by Cindy on February 25, 2010
You have planned out your shopping trip. Your coupons are all in order. You have figured out exactly how much you will be saving. Your cart is filled with your great finds. Proudly you pile your deals at the checkout so excited to watch those coupons deduct one by one from the total. Or to receive that $10 catalina spit out of that little machine by the register. The cashier takes your coupons and begins what you think will be a simple, well thought out transaction. And then your whole plan turns upside down. Nothing goes as planned. Your hands get sweaty and your heart starts to pound. Sound familiar?
Well, you are not alone. These are the highs and lows of using coupons. We plan everything right down to the penny. Check to make sure we are getting the right product to match the coupon. We make sure that the coupons are not expired and so on. Then, the coupon police (that cashier that seems to think that we are taking money out of their pocket) takes our coupons and one by one picks them apart.
This coupon will not double, this coupon is for more then the price of the product, this coupon is not a real coupon it must of been copied, this coupon is a PDF coupon and we don’t take those and the list goes on. Why does this happen and how do we avoid it.
One reason is simply some stores and store managers simply do not know their own corporate coupon policies. Take for instance recent comments from readers who went to Target trying to buy the 8oz body wash. They have said they were not allowed to use the $4/2 coupon on two $1.99 products because it was more then the item. Well, Target’s policy, as are most stores policy, is to adjust the coupon down. Or, another reader got, this is a trial size product and you can’t us it on a trial size item. Hello, when was the last time an 8 oz product was trial size. Will they allow that size on an airplane? I think not.
Or how about when you complete the transaction and everything goes as planned and no catalina prints out. Then you have to go to customer service, spend 5 minutes there (husband and kids in tow) discussing why you should have gotten a $10 catalina only to find that they didn’t even know there was such a deal going on in their own store. Enough to make you wonder why you are doing this in the first place. Is it worth it?
For the amount of money you can save, I say yes. Because every single time is not going to be that way. Every single time will not require you to hold your breath, hoping and wishing that the coupon police do not show up at the register. “Sorry lady, you have just committed a coupon violation and you need to come with us while we take a 1/2 hour of your time to tell you why you can’t use that coupon”.
That won’t always happen. And don’t think it will never happen because it will. Most likely before the month is over you will be talking to that coupon police explaining your case. And what do you do? Well here are ways to help you out. Ways that I have found extremely helpful.
::Bring coupon policies for your stores (I will be posting policies for you to print out shortly). This way the cashiers and managers can see that they have no choice but to except your coupon over the amount of the item or any other excuse they give you.
::Know the store’s policy yourself. If you plan on shopping at that store often to take advantage of their coupons or rewards program, then understand their policies. Read up on it. Educate yourself so you know what you can and can not do. What works and what doesn’t work.
::Prepare to walk away from a deal. If they give you a hard time that you can’t quickly resolve by pulling out your coupon policy or explaining it, then walk away from it. Sometimes it’s not worth the hassle. There are so many deals to be found that having to walk away from one is no worry. You’ll find another.
The more you use coupons and become completely comfortable with them the easier it gets to explain your case. It really will. When you first start out using “coupons on steroids”, as one reader put it, you are not completely sure of yourself. Did I do this right? Is this the right product? Do I need to buy 2 or 3 for this to work? It sometimes can be a bit confusing. So to plead your case to the coupon police sometimes can get a little nerve wracking especially if you’re not 100% sure you even did it right in the first place. Well, that does get easier I promise. And the more you do it the more you can plead your case and sound like you know what you are talking about. Since most of the time, they (the coupon police) don’t even really know what’s going on, sounding like you know gets them to accept it. And I am by no means telling you to try to get away with sometime that is not on the up and up. I mean real deals that completely follow within the rules of the coupon and of the store’s policy. I NEVER advocate trying to “one up” a store. NEVER!
So listen, nothing in life that is worthwhile is free. Things take time. Ask yourself this, if someone came to you and offered you $200 a week (you honestly can save that much money) for a few hours of work, work that you already do some of (and that you have to do anyway) and told you that hours were completely flexible and if you didn’t feel like doing it one week here or there that would be fine. Would you take the job? Only you can answer that question. My answer is absolutely. I’ll spend a few hours a week sorting through coupons, writing lists and going through the occasional sweaty hand, heart pounding, your deal just feel apart episode. Sign me up!! I’ll take 200 bucks a week!!
