I know sales are regional, but current deals is not helpful at all.

[whomever]

First let me thank you for all your hard work. I'm making an observation not a complaint and looking for help. I've still a real newbie at the whole couponing and have done well a couple of times but it would be so much easier if the current deal were accurate in my area, I shop in the Fall River, Ma 02724 area and the only 2 stores that occasionally have accurate match-ups is cvs and walgreens. Is there another site or is my area under consideration for better accuracy. I have tried Rite Aid, Family Dollar, Walmart, Kmart, Shaws, Stop and Shop. Thank you in advance for your consideration and I am aware it is free.

[shallen3]

You can google "coupon matchups and your city" to see if there is a local blog. This is my go to site but I follow a local blog that has all stores in my area to fill in the gaps

[mnm'z]

It would be nearly impossible for a national site (couponmom) to have 100% accuracy for stores across the nation since said stores have varying prices and change them at the drop of a hat. I can go to 2 Meijer stores locally (about 4 miles apart) and see 10¢ to 20¢ price variances. When I look at what the Indiana shoppers are getting, I see major price differences. Indiana had Gr. Beef on sale for $1.99# and my stores had it on sale for $2.29 ~ the ads were even different.

Basically this is just a long way to say that using Couponmom's lists should be a guide to your savings and you'll have to put in some of the legwork to get the savings. Couponmom does a lot for us already, coupon match ups are the hardest part, now you just need to refigure the math for YOUR area. We all do it.

[whomever]

As I said I realize sales are dependent on Regions, the concept of couponmom from reading the book and watching videos is the ability to match coupons with sales and thereby stack for best savings. I am unable to do this in my shopping area, I've tried a few times using search feature to print out list and coupons and head off to store feeling completely organized only to find it was a waste of time. Again not a complaint just a fact. What i was hoping for is for my region to be included in sales and coupon matchup. What separated couponmom from other sites that are free is this feature. I do appreciate the hard work but looking for these features too be what is promoted in book and video. Thank you

[Desert Debbi]

We understand, and you are not the first to bring this up, nor will you be the last. All of us to some degree or another experience a disconnect on our local prices vs whats posted. However, some of us have tried to give you additional resources ( I PMed you a local blogger in your area that I googled for you AND reviewed to see if it would work for you.. did you even check it out?) to help you tailor your knowledge learned from this site with a local resource for good pricing information based on your being from Fall River.

The reality is coupon mom is never going to be able to be accurate for your area, unless you or someone else who lives there becomes an employee of coupon mom and does the data entry. She was in hiring mode a few months back and I had looked into it. The job was a full time one, with alot of drive time and research plus hectic deadlines due to getting deals posted and that was NOT compatible with being a SAHM of a 3yo. =D In my area we used to have someoneworking for couponmom who provided us with 95% accuracy on Safeway and Frys, for example. Now the ads look like they belong to another state entirely and I use 2 local bloggers to get up to the minute deal ideas and accurate sales lists based on MY local ads. It actually works out pretty good, as bloggers will often cover non food deals in your area, and hot IP coupons. Thats what seperates the couponers from the non couponers I guess =D You will have to use multiple resources to get local deals, unless you want to use a paid service.

[SleeplessBaker]

Prices and coupons vary greatly by region. My area tends to be more expensive than what is posted here so I have learned to account for that difference. And often the coupons in my area are less valuable than other areas and other times their more valuable. Examples. Jello coupon in my area was 1.00 on 2. In a couple of trades I got jello coupons that where .60 on one which is more valuable because it doubles. Marcel small step 1.00 of 1 napkin came in my area and is 1.00 off 2 napkins in another region. I use the coupon matchups from Coupon Mom as a starting point. Than I use all my local adds to see exactly what my local deals are. I have a horrible memory but I have been couponing for several months and now I can remember what coupons I have better than I can remember my own parents birthdays. It will take time for you to learn how to adjust the information here to more accuretly coupon in your area.

