Couponing in Canada for Beginners

I have been thinking about writing a post on how to begin extreme couponing for a long time. I wanted to ensure that anyone just starting out would have the best chance possible of being successful from the get-go couponing in Canada.

It may not happen right away, but if you follow these steps, your chances will be much higher Setting yourself up for success before you even begin very important because if you fail in the beginning, there’s a good chance that you won’t pick up the hobby of saving money by using coupons.

This blog post is for those who have never used coupons before and those who have always wanted to start using coupons but have no idea where to start.

Is it possible to be an extreme couponer in Canada?

The short answer is yes, it is possible, with lots of work and spending time each week perfecting your shopping skills. It won’t look like the TLC’s Extreme Couponing show in the USA, but you should be able to score many items for Dirt Cheap at your major Canadian grocery retailers.

How to Become an Extreme Couponer in Canada

Spend some time figuring out what coupons you have. Go through each week’s paper and look for sales matching the coupons you want to use.

Finding the right place, the right time to use your coupons.

How to Find Coupons

There are lots of manufactured coupons online you can print, or you can find coupons in your grocery store aisles known as Tear Pad Coupons. Watch your inbox and local newspaper for coupon inserts, and you will want to know more about Cash Back Rebates. You can also find Mailed online Coupons from Websaver, and Save.ca etc, from Canadian couponing sites.

Look out for a store Coupon! Some stores, such as RCSS, have a wall of coupons to use at the front entrance.

Product packaging coupons

Numerous things may have peelies. These are coupons either as a sticker on products, or you will find an advertisement on products with a coupon inside. Watch for Cereal Promotions where you can get Free Items or a gift card. You can also find coupons with hang-tag-like coupons. Coupons are typically hanging over the neck of a product, like cleaning products and pickle jars.

Organize Coupons

You can organize your coupons in a variety of ways. I’ve seen people use many types of organizers, but the Binder, Notebook and envelopes are the most popular. Ever you decide to use it, make sure you bring your manufacturer coupons with you on your shopping trip.

Check Your Flyers

You can find some great deals on the flyers at your grocery stores.

Know Your Prices If you are new to couponing, it would be very helpful for you to learn the prices of items you buy for your family now. Make a list of these items, and then start watching for sales ads that run in your local papers. Once you see them on sale, write down how much they were on sale for and put this with the price list. Now comes the fun part! Start using Canadian coupons to make these products cheaper! It’s like magic!

Print Coupons:

When checking your flyers ( at least the beginning of being a couponer), it’s always best to do an online search for items you plan to shop for each week because there are so many print coupons available where you can save.

Printed Coupons are the fastest and easiest way to accumulate coupons. Print at Home, remember to read the fine print and check the expiry date.

Stock-up on Sale Items When

items go on sale, sometimes we get surprised, and we don’t buy enough of them to last us till the next time they are on sale. For example:

Baking Soda – $1.97 regular price (on sale for $1.00)

It is helpful to have the prices in your head so that you can do quick math in line while shopping.   Once you know how much each item costs per unit, you can quickly calculate how much your grocery bill is going.

Decide What You Need and What You Want

Sometimes, when using coupons, we spend more money on things we don’t need because they are such a good deal. That’s why it’s essential to always have a list of what you need in your head or with you in the store. This way, you won’t be tempted by items that will take up space in your home!

 For example:

You go into Walmart for Milk, Bread and Diapers only to run across a great deal on toilet paper and toothpaste. If you know that you don’t need these items, set them.

The Dollar Store:

Sometimes we think everything is cheaper at the dollar store, but be aware sometimes it is not, especially on cleaners and some food products. I find their spice section to be the best deal around at $1.25, but they don’t have a huge selection of brands. Dollar Stores seem to have smaller sizes on many of their items, and the last I checked, the dollar stores don’t accept coupons.

But Check your Cash Back Offers and see if any savings can happen on that front of exclusive coupons.

How to Organize Your Stockpile

I usually like to keep my stockpile organized by aisle (i.e. baking items, canned goods, cereals etc.). This makes it easier to find things when needed.

You can also label your shelves with reminders to rotate them and ensure they don’t expire before use. After all, Stockpiling is not saving money if items become expired.

Donate Your Extras

Once you’ve got a stockpile, don’t forget to consider donating the extras that are just taking up space. Some extreme couponers donate a lot of free food, toilet paper, paper towel, and cereal to local food banks and help the homeless.

