2013 Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen

Most people would prefer to buy organic produce but the costs can be crazy! In this economy, most of us need to be selective about our grocery dollars. Why spend more to buy organic. For several years I have relied on the “Dirty Dozen & Clean 15″ list put out by the Environmental Working Group. The list gets updated each year based on current trends in farming practices and they recently updated it for 2013!

What are the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen?

The “Dirty Dozen”: if you have to make choices in what organic produce you are going to buy, these are the ones that you should spend the extra money to buy organic as they are the ones with the highest amount of pesticides.

The “Clean Fifteen”: these are the ones that have the lowest level of pesticides. You are generally fine buying the “regular version” of these items!

This year, there are 2 “bonus items” on the Dirty Dozen. Per the EWG:

For the second year, we have expanded the Dirty Dozen™ with a Plus category to highlight two crops – domestically-grown summer squash and leafy greens, specifically kale and collards. These crops did not meet traditional Dirty Dozen™ criteria but were commonly contaminated with pesticides exceptionally toxic to the nervous system.

So without further ado, here is the 2013 lists.

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Where Can I Find Coupons?

If you want to maximize your savings, you are going to need multiple copies of the coupons. In order to save the most amount of money at the grocery store, you need to start a stockpile…and your weekly subscription to the Sunday newspaper just isn’t going to cut it…but it’s a start!

:: The Sunday Paper

The first place to find coupons is the most obvious: the Sunday newspaper. Look for deals on your local Sunday paper. The Philadelphia Inquirer (my local “major paper”) often runs deals where you can get the Sunday paper for $1. I have 3 subscriptions. Yep – that’s right – each Sunday I have 3 copies of the paper delivered on my driveway! I am always looking for when they have that deal to extend my subscription!

Please note that the Redplum insert is no longer in many major newspapers.  To find out if the Redplum insert is in your local paper (or find another local paper that does carry it, check out the Redplum website)

:: Internet Printable Coupons (IPs):

there are tons of coupons to be found all over the internet. Make sure that you check out Coupons.com, SmartSource, Redplum and Coupon Network for the newest IPs.

:: Facebook

More and more manufacturers are releasing great coupons on their Facebook Fan pages. Make sure that you Like your favorite brands on Facebook to see when they are releasing new coupons (and of course, I will always tell you on this site when the good ones are released!) Like Moms Need To Know on Facebook and you will also stay updated whenever I find coupons to share with you!

:: Manufacturers websites

In many cases, they may have coupons available right on their site. If they don’t have coupons? Use the Contact form (or get the phone number and call) and let them know your honest opinion of their products. Very often they will respond by mailing you coupons. Simply Google your favorite products and start contacting them! (note: this also works great for smaller companies who do have coupons, but not the ability to get their coupons in the national inserts!)

:: Friends and family

Hit up all the non-couponing people that you know and ask them for their circulars. Do they use coupons? Then ask them for their leftovers! Do you have a cat? Offer to trade cat food coupons with your friend who has a dog!

:: Coupon Clipping services

these are available, but are constantly coming under fire (as are eBay sellers). There are several reputable companies out there if you do some homework

Don’t forget to use my Coupon Matchups page to find your store and match those coupons up with the best deals!

Looking for more Extreme Couponing tips? Make sure that you check out all the posts in my Coupon 101 and Coupon Ethics sections!

I always joke that you can tell when it is the last few days of the month and I have been at the grocery store….because you can follow the trail of soon-to-be-expired coupons behind me!

By clipping my coupons each week and filing them in my binder, I often have coupons each week that will expire that I may not use.

And so, I become “The Coupon Fairy”…and you can be one too!

Are you in the cereal aisle and there are no good sales and you don’t really NEED cereal that week, but have coupons that will expire before you go shopping again?  Simply drop the coupons on the shelf!  The next person looking to buy cereal may be able to use them!

I no longer have children in diapers, but I always clip the diaper coupons.  Why?  Because I drop them on the shelves whenever I am in the store.  I remember the 8 years that I spent buying diapers every.single.week and every bit of savings helps! It’s a way to do your good deed for the day!