[Kameelyon]

Couponing is more art than science. I think the most important thing is to track your local prices on the items you buy the most and also write down the date you saw the price. Put all this in a simple notebook or on a spreadsheet (use your receipts when you get home). Do this as much as you can and I guarantee you'll become an expert on your area pricing. Your best savings will come from real sales and you will come to know what is a real sale vs a fake sale as you become "Fall Rivers Price Expert". Stick with it, it will happen.

Then then price differences (between Couponmom and your area) will not matter. Of course, you are using your manufacturer coupons on these "sale" items but you need hamburger, chicken, etc too! Knowing what is the best price on these items is really going to put $$$ in your pocket. It doesn't matter if in Georgia they can buy hamburger at 49 cents a pound, it matters what's the best you can buy it for and that's when your freezer gets full.

You will be able to determine how good of a "deal" things are on the fly and the time you spend "couponing" will diminish (after you go through the OMG I gotta get every "sale" at every store phase, lol). I spend more time in the checkout aisles than shopping now, I started September 2011, hard to believe its only been 5-6 months. It is a BIG life change. I don't really know how much I save but I know it is HUGE, HUGE, HUGE!! I know NOBODY in my area gets the value I get for my $. I think of it as revenge for letting supermarkets take advantage of me for so many years. I'll never forget the first time I went to cash out a small order and the clerk recognized me and said "This is gonna be free, huh?".

My wife gives stuff to her 23 year old struggling sister, her mom, aunts, etc, out of our stockpile and it feels good to be able to help people get the stuff they need (which I got mostly for free, i.e. razors, shampoo, bread crumbs, etc). You'll get there too! My teenage daughter knows when her shampoo stock only has one or two left it's time to remind me to get more, she no longer waits until she's out because she knows it might take Dad a couple weeks to get it. Imagine that Couponing even changes teenagers!!

I could NOT have done this without Couponmom!!! There is NO Better site out there!! Yes, there are a few that will help with your local stores but when you use them you will see how much better CM is.

I am now in western Mass (grew up north of Boston) and my absolute favorite store is Price Chopper, do you have one there? If you do send me a PM and I'll give you some more tips, if not try to find a site that covers your local store but still use Cm for the coupon database and the walmart pricematcher, they are invaluable.

Good Luck, remember more art than science, don't let the pennies bother you, your going to be saving hundreds just by sticking with it!!!

[whomever]

Desert Debbi: I appreciate the private message, i thanked u privately also. I have seen this comment about site in reading through forums. When I asked about alternatives or suggestions I knew people would be helpful, but I didn't think I would hit such a nerve, I didn't mean to offend only followed the protocol for using this forum heading "What would you like to see" As I stated in my original message I realize sales are regional stores nearby have different prices. I also realize site is free, please don't patronize. I was addressing what I would like to see. and Desert Debbi I read message as soon as I was aware of it. Again thank u all

[Desert Debbi]

I apologize if I came on strong =D I certainly do not think you offended anyone, we just have all learned over time to take whats best here, and find what we cannot here elsewhere. Regarding your thanking me privately, I am only NOW getting a PM from you, after the post which I responded to asking if you had even looked at the message =D We DO feel your pain, and I tried to communicate that to you.

I was not trying to be patronizing, but many new couponers just do not seem to understand the actual scope of what coupon mom DOES accomplish. Because she doesnt want us to have to pay for this service where does she get the money to pay for it? My guess is that she gets it from selective advertising, from us using HER links here on the site, and I am assuming from sponsors. I believe her current staff is 15 people. There is no humanly possible way that 15 people can cover deals in all states adequately, or with precision. I think what seems to be getting lost in the translation is the intent you had (good feedback on inaccuracy) vs what can realistically be done (just not humanly possible with current staff and budgetary constraints).

A suggestion that could POSSIBLY address this would be for coupon mom to allow us to post links to LOCAL bloggers in one consolidated thread to help new members to the forum find more ACCURATE deals. Right now it is against the site's policy because competing sites could siphon coupon prints away from coupon mom, and cause loss of the revenue which pays people like LITSA, the forum moderator, her salary =D

[Kameelyon]

I think sometimes it is very tough to get what people mean when you are reading messages/emails/texts/etc. whomever reads this thread and thinks she offended us when she reads our responses, I read the same responses and just see people trying to explain and help.