Expired Coupons For Military
Kendy emailed me the other day to remind me to remind you about the Military Coupon Program.
In Overseas Commissaries, Military families can use expired coupons for up to 6 months after the expiration date on the coupon! That’s great news! Well, if they have them… so, here’s where we come in!
Please sort them into categories and don’t send coupons that are over about 2-3 months old. It’s hard for them to sort thru and throw away all of those coupons that are over the 6 month mark by the time they get them.
I will be adding more organizations and groups as I get info from them, so keep checking back.
Here are a few people/Organizations who send coupon packages overseas and their guidelines:
Operation Expiration:
Dear Dian.
Thank you so much for helping to spread the word for Operation Expiration. I have put together some helpful hints that usually answer most questions people have. I must tell you though, that these hints only apply to the two bases that I support (RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath). Other overseas bases may have other requirements.
Here are my hints:
- Must say Manufacturer Coupon – Please no store brand coupons (Target, Walgreens, or brands that are store specific)
- Must be able to see Expiration Date – If the coupon expires March 1st, we can use it until Sept 1st. Please try not to hold on to coupons too long. Some groups hold onto them until they have a full box, but then alot of the coupons at the bottom are already past the 6 months and can not be used.
- Sorting and cutting are NOT required, but do help – We do have some volunteers that help sort coupons, but if you would like to help, we sort them by month. We do this for two reasons. One is that it makes “cleaning house” each month easier and each family can grab a bag of coupons and get a variety of items.
- On average a box or large envelope will take about 7-10 days to get here. Letter and Business envelopes take about 3-4 days. During peak mailing times (such as Christmas) or a natural disaster (Icelandic volcano) times can increase.
- If you would like an email confirmation that we received the coupons, please put a small note with your name and email address in the box/envelope. When I pick up the coupons at the Post Office, I take some of the boxes/envelopes to our AFRC for other volunteers.
- Please DO NOT use staples or post it notes directly on coupons. Some post its have a very strong glue and will rip the coupon when trying to remove it.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to email me.
Victor Villarreal
100 FSS/FSFR
Unit 4925 Box 280
APO AE 09459
And
Operation: coupons
We are still doing the program. I am attaching our guidelines. Since 2005, we have shipped over $18 million dollars in coupons to bases overseas and this year alone almost $5 million. We welcome your help.
Operation: coupons
Is an all voluntary group whose only purpose is to collect and ship current and expired manufacturer’s coupons to our military personnel stationed at overseas bases. These folks can use these coupons at the exchange and commissary stores located on the base. We ship to over 150 military families as well as community centers on the bases.
In 2012, we shipped over $7 Million in coupons and since we began in 2005, we have shipped over $35 million coupons. This info is current as of January 2013.
Guidelines for Donating Coupons
- Effective immediately, these are the only coupons we can accept.
- Complete coupon inserts with top sheet intact. The top sheet has an issue date printed on the spine. No loose sheets will be accepted.
- Further, only completely trimmed (all four sides-no strips of coupons) can be accepted
- All coupons must be sorted by date and packaged by month using small plastic bags or junk envelopes.
- The oldest coupons we can accept are four months old. If the current month is August count backwards 4 months Aug-July-June-May. No coupons or inserts older than May 1 can be accepted in August. Use this “backwards counting system” each month so you do not waste your postage on coupons that we have to throw away.
- If you are part of a club or organization, please have someone in your group designed to make sure they are correctly trimmed and sorted.
- If you can sort baby coupons into a special envelope that would be very helpful.
- If you now sort food from non-food coupons, please continue to do that as we have one overseas base, which requires that.
- We CAN take internet coupons which meet the trim/date criteria.
Shipping address:
Operation:coupons
9597 Jones Rd PMB 367
Houston TX 77065
When you ship to us, please be sure to include both your name and address so we can send you a thank you letter, which always includes photos of military kids, and thank you notes from the parents.
email for more info revised: July 2014
peggy says
i tried to email her to ask questions did she leave any phone# to be reached at when i tried to email it said it failed …
Dian says
@peggy: I don’t have another way to contact her. I just sent her an email, if it comes back as bad I will find another way to get to her or someone else who is doing it now!
Thanks!
Dian
shenna says
can we talk of line dian need help on this coupon thing
Dian says
@shenna: Sure, I love to help! I am heading to bed now, but I would be glad to talk to you tomorrow evening. I am teaching tomorrow, but I will be here in the evening!
Dian
Ryann German says
Is this just for overseas commissaries? I have not been allowed to use expired coupons state side. Thanks:)
Dian says
@Ryann German: As far as I know it is only for the overseas commissaries.
Thanks!
Dian
Laurie says
Does Operation: Coupons have a website? If so, can you tell me what it is?
