How to Save $11 in 10 Minutes

Awesome clearance deals aside, if you want to save serious money on your grocery bill, I really recommend clipping coupons. Now, most of us know about the coupon inserts that come in the Sunday paper. And a lot of us are familiar with printable coupons. But did you know that you can also get some really great coupons in the mail?

One way to get your postal carrier to deliver something other than bills is to send an email to the customer service department of your favorite company. Tell them how much you love their product and appreciate their good work. That’s it. 9 out of 10 times, you’ll get a lovely thank you letter in the mail not a week later, along with some high value coupons.

Every few months, I take 10 or 15 minutes to send off a couple of quick emails to my favorite organic, kosher food companies. I typically mention how much I appreciate them carrying a hechsher on their brand, since I know it’s an added cost. I might add how much my kids enjoy a particular product.

It really is that simple. Last week, I wrote 5 emails. This week, I have 14 coupons, worth over $11 in savings on healthy, tasty, kosher products that I cook with regularly in my kitchen!

Here’s the breakdown on what I received:

• Clif Bars – They sent me a witty thank you letter, along with 2 $.50 coupons and 2 FREE PRODUCT coupons (worth $1.89 each – love it!) These will be great treats for long car rides, or to stock the diaper bag for those inopportune “Mom, I’m hungry!” moments. Or maybe I’ll just keep them for myself … mmm, carrot cake!

• Mrs. Meyers – So far, no coupons. But I did get a very nice thank you email for my note, in which I waxed poetic about their amazing lemon verbena all purpose spray. (Usually I make my own cleaners for just pennies a bottle, but I picked up a super concentrated bottle for less than $3 at TJMaxx last winter and am in love with that smell!)

• Arrowhead Mills – They sent me 6 $.55 coupons, which will be great when paired with a sale at Whole Foods. I love their great gluten-free mixes and organic quinoa!

• Earth’s Best – They sent me 2 $.55 coupons, perfect for some teething biscuits or ABC cookies for my one year old. I usually buy Earth’s Best when it’s on sale at Whole Foods, but I’ve also seen good deals at Babies R Us.

• Kashi — Oh, Kashi, how do I love thee? They emailed me two $1 off coupons, good for any Kashi product. Every few months, Target has ah-mazing Kashi deals, and I can stock up on cereal, crackers and cookies for less than $1/box. Guilt-free indulgence!

So, what do you think? Are you ready to try your  hand at getting free coupons in the mail? Check out this super duper comprehensive list of organic and natural food companies that mail free coupons. Not all of these brands carry a hechsher, but many of them do!

Have you ever written to a company to praise their product (or to complain about a less-than-ideal experience) and received an envelope full of coupons in return? If not, try it today. Let me know how it goes for you!