Coups for troops

Who knew that people could actually use coupons past their expiration dates??? Families of troops living overseas can use expired coupons up to 6 months after their expiration date!
The military is near and dear to my heart. My husband is Veteran and we are always looking for ways to stay connected. Overseas families typically live off one income and coups make the money stretch a little farther. They usually have access to internet coupons, but they don’t get inserts in their newspapers.  
I have been wanting to send my coupons overseas for a while and cleaning out my coupon binder was enough to push me over the edge! Here is the mess of expired coups I  had:

I got the idea from Raining Hot Coupons and did a little more research past her site as well. I don’t have enough to send in a flat rate box like she did, and I was a little intimated by the customs form that she filled out. From what I understand from other sites is that if you are sending it as a regular parcel post (and it weighs less than 16 oz.) that you don’t need a customs form. Just put the base information where you put the address, put your return address, and the shipping rate is the same as mail domestically since it’s a military base. Here are the requirements:

1. Coups can only be 30-60 days old. Yes, they can use them up to 6 months past the date, but it’ll take half that time to get there.

2. Only manufacturer coupons (no store coupons)

3. Separate into “food” and “non-food” baggies or envelopes (no paper clips or rubber bands)

4. Choose your base. Look for the ones that say “open adoptions”. I didn't actually “adopt” a base, but I am sending mine to one in Japan.  I wish I knew a family that I could directly ship coups to, but for now this will do. Hubby did have one request: That they were sent to an Air Force Base ;) It’s a military thing I guess to be totally sold out for the branch you fought with.

Here are my newly sorted piles

The pile up top is my trash (store coupons).

Really, this was one of the easiest things I’ve done in a while… a few $ shipping and it will be good to go!

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