The first is that many times they are a higher value (if not for free products) than the normal coupons you find online, and in the paper. Another reason I like these coupons for stockpile use is they usually have very long expiration dates. Many times for around a year, and in fact I received a couple coupons from a chap stick company that had NO expiration date. It even said that on the coupon! Lastly, I've received coupons in the mail from companies that I haven't found anywhere else.These coupons aren't going to grow your stockpile over night, but they will help give it a leg up.
Some companies will send you one coupon with either a very high value or a free product. Others will send a few high value coupons only, and still others will send you mix of both free and $ off coupons. Of course use your free product coupons right away to add to your stockpile. My suggestion for the others is to use them at a store that either allows overage. That way you can use them to either get more of the same product within that dollar amount, or use it for other items you may not have coupon for.
Let's say that a soup company sends me 2 $2/1 ANY product coupons for mailing them. My store has a deal going on that soup for 2/$1, and allows overage (they won't adjust the coupon down). I go in, buy four cans for $4, and use my two coupons, and get all four for free! Plus I just got an item for my stockpile I may have gotten for awhile.
So, you may be wondering how you mail, or email, the companies and get these coupons. The way I did it, was I went through my house and wrote down a list of the products we used a lot. Like juice, cookies, diapers, soup, etc. Then I searched for them on the web, found their contact info and emailed the company my compliment, or complaint.
I structure my email this way: I list my compliment or complaint, including a personal story (such as, my son wouldn't drink juice until he tried yours and his favorite flavor is...). I do not ask for coupons! When I first started I did, and many companies merely emailed me back and stated that they had coupons in the local papers. I think the recent influx of people asking for coupons has overloaded the companies ability to send them, and they are saving them for true customers. The only time I make an exception for this is with companies were I have not tried their product. Then I merely contact them, tell them I am interested in trying their product (insert reason). Still I don't ask for coupons, merely where their products are sold, maybe health information things along that line.
Of course not every company has sent me coupons. It's probably 50/50 on whether or not I get some, but I've been happy with the ones I have gotten, and they have helped me cheaply grow my stockpile even faster. Some other quick tips, join Vocalpoint if you haven't already and keep checking their Try and Tell section. Many time they offer free samples, some full sized, or coupon offers. Also, sign up for all the free samples you can find. Many times they will also come with coupons for that product, sometimes for a higher value than you normally find. Another great blog I follow is Couponing to Disney, and she will put out the contact info for 5 companies every weekday, called 5 A Day.
Remember to get creative on ways to grow your stockpile and reap the rewards of a grocery store *wink* in your home. Be honest, have fun, and happy bargain hunting for everyone!
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