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Where did the weekly coupon matchups go?

September 20, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

I’ve been asked this question in person, in email and on the Facebook page–Where did the weekly coupon matchups go?

For a long time, coupon matchups were the backbone of this blog, and many other deal blogs. Coupon matchups take a tremendous amount of time–it literally takes several hours to do one ad. Some larger bloggers are able to either pay virtual assistants to do it, or they have expensive plug-ins that help cut some of the time (but it’s still quite a bit of work). As a medium sized blogger, I just can’t afford that.

So I was using a third option–purchasing ad matchups. Yes, some folks actually spend the hours to do the matchups, then they sell copies to bloggers which helps justify the time spent doing them. Then, even the moms who I was purchasing from said it wasn’t worth their time to do it. I then found another site from which to purchase matchups, but those folks used a different format from the previous blogger, and so it was still taking me a tremendous amount of time to format them for here.

And…….after analyzing Google Analytics for the past several months, only a few dozen of you are reading the matchups that we do. I just could no longer justify spending money to purchase the matchups, the time to format them for here….and only have 35-40 people read them.

While we work this out, I ask for your patience. I realize I am at risk of alienating 35-40 loyal readers who looked forward to those matchups each week. Right now, we’re trying to figure out a cheaper and less time consuming way to bring them to you. As it was now, it just was not Smart Spending of either time or money for us to publish them. I rarely if ever, even had enough time to do deals myself because my extra time was spent doing matchups–which sort of negates the whole point of it all.

We are pursuing other options, and bringing you other features in lieu of the matchups. We’re thinking of returning to bringing you some deal scenarios for the pharmacies, and mini-matchups like for the Acme Daily Deals and other grocery store Catalina and OYNO offers. We had gotten away from doing those types of weekly features, mainly because of the time devoted to full ad matchups.We also are taking a harder look at our online community on BlogFrog, to see if we can generate interest in having more readers submit deals that they find.

I thank you for your patience and understanding, and don’t forget that HotCouponWorld has forums for just about every store out there.

 

Filed Under: Coupon Matchups Tagged With: , ,

Some easy CVS transactions for beginners, March 13-19

March 14, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

I had a friend contact me and wanted some guidance with getting started in couponing. No problem! In addition to helping her learn the policies at whatever grocery store she goes to, I always recommend that couponers pick at least one pharmacy-CVS, Walgreen’s or Rite Aid, and learn how to play their game.

I’ve been doing the CVS and Walgreen’s thing for years. If I had more room in my brain, I’d love to add Rite Aid and ditch probably Walgreen’s, I just haven’t had the time. Unless Rite Aid is having a no-brainer easy peasy deal, I stick with what I know.

So I was looking over the CVS ad to help her get started. It’s actually a pretty good week there, especially if you got the Procter & Gamble home mailers. When I post those links to get them, sign up! I always end up using many of them. I’m actually going to give mine to my friend, while I love a freebie I already have tons of this stuff and would like to get her on her way. Here is my plan for her, hopefully she’s game for doing 3 or 4 transactions.

Transaction 1:
Back page of ad, the Herbal Essences offer; pay $5.97 for two bottles, get $2 back
We’re going to pay with two home mailer coupons–one for a Free Herbal Essences product, the other is $1 off Herbal Essences.
Final out of pocket (oop): $2 plus tax, get $2 ECB back
**If you don’t have the home mailers, the last P&G inserts had $1 off HE, so your oop will be $4 plus tax, get $2 back.

Transaction 2:
A Crest toothpaste or Glide floss, back page of ad
$3.49, get $2.50 back
Gain dish detergent is $0.97, I have three $1 coupons from home mailer booklet.
3.49 Crest/Glide
2.91 three Gain detergent
$6.40
Minus:
$3 Gain coupons
$2 ECB from Herbal Essences
$1 coupon for either Crest/Glide
Final oop: $0.40 plus tax
Get back $2.50 from Crest/Glide
**If you don’t have the home mailers, the last P&G inserts had coupons, but only the Glide will work. The Crest coupon is $1 off 2, and the Crest mouthwash is not the right size.

Transaction 3:
the Crest/Glide offer is limit 2, so pick another item
$3.49
Pay with $1 coupon and $2.50 ECB from previous transaction
$0 oop
Get $2.50 back from Crest/Glide
**fwiw, I HATE having a zero balance because the register beeps like crazy and sometimes it requires a mgr to come up & override with a key. So if you don’t want to be bothered with that, find a $0.30 piece of candy near register.

Transaction 4:
Back page of ad, Irish Spring deal
$2.99
Pay with $2.50 ECB and $0.50 coupon from today’s paper
$0 oop, get $2 ECB back.
Again–the zero balance thing, get candy if you don’t want it.
**I read online that coupons dot com has a $1 printable for the Irish spring, making it a better deal, but I can’t find it anywhere. If you see it, please post the link for us. If you do have the $1 printable, you’ll have $0.50 overage so you need to find another item.

After that, four transactions:
You should have paid roughly $3-$4 oop, and still have $2 in ECBs. And….
2 Herbal Essence products
2 Crest/Glide items
3 Gain dish detergents
1 Irish Spring body wash

And then we just wait until Wednesday when we get our new ads in our mailboxes, to see what next week brings.

