1. Make sure you have installed the SmartSource Coupon Printer. You will be automatically prompted the first time you try to print a SmartSource coupon. Instructions for your particular browser will appear, but usually the download will begin after you click ‘activate’ and will only take a few seconds. Note: some anti-virus programs classify the coupon printer as a threat, but it is safe.
2. You must have Java from Sun Microsystems installed on your computer. You should receive an automatic prompt. If not, follow this link.
3. Make sure Java is enabled:
4. For Internet Explorer v6 or higher:
   1. From the menu bar click “Tools” –> “Manage Add-ons” –> “Enable or Disable Add-ons…”
   2. At the top there is a drop-down box labeled “Show:”
   3. Choose “Add-ons that have been used by Internet Explorer” in this drop-down box.
   4. Next, click on the column titled “Publisher” to alphabetically sort the list by publisher.
   5. Look for anything by publisher Sun Microsystems, Inc. (may say “(Not verified)”)
   6. Click on each item you find with this publisher with a Status of “Disabled” and enable it.
   7. Click OK to save your settings.
   8. You should now restart your browser (close all open windows) and come back to the page you initiated printing from to try again
   9. Also, click Start –> Control Panel –> Network and Internet Connections –> Internet Options –> Advanced tab. Make sure the box for Java(Sun) is checked.
5. For Firefox 1.x
   1. From the menu bar, choose Edit –> Preferences
   2. Select the Advanced category
   3. Check the box labeled “Enable Java”
   4. Click OK to save your preferences
6. For Firefox 2.x and 3.x
   1. From the menu bar, choose Tools –> Options…
   2. Select the Content category/tab
   3. Check the box labeled “Enable Java”
   4. Click OK to save your preference.
7. For Safari
   1. Click “Safari” and then “Preferences…” in MacOS or “Edit” and then “Preferences” in Windows
   2. Click the Lock Icon labeled “Security” at the top.
   3. Make sure “Enable plug-ins”, “Enable Java” and “Enable JavaScript” is checked.
   4. Close the Preferences dialog window to save your settings
8. Make sure your computer meets the following system requirements:
   1. Windows XP, Windows Vista, MAC OSX 10.4 (tiger) or 10.5 (leopard).
   2. Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, Firefox 1 or higher, Safari or Google Chrome.
   3. SmartSource is compatible with AOL, but not with Windows 2000, CompuServe, Linux or WebTV.
   4. Connected to a working printer cabable of 300 dpi resolution. Coupons cannot be saved.
   5. Note: Your computer at work is probably behind a firewall that prevents the coupon printer from downloading.
9. If all else fails, click here to contact SmartSource technical support.

I was told that ALL Walmart stores accept printable coupons as long are within the guidelines below. They said that if you ever have a problem with a store not accepting a coupon that is within the guidelines to give them a call at 1-800-966-6546. Below is a copy of their policy (which you can also find on their site here). I would suggest printing out a copy to take to the store in case you ever have a problem. 

Walmart accepts the following types of coupons (see guidelines below):

Manufacturer coupons (Cents Off)
Free merchandise (or manufacturer’s Buy-One-Get-One-Free) coupons
Store coupons
Pharmacy (Advertising and Promotional) coupons
Internet coupons
Soft drink container caps

The following are guidelines and limits:

Walmart only accepts coupons for merchandise we sell and only when presented at the time of purchase.
Coupons should have an expiration date and be presented within the valid dates. Walmart will not accept expired coupons.
Internet coupons should be legible and say “Manufacturer Coupon.” There should be a valid remit address for the manufacturer and a scannable bar code.
Only one coupon per item is permitted.
Use of 40 or more coupons per transaction will require approval by Customer Service Manager.

The problem is that most of these coupons have a link that is meant to be printed in a certain browser (i.e. Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari). When you try to print a coupon in a different browser than was intended, you will get one of those annoying messages

The trick below is made by just changing two characters in the link.

The following is a Firefox link:
hxxp://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=ri3peuo59687503&bt=wg&o=53740&ci=1&c=GM&p=TyQrvJAY

Note the “wg” in the URL (I have put it in bold for you). This is telling you it is a Firefox link.

To make that link an Internet Explorer link, you will simply change the “wg” to “wi” or “vi”. It will take a little trial and error to determine which combination will be the fix. The easiest way to make this fix is to paste the original link into a Word document, make the change needed  and then paste the corrected link into the address bar and press “enter” on the keyboard.

