[delekatala]

I don't have a printer. I have been reading and reading all night, and it seems like all these awesome deals use printable coupons.

We are a large family and are currently living off my disability, we are literally starving, We just don't make enough to cover the food we eat. Not to mention a new addition is costing a small fortune in nutramigen and diapers.

[Curlee]

I'm new to AFC also. Having a printer is always better but you can still save by using coupons from the Sunday newspaper. Buy more than one paper, but make sure the coupon are in there before you pay. Also a coupon is not always needed in order to have a money maker. See Almay thread, no coupon needed but still a $5 money maker. You could use the money maker to purchase milk, OJ or some other needed item.

[scamelo]

I know money is tight, but keep an eye out for a very cheap or clearance printer. Also if you ask around sometimes someone might have one they are not using.

Do you have a friend or neighbor you can ask to print for you? Does your library allow you to print? Can you use perhaps a church/HOW Office?

I print alot from the internet and have gotten lots of free things from tuna to turkey bacon to tissues and more. I personally do better with internet coupons simply because I print what I need immediately and use them right away.

With newspapers its more of a pain for me. I still buy them of course but there are so many I don't use that it gets overwhelming

[delekatala]

I will have to keep en eye out for a printer, there does seem to be a lot of awesome online coupons. Right now I just have my husband run over to my mother in laws when I need something printed. I just can't see doing that for a coupon every other day though, LOL.

In the meantime I am going to go check out that almays deal.

[BeckyScott]

It's possible, although a printer is a good thing.

Our printer is out of ink and has been for about two months. The ink cartridges are outrageous $$ and don't last long. (bad purchase on my part and probably a thread unto itself) Point being, I seldom use printables.

Sometimes there will be a printable that I can print at work, but my work computer won't let you download programs, so I can't print most q's.

If there is a good printable, it's worth going to the library and trying to print there. They might charge you a quarter but if the q saves you $1 it's worth it.

I usually get 3 Sunday papers, and those are most of the q's I use.

I'd look into Walgreens, too. You can get stuff for free or MM most weeks. If you're not spending money on toiletries you have more money for groceries. Or you can use your RR's for milk and stuff.

[CasieMcCann]

Originally Posted by delekatala

I will have to keep en eye out for a printer, there does seem to be a lot of awesome online coupons. Right now I just have my husband run over to my mother in laws when I need something printed. I just can't see doing that for a coupon every other day though, LOL.

In the meantime I am going to go check out that almays deal.

You could always go to the library.. At my library it costs 15 cents to print a page, but if something happens to be a money maker then it's totally worth it!! If it only saves you a couple of cents it really wouldn't be worth it.

[happyhousewife]

I do use printables but i've learned to wait to print until I know I'm going to use it. (Unless it's a really high value one that will probably be gone in a few hours!) It burns me up to print coupons only to have them expire before a good sale comes around. Printables mostly don't have a very long expiration date.

[QBMOM]

I do print some coupons, but only a select few, and if they are better than the Sunday insert coupons.

The way I save so much $$$, is by buying multiple papers, to get multiple inserts. I aim for at least 20 sets of inserts/week, and if the coupons are "hot" I'll either buy from someone on here, trade for them, or purchase them on ebay.

Also, take advantage of your stores sales! Always stock up when the prices are at rock bottom!

Do you have stores that double coupons? If so, check them out. I LOVE double coupon stores! We only have one here, but if the sales are decent enough, I'll drive 45 minutes each way to hit up Dillons/Krogers.

[Lynda1811]

I have found that there are a great deal of higher value coupons online, and most are off 1 items instead of 2 like in the paper.

My library charges 10-15 cents for a print, so if the coupon is going to make my purchase free, then I'm only paying for the print at the library.

My DH and I bought the HP all in 1 printer, printer scanner copier. I never thought we would use the other features, but to my surprise, we use them just as much as the printer. Especially when I need to make copies to send in for school, DH work, medical ins. The scanner is great because when DH worked in another state, I could just scan the paper work and e:mail it to them.

While I know the budget is tight, printers are not that expensive, around $100 possibly lower. But, when you think that the intinal investment will pay for it's self in a couple of months, and last as long as 5+ years, for me it's an investment.

Now the ink can get spendy, I buy the 2 pack HP ink at about $50, office max has their name brand ink cheaper, and also refills your cartridges for $10 for black and $15 for color (I may be a little off on price). But, since I am only printing coupons, and really nothing else, my ink will last about 9 months.

