on Free product coupons and Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupons and pay special attention to the maximum value allowed. For example, let’s say you have a free product coupon for Axe Shower Gel with a maximum value of $5.99 specified on the coupon. Your store has the Axe Shower Gel priced at $6.99; if you use the free product coupon, you will actually pay $1 for the shower gel since the coupon only allows a maximum of $5.99.

(6) Look Beyond the Picture (i.e. focus on the text and NOT the picture). For example, I have a manufacturer coupon that specifically states “Save $3 off any K-Y Brand product (excludes trial sizes)”; the manufacturer has intentionally placed a picture of K-Y Intense (a rather expensive K-Y product) on the coupon. At first glance, one may assume that you can only save $3 off the purchase of K-Y Intense; however, once you read the text, you realize that the coupon can be used to save $3 off any K-Y product except for trial sizes. That means you could use this coupon to snag K-Y lubricant for FREE or almost FREE!

(7) Have I mentioned that you need to read the text?! Another reason to read that text is because occasionally a coupon may state one per customer. In this case, you can only use one coupon no matter how many items you purchase.

(8) If a printable coupon seems too good to be true, it probably is. Beware of e-mails (even if they are from your friends and family) that attach coupons for free products or other offers that seem “too good to be true.” They are almost certainly counterfeits. To check out a suspicious coupon, head over to the Coupon Information Corporation (CIC) and you can view a list of current counterfeit coupons. You can also report a suspicious or counterfeit coupon that you discover.

Photo courtesy of FritoLay.com

If you come across a coupon with one or more of the following items, keep in mind that this may indicate that the coupon is fraudulent: coupons with NO expiration date; misspellings on coupon; no purchase required to get free product; coupon does not refer to specific size or weight limits for free product; extremely high maximum value for free product (ex. – $5 maximum value for a single bag of Doritos is extremely high considering these rarely sell for over $4/bag at ANY store)

(9) If you want to confirm that a Coupons, Inc. coupon is legit, head over to the Coupon Resource Center and enter the Veri-Fi code found on your coupon (i.e. the unique code that prints on your coupon). Keep in mind that when you go to print a coupon, you should never see the actual coupon on your screen, only an offer to print it. Real coupons require special software to print proper barcodes and limits the number of prints of each coupon. For this reason, you CANNOT photocopy a coupon! Keep in mind that photocopying a coupon, intentionally using a coupon for a product that you have not purchased and/or intentionally using a counterfeit coupon can result in serious legal consequences (to date, the longest prison sentence has been 17 years of jail time and the highest financial penalty has been $5 million in fines!).

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OK, now that you know how to use coupons properly, how about learning about the coupon redemption process. Do you really know how the process of coupon redemption works for stores?! What do stores do with those stacks of coupons that they collect from all of us savvy shoppers? Knowing this information outlined below will allow you to be that much more confident when you are at the register and the cashier mumbles something like “Using coupons rips off the stores.”

Coupon Redemption Process

-Manufacturers design coupon promotions with their sales/marketing teams

-Coupons are distributed via newspaper inserts, direct mail campaigns, via the internet etc.

-A very “hip” shopper excitedly enters the store and proudly uses all of his/her coupons at checkout

-The cashier scans the coupons and puts them into the cash drawer. Typically, at the end of the day the coupons in each cash drawer are added up as if they were cash, and that amount is added to the cash sum to be sure the overall total for the drawer is accurate.

-Once per week, all of the manufacturers’ coupons (and any coupons issued by the grocer) are sent in plastic bags or pouches to the store’s corporate headquarters.

-There is a very lucky person at headquarters in charge of processing the coupons. That person boxes all of the bags of coupons and ships them to a third-party clearinghouse.

-The clearinghouse is then responsible for doing the most important part of the coupon redemption process– separating the coupons by manufacturer or by scannable coupons versus damaged/torn coupons. Most of this process is done by hand. Sometimes coupons are put face up on a conveyor belt and move under a scanner that reads the UPC codes and tallies the amounts. However, damaged and torn coupons have to be tallied by hand. The clearinghouse then sends all the sorted coupons with an invoice to the manufacturer.

-The manufacturer will reimburse stores the face value of coupons or if the coupon calls for free merchandise, for the retail-selling price up to the stated maximum value printed on the coupon PLUS 8¢ for handling each coupon properly redeemed (this 8¢ value may vary slightly). Many times manufacturers, such as ConAgra Foods, will also reimburse retailers that are using a clearinghouse or billing agent at a rate equal to $5.50 per thousand of coupons redeemed.

