February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 5 (Coupon Swap)

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, a new challenge! So for today, I want to discuss a way that you may be able to get food, goods, and toiletries this month for free, and that is with a coupon swap!

So, you may be thinking, why a coupon swap? Well that’s easy… using free coupons this month, for items you may anticipate needing, and only having to pay applicable tax, can still fall within the No-Spend Month Challenges! So, here are a few suggestions:

1.  Simply put it is a box of coupons that is set up at a central location, that allows people to swap and share coupons.
2. Those who contribute to the swapbox have the privilege of taking coupons from the swapbox.
3. Before you set up a coupon swapbox, you need to find a good location.
4. Think of locations where there are a lot of people.
5. Good examples are daycares, preschools, churches, libraries, schools, community centers, work, local children’s museum, etc.; be sure to ask permission to start a coupon swap box!
6. When starting the box, post a note outside the location telling people you are starting a swap.
7. The beauty of this challenge is that by donating your unused coupons to the swapbox, you can look through the coupons donated by others.

Once you have a location, simply:

•  Cut out all the Sunday coupons.
• File the coupons you wish to keep in your coupon binder. 
• Put the remaining coupons in a Ziploc bag along with an index card, listing the coupon sources, your name, and date.
• Add your bag to the swapbox. 
• As time goes on, check the box for coupons you might need.
• Maintain a list of coupons for freebie grocery items, meaning coupons that you will only pay applicable tax for, at store such as Target, Walmart, and the Dollar Tree, and keep an eye out for them at the swap box.
• You can also post a note asking for specific items, such as a brand of coupon.
• Even if you don’t coupon, add inserts for those you might!

Once you have an established box, you can advertise at your local grocery stores, laundromats, PX’s, library, or other areas where people will see listings. That’s it! Also, be sure to take an half hour a month to clean out expired coupons from your box, too! 

For those with less drive, but still looking to participate in this challenge, you should check out a Facebook site, that I use often, Christine’s Coupon Swap! This awesome group allows users to post messages for coupons you need, as well as postings for coupons you wish to donate or trade. Group members pay for their postage. This is a great way to find the coupons that may not ordinarily be delivered to your region each week, without having to buy an excessive amount of newspapers weekly!

So today I challenge you all to consider physically, or virtually, working on starting coupon swapping practices, to donate the coupons you won’t be using this month while not spending, to help purchase free groceries this year during No-Spend Month challenges!

Stay tuned for the Day 5 Challenge recap this evening!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

• The 31 Day No Spend Month Challenge!
• February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 1 (Commitment & Pantry Organization)
• February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 1 Recap
• February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 2 (Menu Ideas)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 2 Recap
• February No-Spend Challenge: Day 3 (Dine Out At Home)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 3 Recap
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 4 (#Choose30 Challenge)
• February No-Spend Month Challenge: Day 4 Recap