Filed Under: CVS sales, deals, clearance finds and coupons Tagged With: ,

any Sunday must do deals? March 13

March 13, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

No, but there are some deals I want to get to this week. Today is my little guy’s second birthday so it will be a family day, no need to run around doing coupon deals. Plus, with the time change, we all ended up sleeping a bit later than usual.

But, I have some CVS extra bucks that expire this week and there are some deals I want to get to.

CVS-There’s a $10 back when you spend $25 on baby products and Pampers are included. Will do that with the CVS brand wipes I think. I’m pretty sure I have enough ECBs to cover it, but it will take me a while to build them back up again.

Also, several weeks (months?) ago, there was a link on Facebook to get a coupon for free Herbal Essences. When it came in the mail, it was a coupon for a free product plus $1 off another one. See deal on back page of flyer–if you have those coupons, two bottles for free!

There’s also another Crest deal, using the recent $1 coupons, two more free Crest products. (back page of flyer)

I may also do the Irish Spring, since it’s so cheap. And maybe the P&G deal on the front page, but I don’t think I have enough ECBs to make it anywhere close to free. I could use some batteries, my bin is running low.

Walgreen’s-

Cheap Gatorade! That’s the cheapest I’ve ever seen it I think.

$.29 Easter candy, front cover–there were $1 off 2 coupons out for this stuff around Valentine’s day, will look for current printables, for some possible free candy.

Starbucks-good price, if you have the$1.50 printable I posted a few weeks ago

Dial Nutriskin will be free after RR and coupons, if you still have the $2 coupons.

And I have to get to Kmart this week because I have $19 in catalinas from there, will post that later, after I look at ad.

Filed Under: Kmart Coupons & Deals Tagged With: ,

Reverse matchups, March 13 Smartsource

March 13, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Still working out the bugs of the new site, but for the most part it is up & running. Will have a few more posts here though. Here’s my 5 minute walk through of this week’s Smartsource. Except for the Viva coupons, a pretty dull week.

Zyrtec-we don’t use this but they’re nice high value coupons if you do use it. Keep an eye out at Walgreen’s & CVS for deals on this, to stack with the coupon.

Woolite-we don’t have any carpet in our entire home, won’t use this one!

Pillsbury coupons-same old same old; same coupons and same values as usual; I’ll hang on to them in case of a catalina deal or freebie at Acme or Superfresh, but won’t clip them.

Yoplait Greek yogurt-will clip these to keep in binder; it’s a new product and new products often go on special when they are introduced;

Chex mix-boring coupons, same old same old again; but it will probably go on sale for $1 at Acme or SF, so doubling the coupon would make it $0.50 bag

SO Delicious-call me old school, but I’m just going to stick with dairy milk

Hidden Valley-$1 off ones are always good; it also appears to be a newer product so it may be on special; coupon does say “any” so hopefully we can find smaller bottles for $1

Clorox/Glad/409-won’t use but will keep in case it goes on a deal some place; my inserts does highlight the prices of these items at the A&P stores

Pebbles treats-it will double at Acme & Superfresh and we might see them there for $1.50-$2; but it’s really junk food, not sure if I would give it to my kids anyway

KC Masterpiece-my fave bbq sauce; it will go on sale for $1 some place, making it $0.50 a bottle

Hawaiian rolls-I don’t like those at all

Hidden Valley salad kits-maybe they’ll go on sale for $1 or $2, thus making some cheap lunches

Irish Spring-won’t use those, but will keep them; on sale at CVS this week

Dr Oetker pizza-probably won’t use, but I’m pretty sure it’s on sale at Genaurdi’s this week for under $5

Lay’s-those will double to $1.10, and if they are the right price at Acme or SF, I’d forego my brand loyalty to Herr’s, temporarily

maruchan yakisoba-I wouldn’t eat that or give to my kids

Kool Aid-same as above

Planters-I’d keep that, my husband likes those

Motrin-keep, will probably result in a freebie or moneymaker at the pharmacies

Herbal essences-keep for deals at CVS & Walgreen’s; RR deal at Walgreen’s this week.

French’s dipping mustard-I recently got this at Acme for free, it was $1.50, with these coupons

Clearasil-won’t use, but check CVS & Walgreen’s

Tyson-won’t use, we won’t eat that

Nature Sweet-I’ll use those for sure, it’s the only winter tomatoes we’ll eat

Viva! Yay! I love this coupon! Keep it! It will go on sale for $1.75 or 1.79 at Acme, for some very very cheap paper towels.

Melitta-I just read that coffee prices are going to increase, so I’ll keep this one.

Cottonelle-will keep it, but not a fantastic coupon; I hate “off any two” coupons.

Bausch & Lomb-may go on special at RA, CVS or Walgreen’s

Werther’s-will double at grocery stores and no size restrictions

Glade-same old same old

Dulcolax-won’t use

Frank’s-frequently $1 at Acme

L’oreal-won’t use; it is on Extra Buck deal this week at CVS

Orajel/A&H-will keep, but not clip

Fleischmann’s-I’m into making pizza, so I’ll end up using these

Stouffer’s-lots of frozen food deals at all the grocery stores this month

Purina-won’t use

Filed Under: Acme sales, deals and coupons, Grocery Store ads, deals, matchups, coupons and clearance finds, National Chains and Big Box stores Tagged With: ,
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