Double Savings - Use coupons on sale items

I rarely used coupons until late 2009. My mother who is 76 years old needed some protein supplements and her doctor suggested her to drink Ensure every day. I bought it couple of times from Shoppers Drug Mart at full price and then one week I noticed it went on sale for $8.99. I wanted to know how often it goes on sale and I googled it.  Aw… then I found there is a whole big coupon world. I learnt a lot and have saved a lot in the last one-year. Smartcanucks is a great site with lot of coupon information.

Except for perishables, I buy all the groceries and household needs when it goes on sale and I use coupons as well. I usually buy paper products (toilet paper, paper towel, facial tissues etc), personal care products (tooth paste, tooth brush, mouth wash, creams, shavers, antiperspirant, soaps etc) at 60% discount. I usually find good sale for a product in every 6- 8 weeks.

For example last week Pharma Plus had reach tooth brush on sale for .99 cents and I had coupon from save.ca for the brush for $1.00. I got my tooth brush for .13 cents (HST).

This week Food Basics has Nescafe Tasters choice coffee for $5.00 and the company sent me a coupon few weeks ago for $2.00, I can get the 150g coffee for $ 3.00. The regular price of the coffee is $7.99.  It is more than 60 % saving. I don’t have to go to food basics to obtain this price, I can price match it at Zellers or Walmart.

How to find sales?

1. Review flyers
2. Check forums (Coupon Lady in the Smartcanucks does a list every week for sale items that have coupons available)
3. Watch store special when you shop. Some times stores will have in-store specials.

How to find coupons?

1. Save.ca
2. Gocoupons.ca
3. Websaver.ca
4. Brandsaver.ca
5. Coupon insert with newspapers, flyers (Smart Source, Red Plum and Brand saver)
6. Coupons display in the store (front entrance of the store, shelf display)
7. Sign up for news letter from manufacturers
8. Magazines
9. Doctors office, Dentists and trade shows
10. Trade with a forum member or friends.