Expired Coupons Are NOT Trash!
Wait….do NOT toss those expired coupons in the trash. If you took the time to clip and organize your coupons, but just didn’t have time or an opportunity to use them before they expired, you can still put them to good use. U.S. military families stationed overseas are able to use coupons on base for up to SIX MONTHS after the manufacturer’s expiration date! So start collecting those expired coupons and check out the following web-sites for information on how and where to send your coupons…
* Military Family Coupon Project
* Overseas Coupon Program
Tips for organizing your expired coupons:
(1) Be sure to cut the coupons (i.e. do not send the whole insert with all the junk pages); this will help reduce the postage costs for you
(2) Divide the coupons into 2 plastic bags with the following labels: Food and Non-Food
(3) Do not send internet coupons as families overseas already have access to these coupons
I posted about this previously, but wanted to make sure to put up a reminder post for all you new readers!
(Thanks, Kelly and the other readers who emailed me!)
I am pretty new to couponing, and Im glad you reposted this for us newbies at Hip2Save, I will start doing this with the coupons I dont use or wouldnt use. Great to know I can help others out 🙂
I have some friends in the airforce over in Japan right now and I’ve been sending my coupons to her for about a year now. I use the flat rate box so it doesn’t matter how many coupons I have to send, it’s the same rate every time to ship. I know they really appreciate getting the coupons! 🙂
Thanks for posting this! I was just wondering about that ;o)
Awesome, thanks for the reminder! 🙂
Thank you! I always hate throwing away the huge stack that I’ve cut but not used at the end of the month!
This is so great to know about! Thanks for posting about this, Collin.
Thanks, I didn’t know that. Happy to help our military fams.
what about expired internet printables…can they use those??
Kim, no internet coupons 🙂
Why not, though? If I have a good one that I forget to use and it expires and it had a short print life, these families could still use them for up to six months if they didn’t print it in time.
I would think they would want our printable q’s because most are higher value than the newspaper ones. They can probably score some sweet deals. Just my 2 cents.
I send all of my Qs monthly, including printable internet Q’s to my friend stationed in Japan. As of April 2010, the PX over there began accepting internet Qs, so they can use them. Send them all!
How does shipping work? Is it expensive since these are overseas?
I send my coupons to Japan using a flat rate box. Since it’s a military base, prices are based on US shipping rates, not international rates. I can fit 9-12 pounds of coupons ($12-15,000 worth) in a large flat rate box and ship it for about $12.
I just sent some off yesterday. I send them once a month and send two quart-sized ziploc bags (one with food coupons and one with non-food coupons.) Since I don’t have tons to send at a time I just put them in a manilla envelope and it only costs $2-$3 to send.
$4 flat rate envelope will bulgingly (not a word, I know) fit about 2 tall stacks (3-4 inches each) of coupons.
I didn’t even think about the internet print coupons. I’ve read that those coupons contain info about the computer that you printed them from, so I wasn’t sure if I should/could send them. Thanks for the info!
I’ve found it helpful to have a spot to put some of the expired coupons and when there’s a bunch, I mail them out. Coupons that I don’t think I use I put there too, and to my surprise, I’ve read about a great deal that needed that coupon… and I still had it!
i have heard the same thing about the interneted printed coupons.
Thank you for posting!!! We were stationed overseas in England for 4 years, and I loved it when new coupons came in. Since they don’t expire for 6 months after the date (don’t you wish that was true all the time!!!) it was really nice to have access to these coupons. I have been sending mine for a few months now. I love the ‘generous’ quality we couponers have when it comes to donating, and this is just another way of doing that.
Last time you posted about this I signed up for both, but they were so overwhelmed with responses that they didn’t have a family for me. I will see if they have any openings this time… Thanks!
this makes me wonder what the price point on foods are overseas… 🙂
Great news!
cool program!
I have two brothers in the military and I always thought all military personal did as well as as my brothers did finically. After all of Collins’ posts about the comminsary, I asked one of my brothers to take me on base to shop. To my surprise, it was amazing to see how many families were struggling. You could see it in the cars on base, the clothes people wore, the feeling when you are going through the line to check out. It really saddens me to see so many family struggles when they are helping out our country and other countries in a very selfless act.
Now I know not everyone was struggling but there were many who were. Sending coupons is a great way to help out the troops and their families.
Thanks for the post.
My huband was an Air Force officer for 10 years. We did very well. It’s much harder now on the civilian side. My brother-in-law is enlisted (entered 4 years before my husband). He currently makes only slightly more than what my husband made when he entered the AF 10 years ago. With 3 kids they qualify for WIC and food stamps. They’re smart and don’t have debt, etc, but it it’s got to be tough.
Send those coupons … including the internet printables!! 🙂 There have been a few times when my SIL has told me that she can’t print a coupon. I guess some of the companies block their sites overseas???? If anyone wants a specific person to send coupons to in Germany, let me know. I know my BIL & SIL would appreciate it!
For those who have shipped their coupons overseas, did you have to fill out a customs form at the post office? My package was over 1lb & was told I had to. When I was finished, I took a few extra forms so I can have them filled out ahead of time.
