Refunds

The Coupon Exchange Club Coupon & Refund Department

Welcome to The Coupon Exchange Club's refund department where you can save thousands of dollars a year in the grocery store by using coupons and refunds that are available to everyone.We will show you how to get free groceries, where to get coupons and how to organize them, and how to get cash and free gifts in the mail. We'll show you how to score double and triple plays, so you can save up to 50% off your grocery bill year round. If this is your first exposure to refunding and couponing as a hobby,

then you need to learn the basic techniques.

Let's start with something everyone already familiar with and the is coupons. Did you know that there are smart ways to use coupons that help you to get products for pennies or even for free?

SAVE: Clip every coupon you find for products that you use or would like to try. Forget brand loyalty. The best source is the shiny Sunday coupon supplements. If you don’t subscribe to the paper, you can always buy the Sunday paper off of a newsstand. Also, whether you subscribe to the paper or not, have friends, relatives and/or neighbors save their papers for you. Being a member of

The Coupon Exchange Club is also a wonderful source of coupons as you may already know.

Also look for coupons in magazines and on specially marked packages. If two packages of the same item are priced the same, take the one with the coupons on it. Keep an Exacto knife handy in your kitchen to cut these coupons off packages. You can cut coupons without actually cutting through the package if you score (gentle pressure on the blade) the coupon, lift the corner of it with the Exacto knife and then peel it off.

As you shop also watch for "peel-off" or instant coupons. Some offer significant savings, and they are very easy to use. Peel off the coupon and use it at the checkout for an instant savings.

While shopping, watch for the blinky machines in the grocery store aisles. Many of these feature high value coupons, and have a “deposit” slot at the top for people to leave ones they have decided not to use. If it’s a great coupon, take the ones others have discarded.

Most supermarkets now feature coupons printed out right at checkout, called Catalina coupons. These are tied to your purchases. Many of these are high value, and worth keeping. Especially valuable are the coupons marked good on your next shopping trip, which are not tied to a specific product but can be used on anything. They are as good as cash.

Other sources include grocery stores and libraries which have provided coupon bins and boards.

If you know someone who recycles newspapers, see if you can buy their surplus coupon inserts.

The main point is this: Get a hold of as many coupons as possible. The best way to do this is to get extra coupon inserts from friends, neighbors, and/or a recycling center. You’ll see in a minute why it is so important to get multiples of coupons.

Now that you're collecting coupons, it's time to ORGANIZE them so that you can find the coupon you need the moment you need it.

Your first task is to find something to hold your coupons. Several different types of containers work, but some are better than others. The most common "starter" coupon file is a shoe box. If you have a shoe box on hand, get it right now. It can be your first file.

What if you want to start small and don't want to carry a box? You can buy a cloth organizer at a variety store or mail-order one.

Another type of container is a recipe file box. They are about the right size (get the biggest one available), are sturdy, and they often come with divider cards. Again, you may outgrow this, but it is a good way to start.

An excellent container, used by serious couponers, is a Rubbermaid-type box with a lid. You can buy these at any variety store like K-Mart. Pick one that measures about 4" high, 8" wide and 12" long. The box looks like a plastic shoebox or bootbox. It is roomy and durable. The lid snaps on securely. (A tight lid is very helpful...if you ever drop your file in the parking lot you'll understand why.)

This type of container literally lasts forever.

Once you've chosen your file, you've got to organize your dozens, or hundreds, or thousands of coupons by categories.

File cards make wonderful dividers. Label them with category choices (a list follows to help you do this). Stand them upright in the box so the headings show above the coupons. Eliminate any coupons that don't apply to your household (like "Dog Food" or "Baby Products"). Add others of special interest to you. Behind each heading place an envelope which will hold all the coupons for that category.

To organize coupons within your box, envelopes are essential. Each category has its own envelope. Wide envelopes work best. If one of your categories is "Plastic Bags", it should have its own envelope, and within that envelope you'll place coupons for Glad, Hefty, Ziploc, Kordite, etc. If you have the time and desire, you can alphabetize the coupons within each envelope.

As you clip coupons, put them directly into your file, not in the kitchen drawer or the purse. Your coupons now have an official home and it is the file. If you must, have a catch-all envelope in the back of your file as a temporary stopping point when you don't have time to file. But don't let a mess accumulate.