My friends have cats and I don’t (partly because Brad is allergic and partly because I think cats are evil creatures who suck out the breath of children), but each time I see them in the inserts, I clip the cat food and litter coupons and give them to them.  I also make it a point to let them know when those coupons can be maximized with a really good deal.

How do you share your savings with others?

Looking for more tips on how to Save Money With Coupons? Make sure that you check out all the posts in my Coupon 101 and Coupon Ethics sections!

We’ve all been frustrated when our legitimate coupon was scrutinized and then rejected, but if there one coupon tip that I can give you?

Don’t wave a gun in order to save $1!.

Sounds simple – right? It seems it was too simple for a Walmart shopper in Wakulla County, Florida.

After having her coupon bid rejected, Alday allegedly called Stockslager “a bitch and other foul names” and intentionally struck the worker with a shopping cart. As Alday was escorted out of the store, she reportedly warned Stockslager, 48, not to follow her. The Walmart worker replied that “she was going to get her vehicle license plate number.”

“If you follow me, I have something in my car for you,” Alday warned.

I know that some of you take using coupons very seriously and so do I…but there is no amount of free toothpaste that is worth pulling out my Smith & Wesson (if I actually owned one, which I don’t…because I HATE guns and it was a major coup in our house to allow our sons to even have AirSoft guns and it was ONLY because I knew all their friends and they would LITERALLY be the only one of their friends without one)

Hennyway….

Actions like this make the news or go viral on The Internets and make reasonable people who use coupons look bad. Of course – YOU are not going to pull out a gun or just go nuts when things go wrong using coupons, but cashiers get a little extra nervous when things like this hit the news. It causes them to look at you as if you might be one of “the crazies”, or just be afraid of you. At the first sign of agitation, they are more willing to call a manager (which is actually usually a GOOD thing) or security (a bad thing).

So my advice? Be calm, be polite and, for The Love Of All Is Good And Holy, don’t pull out your gun over a coupon!

And here most of you thought that was just plain common sense……..

Looking for more Extreme Couponing tips? Make sure that you check out all the posts in my Coupon 101 and Coupon Ethics sections!

March Deals

Are you getting ready for spring? As we look forward to warmer days and the flowers starting to peek through in the garden, don’t forget that that there are a ton of great deals to be found in March at the stores!

:: Grocery & Drug Store Deals in March

In-season produce: artichoke, asparagus, avocado, beets, berries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, grapefruit, grapes, lemon, lime, mushrooms, onions, peas, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, strawberries

Easter sales: ham, candy, eggs and egg dyeing kits, Easter decorations, baskets

National Frozen Food Month: frozen meals/entrees, frozen vegetables, ice cream, frozen pasta, desserts, juice concentrate and just about anything in the freezer aisles.

St. Patrick’s Day: corned beef, cabbage

March Madness: chips, dips, soda, snack crackers, frozen appetizers, “take & bake” pizzas and stromboli as well as deals on pizza delivery

Spring Cleaning: window cleaner, furniture polish, toilet, tub & tile cleaner, floor cleaners and deals on carpet cleaning rentals

:: Other March Sales

Winter clearance: snow shovels, winter coats, gloves & hats, winter sporting (skis, sleds, etc)

TV’s & digital cameras: stores are still trying to clear out old models on the heels of the Consumer Electronics show in January. Look for the best deals right before the start of the March Madness basketball tournament. March is one of the slowest months of the year for camera sales, so look for sales trying to inspire you to buy!

Luggage: as it is the time between holiday and summer travel, not many people are thinking about buying luggage…making this a time that we usually see some nice deals. Look for the best deals on patterned and “novelty color” luggage (you won’t find many deals on your basic black or navy luggage)

Spa Treatments: Nearly a thousand spas, yoga studios and fitness centers participate in Wellness Week every March. As a result, these businesses offer a number of half-off deals and $50 specials.