Extreme Couponing is an excellent way for Canadians who want to save money and reduce their grocery bills!

Why Should You Coupon Often?

There are many good reasons to always be on the lookout for coupons.  The most important reason is that you’ll save money and reduce your grocery bill!

Finding tear pad coupons is where you always need to keep an eye on them. Generally, “SmartSource” gets their Merchandisers to put up new banners and coupons at the very end of the month or first week. All Merchandisers usually have a 7-day window to get their displays out.

The more coupons you have with an extensive variety, the more you can save, especially on clearance items. You might just get lucky.

Get Used to Looking for the Best Deals

Couponing makes you focus on what you are spending in your grocery store, and it increases awareness of your shopping habits.

To save money

You will automatically start to watch your spending, and knowing your prices will allow you to create a small stockpile (for example, 2 jugs of Laundry soap). This allows you ample time to find laundry soap on sale and have coupons to match, saving you more money the next time you purchase.

Couponing Tips for Beginners:

Start Small – Work Smart. Don’t just grab any deal, thinking it’s a good one.  Just start by taking a few coupons into the store to redeem. Don’t attempt a huge shop right away unless you are confident in your skills,

Also, some products you should be aware of are not “Overstocking” in your stockpile. – Examples: Deodorant ( dries out), pantry items do have a best before the expiry date. For hair Products, you should only do a max score of 12 each, but you can get away with three shampoos and conditioner,

Health products such as vitamins, Advil etc., you don’t need to stock up on more than 2, as they will sit in your pantry and expire if you are not careful.

It is Tempting to be an Extreme Couponer and have a store built in your basement. But in reality, it is not necessary to be Extreme; you can save the same amount of money with smaller stock. Remember it costs money for shelving and fancy pegboards you see on social media.

Collect Coupons for Products You Purchase Regularly

Focus on items you buy, and watch how many “NEW to market” coupons are “specific to one item” For Example, a New Cereal hits the market. The manufacturer puts out tons of savings, and you stock up on it due to this fantastic deal to find out your family won’t eat it.

Practice “Coupon Matching” this is when you match coupons to the items on sale.

Look up sales for this week ( New Flyers are most often out on Thursdays) in the flyers that come into your mailbox usually earlier in the week – Tuesday or Wed) . Look at what will be on sale at which store this week and see if you can use some of the coupons you collected. Don’t forget to use your cashback apps,

Always Read Store Policies and Coupons fine.

Check your store policies often as they are subject to change without notice! I would check twice a year, minimum. Remember to check their Ad Match Policy as you can shop and price match and use a coupon – Since Walmart changed their Price Match Policy in 2020, you can now take the Walmart Flyer, Go to No Frills or RCSS and price match on Walmarts flyer – This saves time and sometimes you can save more because of Optimum points for example.

Stock Up on Sale Items When Shopping

You don’t always need coupons to do a stockpile. If you find a great price on an item, buy a few. After all, you can’t find coupons for every item you purchase.

Example: I will pick up an extra turkey or ham during the holiday season and throw it in the freezer. Or picking up Halloween chocolate bars for Christmas stocking stuffers,

Coupon Stacking

In Canada, we don’t coupon stack unless you consider using a coupon on a points day, such as Optimum Points deals or finding a coupon and a Cashback rebate simultaneously. In the USA, they can use store coupons and a manufacturer coupon, which is no longer found in Canada.

Where to Get Coupons in Canada?

Coupons are available in various places. They can be found on the products themselves, such as on cereal boxes, We post new coupons at least weekly, and you can sign up for your favourite products’ emails or call and ask. Check our list on how to find coupons 

Don’t forget to sign up for our Daily Newsletter – so you don’t miss another online coupon and FREE Samples.

Don’t Forget About Cashback Apps

You should never leave home without your phone because this allows you to save even more money using cashback apps like Checkout 51 and caddle. You can link up your debit card and save with Ampli, and other cashback tips.

Canadian Coupon Apps that Let You Earn Money

If you live in Canada, there are now many apps you can download and earn cashback or do tasks in your local store and get paid, such as Field Agent.

Taking pictures of your receipts can get you cashback from Cashback apps like Checkout51 and Caddle.

Can you think of any more tips for being an Extreme Couponer?

YOU CAN SEE AND READ THE OTHER COUPONING ARTICLES HERE.