Here is a very easy rule of thumb to know what to clip:

Clip everything within categories of products you use. Don't practice brand loyalty.

For example, if you use margarine, clip ALL margarine coupons...Promise, Heart Smart, Blue Bonnet, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Imperial, Country Crock, Land O Lakes, etc. If you use batteries, clip coupons for Eveready, Energizer, Ray O Vac, and Kodak.

Don't pass up good coupons just because the brand is unfamiliar to you. For example, shampoo products are very competitive. 75¢ and $1 coupons are common. If you spot a $1 coupon on Flex, for example, cut it out even if you've never tried it. You may be able to get a full size bottle of Flex for pennies. Shampoo is shampoo.

Brand loyal shoppers buy the same product month after month, decade after decade. But brand loyalty costs money, a lot of money. Manufacturers LOVE brand loyal customers. Get customers hooked and they never have to be convinced again....they are loyal for life.

Most of us fall into the trap of brand loyalty out of apathy. Buying the same detergent year after year is an easy habit to fall into.

But it's an expensive habit. By ignoring the fact that different products go on sale weekly, the brand loyal shopper pays full price when it isn't necessary. If you are loyal to Tide which is normally priced at $5.99 a box, you'll pay the full $5.99 rather than experiment and buy the same size box of Bold 3 which is on sale for $4.29. Or you'll ignore the $2 coupon in Sunday's paper on Clorox detergent because that isn't "your brand".

What if you believe that Tide is the only product that really cleans your clothes? Then isn't brand loyalty justified?

The truth is that ALL detergents clean clothes. Each manufacturer would like us to believe that its detergent is special and better than the rest, but if you conduct a blind test of your own and you'll find that it makes almost no difference if you wash your towels in Surf, Cheer, Tide, Yes, Bold, Clorox, Wisk, or Oxydol.

Clip all very high value coupons. A coupon good for $1 or more is a very good coupon. Even if you don't use the product at all, someone else will want that coupon. You can use it for "trading stock" later.

The days of the 10¢ coupon are just about gone. Coupons range in value from 15¢ to $2. The average value of all coupons issued is 55¢. That is significant.

One argument I sometimes hear is that there are "no coupons on the things I buy." If you feel that way, ask yourself, "Do I use toilet paper, toothpaste, soup, cheese, detergent, dish soap, paper towels, cake mixes, or breakfast cereal? How about deodorant, margarine, catsup and pet food?" There are coupons on just about every product in the store. The truth is that everyone could be saving money with coupons.

The first step to using coupons is to take your coupon file to the store EVERY TIME you shop for groceries. There is nothing more frustrating than to buy an item and know that you have a coupon for that item AT HOME in your file. Take your file with you and place it in the little seat near the handle of your shopping cart.

The first way to save money with coupons is to use a coupon on a sale item. For example, I saw Charmin toilet paper on sale for 99¢, I went to my coupon file and checked for Charmin coupons. Since I have coupons on just about every brand of toilet paper, I'm not surprised to find three 25¢ Charmin coupons. I bought three packages, and got them for 74¢ each, which is about half the normal price.

I can't stress the importance of this step enough. Match your coupons to products that are on sale!!! You save TWICE on the same product. Doing this simple step alone can save 50% on many purchases. For example, if I find Blue Bonnet margarine on sale at 79¢ a pound, then use a 35¢ coupon on top of that, I will get the package for 44¢, less than half the normal price. When you come upon such a great deal, DON'T BE SHY. Buy as many as you have coupons for. If I have ten Wisk $1 coupons, and Wisk is on sale for $1.99, now is the time for action. I pull out all ten of my coupons, buy ten jugs, and save ten times.

Most coupons are limited "one per purchase." This means that you can use one correct coupon for each item purchased. For example, you can use one Cheerios coupon on one box of Cheerios, but not three coupons on one box. If I have three Cheerios coupons, then I can buy three boxes, if I want. I don't have to go back to the store three different times to use my coupons. Feel free to use as many coupons as you wish, just so long as you buy as many correct items.

Remember , the more coupons you have on the same item, the more you can buy at the fantastic price.