Thanks!
Dian says
@Laurie: They don’t have a website that I know of, can I help you with something?
Thanks!
Dian
Laurie says
I have built up quite a group of people that give me their coupons, some are cut and some are not.
How flexible are they are accepting coupons that are not cut within the dotted line of the coupon? I know it adds to the weight of the shipment, but with the high volume of coupons I have it will really add a lot of time if I have to cut each one of them again.
Thanks!
Dian says
@Laurie: I really don’t know anything other than what I posted – that’s all the info they gave me. You can contact them, though and they can tell you!
Thanks!
Dian
Debbie says
I am pleased to help with the operation. I worked for a company where one of the ladies clipped coupons for veterans, but I did not know where she sent them. I am a disabled veteran, and whatever it takes to help my fellow veterans, I will be more than happy to participate.
Dian says
@Debbie: That’s awesome! Thanks so much and thank you for your service to our country and for protecting my family! Words are not enough!
Dian
Kristi says
We are a military family, how do we get some coupons mailed to us?
Dian says
Kristi,
You can use the email address listed in the post to contact the organizers and see what you can do to get coupons for your family!
Thanks!
Dian
Mae says
Hi Kristi,
I’ve been trying to find a military family to send my coupons to. I’d be happy to send you mine. I have a batch that just expired over the past couple days and will certainly have more as I continue my couponing. Email your address to me at luvnmae2day@gmail.com.
Michelle says
@ Kristi….. I have been looking as well for a military family to send coupons to. Please email me and I can send you coupons pretty regularly. I look forward to hearing from you.
robyn says
Ya’ll can send them to me!!!!!!
Tina Tschatschula says
Robin,
E-mail me your address and I’ll save you what I can. Are you oversees??
Tina —-tea_na0202@yahoo.com
Donna says
Kristi,
I’ve been trying to find a military family to send my coupons to. I’d be happy to send you mine. I have a batch that just expired over the past couple days and will certainly have more as I continue my couponing. E
mail your address to me at dswalker1964@yahoo.com.
Thanks Donna
ashley says
kristi e-mail me id love to send coupons to your family jurells-mama@hotmail.com
Donna says
They don’t want any coupon that have been cut from the insert? And the want the whole insert? That’s disappointing! I started saving the cut ones from my file for them. Can anyone else use the expired coupons? The cut, loose ones before I throw them away? TY
Dian says
Where did you get that info? It says in the post about putting them in small baggies and organizing them?
Dian
Annette says
Is this program still going on?
Annette says
Never mind…I was reading the blogs dates and did not see the older ones were at the top until I posted this! Sorry! Just wanted to know so that I may send coupons. : )
Dian says
Annette,
Yes it is still going! Thanks!
Dian
Bonnie says
Do they need the complete insert or can we cut them out for them? I am confused from an earlier comment.
Dian says
Bonnie » From what I understand they can take either. But you can use the contact info in the post to get more info.
Thanks!
Dian
Monica D says
Thank you for posting this! I’ve always hated throwing away expired coupons, but coming from a non-military family, I didn’t know what else to do with them. Now I can reduce my waste even more, & help families who can use it at the same time. My question is, which address do I use to send the coupons to? The first one listed, or 2nd one? Thanks!
Dian says
You can send it to this one:
Operation:coupons
9597 Jones Rd PMB 367
Houston TX 77065
Thanks for helping!!!
Dian
Tesha says
Looking for a place to send expired coupons and found this blog. I understand that it is quite old, and wanted to check to be sure it is still correct before I sent a bunch to the wrong place! 🙂 If you have time to please drop me an email I would appreciate it! Thanks ts
Dian says
It is still up to date _ I check with her every once in a while to be sure. 🙂
Thanks for checking!
Dian
vangie A. says
hello,i just started using coupons,having a lot of fun.But I tried to find someone to be about to use them.No luck would you like to have them.I get coupons from my family members and friends.For the past 2 yrs.my husband has had 3 heart attacks.So I needed to start on coupons. Send me back a email,there expired yesterday. tkz. Vangie
Monica D says
Thank you for replying so quickly! I’ve got a handful that I can put in the mail this week! 🙂
Dian says
Monica,
That’s awesome! Thanks again!
Dian
Renee says
Just a little FYI: Yes, you can used expired (up to 6mo) coupons at Commissaries and Post Exchange’s stateside. There usually is a few base wives who get together and hit up recycling centers for inserts, clip the coupons, and then drop them off to the Commissary. Every Commissary I have ever been to always has a table at the entrance with boxes upon boxes of coupons (new and expired) for us to go through and use.
Dian says
Renee,
Thanks for sharing first-hand!
I appreciate it!