If the link had a “wi” or “vi” it would be an Internet Explorer link. To make it print in Firefox, just change the “wi” or “vi” to “wg”.

You can also use this trick to print coupons in Safari. Just replace the “wg”, “wi”, or “vi” to “xs”. And to get a Safari link to print in a different browser, change the “xs” to“wi” or “vi” for Internet Explorer or to “wg” for Firefox.

• Get your rebate ready as soon as you’ve made the purchase. Waiting can mean forgetting.
• Write legibly on the rebate form and envelope.
• Make sure you have all the required items stapled together for mailing (i.e. receipt, UPC, rebate form).
• Make copies of all items or scan them into your computer.
• Keep copies of the items sent along with the company’s contact information together in a folder or on your computer.
• Make sure the envelope is postmarked by the correct date.
• Send large dollar rebates by certified mail.
• If you haven’t received your rebate within the time frame it should have been received in (usually 6 to 8 weeks) contact the company.

If you fill out a lot of rebates and could use help with organization, try Rebate Tracker.com. This is a free program that helps you organize your submissions, keep track of and report on the money owed to you and sends you reminders when your rebates are due back.

Rite Aid offers many deals each month in the form of single check rebates. A list of the rebates for the current month can be found in the rebate directory at the front of the store.

Rite Aid store coupons can be found in-ad or they may have a coupon book at the front of the store.

Rite Aid store coupons, single check rebates, and manufacturer coupons can all be combined for great savings.

Rite Aid Rebate How To:

Rite Aid rebates can be taken care of at their website so you don’t have to worry about stamps or forms. Each time you make a Single Check Rebate purchase, enter your receipt information on the site. At the end of the month (or up to about a month later) you can request your check. Rite Aid will only issue one rebate check each month so make sure not to request your check until you have made all your rebate purchases for that month. The check will arrive about 2-3 weeks later.

For additional information or to sign up visit Rite Aid.com.

Before You Start – You will need to sign up for a CVS Extra Care card. This can be done in-store or online here. Once you have your card, create an account at CVS.com and register your card. This way you will be able to view your rewards online and earn rewards when making online purchases. It is important to check “Yes” when asked if you would like to receive emails from CVS. This is one way to get the coupons I mention later in this post.

What Are Extra Care Bucks– You earn Extra Care Bucks (otherwise known as ECBs) by purchasing qualifying items. Each time you purchase one of these items and use your Extra Care card, a slip will be printed at the bottom of your receipt showing the amount you have earned.

The slips can be used like cash, though they do have some restrictions: prescriptions, alcohol, gift cards, lottery, money orders, postage stamps, pre-paid cards and tobacco are excluded (restrictions may vary by area) and no cash back can be given if the ECBs you are paying with total more than your actual total.

Remember to save your slips and keep them in a safe place. Each slip has a barcode which the cashier will have to scan when you check out. The barcode links them to your Extra Care account so they can only be used by you with your card. They also have expiration dates, and even though some cashiers can “push through” expired ECBs, you don’t want to risk losing them.

ECB deals can be found in the weekly flyer and list how many of an item can be purchased and still earn ECBs. This limit usually ranges from 1 to 5 of each item. CVS has discontinued the monthly Extra Care Value book and replaced it with a Clip Free coupon book. This book can be found at the front of the store where the weekly flyers are located. Unlike the Extra Care Value book, it is rare for there to be monthly ECBs deals listed in the Clip Free book.

You will also earn 2% of your in-store and online purchases in the form of ECBs and $1 in ECBs for every two prescriptions purchased in-store or online. These ECBs will print out on the bottom of your receipt once every three months. Remember to have your Extra Care card scanned with each purchase or your account with not be given credit.

How To Roll Over Extra Bucks– Rolling over means paying for an item with ECBs and getting just as many back in return. The goal is always to pay as little out of pocket (OOP) as possible and to keep earning ECBs.

Let’s say that Crest toothpaste is on sale for $2.99 and earns $2.99 in ECBs with a limit of two items. Purchase one tube of toothpaste and pay for it with cash. Your receipt will include a slip for $2.99 in ECBs you have earned for making this purchase. Next, purchase a second toothpaste and pay for it with the ECBs you just earned. Now you have gotten an item for free (tax may be applicable) and have earned another $2.99 in ECBs to spend.

