Welcome to Cha-Ching on a Shoestring! If you are new here, you probably have lots of questions about how we do things. I’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions in one place to help!
Getting Started:
I hate coupons! Can this site really help someone like me?
How do I subscribe to receive your free updates?
Why is a deal still posted after it has already expired?
How to Use Coupons:
What do all those coupon abbreviations like SS and ECB mean?
I see those people on TV saving hundreds of dollars on their grocery trips. Is that really possible?
How do you keep your coupons organized?
How do I find a coupon for a specific product?
A lot of great stuff including a Coupon Database, freebies, birthday freebies, restaurant deals, tips on learning the Drugstore Game and much more! I recommend becoming very familiar with the dropdown menus in my navigation bar at the top of the page to help find something when you need it.
I hate coupons! Can this site really help someone like me?
I understand! I was once a coupon hater too. It wasn’t until my husband joined the ranks of the unemployed in 2008 that I discovered that coupons were my friend. My best advice is to try a coupon deal out here and there. You may discover that you really like getting stuff for free or really cheap and this coupon thing isn’t so bad. And if not, there are plenty of freebies and online deals that involve no coupons at all around here. We’ve got something for everyone!
How do I subscribe to receive your free updates?
There are multiple ways to receive our daily updates for free:
Sign up by email.
Like our Facebook page.
Sign up in a reader.
Follow us on Twitter.
Why is a deal still posted after it has already expired?
One thing that you will discover as you stick around is that deals come and go often. Sometimes they last weeks, sometimes days, sometimes hours, and sometimes even minutes. I do my best to update a post when I’ve discovered that a deal has expired, but it’s challenging to keep up with every deal–especially since I try to stay busy posting new offers! If you spot a deal that has expired, feel free to leave a comment letting us know. That’s a big help to me and everyone else.
What do all those coupon abbreviations like SS and ECB mean?
So glad you asked! I wrote a Coupons 101 post to help you translate all this new fancy coupon lingo. You can check it out here.
Sure. It’s possible. But is it realistic on a regular basis? No. You may want to check out my Realistic Look at Couponing Series and Couponing 101: The Razor and Toothbrush Learning Curve.
How do you keep your coupons organized?
I share my No Clip Coupon Organizing Method (with pictures) here. I also found a few other ideas that you may want to check out here. You may want to try out a couple of different methods to find out which one works best for you.
How do I find a coupon for a specific product?
Another fantastic question! I recommend letting my Coupon Database become your new best friend. It will help you locate coupons for many items on your shopping list. Coupons can be found in your Sunday paper, on the internet, in magazines and more. Check out my Coupons 101 post to learn more about what all those abbreviations mean.