If you follow our blog, you’ll notice that on Sundays I post a list of coupons we had in the Anchorage Daily news versus coupons that the rest of the country received. I do think there’s value in the Daily News – I like getting a copy of the store sales ad.
However? We’re missing out on a lot of coupons that everyone else is getting. The downside to ordering your coupons online? Price isn’t too bad on the inserts, ranging from $.35 up to $.90 cents per insert (based on size of insert) but the shipping will get you. Shipped is $5.30, so if you had a group of three it would be $1.75, or for a group of four it would be $1.32. Just to give you an estimate, on our last order, for 2 each of 7 inserts, I paid $7.90. On the order before that I paid $8.50 for 2 each of 6 inserts. So you’re looking at probably $15-$20 dollars a month to buy all of these inserts (including shipping, and only if you order 2 of EACH insert).
So, with that said, if you have the money in your budget for this it can help you save a TON at the store. And it’s convenient to always have at least 2 of all the available coupons. We thought it would be nice to try and help you find a group of 3-4 other people interested in ordering as a group to save on the shipping costs. If you had indicated interest at one of our coupon classes, or through emailing us, I’ve sent you a note about this. But – my vision isn’t the best and I’m afraid I may not have “got” all the email addresses right. So I’m posting here on the site too – so everyone who might be interested can see this!
Here’s the scoop.
We think a group of 3-4 is the best size, and ordering every 2 weeks should be often enough. The flat rate envelope, which is the best price, can hold ~50 inserts in it. We normally order 2 of each insert. So – if there are 3 inserts in a week, that is 3 times 2 times 4 = 24 inserts. You *should* be able to get 2 weeks into an envelope for a group of 4. Some weeks just have 2 inserts and some have 5. So it’s a bit up in the air. With 3 in a group? No problem. With 4? Depends on how thick the inserts are!
We suggest that 1 member of each group be the “host”, who places the orders. The host will email everyone when the order comes in, and can come pick up orders at the host’s place.
We also have a thought about payment – if your group is okay just dealing with cash at the time of pick up, go for it. Another great option might be to have everyone in your group sign up here www.paypal.com and setup an account if you don’t already have one. If you set up your bank account with paypal, and use that to transfer $$, there are no fees. So: your group leader will let you know how much your order came to. Send her payment by paypal. That way, regardless of how soon you chose to show up to pick up your inserts, she doesn’t have to sit on the cost!
Moving on (I know, this is a lot of thoughts!).
Go to this link (note – you might not recognize this address, but it’s legit! I just put the form under our other website, couponswaps, because it was easier to setup the form) and fill out the form. It will request the following info:
Your Name
Your Address
Zipcode
Closest Major Cross streets
Your Phone #
Willing to be Coordinator?
That’s it! When we get 3-4 people we’ll send all of you a note and a group ID. If your group loses a member let us know, so we can help you find a new one.
As I said, we suggest you order every 2 weeks. Place your order Tuesday morning and you *should* have it by Friday.
Have group members that decide inserts aren’t for them? Not a problem. Please let us know, though, and we can try to hook you up with someone new for your group.
* Disclosure: we have set up affiliate programs with most of the major coupon clipping sites. That means we earn a commission (a few cents, nothing huge!) when you order inserts through them. This helps cover the costs of running our site, so, if you don’t mind, we appreciate it when you use the links from our page. Thank you!
Thanks guys! That’s the end. I promise. It really should be pretty simple, but it sure turned into a lot of words when I typed it up! (forgive any typos, please!)
