To get the most out of a store’s sale and your coupons you need to match them up. That is basically what bloggers do for you. I typically cover Kroger Ad Match Ups and Publix Ad Match ups right now. You can see all Ad Match Ups here.

Now there is no magical way to do this. It takes a lot of work. First, the blogger has to either type up each item or copy and paste somehow. Both are time consuming and require editing. Once you have it all in writing you compare each item to a Coupon Database. Adding in each coupon that is relevantto the sale item. This can be a little subjective since you don’t always know what exactly is included in the sale. I also include a final price for each item after coupons are applied and doubled (if allowed). Personally, I do not like to use a match up unless it has the final price.  Also keep in mind… Most bloggers do not have access to the ad earlier than the day it is released.

Now you need to know how to read the match up here is an example:

Campbell’s Select Harvest Soup 18.6 to 18.8-oz can or 15.3-oz bowl – $1.67                             <—— Item that is on Sale
$0.50/2 Campbell’s Select Harvest or Chunky Soup 2/6/2011 SS Insert (exp 3/20/2011)           <—— Coupon from the Smartsource Coupons in the newspaper on 2/6/2011 ($0.50/2 means 2 have to be purchased to use coupon)
$0.40/2 Campbell’s Select Harvest Condensed Soup 2/6/2011 SS Insert (exp 3/20/2011)         <—— Coupon from the RedPlum Coupons in the newspaper on 2/6/2011
$1/2 Campbell’s Select Harvest                                                                                                              <—— Coupon you can print from the internet
$1/2 Campbell’s Select Harvest Soup                                                                                                    <—— Coupon you can print from the internet
$1.50/3 Select Harvest Publix Q in Ad                                                                                                   <—— Store coupon found in the Publix Ad
= $0.84 ea wyb 3                                                                                                                                       <—— Final price per item. This is price is only valid if you buy 3items. Using 1 Publix coupon and 1 of the $1/2 manufacturer coupons

Common Abbreviations I use:

B1G1 or BOGO – Buy One Get One Free
B5G1 - Buy FIVE Get One Free
Blinkie- SmartSource machine with a red blinking light on it. Coupons are thus referred to as ‘ Blinkies’
CAT – Coupon that prints from a Catalina machine at the register.
DND – Do Not Double
EA - each
ES- Easy Saver, seen at Walgreens rebate booklet
ETS – Excludes Trial Sizes
EX or X. – Expires on
FLIP - Food Lion Internet Printable 
GM – General Mills Insert, a booklet of coupons that appears in newspapers every month or two.
HBA – Health & Beauty Section in the store 
INSERTS – Coupon booklets found in the Sunday paper
IP – Internet Printable coupon
IVC- Instant value coupons – seen in Walgreens rebate booklet
MFR – Manufacturer 
MIR – Mail In Rebate
MQ – Manufacturer coupon
OOP – Out Of Pocket
OYNO -On Your Next Order
P&G – Proctor & Gamble (Sunday Booklet Coupons) Comes out once a month.
Peelie – Coupon found attached to a product.
PQ – Publix Coupon
Q – Coupon
RP- Red Plum (Sunday Booklet Coupons) (formerly Valassis)
RR- Register Reward from Walgreens – use as a $ off coupon on your next purchase
SS – Smart Source (Sunday Booklet Coupons)
STACKING – Often stores will allow the use of more than one coupon per item. More on using Mutiple/Stacking Coupons
TEARPAD – A pad of forms/coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display
TQ – Target coupon
WUC – We Use Coupons (refers to the site)
WUCkie – Member of WUC
WYB – When You Buy

So that is the basics of reading a coupon match up. So now you just find one for the stores you shop at. Find the items you are wanting to get this week. Print or gather your coupons. I have recently, started writing our a specific list of items and coupons I want to get. I like knowing what my total is going to be.

Please let me know if there is anything that I need to clarify for you.

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