Free stuff at Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is notoriously expensive, however there are some free things for, almost, all guests at the parks, that aren’t necessarily well-known or spoken off. I wish I’d known about a few of them when I went there last year, but I really should’ve done my research before I went.

Fastpasses

When you’re at Disneyland and is going for an attraction or a show, you’re very likely to stand in line for up to a couple of hours should you be unlucky, for a ride that’s over in a few minutes. This is why Disneyland has come up with a ticket system called Fastpasses. These are tickets printed from a Fastpass machine by the attraction, which gives you a ticket with a timeframe on it and the name of the attraction that it’s valid on. You then come back to the attraction within the timeframe, usually a couple of hours later, and enter through the Fastpass entrance. Fastpasses allows you to wait in a very short queue and then get on the ride really fast. Basically FastPasses are VIP or premium tickets for that ride. Like any VIP or premium tickets they’re limited for every ride, so go the rides you’re planning to ride early in the morning and scan your entrance ticket in the Fastpass machine in order to get your tickets while there still are any. Not every ride will have the Fastpass system in operation, so check that on the website, app or ask cast members if you’re unsure about a specific ride.

Water

Bottled water is a necessity when you’re at the parks, but purchasing them isn’t a necessity at all. You can easily spend a ton of money on bottles of water, should you purchase all your water at the parks. 10-20€ on water per family isn’t uncommon. So up to 100€ on water, which you can get for free! The trick is to get bring large refillable bottle with you, one per person, and then refill them at the parks. Most people don’t know that Disneyland Paris offers water fountains around the parks, where you can refill your bottles for free. This hack will save you some serious money, keep you hydrated and allow you to spend that money on souvenirs, a room upgrade at your hotel or food. Check the maps to find the refillable stations.

Extra magic hours

I love Extra Magic Hours and I used them when I was there. The parks open up an hour or two for those who’re staying at an official Disneyland Hotel. You’ll need your tickets to get in and have to show your keys at the entrance. Not all the attractions will be available, but Extra Magic Hours are the perfect way to skip the lines.

Eating at Disneyland pt. 1

Like most other things at Disneyland Paris, eating is expensive in relation to what you get for your money. I was surprised at how costly it actually was to purchase food at the restaurants when I went there and others I’ve spoken to has expressed the same opinion. Food at the food places at the parks are over the top and the guests are forced to pay up, since you’ve got to eat. As an example, I had to pay at least 10€ for a meal consisting of a hot dog, chips (French fries for you who are unfamiliar with British terms) and a soft drink, which is ridiculous. Food will, inevitably, be a costly story, especially if you’re part of a family. There are, as always, ways to save and be smart with your money without skimping on quality and your overall experience. After all, you’re at Disneyland Paris for the experience and to have a magical time – food should not be the reason you feel disappointed when leaving. In this post I’ll discuss the advantages of getting a meal plan for your stay at Disneyland Paris, a choice that is well worth the money if you can’t get it for free as part of a holiday package.

A meal plan is simply put a plan where you prepay for a set amount of meal, either half board (breakfast and either lunch or dinner) or full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with a different number of restaurants available, depending on what plan you choose (standard, plus or premium).

Meal plans

At the moment Disneyland Paris offers 3 types of meal plans:

1. Standard meal plan

• Either as half board or full board

2. Plus meal plan

• Half or full board

3. Premium

• Half or full board

The basic difference between the three are the amount of restaurants that you’ve got to choose from when you eat your lunch and/or dinner. If you book the half board of either plan you will get breakfast and either lunch or dinner for each of the days you’ve purchased, and full board includes three square meals per day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meal plans are a fantastic way of saving money on food, I highly recommend having one when you visit the parks. The costs add up really quickly and when you’re on a plan, you know what you’ll be spending on the meals that are included in your plan. When I went to Disneyland I had a free half board plan included in the price that included breakfast and either dinner or lunch and it was fantastic. I had breakfast before entering the park in the morning, ate lunch in the park and used my other voucher for dinner after a full day at the park, before taking the bus back to the hotel. It worked like a charm and was well worth it. During your check-in at the Disneyland hotel you’ll be given all of the vouchers in an envelope along with a letter telling you how they work and where you can redeem your vouchers. The receptionist will also explain them to you very clearly and answer any questions you may have about how the plan works.

