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Yes I have been watching the shows in the hope of learning new things about couponing. None of the stores in my area allow double coupons to that extent either. Only two stores here allow double coupons and I need to cut their coupon voucher for doubling them out of the newspaper in order to do so. One store allows four coupons per week to be doubled and the other three coupons about once a month or so (they used to allow four).

Something I didn’t know originally was that all the stores in my area allow you to use one manufacturer’s coupon and one store coupon together towards the same item. I was suprised even more when I got copies of the coupon policy for these stores. All of them will allow you to combine one store buy one get one free with a manufacturer’s buy one get one free, so you can get two free items instead of just one. Even if stores don’t offer double coupons, you can still save a lot using coupons.

If you have a Safeway store in your area, they probably have vouchers for doubling coupons in their weekly ad. Here in my area the store ads are in the Tuesday Foodday paper that is delivered to every household free if they want to receive it, or if you subscribe to the daily paper the Foodday is included with it as well.

The other store that allows double coupons in my area is called Albertsons. They also issue double coupon vouchers through the newspaper, but theirs are usually in the Sunday newspaper and only there about once a month.

A trick I learned from the show is that often times there is no size requirement on many of the coupons, so you can buy the smallest size item using your coupons and often get it for free that way. Sample sizes, travel sizes, or at least the the smallest size item can often be purchased for free using a coupon.

I also watch for the names of the websites they use to assist with their couponing, and I have found a couple of the websites very helpful for learning how to organize my coupons and how to take advantage of the best deals. etc.

Another great source of coupons is in the stores themselves. Many stores issue a seasonal or monthly coupon book that is only available in the store itself, and often you really have to look for them to find them. Coupons may also be on the item itself, in dispensers throughout the store, or issued to you at the cash register.

You don’t have to devote a lot of hours each week to cutting out coupons and plan huge shopping trips like the people on the extreme couponing show either. I just do it on a scale that I am comfortable with, which only takes me at most an a little additional time each week to cut out the coupons, file the new ones, and pull the ones that match up with that week’s grocery ads for the best savings.

I usually cut my coupons out and sort them for filing while watching TV in the evening, so that part of the process is not really taking any extra time either, since I am still able to watch the TV while I am doing it. It only takes me about 15 minutes each week to file the coupons and pull the ones I want to use that week at the store. Sometimes I am able to do that while watching TV too; I just do that part while hubby is changing channels deciding what to watch or during commercials, since it takes a little more focus to do.