Online Coupons

Some Printing Tips:


The lists
When I post the preview lists, it isn't important to print the actual list right then. If you end up printing the preview list you'll have to print off the entire list which can sometimes end up being 20-30 pages long!!!! If you wait to print the list off from Grocery Smarts you can customize your own list! Just click the start button in the upper right hand corner, select which items you need, then go back up by the start button and click the shrink button. It will condense your list to just the items you want to purchase. Then hit print. Most of the time I am only buying an 1/8 of the products on the list, so my list ends up being 1/2 page to a page long.



The IPS
The one thing I do recommend printing when I post the preview lists are the online coupons and here are some reasons why:

• Manufactures set limits on the amounts of coupons printed. When the limit is reached they pull their coupons off. That means occasionally you will go the print a coupon and it will be gone unless you printed it off at the beginning.


• This is even more important toward the end of a month. Coupons group A-C are reset at the first of the month, so when the coupons today were posted they may be near the end of their count.


• Sometimes manufactures will reset their coupons, but don't count on it. Just consider yourself lucky if they do.


• I know some people are having problems with IPS. I wish I could help out in that area, but I am not tech savvy enough. I have heard that switching browsers can help. Example: On Internet Explorer and they won't print try Fire Fox or vice virsa. Another great resource is pinching your pennies. They have an entire forum to troubleshooting your IPS.

Questions I ALWAYS get about IPS
Some questions to commonly asked IP questions

• "Are IP'S worth it? It seems like a lot of paper and ink to be wasting." My answer is it depends. I think after you have a couple months worth of newspaper coupons its hit and miss. I only print ones of that make things close to FREE or if it is something I really like or know I will need. You'll never catch me printing of cereal coupons or toothpaste coupons. That is because I have DOZENS of them from my newspaper. Now if you are staring out and only have a few coupons from the paper on the list then I definitely recommend using IPS to maximize your savings. My sister in law started out and only had a weeks worth of coupons, but wanted to start saving right away, so she maximized her coupons by using IPS. She told me her husband was frustrated by all the paper in ink she was using, but after she shopped she had saved over $50. That paper and ink WAY over paid for itself. IP'S are a great way of subsidizing newspaper coupons, but not a great substitute! Newspaper coupons will benefit you way more in the the long end.


• "How long do IP'S last". IPS have expiration dates on them the same way other coupons do. Most times they expire WAY faster than the ones in the paper. That's why I only print the ones off from the list that week. Otherwise they tend to expire before I have a chance to use them.


• "Can we print them off in black and white?" It depends on your store. Some stores will take black and white, some will not. Be sure to ask if you are planning on trying black and white.


• Do all stores take IP's and the answer is no. Not all stores do take IPS. Albertsons and Smiths DO! My suggestion with other stores is call ahead and ask if you are planning on using them on your shopping trip.

Also don't forget the two IP's per HOUSEHOLD rule!
Have fun printing!