I’ve mailed 2 huge batches over to Germany and yes, I did have to fill out the customs forms at the post office. I did the same thing–I grabbed a bunch of the extra forms so I could fill them out in advance!
I’m pretty sure that all large envelopes/packages being sent to APO type addresses have to have a customs form stuck to them. I too have a stack of them at home! 🙂
Thanks for the Post Collin! I got tons!
I would love to do this, but am curious as to the cost of shippping. Anyone have a rough number they can give me.
I sent to my adopted Navy base in spain, over $1,000 (face value) or a bubble mailer and it was $3.25. I just have my girlfriends give me theirs and we send one big batch about every month. For the programs where you adopt a base they say they can take internet coupons and catalinas as long as they do not say “can only be used at:” on them. No store coupons either, so I clip all coupons from the insert and donate what I don’t use and it adds up!
This is such an awesome idea! I always feel bad throwing my expired coupons away. What a great way to say thanks.
Thanks so much for the post! Could someone write about their experience with shipping- customs info, cost, packaging, etc? Thanks again!
bubble mailer, customs slip saying coupons under description and value is 0 since it is paper. One sandwich ziploc labeled FOOD, and one NON FOOD (vitamins and pet food are non food 😉
That is so cool! I will have to do this!
I lived in Germany for a year and half on a military base and we could use any kind of coupons even the ones you print off online. It was always nice to have people send me coupons especially diaper ones.
Overseas military members are issued a mailbox at the community mail room (aka CMR) The city is APO usually and the states are AE, AA, etc. The first A stands for Americas. As long as your shipping to something like that, its the same postage as sending it to any US state. If you are actually sending to the country (Germany, England, etc) you will have to pay international postage.
Customs forms are for packages over 1 pound. If your mailing a regular envelope with some coupons, you can just use stamps and mail it from home. Thats what I do for the girl I mail coupons to. Hope this helps!
Example Address:
CMR 418 Box ####
APO AE 09058
Anything similar to that will be regular stateside postage.
Off the subject….has anyone subscribed to any of the free or almost free magazine subscriptions that are posted from time to time? Is there a catch like they try and bill you for another year later on etc? Has anyone had any problems?…
I do the free ones all the time. I get all the subscriptions I sign up for and when the trial period is over they send me a renewal bill, but I just ignore them cause I dont want to pay to renew it. I stop getting the renewal notices after a bit, and that is that with them 🙂
HTH
I do this ALL the time! I have about 15 subscriptions that come each month. I have never been billed for anything of them & they actually come! I’d do it if I were you! 🙂
This is great! So glad I don’t have to let the expired coupons go to waste 🙂
Whoops I just threw out a zillion of expired coupons. 🙁
Tiphanie — I just mailed coupons to Iraq in a USPS flat rate medium size box and it was $10.70. Hope this helps!
Thanks Collin, I was just going to go through my coupons to toss out when I came upon your post. I am so happy someone will be able to use them.
I sent to a family I met on another board. I used to try sending envelopes, but it adds up quickly! I instead got the large APO flat rate boxes and just stuff coupons in as they expire and once it is packed full, I send it off. If you use the APO boxes, they are about $2 less than the regular large flat rate boxes and you can pay for postage on the USPS site and can also fill out the customs information and print that as well. It costs around $10, but I don’t send it that often and it is crazy number of coupons.
I do include the printables, there are times I would like extra printables than what I have access to print, so I don’t see why not!
Hello, I come from military family. I would be interested in the expired coupons. I live in the US so shipping will be cheaper. feel free to email me @ crystalclear3430@gmail.com thanks!
Hey Michelle. We’re also CONUS military but we’re not allowed to use expired coupons at our commissary. Good luck if you are able to!
I hope that was not meant in a negative, she said she’s from a military family, maybe she is willing to ship them to a base her family or friends are at 🙂
Thanks for posting this!! Wow this is great!! Do they work like this for any military families locally?
I read that they had to be totaled??? Is this true? I host a swap so have TONS of expired coupons that are left with me. It would be time-prohibitive if I need to add up the $ amounts. Anyone know??
Depends on the program, the over seas base program likes to be able to get an idea of amounts being sent. The totaling takes a little while but wasn’t as time consuming as I thought it would be.
I used to count up the totals, but stopped because it was so much work. My group was collecting about $12-15,000 in coupons every other month. Now, I just estimate the total based on the weight of the box I send.
GAH! I’ve been couponing since last October and have been waiting and looking for this info. I must have missed your previous post on it. I knew there was a way to donate expired coupons, but didn’t know how or where. Well, I’ve been saving on to them for months and JUST THIS MORNING I threw away bags and bags of expired coupons! Oh, the irony. 🙁
me too! Just threw tons of coupons out this morning. I know for next time where to send them. Thanks for posting this.
I tried this and spent quite a bit of money getting my 1st batch to them and I never heard from anyone. i included all my info so I hate to just keep spending the money and no one recieve them.
Just because you don’t hear, doesn’t mean that they didn’t get them.
