Clip those coupons!!

Our overseas military families are limited to doing their shopping for groceries and household items at the Commissaries and Post Exchanges on base, where prices are much more expensive than you will find in our stores in the U.S. Both the Commissaries and Post Exchanges allow the use of manufacturer's coupons past their expiration date. In other words, the commissaries has until six months past the expiration date to get the coupon to the manufacturer. So a coupon with the expiration date of January 31st can be used overseas until almost July 31st. Our military families who are stationed overseas do not have easy access to the Sunday newspapers like we do here, so they are very appreciative of any coupons that are sent their way.

Most manufacturer's coupons can be used. There are of course exceptions, such as products that are sold only in certain geographical locations in the U.S. For instance, milk coupons for your local dairy brand are not sold on an overseas base, and so would not be used.

**Coupons for products such as vitamins, joint supplements, hair colorings and cosmetics are not in high demand.

**Coupons for baby products, including diapers, baby wipes, formula, and skincare items are in very high demand.

**Coupons that are to used at a specific store (such as those found in a weekly sales flyer) cannot be used overseas.

Coupons should be cut from the paper, without messing up the expiration date. If you will place your cut coupons in a baggie, it will help keep them from getting ragged in the collection box. Your coupons will be collected and sent to a family stationed overseas who will in turn share the coupons with their friends and at the support centers.

**Please do not bring coupons that have been expired more than two months past their expiration date. I will collect coupons from drop boxes on the first of each month.

I will have a drop box at the Benton County Extension Office or you can make arrangements to get them to me in person. After July 1, scroll to the bottom of my blogspot for dollar amount collected.

This is an on going project-I will be doing collections every month so keep clipping those coupons!

~Anna