It’s worth noting that breakfast isn’t included in the price of a standard room as a standard, which has spawn a fourth option in regards to dining plans – the breakfast meal plan. Like its name suggests it only contains breakfast at your hotel’s breakfast room and is not a character meet and greet breakfast, those have to be booked in advance and cost extra. When I stayed at Disneyland I only had the option of going to counter services for my breakfast and didn’t even have hotel breakfast. Counter service equals restaurants that have over the counter services, like fast food place (e.g. McDonald’s and the likes of it). I found it limiting, but it worked out – breakfast isn’t my thing anyway. Breakfast is included in the price when you book a suite or a premium room at any of the official Disneyland Paris hotels. Disneyland doesn’t offer any plans for snacks and none of their meal plans have any included, so you’ll need to bring your own, or purchase them in the different snack shops inside the parks. Most of the snack shacks and ice cream parlours are closed at the moment for refurbishment, so if you’re heading over there in the near future – check the Disneyland website (www.disneylandparis.co.uk) for what’s open and what’s not.

The Standard meal plan is the cheapest option that’s on offer and is available in either half or full board. This is also where your alternatives for dining are the most limited – only a small list of buffets. No matter if you choose the half or the full board, you’re only going to be able to alternate between a series of buffets. So, if you don’t mind eating buffets for every meal then this is definitely for you. Each meal (lunch and dinner) includes a soft drink too. There’s no reason to feel bored when eating buffets at Disneyland, they have a few different kitchens represented at the parks and hotels – for example, at the Agrabah Café you’ll find a middle-eastern buffet. The cost, per person and night booked is 27£ for adults (half board), 19£ for children (half board), 42£ for adults (full board) and 28£ for children (full board).

For those who’re looking for a few more options, and don’t want to limit themselves to buffets during their stay, there’s the Plus meal plan. The list of available restaurants goes up to over 15 here and includes table service restaurants. Cast members working at the restaurant will tell you what dishes are yours to choose from, since the meal plan operates on a set menu premise. À la carte is not included in the price. I had the half board Plus Meal Plan when I visited and I enjoyed it, it was a perfect mix of restaurants and I even managed to reserve a place at Mickey’s Café, where Mickey and his friends does meet and greets during dinner service. In my opinion, this meal plan is perfect, especially the half board, for the reason I explained earlier in this blog post. It was very enjoyable to have plans for the morning and evening meal and then just go where I fancied for lunch, without being bound to a particular restaurant reservation. As with the standard meal plan one soft drink is included in the price (one per person and meal plan), any additional drinks must be paid for directly to your server (cast member). Prices are a bit higher for this plan: 38£ for adults (half board), 25£ for children (half board), 53£ for adults (full board) and 34£ for children on full board.

Should you want the full food experience while you’re in the parks, go for the Premium meal plan! Here you can pick and choose from the full range of restaurants and even the ones with Disney character interactions and the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West dinner show. Just like the others you can pick either half board or full board and one soft drink is included in every meal plan, for each meal (lunch and dinner). Prices are 62£ per adult (half board), 42£ per child (half board), 88£ per adult (full board) and 56£ per child on full board.

The best way to enjoy the food on offer at the parks on a meal plan is planning, planning, planning and then plan some more. Breakfast and dinner are the best meals to plan in advance and book any restaurants you most wish to visit during your stay. During lunchtime you’re generally in the park in the middle of having fun and might not want to be tied up to a place which might be at the other side of where you’re at. Whether or not you’re on a full board or half board plan – get yourself to a restaurant that’s close by, and that you’d like to eat at and is part of any meal plan (for those of you who’re on the full plan) and have a meal. Or plan ahead to make sure you’re close to the lunch restaurant you’d like to eat lunch at when you’re hungry. Like I’ve stated before, the popular restaurant who accept advance bookings will fill up quickly – book them if you’re sure that you’d like to eat there!