I send my expired coupons, printed and newpaper to my daughter in Heidelberg Germany(Army). Last month I linked on recycling and was able to send her a boxful of expired coupons (cereal, diapers, yogurt, etc). She shared then with friends, I send them to her twice a month.
I also send coupons freebies and all the free trial sizes from coupons to my son (single) AF Osan, S Korea. Thank for posting the New razor deal, both my dh and son loved it. I
LOVE THIS! I didnt know that I could do this but I definitely will in the future! THANKS COLLIN!
I’m soo happy someone else can benefit from the coupons that I can no longer use. Especially military families! I’m going to go threw them right now and get them seperated. Great work Colin!!
We can even send coupons that are even not expired, right?
All the coupons I don’t need(the ones that there is no way we would use due to our personal preferences), I used to dump them in the recycle bin. Now I can take some of them in the envelope to ship them. Good idea!
Please, please send these overseas! I am a couponer who uses these on a regular basis. You can send expired coupons (no more than 3 mo. so when we get them we still have time), non expired coupons and internet coupons. The only thing we can not use are coupons with a store logo on them or are specific to a certain store. We have no other way to get coupons other than through kind people in the states that do this for the military families overseas. If you want a specific contact so you make sure that nothing is mixed up, I would be happy to help you with that too! Thank you!
do you have an email address where i can get your address???
I would, of course, send internet printed coupons. Why limit them to the two they can print? I can send them the two I can print, then they can get four of the same item, as opposed to just two.
ditto!!
Thanks for posting this. I’ve needed this info, as I seem to have a *lot* of q’s that expire without being used. But, can’t I send the internet printed q’s if I want to? They can still use them, right, if I don’t mind paying for shipping?
Thanks for this link. I hate my coupons to toss my expired coupons but now they will have a new home! 🙂
I checked out both sites that Collin posted. Do most of you who already do this just pick a base and start mailing? Or do you adopt a base?
I don’t know why but the Overseas Coupon Project seemed a little sketchy or something probably because the whole website is about how they are completely overwhelmed their own project, so don’t bother with asking question. It came off a little rude. I just want to be sure I’m sending coupons to people who will actually get them. I don’t want to spend the money on shipping if it’s just going to get lost in transit or something.
I watched the basketball game tonight, and clipped coupons from the March and April coupon inserts. It was fun, and a good way to pass the time. I’m sending mine to Germany, since Jen said they love them there. I hope you can use some of mine, Jen. God bless you all, and thanks for your service to our country!
Thanks for reposting this link. As an Army wife I know this to be the case just could never find an address to send them to. Another idea for those looking to support the military is care packages. I “buy” the free or very cheap things that I don’t/can’t use and put them in a flat rate box. once the box is filled I ship it to a deployed service member with a nice letter and a picture from my nieces and nephews.There are a ton of sites to get addresses from if you don’t know anyone deployed. I personally use any soldier. They love anything that they get from back in the states but most of all it’s not what is in the package it’s the fact someone took time out of their day to care about them. If financially shipping costs are difficult contact your local VFW or American Legion they usually have drives going on to collect the products and then they ship the packages.
Thanks so much for posting this! I’ve been wondering what I can do with those coupons I don’t use or have expired… What a great use they’ll be now! Thanks again!!
I am an Air Force Spouse and we PCSd to Japan a month ago. Cost of living is much higher here and I would love to continue couponing. I had emailed a coupon site to receive expired coupons, but have not heard back, so. . . if anyone would like to “adopt me” I would love to receive expired coupons 🙂 thanks
Andrea, friend me on FB (www.facebook.com/wendibrownson) so we can exchange info. I am not an extreme couponer (yet), but between me and 2-3 of my girlfriends, we can send you coupons to use. Best wishes to you and your family. 🙂
04 May 2011
Andrea – As a family project, we have been sending coupons to a USAF base in Okinawa, Japan since Dec 2009. So far, we’ve sent more than $15,000 in coupons. I have a large batch ready to send this week. We’d be tickled pink to send them your way.
Our only little request is to hear back via email that the package was received. We have not ever heard back from the recipient in Okinawa and my kids fear that the boxes have not arrived or are not needed due to too many folks sending boxes of coupons.
It would be wonderful for the kids (and more motivational) if we could hear back just a quick note that the box arrived in good condition.
I look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you to your family for your service to the USA.
Janice Medina and family
Thank you so much for responding. Coupons are in short supply here and I would definitly let you know we received the box. I coupon clip with 2 other spouses, and we pool our coupons, so you will be helping more than one family. My email is usafduckie@yahoo.com. Please send me a quick note so I can email you our address. I love that you are teaching your children about helping others!
Janice, I’m a military spouse stationed on Okinawa and just wanted to say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for sending coupons! It’s probably some your coupons that I go through in our “free coupon bin” at our commissary! 🙂
That’s awesome Andrea!! I just create a group on Facebook, Expired Coupon Connection”, hoping to do exactly what you are here! Being adopted by someone in the States to forward you expired coupons!
You can request to join here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/238652076175505/
Thanks for all you and your families do for all of us back home!
I had no idea you could do this, until my friend told me the other day to save the one’s I was about to throw out. And then I saw your post yesterday! I wish I would have known a long time ago!