-The manufacturer either reimburses the clearinghouse for the amount of the invoice, and the clearinghouse mails a check to the store for the amount of the coupons OR the manufacturer sends a check directly to the store and the store then pays the clearinghouse. (The clearinghouse is paid a certain amount per coupon by the store, plus shipping and handling).

(Thanks to HowStuffWorks for some of the info on explaining the coupon redemption process!)

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If you’re ever in need of a specific product and are wondering if there is a coupon available, what better place to search for it than the Hip2Save Coupon Database!? Here at Hip2Save, we’ve created a Hip2Save Coupon Database where you can search for any and all coupons, including home mailers, printable, store-only, in-store, Facebook, and many other types of coupons!

Today, I’m looking to you for input and inspiration on upcoming videos. If you can take a few minutes to fill out this survey, I would be most appreciative. In addition, 5 survey participants will win one of my 5 most favorite things highlighted below:

* Vitamix Blender
* Apple iPad 2
* Designer Jeans (you give me your size/style preference and I’ll do the rest!)
* Keurig Home Brewing System
* Smooth Move Tea 6 pack

What are you waiting for?! Head on over to complete the survey. Thanks for your help!

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

So how about you? Where do you stockpile all your goodies? Do you have any creative ways to store items? Please share with us in the comments below.

Enjoy!

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

How to Save on Jewelry
* Hit the clearance section (my favorite stores to find discounted jewelry are Target and Walmart)
* Ten Thousand Villages (click on shop, then click on clearance and sort low to high)
* Forever 21
* Wait until items are marked 75% off or more

How to Save on Clothing
* Skip the mall and head to the clearance racks at Target or Kmart (or T.J. Maxx, Ross and Marshalls)
* Tulle (wait for their “Tullesday” Sales)
* HauteLook.com
* Swirl.com
* Rue La La

How to Save on Shoes
* 6pm.com
* Amazon.com
* Browse the clearance section at Target

So…now it’s your turn! What are your tips for snagging shoes, clothing and jewelry at a “hip” price? Please share your secrets in the comment section below.

Enjoy!

**If you can’t see the video, then go here to watch it.

More Ways to Save at the Mechanic…

* Check out your mechanic’s website for special savings. You may also want to consider signing up for the newsletter as you’re likely to receive special discounts and offers. For example, if you head over to the Firestone website, you’ll snag special coupons like $7 off a standard oil change and $10 off select maintenance service. In addition, sign up for Firestone’s email newsletter and you’ll receive exclusive coupons.

* Check out Valpak.com. Enter your zip code and you should discover local deals like discounted oil changes, auto services and more.

* Check out this article for even more tips

** A BIG thanks to Keith and Noreen, the owners of 30 Minute Muffler & Brake Center in Jacksonville, NC. If you live in or near Jacksonville and are in need of a trustworthy mechanic, I highly recommend that you check them out! They are located at 740 Bell Fork Road and can be reached at (910) 353-3160.

Do you have a mechanic in your local area that provides excellent customer service? If so, please feel free to share the name and location of the auto service center in the comments below.

Today’s Coffee with Collin is all about my coupon binder. That’s right… today, you will get an exclusive look at my gigantic coupon binder! Plus, you’ll get lots of tips to make your very own binder!

On a side note, I had a great opportunity to visit with reader, Tambry, from Tennessee. Unfortunately, when I went back to edit the video, I discovered that it was really difficult to hear Tambry speaking. For this reason, I’ve decided to not include my conversation with Tambry in the video below. I’ve also decided to not continue with the reader conservations at this point. I am trying to think about another way to get you all involved, so stay tuned for some possible ideas.

Enjoy!

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

As you saw in the video above, my favorite coupon organization method is the three-ring binder with baseball card sleeves and clear plastic dividers. I prefer a standard three-ring binder versus the more expensive zippered binder. Although, I initially started out with a zippered binder, I was unable to zip the binder as my coupon stash expanded (which defeats the purpose). In addition, the binder was so bulky and very difficult to put in my purse. I arrange my coupons by category… you can also arrange them alphabetically.

Coupon Binder Supply List

* Heavy-Duty 3 Ring Binder
(keep in mind that Staples has all Avery Heavy-Duty View Binders at 50% Off with in-ad coupon this week)

* 4 sets of Plastic Dividers 8 count
(I highly encourage you to spend the extra money to get plastic instead of paper …it will be well worth it!)

