Coupon Trains
You've probably heard of book discussion groups, writing circles, investment clubs, gourmet round robins, and recipe chain letters, but you may not have heard about coupon trains, a fun way to share and receive valuable coupons through the mail. Note: you share, not sell, coupons!
According to GroceryCouponGuide.com, coupon trains usually begin with a group of 3 to 6 members who have different mailing addresses. One member, the conductor, gets the train rolling when s/he mails an envelope containing 40 to 200 coupons to the first stop on the train route, the first address on the mailing list. The person at that stop unloads the freight s/he can use, selects coupons, then loads freight equaling the freight removed, adds at least the same number of coupons as taken out, then sends the train to the next stop. This process continues until the train reaches its point of origin, the conductor's address.
Considerations for Building a Coupon Train
Needs — You can hitch yourself to established or new trains with members who have needs similar to yours — they want pet related coupons, for example — or with members with a variety of needs — diapers, baby food, formula, cereal, dairy products, organic foods, fast-foods, and so on. If your train is based on pet coupons, your members may have different types of products and brand preferences, but if some of you want the same type and brands, the honorable thing will be to take some, but not all, the coupons you want and send the rest on to the next stop. If you want store-specific coupons or rain checks, you'd be advised to find a train with members who have the same stores in their area.
Wish Lists — "Once the type of train and coupons are established, each person should put together a 'wish list' of their top 10 coupons, or types of coupons, they are looking for. If everyone is looking for the same thing, you will need to share the wealth, but if everyone has different needs, even in the same general category (i.e. Pampers vs. Huggies), it shouldn't be a problem. The wish list also allows people to gear their coupon finds and packages to give the best value to each member on the train." (GroceryCouponGuide.com)
Turnaround Times — As you may have noticed, the time between coupon distribution and expiration has become shorter; this means as member of the train you must watch expiration dates and not send coupons likely to expire the near future. You must also send out your coupons quickly, ideally within 1 to 3 days of receiving the envelope. You'll want to be aware of mail delays caused by distance or holidays and plan accordingly. If you have members who are chronically behind schedule, the conductor may ask them to get off the train.
Conductors' Rule(s)
Some conductors run a tight ship (or is it a fast train?). The conductor for Royalty Coupon Trains says, "I have rules to protect my members and I do enforce them. Wish list and database info is a requirement to be a member of this group. Failure to follow the rules will result in removal. You must ride at least 1 potluck train to be active. You also must return any emails; no communication will get you banned from the group."
References
• "Introduction to Coupon Trains." (accessed 12-20-09).
&bull Royalty Coupon Train. (accessed 12-20-09).