This is how it all plays out:

Transaction 1
Crest $2.99
Total $2.99
OOP $2.99
ECBs Earned $2.99

Transaction 2
Crest $2.99
Total $2.99
OOP $0.00
ECBs Paid $2.99
ECBs Earned $2.99

In the second transaction you see that you have paid $0.00 OOP for the toothpaste and earned $2.99 in ECBs to use on your next purchase. Now you’re rolling!

How To Make A Profit Using Extra Bucks – Don’t get the wrong idea here. No cashier is going to hand you cash after paying for a purchase with ECBs. So instead of a cash profit you will be making a profit of additional merchandise.

Let’s use Transaction 2 of the above example and say that you have a $1 off Crest coupon to use with your purchase. You still have the $2.99 in ECBs you earned from the first transaction to use as payment, but the total after using the coupon will only be $1.99. Since you cannot receive cash back when you pay with ECBs only, you will have to pick up an additional item which will be free if it is priced at $1.

Here is how it plays out:

Crest $2.99
2nd Item $1.00
Total $3.99
Manufacturers Coupon $1.00
Adjusted Total $2.99
ECBs Paid $2.99
OOP $0.00
ECBs Earned $2.99

You have paid $0.00 OOP for the toothpaste and 2nd item plus earned $2.99 in ECBs to be used on your next purchase.

How To Grow Your Extra Bucks – Growing your Extra Bucks is important because it will allow you to make larger purchases which will qualify you to use CVS coupons (i.e. $3 off $15 or $10 off $50) without having to pay with cash.

Let’s continue with our example and say that the $1 item we picked up also earns $1 in ECBs. So we have both the Crest at $2.99 earning $2.99 in ECBs, the “2nd Item” at $1 earning $1 in ECBs and the $1 off Crest coupon.

Here is how it plays out:

Crest $2.99
2nd Item $1.00
Total $3.99
Manufacturers Coupon $1.00
Adjusted Total $2.99
ECBs Paid $2.99
OOP $0.00
ECBs Earned $3.99

You see that you have paid $0.00 OOP and earned $3.99 in ECBs, $1 more in ECBs than you had before the transaction.

Save Even More With CVS Coupons – There are two main types of CVS coupons: coupons good for an amount off your total purchase and coupons good on a specific item. Both coupons can be combined with one another and with manufacturer coupons, unless otherwise stated. There are four places to get these coupons: on the bottom of your receipt (otherwise known as CRTs), by email, mail, and in print publications such as newspapers and magazines. Be wary of printable CVS coupons found on the internet. Many times these coupons are linked to someone else’s Extra Care card or are fraudulent.

Here is a recent trip of mine showing how all three types of coupons were used:

Items                       Cost         ECBs Earned            Manufacturer Coupon              CRT
Listerine                  $6.49       $4.00                       $2.00                                       None
Listerine                  $6.49       $4.00                       $2.00                                       None
CVS Allergy             $3.79       $3.00                       None                                        None
CVS Allergy             $3.79       $3.00                       None                                        None
Cottonelle               $12.97      $4.00                       $0.50                                       None
Zantac                     $7.97       $2.00                       $1.50                                       $2.00

My total before coupons was $41.50. I used a $5 off $30 CVS store coupon bringing my total to $36.50. There were $8.00 in manufacturer coupons and CRTs which brought the total to $28.50. I paid with $21.00 in ECBs leaving just $7.50 plus tax to be paid OOP and received $20.00 back in ECBs for making these purchases.

Completing The Checkout Process – Start by having the cashier scan your Extra Care card before they begin to ring up the order. Once they have completed scanning the items, hand them the $ off $$ CVS store coupon followed by manufacturer coupons/CRTs, then ECBs. Always pay in this order to get the most out of your coupons and ECBs.

CVS Advisory Panel– This is another great way to earn ECBs. For more information click here.

