“Why should residents buy local?” For many people, the benefit is the personal satisfaction gained from financially supported businesses in their own neighborhoods. Beyond those feelings, the New Economics Foundation “compared what happens when people buy produce at a supermarket vs. a local farmer’s market or community supported agriculture (CSA) program and found that twice the money stayed in the community when folks bought locally.”

With more money staying in the community, local jobs and wages are strengthened and the local economy is stabilized. According to United States Small Business Administration, “there are over 27 million small businesses in the United States and between 60% – 80% of all new jobs created in the country can be attributed to small businesses.”

“A soon to be released study from Coupons.com, in conjunction with GfK Knowledge Networks, to identify the shopping behavior of the digital coupon user, shows that digital coupon users shop more frequently and spend significantly more during each trip than the average U.S. consumer.

The study, based on more than 200,000 households using digital coupons, and compared to 2.3 million shoppers, tell us that “…brands wanting to reach heavy grocery spenders… (should) strongly consider digital coupon sites as an important piece of their coupon and brand advertising market mix…” says Neal Heffernan, SVP/GM, Behavioral Insights Group at GfK Knowledge Networks

Heffernan continued by noting that “… the findings are unique from other studies… (in that) the research measures actual purchase behavior, not purchase intent… “

Higlights of the 52 week study included these digital coupon user facts:

• Digital coupon users make 22% more shopping trips per year than the average shopper. The digital coupon user and the average shopper make 69 and 57 trips, respectively, per year
• Digital coupon users spend 23% more per shopping trip than the average shopper. The digital coupon user and the average shopper spend $55.05 and $44.87, respectively, per trip
• Digital coupon users spend 49% more per year than the average shopper. The digital coupon user and the average shopper spend $3,803 and $2,545 per year, respectively.
• Digital coupon users make 48% more “stock up” trips than the average shopper, with 18.6 and 12.6 stock up trips, respectively, per year.

In addition, Coupons.com also released the results of a second research project designed to measure timing of the next anticipated shopping trip, showing that 62% of visitors to Coupons.com planned to visit a grocery store within 2 days of printing coupons, or saving them to a loyalty card, and in fact 43% planned to shop within the next 24 hours.

The study asked Coupons.com users in January, 2012, “When is your next grocery shopping trip?” and found that:

• 18% expected to shop that day
• 25% expected to shop the next day
• 19% expect to shop in two days
• 22% expected to shop in 3-7 days
• 11% expected to shop in more than 7 days

Some more interesting “coupon” facts include:

• More than 55.7 million American consumers are now using online coupons, representing 25% of the U.S. population
• Users of digital coupons have higher household incomes and are better educated than users of newspaper coupons and the general population overall
• The consumer who uses digital coupons has an average household income of $96,900, a 20% higher income level than the U.S average and 20% higher than average household income of users of newspaper coupons
• 38% of those who use digital coupons have a college degree, compared to 30% of those who use newspaper coupons and 27% of the general populace

For the slide show and additional information from Coupons.inc, please visit here.”

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/171495/digital-coupon-users-shop-more-spend-more.html

Sara’s Favorite Fareway Deals:

Fareway White Bread – $0.98 each

Frito Lay Doritos – 2/$5

Totino’s Pizza – 5/$5 with Fareway Coupon
Buy 5 and use $1/5 coupon from the 1/8 GM insert
$0.80 each after coupons

Julia’s Favorite Fareway  Deals:

Avocados, Honey Bunches of Oats and Smuckers Sugar Free

Julia’s Favorite Hy-Vee Deals:

Hy-Vee Macaroni & Cheese and Pebbles Treats and Cereals

Julia’s Favorite Dahl’s Deals:

Offer on Flu Vaccine

Fareway and Hy-Vee are having Friday the 13th sales this week – check out all of their great deals!!

Sara’s favorite deals at Fareway:

Purex Laundry Detergent (50oz) – $1.99 with Fareway Super Coupon

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – $1.69/lb

Bananas – $0.39/lb

Folgers Coffee (10.3-11.3 oz)- $3.99 each
Buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon from the 12/4 Redplum insert
$3.49 each after coupon

FAREWAY FRIDAY THE 13TH SALE:

Large Eggs (one dz) – $0.49 each with Fareway Coupon

Russett Potatoes (15lb bag) – $3.88 each

Julia’s favorite Fareway Deals:  AE Yogurt

Julia’s favorite Hy-Vee Deals:   $0.99 Wonder Bread during their 13 hour sale on Friday!

Julia’s full list of Dahl’s Deals

Thank you to Julia from Confessions of a Frugal Mind and Sara from The Millennial Housewife for sharing their favorite deals.  Visit their blogs for their full lists of deals!

Sara’s Favorite Fareway Deals:

Boneless Rump Roast – $1.99/lb

Pillsbury Cake Mix – $0.97 each

Pillsbury Frosting – $1.48 each

Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent – $11.88 each
Use $2/1 coupon from the 1/1 PG insert
$9.88 each after coupon

Julia’s Favorite Fareway Deals:

Baby Carrots $0.88 each

Dole Celery – $0.77 each

Frosted Toast Crunch Cereal – $1.88 each

Julia’s Favorite Hy-Vee Deals are part of the 2 day sale!  Read her full list for details!

Julia’s Favorite Dahl’s Deals – Check out her Dahl’s post for the awesome savings going on there this week.

Just a few more shopping days left before the big day!  There are some great grocery deals at our local stores this week, just in time for Christmas dinner.   Thank you to Sara from The Millennial Housewife and Julia from Confessions of a Frugal Mind for contributing their favorite deals this week!