Tips & recommendations

• Be on the look for free meal plans on Disneyland Paris website, it’s a very common offer to receive free half board for your stay. It can be worth a good amount of money, I saved close to 200€ on food by opting for a free half board. Be sure to read any terms and conditions to see if you qualify – it’s a great offer, should you be eligible!
• Always, always, always reserve a table at popular restaurants well in advance, or at the places you really don’t want to miss. Tables at places like Mickey’s Café are extremely attractive, due to the character interactions going on there and forgetting to reserve can lead to a full restaurant and tears from your young ones (or yourself). Reserve as early as you can to, hopefully, guarantee your spot at your first hand options.
• You can call the dining reservations up to 60 days before your arrival to book a table. Call +33 1 60 30 40 50 to make a reservations, or go straight to your receptionist or concierge at your arrival to book a table.
• Disneyland Paris official website is disneylandparis.co.uk and they always list what restaurants, snack bars and bars that are undergoing refurbishment at the moment – check it regularly before your trip to avoid disappointment onsite.
• One soft drink (nonalcoholic beverage such as soda, still or sparkling water and fruit juice) is included at lunch and/or dinner, per meal plan. Any more drinks you wish to drink must be purchased and paid for to your server or cashier. Choose the largest size allowed if you’re thirsty!
• Always use the plans to the max and eat all your meals. Otherwise you’re going to lose money since you’re paying twice for a meal.

Christmas shopping part I don’t know…

So, another shopping done and this time it was at Morrisons and I got two of their 1kg wonky carrot bags for 35p each, so in total 70p for 2kg carrots that are fine, but doesn’t look nice. That doesn’t really matter since the carrots are going to be cooked, mashed and baked in the oven anyway, so their looks won’t matter.

I always try to buy as much of those “ugly”, “wonky” and “weird” looking fruits and vegetables at shops simply because they’re A LOT cheaper, but still taste the same, but people don’t really want anything less than perfect. That’s quite sad to be honest since it creates waste and expensive fruits and vegetables. Please people, buy the ones that aren’t perfect and shops, pleease, sell the ones that aren’t decent looking – they’re still ok to eat! If we don’t sell, buy and use them they’re going to waste and that’s just not sustainable in the long run.

 

Anyway, my new total cost after coupons and rebates is now up to: 8.15£

Before coupons & rebates: 9.55£

Have a nice week, it’s only 2 weeks left before Christmas now!

Christmas food spending

So far I haven’t spent a lot of money really and the latest update is:

 

Garlic – 90p           Was 1.20£

Salt (1kg) – 25p

 

My total spending before rebates is currently: 8.85£

Total after savings: 7.45£

 

Still not a huge savings percentage : 15.82%

But it will probably improve as I go on.

How to combine coupons

Coupons used on their own doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to save huge amounts of money every week, not unless you know how to combine them with each other and instore offers. That’s what determines your final savings and out of pocket expense. If you use a coupon on an item while it’s full price and without any other vouchers or rebates, then that’s a wasted effort and certainly a wasted coupon. Let’s say that you’re going to buy two packs of canned mackerel because you have two 50p off coupons for brand X. The full price for one pack of mackerel is 1.50£ and if you use the coupon it would make your final price 1£. Let’s say that the coupon is valid for 30 days, do you buy it now if you only printed the coupon today or a couple of days ago? No, this is the time to wait and see if it goes on sale in your shop or in any of the other stores that you shop in. If you wait two weeks and see that Morrisons have mackerel on sale for 1£ per can instead of their regular price of 1.50£, then this is where you want to go and buy the two cans. You get the two cans and use both your coupons and end up paying 1£ for both cans. If you would have bought them two weeks ago at full price at shop number one then you’d have paid 2£ after coupons, now you end up 1£ instead – a 66% saving instead of 33%. Now, imagine if you’d have other coupons or rebates that you can combine with the manufacturer’s coupon – that could give you even greater savings or even free food. I’m going to go through the most common ways that you can combine coupons, instore sales and rebates, as long as the coupons allow it. Make sure to read the coupon and see if you can add other coupons to your purchase, or if you can only use one coupon per item. Remember that this usually means money off coupons and not points coupons – you can combine a point coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon.

1. Peelie and manufacturer coupon

No, you can’t use them both since they’re both manufacturers’ coupons, but with different names and looks. They’re still coupons made by the manufacturer of product that you’re about to buy.