Abbreviations– When you read each week’s CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid deal posts you may see many abbreviations you don’t understand. Here is a list of the most common abbreviations I use:
Abbreviations: SS = Smart Source, PG = Proctor & Gamble, RP = Red Plum, B1G1 = Buy One Get One Free, WYB = When You Buy, B2G1 = Buy 2 Get One Free, ECB = Extra Care Bucks, SCR = Single Check Rebate, ESC = Easy Saver Coupon, ESR = Easy Saver Rebate, MIR = Mail In Rebate, IVC = Instant Value Coupon, CRT = Cash Register Ticket, OOP = Out of Pocket

Filling Out The Form

• Select the first box with your mouse and fill in the information requested.
• Using the Tab key on the keyboard will help you move from box to box quickly.
• Look for asterisks. If there is not an asterisk next to the box, the information asked for is not required.
• Most forms will use drop down boxes at some point. Using your mouse, click the down arrow on the right side of the box. Click the appropriate select using the mouse or the arrow keys on the keyboard. If the list in the drop down menu is long, there will be a slider which you can move up and down with your mouse to view all possible choices.
• Some companies use this as an opportunity to do market research. In these situations there will be questions either before or after the form, which may or may not be required. Use your mouse to click on or fill in the appropriate answers for the questions.
• At the end or the form or questions, there will be a button you must press to submit your request.
• After your request has been submitted, you will most likely be redirected to a “Thank You” page. Make sure to read the information on this page. Some offers will require you to confirm an email they will send to the address you entered in the form before they send the item out.
• Just before, or just after you submit you may come across a Captcha. Captcha is a type of challenge-response used to ensure that request is not being generated by a computer. It will most likely be one or two words which you must type in a box exactly as you see. The Captcha could also be in the form of a very simple question like “what is the color of grass.”
• If you are like me, you will be signing up for many free offers each day. Filling out form after form can be quite tedious. To make this process faster, you can use autofill software. Autofill software remembers information such as your name and address and automatically fills in the blanks for you on forms. Roboform is a great free autofill software download. The Google toolbar has an autofill function and Firefox offers a free Autofill Form Add On for their browser.

Protecting Yourself and Your Computer

Date of Birth – I don’t feel that giving out this information is necessary, so unless I’m making a purchase I will just use a fake one. If a site requires you to be 18 or 21 to enter (tobacco or alcohol) you will need to provide accurate information.

Credit Card Information – This is not usually required for your basic freebie but may be for free trials. Never give this information if you do not feel it is necessary for the offer or if you do not trust the website. Always do your research first.

Personal Information – You may be asked to provide demographic information such as age, ethnicity, household income etc. Usually the company offering the freebie is just interested in finding out what types of people are using their products, but this information is not normally required. If you are being asked questions you are not comfortable answering, just move on to another freebie.

Your Computer- The Freebie Blogger is a safe place to find freebies but you can never be sure what harmful site you may come across when searching for freebies on your own. It is always a good idea to have updated virus protection software for your computer. I often list free after rebate anti-virus software here.

Cutting Down on the Junk

Many of the freebies you will find here at The Freebie Blogger will require you to fill out a form or sign up to receive them. Typically they will ask for your name, address, email and phone number as well as some demographic or market research questions. While this information is collected for legitimate purposes, it can also lead to junk mail, spam emails, and phone calls from solicitors if you are not careful. Keep reading and I’ll let you in on how to keep getting all the free stuff without the annoying side effects.

Home Address – Most freebies are sent via the USPS, so you will need to provide your correct name and address. Alway check the fine print because some freebies will not ship to a PO Box. Using my real name and address has never been a problem for me. Just make sure that if there are any boxes on the form about receiving third party offers, you have marked them “no thanks.”

Email Address – Anytime I give out my email address, I understand that there may be some unwanted email (spam) headed my way. There are also plenty of freebies that require you to sign up to an email list, and they can really build up in a hurry. To keep your regular home email clean, sign up for a free email account that you use just when you sign up for freebies. Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo all offer free accounts that you can sign up for in just a few minutes. You’ll probably just receive a lot of harmless advertisements, but why let them fill up your hard drive at home?

If you do start receiving large amounts of spam, most virus scan programs, like McAfee and Norton, have built in spam filters that work with your email program. I also like MailWasher Free, which gives me the option to ‘bounce’ emails back to the source. The spammer receives a message that the email was undeliverable, and that is usually enough to get your address off of the list, because they don’t want their in-box filling up either!

Phone Number – Some offers will also ask you to fill in your phone number. Unlike your address, they don’t need your phone number to send you a freebie, so if it is not required on the form, don’t fill it in. Instead get a free online voice mail box at Simple Voice Box or JConnect. Some forms will allow you to fill in “UL” or “unlisted.” And remember to register your home and cell phone numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry.

I have never received unwanted calls after sending a text message to sign up for a freebie, but there have been a few that required 4 or 5 texts to complete the offer.