Here's another example. I found Lever 2000 bar soap on sale for 59¢. I had 24 coupons, each good for $1 off 2 bars. Some quick math showed that with the coupons, I would only have to pay 9¢ for a bar of soap!! Now, how many bars did I buy?? One or two? No way! I went for the gold....I bought 48 bars of soap! At 9¢ each, I couldn't resist stocking up big time. That's a six month supply of bar soap, and what a joy it is every time I open one of those 9¢ bars.

Another great way to use coupons is to shop at a store that offers DOUBLE COUPONS. This means that the store will double the value of any coupon you use. Your 25¢ coupon is worth 50¢, your $1 coupon is worth $2, etc.

Some stores offer double coupons but limit them in some way (for example, a limit as to the number of coupons used, no coupons over 75¢, etc.). Double couponing, even if limited in some way, is a FANTASTIC way to save money.

It is possible to get things for free by wise use of doubling.

For instance, a 50¢ coupon good on any size of Crest toothpaste appeared in the paper. I used the coupon on the smallest size Crest, which was selling for 99¢. At the checkout counter the checker doubled my 50¢ coupon to 99¢ and I got the tube for free.

(They did not give me the penny.)

It is often the best deal to buy the smallest size product when doubling coupons. That way you get the item for free. For example, I had twenty five 50¢ coupons good on Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. I doubled each one and bought the smallest bottle, which sold for 99¢. I got each bottle for free. If I had used the same coupons on the $1.99 bottle, I would have gotten more dish soap, but I would have paid $25.

Free is better.

The best of all possible worlds is to double a coupon on a sale price.

This is called a double play. For example, I was shopping in a double coupon store when I found Heinz Catsup on sale for $1.19. I had 50¢ coupons in my file. I doubled them to $1 and paid just 19¢ each for bottles of catsup worth $1.69.

When you get ready to check out and you are using a lot of coupons, it is important to be organized. Have all of your coupons pulled from their envelopes and in your hand. Be sure that you have the correct item for each coupon used. Many checkers appreciate it if you underline the expiration date on the coupon.

Houseclean your file at least every six months. Throw away expired coupons. Be sure to put your name and address on your file. If you leave it at the store or in a grocery cart, you'll have a chance of getting it back.

Remember, organization is critical! Your coupons will do you no good if they are expiring in the bottom of a kitchen drawer. You CAN get organized and it takes less than an hour to set your system up with a sturdy box and some envelopes.

You can file coupons while talking on the phone, watching TV, and even while making dinner. By making use of moments here and there, you are able to have a well-stocked file without investing a large block of time. Clipping and filing coupons is one of those simple activities that can fit into any schedule, if you watch for moments when you can do two things at once. The reward is your own personal "cash stash" ready to serve you in the grocery store.

Every week stores run items on sale. Some sales are no big deal, while other sales are EXTRODINARY

Start reading the grocery ads in your local newspaper. It is helpful to have a marking pen handy. When you see a good sale, circle it with the marking pen. Read the ads for the 3 or 4 stores that are closest to your home or work. After circling the best sales, make a list of the stores and the sale items that you are interested in and decide if it is worth the time and gas to go to each store. (I never go to more than 2 stores in a week, and I only go once a week). When you make an effort to stop at a store because of a special great sale, stock up on that item (as much as you can afford, have coupons for, and have room to store). I buy as many of a good sale item as my family can use so that I won't have to buy that item again until it is on sale again. Many items go on sale every 6 to 8 weeks.

You should never pay full price for: paper towels, toilet paper, kleenex, breakfast cereals, pet food, shampoo, deodorant, cleaning aids, detergent, canned goods, and bottled products. ONLY BUY THESE ITEMS IF THEY ARE ON SALE! The worst time to buy anything is when you've run out of it. Why? Because you'll pay full price. Learn to stock up, and only buy when it is to YOUR advantage to buy. It's as good as a savings account and if done properly earns a better rate of return than any bank.

If you will take the time to read the grocery ads, then you can plan some of your best double plays before you even get to the store. For example, let's say you're reading the ads and spot Kellogg's Corn Flakes on sale for 99¢ a box. You look through your coupon file, under "Cereals", and find 5 Kellogg's Corn Flake 50¢ coupons. Bingo! A great double play and you'll only pay 49¢ a box for cereal. Make a short note on your shopping list: "Kellogg's Corn Flakes--5 coupons".