If I run out of ink, or want multiples of a really good coupon, I call my mom to print for me, and then pick them up when I go shopping.

Lynda

[cantstopshopping]

My printer just died on me last week (), and I HAVE TO have a printer. I was going to go with a cheaper "just printer, B&W" for $32, but splurged on a $49 HP All-In-One, color & B/W, and I can say at Walmart, I love it!

It came with both ink cartriges, and upon checking prices to replace, these ones are about 1/2 the price of my old ones!!

I've already saved more than I spent on it just in printable coupons that I have already used!

Well worth a small investment if you are able, but I do know that that is sometimes just impossible.

Maybe once a month, see if you can go to your mother-in-laws to print out the coupons.....how about buying her a ream of paper (about 2.97 at Walmart) for her if possible? Or offer her a couple of the freebie deals you'll get by using the printable coupons?

I'm just trying to offer some suggestions for you, although I don't know if any of them will work for you or not.

[tcpanz]

I do print coupons but I find that I can save without them. If you want to increase your savings ask your friends at church or neighbors if they get the Sunday paper and throw away the coupons. They could pass them on to you. I have about 10 people at church who bring their coupons to me each week. I use them to save money for my family and to provide many items to the local food bank. As long as you don't get addicted and feel like you have to get every deal that comes along, you can easily save for your family and still print only the best coupons when you really need something. Can you tell me which state you live in? I would be glad to mail you some printables once in a while. I know what it is to live in plenty and I know what it is to live in want. My husband was a very successful computer programmer before depression made it impossible for him to work 40 hours a week. Without the blessing of two wonderful sets of parents and a terrific church family, I don't know how we would have made it. The Bible teaches that God blesses us so we can bless others. I would be glad to bless you with some coupons. It is a small thing but God has a way of taking small blessings and multiplying them by leaps and bounds.
God Bless

[roseminxe]

Originally Posted by scamelo

With newspapers its more of a pain for me. I still buy them of course but there are so many I don't use that it gets overwhelming

I agree with you on the papers and that is why I do not buy very often but would rather just order the coupons I need... I prob. don't even use 1/3 of the coupons in the inserts... and it is overwhelming as I don't have time to cut and and sort and when I do put them in my binder, a lot end of expiring because I don't use.

[jrits]

I can't print either and I do great!! Just use that inserts and non-inserts - there are always great deals & freebies

[talaw]

One way I save money and get more than 1 set of coupons is I go to my local coffee shop around lunch time on Sunday. People usually buy the morning paper and have their cup of coffee, then just leave the whole paper in a basket, coupon section and all! I come in and clean out all of those used newspapers just laying around. I haven't bought a paper in weeks and I get multiple sets of coupons and weekly ad flyers for free!

[nwfrugalista]

I really like the printable coupons because they are generally higher value (or don't require you to purchase two/three of the same). But it does sound like a printer purchase may not be in your immediate future so if you need to hold off on that, some ideas for getting coupons to patch you through...

One thing I would do is just start scouting around in the stores you shop now. Usually at the front of the store or at customer service there are holders for flyers/sales circulars and many have store coupons in them. Even better, most stores allow you to use the store coupons AND manufacturer coupons on the same item, so you can double or 'stack' your deals by checking for store special/loyalty card reduction, then adding on store q's AND manufacturer q's. Even if no one discount is huge, if you can put three together, then it adds up nicely! I pretty much only buy that week's specials, and that is only the STARTING point for savings. Also, our Fred Meyer store (a NW superstore/grocery, like a regional Wal-Mart) has a coupon trading bin right next to their circular station. Lots of times if I have coupons that are going to expire before I can use them I will drop them in.

If you have friends/family/neighbors who aren't couponers and take the paper, I would ask them for their inserts. Having multiple coupons is a godsend--because when an item hits a rock-bottom price AND you have several coupons for it, you can really stock up for pennies on the dollar! If noone can give you their inserts, check at convenience stores/restaurants that sell the paper. Sometimes they can agree to sell their leftover Sunday papers at a discount (make sure they have inserts!)

