The Virgin Post

The purpose of this blog is to find ways of saving money and to share them. It was composed with the help of my coupon-using, money-saving friends at the Christian Church of Litchfield. Thanks, girls!

The list on the right side of the screen will take you to various websites or blogs where you can find coupons to print or use online, earn rebates, or get good deals.

For those of you who are beginners, here's a brief overview of ways we've found to save.

There are ways of shopping online so that you double or triple the ways to save. For example, if you find a good deal on a product via ebay, you can log in to your MyPoints account to place your order, and perhaps pay using your PayPal account with a coupon code. In this way you've saved money by getting a good price from ebay, earned points on your MyPoints account and also saved by using a coupon code. Just be sure you're using the same email address for each site.

Always, always, always open a new tab on your computer screen and search for a coupon code before you buy online. There are very few times when you can't find some kind of a coupon or free shipping.

If you subscribe to email from your favorite stores or sites, coupons or early notices of sales will be emailed to you. An example: Gordman's sends a coupon every month for 20% one item. You may find it helpful to have a separate email account for these offers to be sent to.

In brick and mortar stores such as Walgreens, you can use one store coupon and one manufacturer's coupon on each item. If the item also has a sale price, you've saved three ways. If your also have a mail-in rebate, you've saved 4 ways.

At CVS, in addition to saving with the sale prices and using coupons, separate your items that earn Extra Care Bucks and pay for them first. You can immediately use the ECB's to pay for the rest of your other items, along with more coupons. If you register your CVS card (or credit/debit card) with Upromise, you will also earn cash back toward a college education on your purchases.

Don't forget to ask for rain checks on sale items which have been sold out.

Check your receipts! The last four times I've shopped for sale items at IGA in Hillsboro, some sale items and/or red tag items have scanned at regular price. They overcharged me nearly $5.00 on Crispix cereal during one trip.