An apple a day is a new way I came up with so you can get more samples and coupons. I am very flexible with the brands I use but I also have a few products I am brand loyal (I know it’s a couponer no-no) In those cases I’ve notice that by writing to the company and letting them know how much I like their products, they send me coupons, samples, sometimes even magnets and other goodies.  And the more coupons you get, the more you save off your grocery bill and the more extra you have to use on things you want!

So what should you write?

I always write about something personal. My husband loves Hansen’s Natural Soda, and they rarely have coupons or go on sale. So I wrote to them and told them how much he loved their products and how I buy 2 six packs a week. They sent me 2 free coupons and 4 $1 coupons.

Here’s some basics to remember when writing a company.

1. Be specific. Don’t just write Huggies for example and say you love their diapers. Tell them that you love their Snug and Dry line of diapers. That your son has to point to Mickey every time he gets changed.

2. Make it personal. Tell them how much you, your kids, your dog, etc love their specific product.

3. Talk about a specific time you used the product. Let them know if the packaging was easy to get into, if you liked the design, how fresh the product was, etc.

4. Thank them for making the product. Be sure to tell them how much it improves your quality of life. Companies seem to really like the fact that they are making your life better.

5. Always be polite. At the end, thank them for taking the time to read your letter.

6. Be honest! Don’t make a complaint if you don’t have a legitimate complaint. They usually launch an internal investigation so it’s important to give them accurate information.

If you have a complaint, make sure you have the product package available. They will want codes off of it so they can alert their quality control department.

Here are 2 sample letters:

Complimenting Dewafflebakers Pancakes

I wanted to just take a moment of my time to write to you today and tell you how much my family loves your Pancakes. When I serve them at my breakfast table, my whole family raves about how delicious they are. Thank you so much for making a great product that enables my family and I to sit down for breakfast in no time with a pancake that tastes like I just made it from scratch. Thank you for your time.

(Ok I know it’s a little sappy, but that’s what works. Get as personal as you can about the product and tell them how much their product means to you.)

Complaint about Goldfish Whole Grain Bread

I recently noticed your product on the shelf and decided I would give it a try. I was so disappointed when I served your product and realized that the product was stale! Somehow the packaging had become unsealed before I went to open it myself. I was so disappointed and embarrassed. I’m not sure if I will try your product again in the future after this incident. Thank you for your time.

(See how I provided the information concerning the incident and my hesitation to try the product again? I never flat out asked for coupons. I just give them honest feedback and let the chips fall where they may. Also if you have an issue with a product, save the packaging so you can provide the company with the batch numbers off the packaging so they can investigate the incident.)

Hope this helps all of you get more for your money this year. Also, don’t forget to send me your brags! I would love to see what you’ve got and I’ll share it with all my readers!