Also, I think there may still be ways for you to get your hands on printable coupons--because the coupon sites 'refresh' their stock of coupons at the begininng of the month, instead of printing one coupon at a time as you need something, consider asking a neighbor/family member to allow you to print on the first of the month, and then print the limit of every printable coupon for that month (usually 2 copies of each coupon). If you have little ones, but your neighbor doesn't (or you don't have pets, but they do) then you could spare for them some Q's that you wouldn't use as a thank-you.

Hopefully those ideas will get you on the road to savings, and in the meantime if you can start setting aside a little of the $ you save, then start watching prices/deals on printers then you'll be ready to jump on a doorbuster special on a printer--perhaps the day after thanksgiving--IMHO a very good day for electronics deals )

Best to you and your family!

[delekatala]

Thank you for the detailed post! You all have me convinced to get a new printer. If I can swing it does anyone have a suggestion on one. I had an epson before and will never return to that brand.

[lilac48604]

Check Target for printer deals. I always seem to find printers cheap there. The one I have right now was 17.50 and is a lexmark all in one. I love it. The ink is a little expensive but I just get my cartriges refilled instead of buying new ones...and I've used my RR's from Walgreens to pay for that. I also use my Walgreens RR's to pay for my Sunday papers if there are good coupons in them. There's always "dumpster diving" for your coupons too. I've had friends that go out the night before trash day and grab the bags of papers from the recycling on the curb they'll grab the coupons out of one bag and exchange it with the next one all the way down the road. She even sells some of those coupons on ebay and makes enough there to buy coupons that she needs among other things. HTH

Oh...and another helpful hint, check into Pinecone research. They pay you to fill out surveys about products. I usually use that $$ to buy coupons.

[junkbondtrader]

If any of you printer-less posters ever need specific IP's printed, I'm always willing to trade (I'm very flexible) or RAOK them to you.

[delekatala]

Gonna skip over to a thread about abbreviations to see what ROAK means

[lilac48604]

Originally Posted by delekatala

Gonna skip over to a thread about abbreviations to see what ROAK means

RAOK = Random Act Of Kindness.

[customcrafters]

I love using printable coupons also... I have a printer but when I need multiples I use the library - they charge .25 a page but if the deal is good it's worth it.

Have you looked into receiving WIC? Women Infant Children? It is a godsend! I'm on disability also and it really helps.

[TJ_2008]

I bought my printer (scans and copies as well) some odd months (maybe already a year?) back at Walmart for $29 or something like that (HP Deskjet F2210 All-in-One). It was a great buy and I am very satisfied with it.

I do not buy ink cartridges. I get the color cartridge refilled (every other month) for $15 at office max and refill the black cartridge myself (refill set from biglots $7.xx and it lasts for a looong time)

Also start your FSOT (for sale or trade) and ISO (in search of) lists!!!

Good Luck!

[wakeup]

when I first started couponing about 2 months back, I didn't have a printer
so I printed at the library ($.20 ea) with that try to load the page with 3-4 coupons..(from coupons.com or similar sites ) instead of each one at a time, if possible.
Or at least get your 2 copies ordered on the same sheet.

Also you can look online to see if there is a freecycle group in your area.
Many people replace items and don't want to fill the landfills, so they freecycle.
Also you can list there what you want or example
Wanted:printer that works (anything but epson)

You can routinely check http://www.craigslist.com
in your area and click on free stuff

I ended up buying a printer fom Staples for $49.95 but then discovered I needed to
purchase the cord that connects to the computer (cost $19.99 extra)

Usually buying a cheap, new printer is more economical than buying an old-used printer
and then having to turn around any purchasing ink cartriges.

I like the ideas to refill cheaply cause the cost of ink cartriges is criminal for what they charge compared to their actual cost..in my opinion

At my local gas/newspaper spot, the clerk told me that the newspaper person picks up the unsold papers at 6:15 on Monday mornings. I haven't tried this yet but
it is possible that they might either give you some or sell them very cheaply if you tell them you are wanting the inserts only. Also I've read some people get the Sunday paper
at the Dollar store --for, you guessed it, one dollar.

By the way, what state are you in?
These AFC'ers might have some more specific ideas to share with you.

[coupondiva55]

I save with coupons and I don't know what I would do w/o one...especially when there are bogo deals...I can print 4 coupons at a time...I know money is tight, but try to see if you can get at least a use printer that way your money would go even further. Check 2nd hand stores and things like that even stores with clearance too.

[javaaddict]

I see printers sometimes on freecycle. Check there, or post a want.

freecycle.org

Also this one (post a need)

twoshirts.org