Send Expired Coupons to Military Families to Help Them Save Money

Here's something I never knew. I found it in the book A Tip a Day with Ellie Kay: 12 Months' Worth of Money-Saving Ideas:

Send [military families stationed outside the U.S.] expired coupons because they can use these in military commissaries for up to six months past the expiration date.

First of all -- Is this true? Can someone verify or deny it?

Second, if you were sending them a bundle of coupons (or maybe another package and just threw the coupons in anyway) then this could be a money saver. But you're not going to send four 20-cent coupons to Germany and end up saving any money -- the postage alone will make it a bad deal.

Comments

[Travis Williams]

Yes. Commissaries accept most types of coupons as part of purchase transactions in accordance with the terms and conditions stated on a coupon.

Commissaries CANNOT accept "in-house" coupons issued by commercial grocery stores or supermarkets.

Patrons who wish to use coupons as part of a purchase transaction must buy the item(s) indicated on a coupon, and-except in foreign overseas areas-must use a coupon prior to or on the expiration date stated on a coupon.

Commissaries located in foreign overseas areas accept coupons up to six months after the expiration date stated on a coupon.

http://www.commissaries.com/documents/contact_deca/faqs/coupon_use.cfm

[Laurie]

I tried to send expired coupons to an organization that sends them overseas about a year ago, and they sent me a letter saying that they no longer offer the program.

[Mary]

There is a program called the Overseas Coupon Program ( http://www.ocpnet.org/ )that gives the addresses of different military bases, and records the value of the coupons you send. The cost to mail anything to an overseas base is the same as mailing anywhere in the US, since the bases are US territories. I sent about $200 worth of coupons to a base in Okinawa, Japan today, and it came out weighing about 3 oz. and costing $1.14.

[annab]

That would be a really nice thing to do for someone. A lot of the lower-enlisted soldiers don't make a lot, and if you've got a family to support then money can be very tight.

[Patrick]

Actually, postage to APO addresses (military addresses overseas) costs the same as sending mail to whichever coast is closest to the base. For example, when I was stationed in the UK, regular mail cost the same as if it was sent to New York. You can fit a lot of stamps in a first class envelope and it costs the same price as sending it across town.

[Ryuko]

That's a great idea. Most enlisted families, period, don't make enough money unless both parents work full-time. It's much worse overseas because the places we're stationed in are usually very pricey (UK, Japan, etc.) and it's significantly harder for spouses to find jobs. Even places like Hawaii or Alaska, which most people don't think about -- after all, it's only paradise if you don't have to live there (these are the nation's two most expensive states, btw).

One neat thing is that most people get tons of junk mail or coupons in the paper, and there's a ton that you wont use but others might. It really is cheap to send them - after all, they're just small pieces of paper. They're right, too - all FPO and APO addresses are priced as being mailed in the US.

[Laura Collins]

I'm looking to get the name and address of individuals (not bases) that are out of the country at military bases that are interested in having expired coupons mailed directly to them.

[Hattie B Carter]

I'm looking to get the name and address of individuals (not bases) that are out of the country at military bases that are interested in having expired coupons mailed directly to them.

[valarie phillips]

We are living over seas right now- if you are willing to mail me coupons- i would greatly appreciate it- please keep in mind that we can use coupons up to 6 months after there experation date. We are not allowed to use coupons for certain stores - walmart, kroger, walgreens, etc. please email me at [email protected] to get my apo address. Thank you so much in advance!! I personally and my neighbors would greatly appreciate them- we are all e-5 and under- with at least 3 kids all in 5 grade or under.

[Holly Varner]

Hi....I am a military spouse living overseas. I would love any coupons you could send. I have 3 boys (8mos, 5 yrs and 10 yrs). Groceries can get expensive and we try to stretch that dollar. The great thing about sending me the coupons is that they will reach many families. After I sort through the coupons I can use I personally pass them on to other families and what does not get used right away goes to a special location for coupons on the base. On a great shopping trip I can save between $20. and $50. in groceries with the coupons I get from the Family Service Center (for folks sending directly to the base). Thanks for any help you can provide. If you contact me via email I can give you my mailing address: [email protected]

[A McKoy]

I also would like to receive expired coupons. I have two children (11 yo daughter and 3 yo son) and a handicap spouse so any assistance would be appreciated. I'd love to save some money on food so it can be used elsewhere. Please contact me at my email address ([email protected]) to get my apo address.

[Jessica Norris]

Hello! I would LOVE to receive your expired coupons! I was recently medically retired from service so only my husband is drawing in an income! I would be GLAD to give you my mailing address if you would like to contact me. You can e-mail me at [email protected]. THANKS!

[Beth Giffen]

I have alot of expired coupons and would like to send them to the brave families overseas. I would like to send them to a person or a person in conjunction with an organization on the bases (trying to ensure they are going to the right place is important to me, I do not want to send to a greedy organization that will not distribute them evenly and fairly). If you would like to have some of these coupons please email me at [email protected] and include some information on what kind you find particularly helpful, I will try to customize what I send to whom, and your address (I promise no overseas stalking is in my future LOL). If you don't have kids in diapers you wouldn't find huggies coupons very useful, maybe you make noodle meals for lunch and would be better served by those. I recently read a book called SHOP, SAVE & SHARE by Ellie Kay (I am not a religious zealot, but she is a Christian woman who has truly inspired me and there are great Mommy tips that are not just for the kids. Things like "you are not Wonder Woman, they cancelled her show remember?"), she is a mother to 5 children and her husband is a fighter pilot, she shared this in her book and I never knew it was possible. I have been throwing out expired coupons and kicking myself for not using them (if I did, my husband would have a fit about my grocery bill when I am supposed to be saving money, not buying everything advertised!). So essentially, I am very interested in giving a little back if I can. This is truly a small thing we could all do that would help our families overseas. The time you spend not worrying about the money that you will save you can spend focusing on your loved ones and that is more value than any coupon.

[Lindsay]

I found a website (http://www.couponstotroops.com ) that has more information on sending coupons overseas. They also have a project directory where you can look to see if there's a coupon project in your area that you can help support.

[laura]

I am looking for people to send expired coupons to. I used to send to several people who would use what they could and pass on the rest. I would like that again. One person would even take them to the commissary and tape them to the products so even single soldiers could benefit! Please contact me as I always have lots of expireds to share..

[laura]

Oops. Forgot my email. [email protected]

[katie]

I am looking to send my expired coupons to I have hundreds of dollars worth because that is how I provide for my family, and since I started looking into this I have begun clipping all of the coupons in the paper not just the ones that I use. Please send an email to [email protected] is you are interested in receiving my coupons.