1. BOGO + manufacturers coupons

This varies from chain to chain, so be sure to ask the particular shop that you’re in – it depends on what the management says. If they say no, then respect that. It can also depend if it’s a Buy One Get One free or if it’s a Buy One Get One half price. Be sure to ask for their policy for both occasions – BOGO free and BOGO half price. Make sure that you get the answer in writing if you’re asking the management, then you have an official letter that is more valid than words and can’t be refused.

1. Manufacturer coupon + instore coupon

Generally yes, since they’re two different things, instore coupons comes from the shop and manufacturers coupons from the manufacturer. If you get Catalinas, then they’re instore coupons that comes from a manufacturer but can be used with a manufacturer coupon. Read the manufacturer coupon and if it says something like “one coupon per item”, it most often means that you can’t combine two manufacturer’s coupons.

1. Instore coupon + points coupon

Depends on what kind of coupon it is. You can’t use two X amount of points – those coupons that say 2, 3, 4 or 5 times the points that you earn in a transaction – but you can use a paper coupon that states “get 200 points for buying Catty’s cat food” with a digital voucher that’s loaded to your loyalty card and says “get 50 points if you buy a Catty’s cat food”. Plus, you can add those X times the points earned in a transaction in the end too, but just one.

1. Rebate + manufacturer coupon

Yes, you can use these together since you’re not actually using them at the same time. Just use the coupon as usual at the register, save your receipt and then scan it into the rebate app to get that retroactive cashback.

1. Rebate + instore coupon

Yes again. This is just the same as the example above. Use the coupon instore, get the receipt and scan it in the rebate app.

1. Rebate + manufacturer coupon + instore coupon

This is the third yes. If the manufacturer coupon allows that you stack an instore coupon to it, then you can get an extremely good deal and quite possibly a freebie or a moneymaker. Getting all three in combination with a sales price is the best thing and all though it doesn’t happen very often, it can still happen.

Things you should always have in your coupon binder!

No matter what method you choose to use when it comes to storing coupons, there are some essentials which you’ll always need to bring with you when you do your shopping, besides the wallet, your coupons and your shopping list. Bringing these items listed below will help you to get all the deals right, calculate if a sale is a good one or a bad one and show the cashier at the register what the store chain has to say about coupons. Being in control, prepared and, above all, organized are the things which leads to success in most cases. What you need can vary a bit, but if you have all these things you’ll be ready if your phone should expectantly give up midway through your trip. If you don’t have a binder with a large pocket inside it to store these items, then having a large pencil case or small homemade bag made out of fabric, with a zipper on it, is the best thing to keep all your things in the same place. Place the bag in your purse or backpack and then make sure that it’s always there when you need it and always fully stocked. It may seem just a bit extreme to bring all these little things with you when you go shopping, but not bringing them will come back and bite you in the butt in the end. Nine out of ten times you might not even need to use most of the things in it anyway, so keep it tucked away until you actually need something from it, otherwise it’s just going to take up space in your hands or your cart. Nothing on this list have to be the most expensive thing either, buy simpler things from discount shops instead, unless you can get a good deal on a brand calculator or have a child who doesn’t need his or hers anymore – then use that one instead of buying a new one.

 

Good things to always keep in your binder

1. A small pair of scissors

If you’re one of those people who doesn’t cut coupons before you’re in the shop, then you’re going to need to bring a small pair of scissors with you in your coupon bag and take the time to cut the coupons that requires cutting, before you hit the register. Cashiers have the right to refuse uncut, printed coupons. Remember to cut along fairly straight around the lines and do not clip the barcode. Damaging the barcode automatically makes the coupon invalid and it can’t be used at all if it is. There’s no point in bring a pair of large kitchen scissors, a small one designed for children is good enough and can be found for a pound at Poundland.

1. Calculator + spare batteries

In this day and age most people have a smartphone with a calculator on it, but in my experience you will need to have a back-up ready, or have a calculator that you can easily whip out to do a fast calculation. Bringing a calculator is important just because you might find a deal that you’re not sure if is a good deal, that’s where the calculator comes in handy. You can quickly see if it’s good or bad. It can also calculate what your out of pocket expense will be after you’ve applied coupons and in store sales. Plus, a couple of batteries in a calculator lasts for weeks and weeks, if not months on end – unlike your typical smartphone which can hardly even play a five minute YouTube video without getting low on battery. With a dead phone you’re left to do sums in your head or on your calculator. Which one do you prefer? Be sure to keep a couple of spare batteries with you, just in case the calculator decides to give up in the middle of your shopping trip and double-check that they’re the right size. Don’t get the most expensive one you can find either, it’s not rocket science – a simple one will do just fine.

