Once the match-ups are posted, you can see which scenarios will work for you.  However, if one scenario doesn’t work, you can always post a question to see if we can re-work the deal for you.  Remember, free items (where you receive the total value as a cash back coupon), are a great way to build your give away stash.  So, even if you don’t use a freebie, it’s great to go ahead and use that as your first transaction.

#1 RULE
The #1 Rule for deals/match-ups/couponing  (and becoming debt free) is that you NEVER spend more than market value for anything you are not going to use.  The only time you buy something you don’t need is if you get it close to free or free, and you are going to GIVE it away.  Remember, there are so many ways to donate those free products: food banks, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, animal shelters, etc.  If you have a coupon for free cat food, why not buy it and donate it?  You should NOT be using your cash back money for items that are full price that you DON’T NEED.

TRANSACTIONS 
Now you will have to decide if you want to be a one-time transaction buyer, or a multiple transaction buyer.  This will totally depend on your budget. For example, if you are a first-time deal maker, it may be easier for you to put all your cash-back items into one transaction.  This means that you may have a large amount of cash back coupons to spend the next time you come into the store.   This is fine if you want to spend more the first time you go.

However, if you are on a limited budget, you can ROLL your transaction into each other.  This can be slightly more confusing and does require some math on the spot. Let’s discuss how to roll transactions quickly and easily.  You ALWAYS start with you “free” or complete cash back items. You will also begin to buy MONEY MAKERS. A money maker is where the store is offering a free cash back item, and you have a coupon for it.  For example, if toothpaste is free with cash back for 2.99, and you have a coupon for $1 off, you pay a dollar less, but make a dollar in the cash back.  You’ve actually MADE money doing deals!  NORMALLY you will roll that into whatever has the highest cash back amount.  You keep rolling your transactions until you get to the ones where you have to pay money for them.

Now, you WILL have some out of pocket expenses at times.  For example, if Proctor and Gamble has a deal where you spend $25 and you get $10 cash back, you are going to have to lay out some money.  This is why I wait for the 4-8 week sale cycle to buy my paper products. ALL items in ALL stores go on sale ever 4-8 weeks.  If you only buy during those times, you increase your savings. So, I would have had to have spent that money on paper products at some point. I just wait until I get cash back for them, so that I actually MAKE cash back to buy other products while spending money I would have ALREADY had to spend.  Make sense?  At first it may even feel like you’re spending more money than you normally would.  PLEASE post if you have any questions!