If double coupons are popular in your area, then you live in Coupon Heaven. Not only can you get a sale price, but you also get a double value deduction of your coupon. Lucky you! The sky's the limit on your savings.

Think of reading the grocery ads as a game. You're looking for ways to beat the system. Two different entities are each offering you a discounted price: the store with its sale, and the manufacturer with his coupon. By combining the two, you have outwitted the system and gotten an item for a fraction of its normal price. And it's all perfectly legal!

Refunding means sending proofs of purchase to major manufacturers in exchange for cash, free gifts, or free coupons.

For example, Tylenol might send you $3 for a Tylenol carton with UPC.

Refunding is the icing on the savings cake. After you've taken advantage of a sale AND used a coupon, you've probably paid 50% or less for an item. Then if you are able to send a proof of purchase from that same product and get MORE money back in the mail,

it's beyond wonderful.

Most people ignore refund offers just as they do coupons. They are ignoring a multi-million dollar pie and refusing to eat their piece! Yes, it takes a few minutes to mail for refunds, but the reward is a constant stream of cash and gifts in your mailbox.

Are you ready to get started?

Refund offers are printed on refund FORMS. Forms have a space for your name, address, and zip.

Refund offers are sent through the mail and your refund comes back to you through the mail.

That differs from coupons, which are used at the check out counter of the grocery store.

The average coupon is worth 55¢, while the average refund is worth $2. Active refunders send for 30 or more refunds a month and receive as much as $150 in cash and free food coupons a month from them.

Refunds offer you one of four things: 1) CASH: from $1 to $20. 2) Coupons for FREE ITEMS (not trial size but full size products). 3) CENTS OFF COUPONS - usually of high value. 4) FREE GIFTS such as toys, t-shirts, pens, watches, kitchen gadgets, calendars and

sports equipment.

When you send for a refund, you send the refund form along with all the required proofs of purchase. In about 8 weeks, your refund will come back to you. You have to be patient. You WILL get what you send for if you followed

the instructions on the refund form.

Refund forms are found in several places. The best source is the grocery store. They hang on little pads along the aisles of the store. They also appear on end-of-aisle displays and also on coupon boards. Keep your eyes open and you'll find them in almost every aisle. Some stores are better about putting the forms out than others. If your favorite grocery store doesn't do a very good job displaying refund forms, talk to the manager and tell him that you and your friends are interested in seeing more forms displayed either in the aisles or on a special coupon and refund board.

When you find a pad of forms, take one!

You can also find refund offers in newspapers and magazines. The same coupon inserts that appear in the Sunday papers also have refund offers. Again, cut them all out, even the ones that you don't want.

You can also find refund offers on specially marked packages (SMP's). When shopping, look for SMP's. They are announced on a package by a diagonal banner across the front. Other types of SMPs include the "hang tag" which hangs on the neck of a bottle and the special sticker which can be peeled off.

Put your refund offers in envelopes by EXPIRATION DATES. Have an envelope for each month of the next year and another envelope marked "No expiration date". Then put all of your envelopes in a shoe box.

When you receive your checks, you have a decision to make. You can endorse them and use them at the grocery store. That way you'll be using your refunds to cut your grocery bill. Just present your checks along with a personal check to cover the balance due. Using refund checks can take $5, $10, or even $25 a week right off the top of your grocery bill.

Many refunders prefer to save their checks for something special. They are content with the savings their coupons bring at the checkout, and would rather use their checks for the "finer things in life." Most set up a special refund savings account. Refund checks are deposited in the account once a month. The nest egg grows with a special goal in mind. Refunders have paid for furniture, clothes, music lessons for children, room additions, even cars and vacations by saving enough checks. How does a Caribbean cruise sound? Isn't there something special you've always wanted, like a dream vacation, or new living room furniture, that you could set as your goal?

Setting a goal for your refunding checks is the best motivator to keep you cutting and saving. As you look into your bank passbook each month, and see your nest egg grow, you'll become more and more dedicated to sending for as many refunds as possible.

Refunds are generally more valuable than coupons. The average coupon will save you 55¢; the average refund will net you $2. Of course, the refund is a little more work. You must clip the refund form, and mail it in with the proofs of purchase,

then wait 6-8 weeks for it to arrive.

