Tips & Tricks #3: Online Rebates

Online rebate websites are a free and easy way to get cash back for your online purchases. I use Ebates. Here's how it works: Register for an account, and go to the Ebates website first before making an online purchase. If Ebates is partnered with the site you want to purchase from, follow the link to the store from the Ebates page, and your rebate is automatic once you make the purchase. Cash back rates vary based on the store you buy from - there are hundreds of stores to choose from. They will often have periods of double cash back, too! You can choose to get your cash back via a check in the mail or through paypal. They send the checks (or credit your paypal account) 4 times a year. Diapers.com and Babies R Us are both partners with Ebates. I use Diapers.com for almost everything for my daughter, and I get cash back now for every purchase I make there, just by going through the Ebates website first! I just discovered Ebates in October, and I've already accrued $20!

Tips + Tricks #1: Coupon Match-Ups 101

The basic idea of "extreme" couponing is matching up coupons with in-store sales to get the best prices possible.

How does one do this?

1. Get coupons.
Where does one find coupons?

• The Sunday Paper (the LA Times has the best coupons - you can subscribe to the Sunday edition or just buy them weekly)The coupon inserts are usually "smartsource" or "red plum", and occasionally there are additional inserts.


• In your mail on Tuesdays.


• In the "free sample" of the SB News-Press left on your driveway once a week.


• ONLINE. There are so many coupons available to print online. I check the following websites weekly:
  We Use Coupons Online Database
  Coupons.com
  Smartsource
  Red Plum

2. Research store sales to find the best match-ups with existing coupons
There are tons of blogs out there that make this easy. You can use these blogs to find the best match-up deals (some will even let you print out a shopping list of the best match-ups on their blog), or do the research yourself by looking at the store circulars that come in your mail and in the newspaper.

I usually do both. I look at my usual blogs for the best deals that they've found, and then I also browse the store circulars to see if my local store is offering any additional sales or if there are certain items on sale that I need. If you don't want to look through paper circulars, you can go to your store's website and browse the circulars online.

My favorite coupon match-up blogs:
Southern Cali Saver
Save at Home Mommy
Krazy Koupon Lady