1. A short ruler

Bringing a short ruler with you can help you when you’re going to cut those coupons and makes sure that you’re cutting them in a straight line. I find that they can be used if I need to grab something that’s on a high shelf and that I can’t really reach. Then I can just use the ruler to get it down and in my shopping cart. It’s a lifesaver for short people! Should you for any reason need to highlight something in a coupon policy or on a receipt, a ruler will help you make a nice, straight line.

1. Pens and pencils

Having pens and pencils with you is essential. If your calculator and mobile phone fails then you have a method of calculating savings and find out if you’re getting a good deal. If you’re the type of person who likes to have your shopping list on a piece of paper, then having a pen is perfect if you suddenly remember something that you need and isn’t on the list, with a pen you can just add that new item to your list or cross something off that you’ve just put in the cart. Even if you’re not that type of person, see point G as to why you should have a printed list with you anyway. The receipt might contain an error too, with a pen it’s easier to underline what’s wrong or show what part you’ve got a question about. It’s a good idea to bring a couple each, just in case one pen or pencil breaks. You won’t be stranded without any way of communicating if you’ve packed an extra pencil.

1. Coupon policies

Having printed coupon policies with you in your coupon binder or bag is pretty obvious and ensures that you’re covered and prepared if something happens at the register. Sometimes the cashier isn’t aware of what their policy says about coupons, or doesn’t understand what it means and if that happens – you’ll be ready to bring out the policy to politely explain what it says and what it means. Bringing a policy shows what the official stance of the company is. Be sure to print off the policy for each and every chain that you usually shop at and all the rest that are in your town and the closest surrounding ones. You never know when or where a good saving is going to appear, that’s why it’s safer to have each and every one printed, stapled and placed in your binder. Preferably in alphabetical order. To ensure that the correct policy is easily found, write the company name on top in a large font, in bold and underlined. Staple each policy together separately and then put them away in your binder.

1. Extra plastic pockets

This is applicable only if you’ve chosen to file your coupons in a binder, like the ones you see the women and men on Extreme Couponing use. The shops will sometimes have coupons and if they do, get a few and nothing is more annoying than finding that you don’t have room to put them with the others. Sure, you could put them in your wallet, or worse – your pockets. But, realistically all that happens if you put the voucher in the wallet is that you’ll forget about their existence until the next year, when you decide it’s finally time to clean it out of old receipts, bus tickets and loyalty cards which you no longer use. Putting them in your pocket is even worse because they’re most like going to be torn, bent and washed, so make sure you file them or use them directly after getting them. Otherwise it’s just money down the drain to be honest.

1. Pencil sharpener, eraser and extra leads

Should you bring pencils then you’re going to need a few accessories. Eraser, pencil sharpener and extra leads are essentials, if you use pencils with leads then the leads (in the right size!) are extra important. All these basic things are cheap at Poundland and other discount shops, especially during the Back-to-School season in August and September and this is the time to stock up on these items. Should your pencil break – you can sharp them. Did you misspell a word – erase it easily. Your pencil just ran out of leads – good thing you’ve got an extra pack in your binder. Extra ink can also be bought for pens and can be cheaper than buying a new pen, check your shops for different alternatives and what is most cost effective.

1. Portable phone battery (charged!)

In this age a lot of people have smartphones and their batteries are, unfortunately, not always the best. In fact, a lot of times their batteries become bad quickly. Powerbanks are something I highly recommend that everyone invests in and they can be purchased for under 30£ per bank. The powerbank allows you to, when it’s fully charged, to charge you phone via USB and they’re well worth the investment. Just remember to keep them charged at all times, it’s just like charging your phone – plug them in a socket and you’re all set.