If there is one thing that is holding you back when it comes to saving money at the grocery stores and the drug stores, it is brand loyalty! So many people say to me “there are never coupons for the things that I use!” Well – yes – there are!  I am sure that those people use toothpaste, laundry detergent, dish soap, etc.  By being tied to a specific brand-name product (saying “I have to save money on Crest”, instead of “I want to save money on toothpaste”), you could be missing a ton of savings opportunities!

Maybe you were raised on Tide laundry detergent or EVERYONE in your family has always used Huggies.  You need to get rid of this mindset if you want to save money! Wisk purchased at $2.99 (after coupon) will clean your clothes just as well and Pampers or (gasp!) store-brand diapers will still hold in the poop!

Take Advantage of Coupons for New Products

Whenever a brand comes out with a new product, they always come out with high-value coupons for those products. Last year, there was no reason to EVER pay for Green Giant Valley Steamers. Recently, Philly Cream Cheese Creations were free (or close to free). Last summer, it was Kraft Suddenly Salad that was free (or close-to-free) after coupon everywhere.

Be flexible in what you will try and don’t allow yourself to think of a product that you HAVE to have. Don’t be afraid to try new products and switch your brand loyalties to save money (especially when you have a coupon for the “other brand”)! I’m sorry, but $0.99 Hellmann’s Mayo just just as good as (if not better) than $3.99 Kraft mayo!  Seriously – we aren’t talking about Dom Perignon vs. Korbel…we’re talking MAYONNAISE!

Explore Store Brands

I know this sounds nuts for a site that is dedicated to coupons, but sometimes the store brand just IS a better deal. There will be those weeks when there are just no good deals, your stockpile is depleted and you just NEED to buy cereal, frozen pizza, etc. I am a particular fan of the Essential Everyday line by Acme/Supervalu, but your store brand may be just as good (and did you know that oftentimes the store brand and “name brand” are made on the exact same line?  You are often paying for packaging!)

Some Brand Loyalties ARE worth the cost

If you have sensitive skin or allergies, then you may be tied to a specific facial care line or laundry detergent. That is fine – but be on the lookout for new products and don’t be afraid to try new products as they are released to see if they might satisfy your needs for a fraction of the cost.

What Brand Loyalties have you chucked out the window?

Looking for more Extreme Couponing tips? Make sure that you check out all the posts in my Coupon 101 and Coupon Ethics sections!

We are in the “dog days of Winter”, but that doesn’t mean that we have to hibernate and miss the deals! There are plenty of great sales in February, if you just know what to buy and when!

:: Grocery & Drug Store Deals in February

In-season produce: artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, collards, grapefruit, kale, oranges, parsnips, pears, potatoes, turnips

Valentines day: boxed and bar chocolate, “romance” items (personal lubricants, etc), perfume, cards, stuffed animals, gift sets, wine/ sparkling cider, flower arrangements, candles

National Hot Breakfast Month: Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, frozen waffles & breakfast items, syrup, waffle & pancake mix, hash browns, bacon, sausage

Cold & Flu Remedies: cough syrup, cough drops, cold medicines, vitamins, hand sanitizers, tissues

National Canned Food Month:  look for the best deals and coupons on canned goods and take this opportunity to stock up on canned fruits and vegetables

:: Other Deals in February

Winter clothing: Just as we are preparing for the coldest months of the year, stores are looking to clear that stuff out of the stores to make room for the Spring Line! Look for deals on winter jackets, gloves, hats, scarves, sweaters, boots, etc!

Televisions: The Consumer Electronics Show takes place each year mid-January where the new products are unveiled. Stores start making TVs down in mid January and by February, you can usually get the best deal on the “old” models.

Football team apparel:  once the Super Bowl is over stores are looking to clear out their stock of NFL jerseys, t-shirts, hats, etc.  Check the sporting goods sections (as well as the website of your favorite NFL teams) for some good deals!