* Baseball Card Sleeves to hold your coupons
(If you are a newbie couponer, you may only want to purchase 18-20 sleeves initially and then add more as your coupon supply grows)

* Scissors – Every couponer needs these!
(Staples has the Westcott 8″ Recycled Scissors on sale for $2 with in-ad coupon this week)

Build Your Own Coupon Binder on Amazon.com:
(for those of you who would prefer to create a coupon binder from the comfort of your own home)

* Avery Durable View 3 Inch EZ-Turn Ring Binder $9.59 with FREE shipping with Amazon Prime
* Avery Style Edge Insertable Plastic Dividers 8-Tab Set $5.41 with FREE shipping with Amazon Prime
* 25 pack of baseball card sleeves $5.99 with FREE shipping with Amazon Prime
OR 100 pack of baseball card sleeves $13.75 with FREE shipping with Amazon Prime

Wondering what categories I use? Check out these FREE Hip2Save printables below to help you organize your own coupon binder…

* Hip2Save Coupon Binder Cover Sheet
* Avery Style Edge Plastic Dividers (item #11201): Page 1 and Page 2
* Avery Big Tab Insertable Plastic Dividers (item #11901 & 16282): Page 1 and Page 2

As I mentioned in this video, I highly encourage you to print off each store’s coupon policy and place it in your binder. Below are the direct links to the coupon policies of some of my favorite stores…

Rite Aid Coupon Policy
Target Coupon Policy
Walgreens Coupon Policy
Walmart Coupon Policy
* Please note that CVS does not have a coupon policy; however, check out my CVS Store Guide for lots of great tips!

If you are a newbie couponer,  start small. Instead of jumping into a binder (which can be very overwhelming), consider filling up an envelope with coupons. As you become more familiar with couponing and are determined to continue for the long term, then you may want to advance to the binder method or another organizational method of your choice.

Did you miss my past Coffee with Collin episodes?! If so, head on over here to check them all out.

A special thanks to GiftCardRescue.com for providing Tambry with a $50 Starbucks gift card! If you are in the market to buy, sell or exchange unwanted gift cards, be sure to check out GiftCardRescue.com.

Enjoy!

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

As you will see in the video above, my favorite coupon organization method is the three-ring binder with baseball card sleeves and clear plastic dividers. I prefer a standard three-ring binder versus the more expensive zippered binder. Although I initially started out with a zippered binder, I was unable to zip the binder as my coupon stash expanded (which defeats the purpose). In addition, the binder was so bulky and very difficult to put in my purse. Although you can arrange your coupons alphabetically, I choose to arrange them by category (stay tuned for next week’s episode as you’ll be able to print off a list of my favorite categories).

If you are a newbie couponer, keep in mind that you may want to start small. Instead of jumping into a binder (which can be very overwhelming), consider filling up an envelope with coupons. As you become more familiar with couponing and are determined to continue for the long term, then you may want to advance to the binder method.

You may also want to consider Jennie’s preferred coupon organization method. Jennie arranges her coupons alphabetically in a plastic box.  She writes each category on a 3×5 card/sticky note, staples the index card/sticky note inside a small envelope and organizes the envelopes within the box in alphabetical order by category (see Jennie’s pictures below)…

Did you miss my past Coffee with Collin episodes?! If so, head on over here to check them out.

Would you like to appear as a phone guest on an upcoming episode of Coffee with Collin?
Be sure to complete the form found here!

A special thanks to GiftCardRescue.com for providing Jennie with a $50 Starbucks gift card! If you are in the market to buy, sell or exchange unwanted gift cards, be sure to check out GiftCardRescue.com.

**If you can’t see the video, go here to watch it.

Did you miss my first Coffee with Collin episode?! If so, head on over here to check it out.

Would you like to appear as a phone guest on an upcoming episode of Coffee with Collin?
Be sure to complete the form found here!

A special thanks to GiftCardRescue.com for providing Nicole with a $50 Starbucks gift card! If you are in the market to buy, sell or exchange unwanted gift cards, be sure to check out GiftCardRescue.com.

If you want a fun and lighthearted distraction on Monday mornings, then you’ll definitely want to check out this new Hip2Save “morning show.” AND with that being said, here’s the first video…

**If you can’t see the video, then go here to watch it.