All refunds require a proof of purchase. To get your $5, free watch, or free item coupon, you must send something from the package to prove you bought the product. Proofs of purchase are also known as QUALIFIERS because they "qualify" you to receive a refund.

The most common proof of purchase is the UPC code. UPC stands for "Universal Product Code" and is found on all grocery store packaging. It's made up of black straight lines in a small box about 1" by 1". The grocery scanner reads this code when you check out.

Many refunds ask for the UPC as proof of purchase.

About 80% of all refunds now ask for a cash register tape as part of the proof of purchase requirements.

It is vital to save your cash register tapes.

Every refund clearly states what proofs of purchase are required. Some ask for 3 UPCs, others a boxtop or a code number copied from a can. Read each refund form carefully and send exactly what is requested.

Most refunds ask for a cash tape as additional proof of purchase. Save your tapes in a small shoebox. What do you do if a tape is needed for two or more different refunds? There are several solutions to this problem.

Some refunders cut up their tapes, and only send a small portion. Others photocopy them when more than one item is listed. Both these methods work part of the time. Read the fine print on the refund form. If it asks specifically for a "dated original tape", you're safest sending the entire original tape. Also, be very careful with refunds that are addressed to the clearinghouse in "Young America, MN". This clearinghouse is very picky, and will return your proofs of purchase if you cut a tape or photocopy it. If you choose to send a partial or copied tape, enclose a short note with your refund explaining why you cut or photocopied the tape.

I discovered another way around the tape problem when I was shopping and had three items in my cart, each good for a large refund. They all asked for a dated original receipt. If I checked out in the conventional way, I knew I'd have only one long tape, but I needed three. So this is what I did. I had the checker ring up all my groceries except the three items that were good on refunds. I wrote my check for $10 over the price of my purchases. The checker gave me $10 in cash. While the bagger sacked my groceries, I quickly paid for my last three items, one at a time. The checker scanned the first item, I handed her the cash, and she gave me the change along with the receipt. I did the same with the other two items. Those last three purchases did not take more than 45 seconds total, and the box boy was still sacking my groceries when I finished. I tucked my three valuable receipts into my purse, went home and sent for my refunds before my groceries were even unpacked.

There are hundreds of new refund offers every month. No one could possibly find out about all of the offers available by oneself.

The Coupon Exchange Club finds them for you and lists them in an easy to understand way.

We show you how to get "No Form Required" refund offers. This kind of a refund offer does not require that a special form accompany the request for a refund. You just send in the requisite proofs of purchase in order to obtain the promised refund.

These offers are especially valuable because they are so easy to send for.

Buy envelopes on sale or in bulk. You shouldn't pay more than 2¢ per envelope.

Save all your cash register tapes in a shoe box.

Use postcards, not letters, whenever possible in order to save on postage.

Order some inexpensive return address labels. Ads for such labels often appear in your Sunday supplements of your newspaper.

These labels save you a lot of time in addressing envelopes.

Follow the rules as set down by the refunding company. Most refunds are limited to one per family, some are unlimited.

Some require that you personally buy all items required for the refund.

Double check each refund before sealing the envelope, send exactly what is asked for. Be sure to seal the envelope.

If you get an "I'm sorry...." letter refusing your refund, don't get discouraged. All refunders get them from time to time.

As you get better at refunding, you'll get fewer of them.

Please don't grab whole pads of refund forms when you see them in the stores, even if you plan to trade all of them.

Take a few for trades, but leave plenty for other people.

Read the fine print on all refund forms. 90% of refund forms are good everywhere in the USA.

How do your traders know what you need? You tell them! Your list of desired items is called a "request list". Study the request lists that come back to you in your first trades. Copy one of them if you like. No one has a copyright on a request list. Request lists are used extensively when trading via snail mail through ads in refunding bulletins. If you are going to be doing most of your trading on-line, you still need a request list to e-mail to your traders.

Type your list for easy reading. Or, if you have access to a computer, enter your list.

That way you can constantly update it and run copies as needed.

A good request list improves your trades and brings a better return on your postage investment.

There are several things that greatly improve your list:

1) The list is easy to read. The typeface is neither too small nor too big. The print is dark.

2) Lists are broken down by month of expiration. Clear headings mark the beginning of each new month.