Sara’s Favorite Deals from Fareway:

John Morrell Spiral Sliced Half Ham – $1.88/lb

Fastco Broth Basted Turkey – $0.69/lb

Green Giant Corn or Green Beans – 5/$3
Buy 4 and use $1/4 coupon from the 11/13 GM insert
$0.35 each after coupon

Julia’s Favorite Deals at Fareway:

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls & Nabisco Crackers for $1.32 each

Julia’s Favorite Deals at Hy-Vee:

Fave deals are Campbell’s Cream Soups & Hy-Vee Corn & Green Beans
with B2G1 Free coupon

If you would like to share your favorite deals, send us an email at marketing@iowacouponnetwork.com and we will add you to our list!

Julia’s favorite deals at Hy-Vee:

Pepsi 12 packs 4 for $8 with coupon

$0.69 Cool Whip

Julia’s favorite deal at Dahl’s:

Free Tone’s mini spices with coupon

Julia’s favorite deal at Fareway:

2 DiGiorno pizzas for $8 with coupon

Sara’s favorite deals at Fareway:

Butter Kernel Corn or Green Beans – 2/$1

Nestle Chocolate Chips – $1.99 each
Buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon from the 11/6 Redplum insert
$1.49 each after coupon

Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom or Chicken Soup – $0.59 each

Swanson’s Broth – 2/$1

Buy 3 and use $0.50/3 coupon from the 11/6 Smartsource insert
$0.33 each after coupon

For many pet owners, their animals are dearly loved members of the family. And when Christmas rolls around, it’s time to hit the mall to get a gift for little Fido or Fifi. So if you’re looking to give a gift to your pet, or to a pet lover in your life, consider some of these suggestions.

Garmin Astro Dog Tracking Collar: Few things are as nerve-wracking a losing a pet. Keep a pet-lover you care about from having to hit the streets in a frantic search for a lost dog with the Garmin Astro Dog Tracking Collar ($650). The collar has a built-in GPS, perfect for pet owners whose dogs have a tendency to bolt. Garmin’s device is particularly intended for hunting dogs, so the GPS system can track a hound that’s gotten lost in dense brush or run astray in search of a downed duck.

Dyson Animal Vacuum: We love our pets, but they can be a lot of work to clean up after, especially when it comes to getting off of furniture and clothes. Dyson is famous for its innovative vacuums, and their Animal series ($600-$650) provides plenty of pet-centered cleaning features, include an added motor head and improved bristles to pick up all that hair and dander. You can also pair one of these vacuums with Dyson’s special pet hair accessory ($70) to make short work of grooming.

Game for Cats: For a free digital stocking stuffer, check out the Game for Cats, an iPad game that features a glowing orb and digital mice that dart around the screen, causing your cat to paw curiously at the screen. While the cat is sure to enjoy it, watching a cat bat around a virtual dot is oddly hypnotic for humans, too.

Litter Robot: Cats are lovely little creatures, but cleaning out the litter box is easily the worst thing about having to care for one. Thankfully, there’s the Litter Robot ($349), which is like a Roomba for your cat’s litter box. After you cat has done its business, the globe-like Litter Robot rotates, sifting out clumps and dumping them in a drawer below, which you can then easily remove and dispose.

Hanging Fish Bowl: For dorm-bound college kids or studio apartment dwellers, a lack of space and strict rules against most animals can make pet ownership an impossibility. The Hanging Fish Bowl ($20) is the perfect way to give a loved one with little space a bit of animal companionship, all without taking up a single square foot of floorspace. The gallon-sized fish bowl hangs off the wall and is big enough to accommodate a goldfish or Siamese fighting fish.

Petmate Automatic Feeder: For constant travelers and workaholics, there’s the Petmate Automatic Feeder ($51). The feeder allows pet owners to preprogram feeding times and amounts. Give this gift to a loved one that’s always on the go and you’ll never have pet sit again.

FroliCat Dart: The red dot of a laser pointer sets a cat on “kill mode.” Few pet antics are as fun to watch as a cat chasing and pouncing on that digital menace. The FroliCat Dart ($35) automates this with a laser that cuts a random path around the room for a set amount of time, enabling you to kick back and watch some TV while the feline gets a workout.

High Tech Pet Door: Doggie doors are a great way to give your pet access to the great outdoors, but they can potentially also give skinny thieves, possums, and neighboring pets access to your home. Using an ultrasonic chip in the pet’s collar, the High Tech Pet Door ($300) only unlocks when your dog or cat is near the door, keeping out undesirables while giving your pet the freedom to roam.

This time of the year can be painful on your wallet.   Even with careful planning and preparation, the costs can add up fast.

If you shop online, there is a great site called Ebates.  They PAY you to shop!  No, seriously, they pay you to shop.

The concept is simple:  Go to Ebates.com and sign up for a FREE account.  Right now, they are offering gift cards to new members.   Once you are there, find the store you want to shop at.   We will use Kohls as an example.  Today if you shop at Kohl’s online through Ebates, you will get 4% cash back on your entire purchase at Kohl’s.

In order to get the cash back through Ebates, you must click on the Kohl’s link from the Ebates site.  They create a tracking ticket and can track the shopping you do.

The percentage of cash back varys from store to store.  Keep up on the news from Ebates because during the holiday season, some stores like to DOUBLE or TRIPLE their cash back percentages.

You can track your earnings and when they cut checks, you will receive a check in the mail.  I have used this AND earned money back from shopping!  Last year, I did some Christmas shopping through Ebates and received a check in the mail by February.

What are you waiting for?  Sign up and start earning - and get that Christmas shopping done!