1. A printed version of your shopping list

Should everything fail, your phone is dead and the powerbank isn’t with you and your shopping list is on the phone – then you’re in deep trouble. But, be proactive and have a printed shopping list with you in the coupon binder, tucked away and ready to be used if the occasion should arise. Date the list to keep it from getting mixed up with older lists! The list should, besides all the items you intend to purchase, list the number of each item you need, specified sizes and should be divided by store. Meaning that you should make a heading which says “Sainsbury’s” and under that you list everything you’re going to pick up from that shop and then moving on to the next shop and doing the same thing until you’ve listed all the shops and items on your list. The same should be done on your phone. Should you be one of the people who prefer to have physical list instead of a digital one, make sure it’s printed and not handwritten, handwritings can be difficult to read – even your own.

1. Highlighter

A highlighter can seem a bit farfetched, but it can be really useful to have one at hand, this is particularly true when you’ve discovered an issue with your receipt or are explaining a part of the coupon policy to an employee. Like I stated in the previous chapter, you should always go through the receipt after you’re finished with your transaction just to make sure everything’s okay and if you find a mistake – use the highlighter to highlight it and then bring it over to customer services. It’s also a good way of highlighting something you’re trying to explain in a policy. Highlighters are always very good to stock up on during the Back-to-School season.

Different types of coupons

There are quite a few different types of coupons out there for food products and these are the ones that you’ll find when you go grocery shopping!

1. Instore coupons & Catalina’s

Instore coupons are often sent to you via mail and looks like regular coupons from a manufacturer and some are printed in the shop and comes from their Catalina printer. An instore coupon can only be spent at the shop that you’ve done that purchase in or in any of the chain’s shop across the country. Some chains, like Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, have machines at the register which prints coupons at the end of your transaction – these are called Catalinas and are money off a certain type of product, a money off your next purchase, a points coupon on a product or a coupon that says two, triple or quadruple the amount of points you earn at your next purchase. The Catalina machine and the shop’s system will save what you buy via your loyalty card and can therefore print coupons based on that. I often get coupons for money off cat food because I have a cat, you might get money off laundry detergent if you often purchase laundry detergent.

1. Manufacturer coupon

This is one of the most common coupon out there and they are produced by the company that make the particular product that the coupon is for, for example Coca-Cola and Santa Maria. They give you money off if you buy their product and the amount off is usually somewhere between 50p and 2£. There are many type of manufacturers’ coupons, as you will see in the upcoming examples.

1. Tear pads

These are found in the aisles of the grocery store, next to the products that it gives discounts on. Tear pads are not always valid only on the product that they’re next to, so be sure to read the coupon through thoroughly as you might not be limited to a certain size or product from the company that the voucher is for. These are manufacturers’ coupons as they are made by the manufacturer of that product.

1. App coupons

In-app coupons can be either manufacturer’s coupons or bound to a certain chain of shops, like Sainsbury’s or Tesco. Some coupons are available in the shop’s app and can be loaded onto your loyalty card, some are codes that you can use online and some are a barcode or a QR box that you present to the cashier and they’ll scan it. These can often be points coupons that can only be redeemed instore.

 

1. Point coupon

I get these all the time when I do my weekly shopping and they’re quite common, most people have seen them – but not used them. This type of coupon gives you points on your loyalty card or it can give you a fixed amount of points for buying a specific product of a specific size – for example, get 200 points for buying Catty’s dry cat food (700gr) at your next check-out. The points will be added to your card the same day or within a few days after using the voucher and have a monetary value set by the store chain. Point coupons are a type of retroactive coupons, since you don’t get money off your bill but you can spend the point at your next purchase. A lot of point coupons gives you double, triple or quadruple the amount of loyalty points when scanned at the till, this is a very common coupon to get at Sainsbury’s. Every week it seems like I get one that I can use next week and I can earn a couple of extra pounds from just one of the triple point coupons alone.

1. Digital and printable coupons

Printable coupons are distributed by manufacturers’ on different websites, including their own and can be printed at home on your printer. Usually they have a limit of two per printer or one per email address.

1. Peelies and Hangtags

These are manufacturers’ coupons that are glued to the product and has to be peeled of the product (peelie) or hung around the neck of a product (hangtag). Peelies and hangtags work exactly like tear pads and usually have an expiration date that are at least 30 days away, sometimes even a few months away.

1. Free products

If you’ve got a bad product from a company and you’ve made a complaint to the manufacturer of the item, then they can issue coupons for you to get free replacement products at the shop.