Are you new to couponing? Check out the beginners section for all the ins and outs of using coupons.
by Cindy on February 7, 2010
I’m posting this shopping trip to Pathmark because I wanted to share a catalina deal with you. I get a lot of questions regarding catalinas and rolling them so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to show you how it works.
This week at Pathmark there are 4 catalina deals going on. The deals include Bimbo Bakeries, Unilever, P&G and Nestle. These deals, at Pathmark,work on the retail or shelf price of the item not the sales price. So, your qualifying amount is much easier to reach and can make for an even better deal. Note: That is not the case at all stores.
I purchased these items in 3 separate transactions. Your goal is to try to have your lowest out of pocket amount on your first transaction and then you use your catalina to “roll” into the next deal.
This is the Unilever deal that requires you to spend $15 and you receive a $5 catalina. Here is how it went:
Transaction #1:
Buy 5 Wishbone Salad Dressing ($16.45) $8.45
-(2)$1.25/2
-(1)$.75/1 Printable (no longer available)
Paid: $4.45
Received a $5.00 catalina
Transaction #2:
Buy 4 Ragu ($11.56)$6.76
Buy 1 Country Crock ($3.99) $2.49
-(2)$1/2 Ragu
-(1)$.50/1 Country Crock
Total: $6.25
Use $5.00 catalina from previous transaction
Pay: $1.25
Receive a $5.00 catalina
Transaction #3:
Buy 10 Hunts Tomatoes $7.70
Buy 12 La Yogurt $3.48
-(3)$.45/3 Hunts
-(1)$1.50/12 La Yogurt
-(1)$.25 La Yogurt (store coupon)
Total:$6.73
Use $5.00 catalina from previous transaction
Pay: $1.73
No catalina for this deal. I chose to use the catalina to take advantage of some good deals Pathmark was having. However you could have rolled this as many times as you had coupons for.
So for all this I paid out of pocket $7.43 for $65.78 worth of groceries.
You can mix and match these deals for whatever is best for your family. It may be a little bit more out of pocket but if it’s for something that you use a lot then it’s worth it.
Did you come up with a great deal scenario at Pathmark this week? It’s fun to see all the different deal ideas.
by Cindy on January 4, 2010
by Cindy on November 18, 2009
Do you cringe when you have a coupon that says “Do Not Double or Triple”? Are you afraid that your store will not double it even when they have a double coupon policy? Well you are certainly not alone. Here are a few things you should know about doubling coupons.
If a coupon has the number 5 as the first number in the UPC code of the coupon, then the coupon will double at the register. If a coupon has the number 9 as the first number, then it will not double at the register as it’s coded not to do so. Coupons with the first number of 9 are usually found on blinkie coupons which are the coupons that are in that little red box that hangs off the shelf in your store.
So now you have a coupon with the number 5 (will double at the register) but it clearly states “Do Not Double” on the top (similar to the one pictured above). What happens?
First your store has to have a double coupon policy for any coupon to double. You must know your store coupon policy. Sometimes the same chain of stores, like ShopRite, may have different double policies such as only deduct up to $.99 or like mine, double all coupons that are up to $.99.
Now, onto the “Do Not Double” stamped on top of that coupon. If your store doubles a coupon, the doubled portion of the coupon is considerated a “store coupon”. Meaning that the store covers the cost of the double portion, not the manufacturer. Now there are some cases where deals have been made with the manufacturer that they (the manufacturer) will cover that extra double portion. For example,
$.50 coupon <----manufacturer covers cost of coupon
$.50 doubled <----store covers cost in most cases. sometimes a manufacturer will cover this cost as well.
Total coupon price deducted: $1.00
In some cases the manufacturer will cover the full $1.00 if that is something that has been agreed upon between the manufacturer and store. When a coupon says “Do Not Double” it simply means that the manufacturer will not cover that second $.50, so it’s at the stores discretion whether or not they will still double it.
