There are lots of ways to get coupons nowadays. There are also lots of coupons out there that are fraudulent. It can be difficult to determine whether or not a coupon is legit, so I usually stick with reputable coupon websites and links to coupons from the two blogs that I follow. Here are some places you can find coupons:
1. The Sunday Newspaper.
Locally in the Twin Cities, there are two major newspapers. They are the Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press. They both carry coupon inserts within them. Typically, I have found the Star Tribune to have more coupons and even higher value coupons within their coupon inserts.
2. On the Internet.
The web has become increasingly popular over the years, and along with that are websites that offer a wide variety of coupons. Some of the popular coupon websites I frequent are coupons.com, smartsource.com, redplum.com, and even target.com/coupons. Sometimes if you go directly to a product's website, there are coupons to be found on there. And if you follow any other money saving blogs, often times they will have direct links to specific product coupons.
3. In the Store.
There are a ton of coupons to be found in grocery stores and other stores such as Target or Walmart. Below is a rundown of the types of coupons you might find in the store:
Peelies - these are the "sticker" type of coupons that are found on the actual product itself that you peel off of.
Tearpads - these are typically located right on the shelves or on center islands and usually look like little post-its that you tear off.
Blinkies - these are the coupons that come out of the blinking red light spitter-outter machines that are usually affixed to shelves or freezer doors.
Booklets - these usually are multiple-coupon inserts that are located in a display near the promoted product.
Catalinas - these are the rectangular shaped coupons that get printed out of a spitter-outter machine next to the machine that prints receipts at the register.
Receipts - don't forget to check the bottom and back of your receipts as there are often coupons on these, too.
4. Magazines.
All You is a magazine distributed at Walmart or by subscription only, and it contains a host of high value coupons. Other magazines that I have seen to occasionally carry some coupons are Family Circle, Family Fun, Good Housekeeping, Parenting, and Woman's Day. Check your magazines for coupons!
5. In Your Mailbox.
Some stores occasionally mail out coupon booklets to a targeted area, and you never know when your area might be included in these occasional mailings. Some stores also mail out coupon booklets to targeted consumers, so if you have signed up for a baby or wedding registry recently or use a store credit card, etc., you might get coupon booklets in the mail on occasion as well.
I have also found coupon inserts to be located in what I would normally consider as "Junk Mail" -- so be sure to flip through what might look like a regular advertisement and you could be surprised to find coupons right in the middle of it!
My area also mails out a circular every month with coupons at local businesses which is great for saving money on gas or restaurants in the area. And if you are the type of person who signs up for freebies & product samples online, often times there are coupons included with the product so be sure to check the packaging for loose coupons before tossing it.
6. Family, Friends, and Public Areas.
I have found it doesn't hurt to ask around for coupons. Often times there are family members or friends who just simply don't use their coupons and don't mind giving them to you instead of tossing them.
Also, sometimes luck is on your side and there are coupons laying around from the Sunday paper in doctor's office waiting rooms, your local library, coffee shops, etc. I wouldn't run around at 7 am every Sunday to check for these, but if you happen to be there and see an insert laying there, in my mind it is basically free for anyone to take if they think they can use it.
Question for the readers -- Where do you get your coupons?
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