1. Rebate apps

This is a relatively new type of voucher that works retroactive. If you download a cashback app and then buy an item that’s on the list, for example if they have a 1£ cashback on Catty’s dry cat food then you go to the shop and pick up the cat food, scan the receipt in the app and get a 1£ cashback on your account. Once you’ve got a certain amount on your account, you can get it as a payment to your bank account, Paypal account or as a check.

How to write to companies!

People always ask me how I get my coupons and tell me that they can’t find it. I have the same problem, there aren’t that many coupons online, at least not if you live in the U.K. like I do. That’s why you’ve got to be proactive when it comes to couponing and use every strategy possible to get them on a fairly regular basis. One way is to write letters to your favourite, and not so favourite, companies. Which is what I’ll be covering in this blog post.

1. Pick out your favourite brands that you use on a regular basis and have a look at the back of their pack – there should be an address there where you can send letters and queries. Write down these addresses along with the names of the companies, so you don’t get them mixed up. This is where you’ll be sending your letters.
2. Make sure that each letter is personalized to each company and don’t clip in sentences from other letters to the current one (if you’re using the computer to write your letters), since this can backfire completely. If you manage to get a comment like “my dog loves it” in a letter to a chocolate company, then that shows that you either abuse your dog by giving it chocolate or that you’re reusing parts of the letter from a previous one to a dogfood manufacturer. This isn’t a problem, really when you write by hand, but make sure that you know who you’re writing to so you don’t write the wrong company name by mistake.
3. Write your letter by hand, unless your handwriting is very hard to read. If you have severe problems with spelling, for example due to dyslexia, then I recommend that you either have someone help you write out the letter or use a computer with a spell check. Then you can write your letter, print it and then sign your name at the bottom. It should look proper and be easy to read to strangers. Also, if you use a pen – make sure that you don’t have too many crossed over words, rewrite the letter if you need to just to make it look nice and proper.
4. In your letter, compliment the company in a nice and honest way. Don’t overdo it, lie or use grandeur – they can smell those sorts of things from a mile away and it’s very off putting to try and suck up to them. Be honest and natural in your praise.
5. Tell them why you like their products and be sure to specify exactly what products it is that you often buy and use. This helps them to know why a certain product sells and can ensure that they keep making it.
6. If you have any suggestions for improvements on a product you use, tell them in a nice way. Companies also likes it when their customers give them suggestions of new flavour combinations or fragrances that you’d like them to start making, so be sure to suggest it to them.
7. If you’re writing to a pet food company then include a photo of your pet(s) to them and make sure that it’s a cute photo. Write the name(s) in your letter and on the backside of the photograph and tell them what products that they really like the most. If you can’t get a photo, then have the pet leave an inked paw print at the end of the letter.
8. Your kids can be a part of writing to a company too, if you have them. Have them write a thank-you card and/or make a drawing to their favourite food or toy brands. Be creative!
9. Don’t ask for coupons or vouchers, as it can be of putting to most companies. You’re not a beggar, so keep some class when you write the letter. I know that this may seem like a contradiction, but your whole letter might come across as a bit fake if at first you compliment them and in the end you ask for/demand coupons – see what I’m getting at?
10. Don’t forget to put your home address in the letter, just to make sure that they know where to send their reply and always sign with your first and last name in a clear fashion – they should know who sent it and where they can send a reply.
11. Remember that most companies will just send out a standard thank-you letter, don’t expect everyone to send you a lot of coupons or freebies. Some will, but certainly not every company does this. I’ve had more standardized thank-you letters without anything in them than I’ve had letters containing coupons.
12. When it comes to complains – don’t complain unless you’ve got a genuine complain. If you have a complaint it’s usually easier to go on to their website and fill in a form. Again, remember to add your home address so that they can send a reimbursement to your home.
13. Don’t write too often! They’ll start recognizing you and can become less prone to sending you coupons and freebies. But do send them cards for the holidays – Christmas, Channukka, Eid etc.
14. Finally – always be polite and nice in your letters! This is the most important thing of them all.

Couponing – a VERY quick and general guide!

Coupons are not new, but can be difficult to understand to a lot of people.