What does all this mean to you as a consumer. Honestly, nothing. If your store doubles, then they should still double this “Do Not Double” coupon as the store is offering that extra $.50 (as in the case of the example I gave) as a store coupon whether they are being reimbursed or not.
My suggestion, now that you understand why a coupon states “Do Not Double“, is to stop by your customer service counter and have a chat with them about their policies. If they don’t know, ask to speak with a manager so you can be sure you have the correct information.
by Cindy on October 30, 2009
CVS does not have a published coupon policy. However, here is an email that was received in response to their policies. Feel free to copy and print it and have it with you when you go shopping at CVS
Thank you for your e-mail regarding CVS/pharmacy coupon policy. Unfortunately we do not have a copy of the policy to distribute to customer. However, here is a rundown of the most frequently asked questions.
Our registers are set to allow one CVS coupon and one manufacturer coupon per item. However, the staff should be allowing customers to use Extra Bucks in combination with other CVS coupons since these are coupons you have “earned.”
In addition, they should be allowing the use of one “offer at the register” coupon which would be an open offer of $3 off of $15 or a certain dollar amount off of a specific item. Since our registers are programmed to only accept two coupons (one CVS, one manufacturer) per item if the number of coupons exceed the items purchased a member of management will need to assist the cashier in processing the coupons.
CVS/pharmacy will accept coupons printed from the Internet. They must have a legible barcode that scans at the register. If the coupon does not scan at the register, the cashier should politely inform you that we are unable to accept your coupon. We do not allow manual overrides at the register for coupons printed from the Internet. CVS/pharmacy will not accept offers printed from unauthorized internet postings or reproductions, copies, or facsimiles.
CVS/pharmacy does not accept competitors coupons.
When an item is on sale for buy one, get one free and the customer has a buy one get one free coupon for that same product, the coupon will be accepted and both items will essentially become free (plus any applicable sales tax).
Also, two manufacturer coupons can be used on a buy one get one free purchase as long as two items are scanned at the register. The system logic sees two items scanned and will allow two coupons.
Again, thank you for contacting us. We value your patronage and look forward to serving you again soon.
Source: Mavin of Savin!
Part 1 in the beginner series. Where Do I Get Coupons?
Well, this would be the best place to start because without coupons you simply can not save money on groceries. For those of you that are new to coupon shopping, this would be the time for you to purchase more than 1 newspaper. I get 4 newspapers every weekend plus I print coupons off the internet (I try to print 4 of each if I can). There are also a few other ways you can get your coupons besides just buying newspapers.
You can purchase them already clipped through The Coupon Clippers. They ship quickly and you are only paying for the ones that you want. If you see a great sale on something that you could use a lot of then this would be a great way to get your hands on a large quantity of that particular coupon. Make sure you plan ahead so that they arrive before the sale is over.
You can also order complete inserts through ebay. I have found that in most cases it’s cheaper to just buy my local paper but there could be times when you want a larger quantity of a particular insert. If you log into your Ebates account then you can get cash back on your purchase as well. Always trying to save you money.
There are many sites that offer printable coupons. Some of them are as follows:
Coupons.com
Smart Source
Red Plum
Cool Savings
Check back on this site often to see all the latest printable coupons. We post them as we find them.
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Part 3: Getting the Best Match Ups For The Most Savings
See Beginners on the right sidebar for parts 1 & 2 if you missed it.
There is one simple rule to follow:
Sales + store coupon + manufacturers coupon = rock bottom prices.
1. Know your stores coupon policy, i.e double/triple coupons, competitor coupons, limit of coupons per item (my shoprite only will let me use 4 of the same coupon in one transaction).
2. Learn to be not be brand specific: Sometimes some of the best sales are on items that you may have never purchased in the past. Be open minded. I would have never bought Fiber One Mocha Chocolate bars but I picked them up because they were free. And you know what, they are very good.
3. Study the weekly sales circular. It becomes easier and easier to pick up great sales the more you do it.
4. Plan your shopping list using the stores weekly circular and by planning your menu based on sale items. I love this tip because it really forces me to write down what I am having during the week for dinner and plan ahead. Cuts down on impulse buying.