3) Forms or qualifiers are listed alphabetically under each month of expiration.

4) Entries are in 2 or 3 columns instead of the width of the page.

5) Special "do not send" requests are reasonable and explained at the top of the list.

6) Lists are not solid print. There are "white" spaces between blocks of information.

The only real way to learn to trade is to trade. Most refunders take a leap of faith when they send their very first trade. You may be wondering, "Will I get anything back?" "Am I doing this right?" "Have I made a stupid mistake?" "Are these junk forms?" Take a deep breath and GO FOR IT! After all, you are only risking 78¢ in postage and a few forms you got for free in the grocery store. Once you get that first envelope back in the mail full of all kinds of things you can use to convert into money in your mailbox, you'll catch the spirit of trading. Soon, if you jump in with both feet, you'll have a trade in your mailbox everyday. In fact, it will seem like a gloomy day if you don't get any trades back. So don't just do one trade and hang all your hopes on that one. Do a bunch. Some will be real jewels, some will be so-so, and a few will be lemons. But the good will far outweigh the bad. And the fun has such a small a price tag!

You should soon start mentally composing your own first ad. Begin working on a good request list. Study the request lists that come back to you in your first trades. Copy them if you like. No one has a copyright on a request list. If you have access to a computer, use it for your request lists. That way you can be constantly updating your list painlessly and running copies as needed.

One last time: the only way to really learn to trade is to trade. Go for it

No amount of savings is worth a jail term. But that is just what happened to Connie Arvidson of Boca Raton, Florida. "Coupon Connie" went to jail because she was involved in a scam to sell forged free-item coupons. She bought and sold thousands and thousands of counterfeit coupons at a big profit, but the price she ultimately paid was not worth it.

Actually, a better nickname for Coupon Connie would be "Counterfeit Connie". When news stories about her were printed nationwide, it sent a false scare to coupon-clippers everywhere. Sadly, many perfectly honest clippers felt like they were involved in something illegal just for using coupons. Nothing could be farther from the truth. When Connie went to trial in Texas, it was revealed that she was in cahoots with 10 others, and that their counterfeiting scheme had bilked manufacturers of millions of dollars. It just happened that the items counterfeited were coupons, not ten-dollar bills. No one who clips coupons in a normal manner needs to worry about following in Connie's footsteps.

"Coupon Connie" Arvidson took this type of scheme one step further. She and her gang didn't stop with 85 coupons. They printed upwards of a million. Connie purchased them by the thousand. She not only redeemed them herself, but sold them at a discount to others. Investigators found a suitcase in the trunk of her car stuffed with neatly stacked identical free item coupons.

1) Use one coupon per item purchased. You can't use two 50¢ Nestle Quik coupons on one can. You can use two coupons on two cans, though. Read the fine print. All coupons state: "Limit one coupon per purchase". Each item you buy is a purchase. Coupons are not limited to "one per person". Feel free to use as many coupons as you like, as long as you buy the item stated on each coupon.

Some coupons require the purchase of two or more items. For example, you might have a $1 coupon good on a box of Raisin Bran and a can of orange juice. You must buy both items to use the coupon correctly.

If you have a coupon that offers 50¢ off on three candy bars, you must buy three to properly redeem the coupon. Some shoppers try to fudge by using the coupon on only one candy bar. In this case, the checker must return your coupon or ask that you go get two more bars.

2) Check expiration dates. 99% of all coupons expire. The expiration date is usually printed at the bottom of the fine print, or in a special box across the top of the coupon. Use them by the date listed. Some coupons have "No Expiration Date" (NED).

They are good forever.

3) Watch the size requirements on each coupon. If your coupon is only good on the 18 ounce box of Corn Flakes, don't try to use it on the 12 ounce box. If the coupon does not fit your needs, don't worry. Another one will come along. Or switch brands. I do that often. Stores that double coupons are especially picky about the fine print. If a coupon says it's good on a squeeze bottle of catsup, you can't use it on a glass jar.

4) Refunds are limited to one per "name and address". This means that you can only send for one refund to your house. You can't send for one for your spouse, one for your daughter, one for your dog, etc. Some refunders are tempted to rent extra post boxes so they have more addresses. This is illegal. A few people have served jail time for renting as many as 100 different post boxes to receive hundreds of duplicate refunds, which constitutes a federal crime because the U.S. Postal Service was used to defraud manufacturers.