• In the US of A a lot of coupons double, they don’t do that in the U.K at all.
• You can use as many coupons as you like in a single transaction, however you can’t use more than one coupon for every item you purchase. Check the coupons, most of them say “limit of 1 coupon per purchase” or something similar.
• You can buy as many items as you have coupons for. For example, I have two Fairy coupons for 1£ their washing up liquid. I can buy two and use one coupon for each bottle, since they’re two purchases.
  • However, you can combine the coupons with rewards from a chain. I have an offer from Sainsbury’s that says: Buy catfood X and get 200 nectar points. I also have a 2£ coupon for said catfood that I can use with that, since it’s NOT a coupon.
• Make sure that you use the coupons within their dates. Use it before it expires.
• Most coupons don’t exclude travel sizes or specify a certain size that you need to buy, for example: “This coupon is only valid on Fairy 750ml”.
  • If there are no size restrictions on the coupons, buy a smaller size to maximize your savings. I have a 75p of Head and Shoulders coupon that is valid on any size bottles. I’m going to use it at my local Sainsbury’s, since they have a 300ml bottle for 1£. After the coupon I’m going to pay 25p for a bottle of shampoo and I’ve got 2 coupons!
• Read the coupon policies of your favourite shops and if you can’t find it – ask them via their website or on social media.
• Also, make sure to check magazines, inserts and your Sunday newspaper for coupons – even free magazines and the back of your bus tickets can have sweet deals and coupons in them!
• Buy the chain’s own magazine, they can often have coupons. Have a look through them first, just to be sure.
• Join baby clubs if you’re expecting or have a child who wears diapers. The diaper companies often have clubs that lets you earn points, rewards and coupons on your diaper purchases. Check out Pampers website!

How to read a coupon:

A coupon/voucher will contain:

1. X£ or Xp off
2. What it’s valid on and/or what it excludes
3. Valid for – an expiration date
4. How many coupons you can use per purchase/transaction/household
5. Your name
6. Information to the shop on how they can redeem the coupon

If a coupon says:

• 1 per purchase = you can use one coupon per item purchsed, so if you buy two of product X that means that you can use two coupons – one for each item.
• 1 per transaction = You can only use one like coupon per transaction, but there’s nothing that stops you from buying three of the same thing, with coupons, in three seperate transactions
• 1 per household = You may only use one coupon per household (you and your closest family – you, your partner and your children)

 

How to get coupons:

• Super Savvy me (UK): https://www.supersavvyme.co.uk/offers/coupon
  • Create lots of accounts,
• http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/deals/supermarket-coupons
• http://www.extremecouponing.co.uk/

Be advised that you need to double check Extreme couponing and Money Saving Expert, since sometimes their coupons are invalid.

 

• Check out the websites of your favourite brands and sign up for their newsletters. They can contain a lot of coupons!
• Sign up to all the shops loyalty programs (Nectar, Tesco Clubcard, Morrisons…), that’s an awesome and free way of getting coupons.
• Google is your friend. Google your favourite brands + vouchers and see what comes up.
• Write letters to the brands you like and write REAL letters with pens and papers. Include what you like about them, why you buy them and maybe a suggestion of what you’d like them to make, improvements of their products or a new flavour. If you have children – have them draw pictures and send off to their favourites too. Companies likes that! If you have pets – send cute photos of your animals to the companies that makes the food they like. Be creative! A lot will send out a standard “thank you” letter, but some will send free stuff and/or coupons.
• Join or create a coupon swapping group and swap coupons.

 

 

Have a look at YouTube for different people who coupon and explain it. Here are some great couponing people:

1. Holly Vlogs (UK based)
2. Hip2Save (USA)
3. Southern Savers (USA)
4. Krazy Coupon Ladies (USA)

 

I hope that this helps somewhat and please, ask if you have any questions.

Coupon Policies

It can be very difiicult to know what goes at what chain when it comes to coupon policies – who accepts coupon, who doesn’t and do they have any limits on the amount of coupons/vouchers that you can use in a single transaction. Therefore, I’ve created a page where you’ll find links to the various store chains in the U.K and their coupon policies. Some of them don’t have a policy and where that’s the case, I’ll try to contact them on social media or through their website to find the answers.

I’ll try and expand the page to the U.S too, but for now it’s the U.K. chains that I’m focusing on.