5. Join your store’s rewards program.
6. Use store coupons with manufacturer coupons for the best savings.
Example:
Nabisco 100 Calorie Pack $2.00
Store Coupon $1/1
Manufacturer Coupon $1/1
Final Price: FREE
7. And finally, beside sticking close to this website for the best daily deals, match ups, coupons, etc you can visit Couponmom.com for weekly deals at your local supermarkets. You must register to view the match ups but its a great way to see what is on sale and what coupons to use. They only do match ups using clip out coupons so it’s best to check back here to find out the added deals with rebates, printables, etc.
Up Next…Acronyms – What is a BOGO? – Learn the coupon lingo.
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Part 5 of the Beginner Series: Stockpiling – The How, Why & What
See Beginners on the right sidebar for parts 1, 2, 3 & 4 if you missed it.
Stockpile, noun: a large supply of food gathered and held in reserve for use during a shortage or during a period of higher prices.
Stockpiling, verb: to accumulate for future use; put or store in a stockpile.
Well there you have it. These definitions say it all. “Food gathered and held in reserve for use during a period of higher prices”. I couldn’t have said it better myself. This is Why we stockpile. When we are able to purchase products for free or at a very low price we purchase multiple items of it. Sales of products go in cycles. What is on sale at a great price this week may not be on sale again for another 8 – 12 weeks. We need to have a supply on hand that will at least take us through that time period so we do not have to purchase the item(s) at full price before the next sale.
Looking for sales + manufactures coupons + store coupons is How we build our stockpile. Finding the great match ups is the key to you getting your stockpile to a point where you only need to go out every week and buy the items that are rock bottom prices as well as produce, milk, etc that are needed on a weekly basis. The bigger your stockpile gets, the less money you will be spending each week.
What are the items you should put in your stockpile? The list is long but here are some:
Condiments (BBQ Sauce, steak sauce, mustard, ketcup, mayo)
Rice & Pasta
Snacks (crackers, nachos, salsa, popcorn)
Canned goods (tomatoes, sauce, soups, vegetables)
Cereals
Cleaning supplies (cleaners, garbage bags, laundry)
Drinks (water, soda, iced tea, coffee, tea, juice)
Dairy (butter, creamers)
Meats & Fish (keep frozen)
Breads (keep frozen)
Health & Beauty Products (band aids, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, soap, etc)
Start your stockpile slowly only looking for those items that are cheap or free. Within 4 weeks of starting your stockpile you can start to see approximately $50 knocked off your grocery bill. Within 8 weeks you can get to as much as $100 or even more off your weekly bill.
You will never pay full price again!
Part 6 of the Beginner Series: Walgreens – The “Secret Rules” And Great Deals
See Beginners on the right sidebar for parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 if you missed it.
So you have shopped at Walgreens for some quick, I need some cold medicine, trips right? And you really have never taken advantage of their deals, right? Well we are going to change all that. You will look at Walgreens completely differently from now on. I will show you how you can actually make “money” at Walgreens and use that “money” to buy things you really need and want. I say the word “money” but it’s really Register Rewards, which are just like money, however you can only use them at Walgreens. Let me explain…
What is an RR?
An RR (short for Register Reward) is a Catalina coupon that prints out at the register at the end of your transaction. This RR can be used on your next order. An RR will print for an item in the amount that is advertised in Walgreens current circular. Sometimes there are “hidden” RR deals that are not advertised in the current circular but are good for the whole month.
How to make money at Walgreens
Walgreens teams up with various manufacturers to offer deals in their stores. Sometimes the deals are okay and sometimes they are great. A great deal would be something like this. Buy St. Ives bodywash for $2.99 and get $2.99 in RR (see an example of this below). The even better thing is that you can use a coupon to reduce the price of the body wash ($1.50/1). So now instead of paying $2.99 you are now paying $1.49 and you will STILL get that RR at the end of the transaction. So you have now made a profit of $1.50 and you can use (or roll) that Catalina coupon in the amount of $2.99 and purchase whatever you want.