What happens if you have extra complete deals that you weren't able to trade and time is drawing near for them to expire. Do not be tempted to alter your name or address to get an extra refund. The clearinghouses have sophisticated equipment designed to pick out duplicate submissions with spelling variations and slight address alterations. You'll lose your proofs of purchase because the clearinghouse will not return them to you. Instead you'll either get nothing, or a note saying that duplicate requests will not be honored. It's better to save your extra proofs of purchase for another day. After all, the same companies issue refunds month after month, year after year.

Be patient and another offer will come along.

Though they are rare, some refunds are "unlimited", meaning the manufacturer has not placed any limits on the number each person can receive. Watch for offers like these, especially on cereal boxes. You could have an endless supply of children's birthday party treats if you've saved your proofs of purchase and the right offer comes along. Refunding Makes Cents has a complete list of current unlimited offers in each issue. I've stocked up on shoe laces, frisbees, Green Giant kites, Del Monte t-shirts, Honeycomb watches, and Slinkies from Kelloggs Corn Flakes. All were from unlimited offers. I even have a special "treats" closet to store my goodies. It's fun to surprise someone with an unexpected gift. But these special unlimited offers are the exception. In general, refunders are limited to one per name and address.

5) Don't steal proofs of purchase in the grocery store. Though this may seem obvious, some refunders are tempted to take the short-cut method of collecting proofs of purchase by ripping them right off packages in the store. If the offender doesn't buy the product, but leaves it damaged on the shelf, he or she can be arrested on shoplifting charges.

This is a damaging practice from the store's point of view. It destroys property and discourages store managers from displaying refund forms. It's also a real downer if you happen to be the one who buys the package without the proof of purchase. After all, you may be planning to send for the refund, also, and to find that the proof has already been taken is a bummer. Let's not kill the golden goose! Leave the proofs of purchase in tact in the grocery store. Can you imagine being arrested for shoplifting because you had a proof of purchase seal in your hand that was ripped off a package? How humiliating! What would you say? "I needed it to get a $3 refund"...It isn't worth it.

6) Do not counterfeit coupons. In the day of quick printing and color copiers, some folks have been tempted to set up shop to insure an endless supply of free-item coupons. You'll remember from our Lingo Lesson that a free-item coupon is different than the garden-variety coupon you cut from the newspaper. A free-item coupon comes directly from the manufacturer; it entitles the owner to receive a full-size product absolutely free. Free-item coupons are very valuable. Since they come back after mailing away proofs of purchase,

each person is generally entitled to only one.

If a shopper shows up in the store with 85 coupons for FREE boxes of Pampers, a smart store manager will become suspicious, and ask the shopper how she/he obtained so many free coupons. Since the shopper didn't get 85 coupons from Procter & Gamble, he/she may have gotten just one real one, then made 84 more with a color copier or printer. This shopper could be in for an unhappy encounter with

Procter & Gamble and the local police.

"Coupon Connie" Arvidson took this type of scheme one step further. She and her gang didn't stop with 85 coupons. They printed upwards of a million. Annie purchased them from the printers by the thousand. She not only redeemed them herself, but sold them at a discount to others. When she was caught, the trunk of her car was loaded with cardboard boxes stuffed with neatly stacked identical free item coupons.

7) Don't make fake cash tapes. The requirement for cash tapes on many offers is annoying. But don't let your annoyance push you into the temptation of making fake cash tapes. Some people do this on a computer or even purchase a used cash register. Since some refunds require only a cash tape as the proof of purchase, a cash register can be used to fraudulently create hundreds of complete refunds ready to mail. These complete deals do not reflect an actual purchase made by anyone, so they constitute fraud.

8) Don’t trade complete deals. Ellen Biles, of Georgia, was convicted of mail fraud for trading and selling complete deals. Though there is no “law” on the books that says you cannot trade complete deals, this activity was interpreted by a jury as mail fraud. Is it worth it?

Play it safe. Stay within the rules and enjoy a clean conscience. There's no need to fake tapes or counterfeit coupons to

make a really good profit by refunding and couponing.

The Basic Techniques: Couponing