Clothes, tools, bedding furniture:  but only President’s Day weekend and make sure to do your research that the deals are truly good ones!  If you are looking to make a large-ticket purchase, start researching prices at the beginning of the month and compare them to the ads that you see for President’s Day!

I’m sorry to say, I witnessed the following interaction at my local convenience stores a few weeks ago.

Customer (flipping through copies of the paper, obviously to see if the coupons are in there): I AM SO TIRED of looking through these papers and not seeing all the coupons. PEOPLE ARE STEALING! DON’T YOU CARE????

Cashier: (speechless)

Customer (looking through another copy of the paper): OH LOOK – Another copy without all the coupons! Why do you have the papers so close to your registers if you aren’t going to stop people from stealing???

Cashier: Ma’am..I don’t know what…let me call my manager

Customer: YOU BETTER, because there are supposed to be 3 inserts and…

Me (2 customers back in line and interrupting her): Wait – you are looking for 3 inserts?

Customer: YES!

Me: Well the 3rd insert you are looking for is a Redplum insert and the Redplum insert hasn’t been in the Philadelphia Inquirer for 7 months! Instead of looking in that stack – try the other 2 stacks over there with the Pottstown Mercury or Reading Eagle….and stop yelling at XXXX…it’s not HER fault!

Customer: (silently goes over to check the other stacks, flips through them, and grabs 4 copies of those papers and checks out with another cashier)

Did I tell you this story to make myself look good? No – I told you this story to inform you that knowing which newspapers carry which coupons can save you time, money and potentially stop you from looking like a complete idiot!

The woman at my local convenience store threw a complete snit fit.  In her mind, she was completely right. The reality was, her ignorance made her look like an idiot!

(Note: “ignorance” is not a bad word in my mind.  Ignorance can be cured…just add knowledge and stir!) I have had a bunch of readers email me and tell me that they were missing the Redplum insert…until they realized that they were buying the wrong papers

So Hennyway…..

You need to know where to find coupons!

In most cases, you will be able to find the Smartsource insert as well as the Proctor & Gamble Inserts in most of your weekly local papers.

As for the Redplum insert?  It’s a little tricky!  In January, 2012, many major newspapers stopped carrying the Redplum insert.  In many areas, the Redplum insert started to be delivered to you via your weekly mail….but what if you want more than one copy of the Redplum insert? In my case, you need to go out and buy that paper with the Redplum insert and need to know where to get it (hint to my local readers…it is NOT in the Philadelphia Inquirer!)

Head to Redplum.com to see if your local newspaper carries the Redplum insert…and if they don’t, where the nearest local paper to you will have it!

Looking for more Extreme Couponing tips? Make sure that you check out all the posts in my Coupon 101 and Coupon Ethics sections!

These are so easy to forget, especially if you don’t shop at Rite Aid on a regular basis, but they can really increase your savings!

Are you watching the Rite Aid Video Values coupons on a regular basis, especially at the beginning of the month when they are released? Here’s a secret: while Rite Aid Video Values coupons may be technically store coupons, they are sponsored by the manufacturer and like all manufacturer coupons, they have limits and disappear once they hit the viewing/printing limit! The coupons are usually only available for a few weeks, but they don’t expire until about 2 weeks in to the next “Video Values Cycle”.

What does this mean? Quite simply, a great coupon that is available to view only until July 31st (or while supplies last) may be the EXACT coupon that you need to turn a deal in to a moneymaker at Rite Aid on August 5th! You need to watch those videos as soon as they are available, print the coupons and just hold on to them for when you can stack them with manufacturers coupons for the best deals!

While Rite Aid Coupons say that they are a manufacturers coupons, according to the Rite Aid Coupon policy, they CAN be stacked with other manufacturers coupons (from the Sunday papers, Coupons.com, Smartsource etc). However, Rite Aid Video Values Coupons can only be redeemed once per Wellness card account (so you can’t photocopy the coupons and use them multiple times)

Looking for more Extreme Couponing tips? Make sure that you check out all the posts in my Coupon 101 and Coupon Ethics sections!