The Rules of Walgreens
Of course it was never going to be that easy. There are a few simple rules you have to follow in order to make your transactions run smoothly. I want you to understand that me telling you these rules is like being in a secret underground society. Why, because even the cashiers and managers don’t know the rules. Okay, so these are not secret and there is no underground society, however, it sure seems that way when you run into a coupon issue and they (cashiers and managers) have not a clue and rattle off all these rules that just simply are not true. Be polite, listen and know that you are in on the “secret rules”. So you, my savy coupon shoppers, need to know these Walgreens secret rules corporate policies.
- You can use a manufacturers coupon on an item and it will produce an RR
- You can use an RR to pay for a transaction of different product which offers an RR and it will produce an RR. (see #6 below for the exception)
- RRs are considered a manufacturers coupon
- Walgreens coupons from the circular are considered store coupons not manufacturers coupons
- You can use a manufacturer coupon along with a Walgreens coupon
- You can not use an RR to pay for the same product or even from the same company to get another RR deal. For instance if you purchased the St. Ives as I mentioned above and received your $2.99 RR you can not use that RR to buy another St. Ives.
- Only 1 RR will print out per transaction for the same item. For instance, if you purchased 2 St. Ives only 1 RR would print. However, if you purchased 1 St. Ives and another RR deal item both would print.
- This one is a little bit tricky but very important. You have to have the same number of manufacturer coupons per items in one transaction. Keep in mind that an RR is considered a manufacturer coupon. For instance, if you had 2 items in your transaction and you had a manufacturer coupon for each item and you wanted to use an RR in the transaction, then you would have to put in a small filler item so the register will not beep. It could be a $.10 item (if you can find them). Just as long as there are 3 items for the 3 manufacturer coupons you were using.
I figured that showing you an example of these rules and deals would be the easiest way for you to learn. It just so happens I had a great Walgreens trip(s) today so I can use my most recent deal. Here is what I bought:
Transaction #1:
1 St. Ives $2.99
1 Newspaper $2.00
-$1.50 St. Ives coupon
-$2.00 RR (I had this from last weeks deals)
Total with tax: $1.70
used a gift card to pay
Total OOP: $0
Received $3.00 RR for the St. Ives
Transaction #2:
1 Purex 3-1 $5.99
2 J&J Baby Powder $2.00
1 Newspaper $2.00
-$2.oo Purex
-$1.00 J&J
-$1.00 J&J
-$3.00 RR (from the St. Ives deal)
Total with tax: $3.55 OOP
Received $2.00 RR for the Purex & $1.00 for the J&J
Transaction #3:
2 J&J Baby Powder $2.00
1 Newsaper $2.00
-$1.00 J&J
-$1.00 J&J
-$2.00 RR (from the Purex deal)
Total with tax: $.14 OOP
Received $1.00 RR for the J&J
Transaction #4:
1 St. Ives $2.99
1 Newspaper $2.00
-$1.50 St. Ives
-$1.00 RR from the J&J
Total with tax: $2.70 OOP
Received $3.00 RR for the St. Ives deal
Transaction #5:
1 St. Ives $2.99
1 M&M $.67 (filler)
-$1.50 St. Ives
-$1.00 RR for the J&J
Total with Tax: $1.41
Received $3.00 RR for the St. Ives deal
Summary:
Started with a $2.00 RR
Paid $7.80 OOP
Now have $6.00 in RR
So now you can see how you can roll your RRs and get your out of pocket lower. I paid $7.80 for all of that and I have $6.00 in RRs left after only using a $2.00 RR. The newspapers alone were $8.00 for all 4. Not a bad deal.
Now some of you are thinking, wow that is a lot of work. Well, I don’t find it work, I actually enjoy it. It’s fun to try to see how much you can get for very little. However, no one is saying you have to do that many transactions. Like everything in life, you can choose how much or how little you would like to do. This is only a guide for you to go by. Give it a try…I promise you that it fun to save. No one has ever complained because they saved too much money.
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And I probably should have waited till I lost my 15 lbs but I’ve been trying to do this for quite a while and who knows how long it will take to lose 15 lbs. 