Dian
Angie says
Hello, we are a military family that recently heard about your program and I’d love information on how to sign up to receive coupons… Searching the web I keep finding info about the collection end rather than the recieving end! Only have Internet via my phone so far, too – making this info harder to find. Thanks for having such a great program!
Dian says
Angie » I don’t have anything to do with that – sorry! But you can email: jvc4_hand@yahoo.com and they can help you!
Thanks!
Dian
robyn says
I just tried expired coupons at our commissary on my last shopping trip and they would not accept them! I am so mad! I just threw away a BUNCH of expired coupons 🙁 I am new to the whole couponing thing and that is very discouraging.
robyn says
BTW, they were only expired by a few days (the ones I threw away AND the ones I tried to use!)
Dian says
robyn » The overseas commissaries except them. As far as I know the ones in the states do not accept them.
Thanks!
Dian
robyn says
Thanks for such a fast response!!!! And BOOOOOO!!!! That sucks about not being able to use expired coupons at the commissary!
Dian says
robyn » Sorry about that! And you’re very welcome!
Dian
tina says
We cant use expired coupons at our commissary!
Dian says
tina » It’s for the overseas commissaries.
Maria says
This is another group in tweeter that helps with coupons for military @CoupsForTroops.
This is their facebook page http://facebook.com/coupsfortroops
They can put you in contact with families or send them to them for you!
Dian says
Maria » Thanks!
Dian
olga says
just want to know if can send you coupons that expired 2011.
Dian says
olga » They can take coupons up to 6 months expired. Just make sure to take into account how long it will take to get them overseas – you want to send them pretty much right away after they expire.
Thanks!
Dian
Yanina B says
Hi, I sent my expired coupons to
Coups for Troops, P o Box 147, Winnabow, NC 28479
www.coupsfortroops.com
I also found this site where you can choose your military base
http://www.ocpnet.org/Base%20List/BaseList1.htm
Dian says
Yanina B » Thanks!
Dian
Yanina B says
Hi, I sent my expired coupons to
Coups for Troops, PoBox 147, Winnabow, NC 28479
I also found: Overseas Coupon Program where you can choose your military base, both places have web site
Ann Koles says
I have access to many fresh coupon inserts on a weekly basis. More than I can use and the unclaimed go to the recyclers at the end of each week. If I read the terms correctly we can send in uncut inserts that have the front cover with the date intact? This would be great as I hate to see so many produced and then trashed.
Dian says
Ann Koles » Absolutely! Just send them to the addresses listed or email them for more info!
Thanks!
Dian
Christy says
Dian,
What a wonderful program this is. Can’t wait to help out our incredible military families. Would you please just confirm that this is still an on-going program and that all info is still current? Bless you and thank you so much!!
Dian says
Christy,
It is an ongoing program and it is current! Thanks for asking!
And thanks for getting involved!
Dian
patricia davalos says
Please email me I wanna help in any way that I can and my family can and this could be a great learning experience for my kids… I’m going on a big couponing trip and my kids asked if we could make up some kind of boxes with goods in them
I also have tons of expired coupon patriciadavalos6@ymail.com
.
Marcia says
Thank you for Sharing this information. Its good to know other can benefit from this specially knowing how military family needs the help.
Anna says
Hi! Just found you guys online. Will be stationed in Korea for 2 years. How do I sign up to receive coupons?
Dian says
Anna,
Contact Operation:coupons
9597 Jones Rd PMB 367
Houston TX 77065
They should be able to tell you:
operationcoupons@comcast.net
I hope that helps!
Dian
Kathy says
Hi. I have inserts with top sheet and everyhing. I dont believe I need any June or July. If Ive already clipped from them, I have to clip every one?
Dian says
Kathy,
You’ll need to contact the one you choose to donate to and they can answer that. They are all different.
I hope that helps!
Dian
Andrea says
Anna I have a bag full of expired coupons & have been looking for a family to send them too. If you send me your mailing address I would be more than happy to send them your way.
Becky Felty says
Ill send all coupons.
Sandra Lierle says
Sorry I am not understanding the guidelines so well and would really like to help. Are you wanting clipped coupons or the entire insert that comes in the newspaper, fully intact? The inserts have many loose pages in them so do we not send the loose pages? I would like this all cleared up so we don’t waste our time or yours as you say. Pictures of what you want would help also. I understand all the rest of the request you have and would love to start helping. Maybe get some other groups to help me such as senior citizens, 4H, churches, schools, and so many others I can think of.
Dian says
Sandra,
You’ll need to use the contact info in the post. I am just the messenger :). Contact them via the info at the bottom of the post and they will be happy to answer our questions.
Thanks,
Dian
Cindii Ryffel says
Kristi,
email me your address and I will send you my coupons. Glad to help you out.