Catalinas

Catalina machine

Recently a lot of you have asked, what is a Catalina?

Catalinas are coupons that print out of the Catalina Machine, hence the name Catalinas.  These machines are located right next to the registers.  Most of you have probably received coupons from them before.  But other great things print from them as well.  Here is what you can expect to find:

• Dollar off coupons: These are coupons that are part of a Catalina deal such as buy X amount of products and get $XX back. Or buy $XX product and get $XX back.  These are good on your next shopping trip to the store.
• Manuafacturer coupons: Regular manufacturer coupons print from the catalina machines however they are to be used at that particular store.  You can use them at another store if that store takes competitor coupons.
• Store Coupons: Store coupon will print from the catalina machine as well.  Today, was a first for me at Shoprite.  I actually recieved a whole bunch of store coupons which can be stacked with manufacturer coupons.
• Upcoming Deals:  Deals that are scheduled in the near future will sometimes print out a catalina letting you know it’s coming.

Here are some suggestions to help make your deals go smoother:

• Is the machine working: Make sure that the green light is lit on the machine before you begin your transacation.  Sometimes I will ask the cashier if coupons are printing from the machine before I load up my groceries.  Of course you only have to worry about this when you are actually doing a catalina deal.
• Requirements for the deal: Make sure you have met every requirement for the deal to work.  Do you have the exact products, quantities or dollar amounts required?
• What if Your Catalina Does Not Print: If your catalina did not print, don’t hesitate to go to customer service.  If the deal is advertised in your circular, you should have no problem dealing with customer service at the store.  If it’s not advertised, then I would just recommend calling the Catalina company directly at 1-888-8COUPON begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-888-8COUPON      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or 1-888-826-8766 or via email ncsc@catalinamarketing.com.

Keeping your Catalinas organzied:

I know we have a lot of coupons.  Between inserts, printable, magazines, blinkie, peelies and anywhere else we find coupons.  What do you do with yet more coupons?  How do you not loose them?

Well here is my solution. Store coupon books:

As I had mentioned in my Coupon Organization Video, I use inexpensive photo books as store coupon books.  Each week, when I am getting my coupons ready for my shopping trip, I put them in my store coupon book along with my shopping list.  All the Catalinas I received for that store are in the coupon book so they are easy to find.

To see Catalinas in action, check out my post on How to Successfull Roll A Catalina.

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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.

Photo credit

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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.

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 Okay, the long awaited “How to organize your coupons”  video is finally here.  You all get to come into my little office so I can show you a few ways to keep those coupons organized and easy to use. I’m a little nervous, I hope you all like it.  If not, be nice…I tried   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.

A couple of notes before you view:

1. Sorry that it’s not perfectly clear.  It took us all day to get this going.  We are just not technically inclined that way.
2. I say there are 5 inserts with 3 Smart Source & 3 Red Plum.  I obviously can’t add and talk at the same time.  There are 3 Smart Source & 2 Red Plum.  

I hope you enjoy the videos and find them useful.  Below is a list of the divider labels I use for my coupon binder.

Divider Labels:

• Free
• Produce
• Condiments/Sauces
• Beverage
• Baking/Spices
• Cereal/Breakfast
• Snacks/Candy
• Dairy
• Meats
• Frozen
• Cosmetics
• Oral Care
• Personal Care
• Cleaning
• Paper Goods
• Medicine
• Office Supplies/Household
• Pkg Goods/Canned

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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.

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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.

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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.

Subscribe to Living Rich With Coupons

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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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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.

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Reader Question:

Cindy, I am saving a lot of money but not saving as much as you are. I use to spend around 600 a month for everything. Now i am spending around 400 a month for everything. I have a rite aid, walgreens, kroger, food lion, and a commissary (military). I am only buying sale items that I have coupons for. And they have to be deeply discounted. I am buying several of those at a time for stock piling. Any advice?

You’ve gone from $150 each week to $100 each week and that’s pretty good. But I hear ya…you want to save even more. Each family is different so you have to take that into account. Is your family bigger or smaller, does your family have special food requirements, do you have to buy diapers and baby food and are you including that in your $100. All these have to be taken into consideration.

If you have a big enough stockpile then what you should be purchasing each week are the following:

• FREE items – buy as many as you have coupons for.
• Nearly free items (over 75% off): If it is very, very cheap and you use it or would like to try it than this would be the time to buy it. If you use it, stock up on it if you would like to try it than only buy 1 or 2.
• Great price (50 – 75% off): If it is something you love, then buy it. Do not buy it if you just want to try it or it’s something you use occasionally. That is for the 1st 2 items above.
• Meat: You should be purchasing meat each week that is on sale and, if possible, on manager’s special. Some stores don’t have manager’s special but keep your eye out for it. When it’s at a great price, buy a couple packages and stockpile them as well in your freezer.
• Produce: Try to stay in season. For instance, right now you should be only buying apples and other fall fruits. Know your local store prices. At the local Costco you can get bananas for $.39/lb and 5 pack of romaine for $3.99.
• Dairy: Again, same as produce. Know your local store prices. Going to stores like Aldi or Costco for your milk & eggs can help curb those costs.

Here a some shopping tips:

• When shopping, bring a calculator. It really helps you to stay on target. There are many times you may have to put items back because it would have been more than you wanted to spent. In most instances, you won’t even miss the item.
• Be prepared: Go over your circular and your coupons before you go to the store. Have a shopping list made with the coupons already put to the side. The only things you should “shop” for are manager’s special meat. Other then that know exactly what you are buying and don’t deviate from it.
• No impulse buying. This is a big one. The stores are set up to get you to purchase items that you had no intention of buying. Why do you think they have candy by the registers? They are screaming out “buy me, you want me”. An extra item here or there adds up quickly. If it wasn’t on your list, you don’t need it.
• Don’t be brand loyal: Being flexible about the brands you buy is key to finding the best prices. If you are willing to brand hop then you open yourself up to much better prices. If General Mills is running big sales one week, you can bet that Kraft will be running one shortly.
• Don’t be Store Loyal: The same rules for brand hoping apply to stores as well. Each store has different sales, prices, catalinas, manager’s specials, etc. Get to know their pricing, policies, etc.

Saving a big amount on your groceries does take time. It takes an average of about 2 hours a week on finding coupons, clipping and organizing coupons, and preparing your shopping lists. For a savings of around $8000 per year in groceries (based on my personal savings), at 2 hours each week, that is 104 hours a year which equates to $77 per hour. I don’t know about you but I couldn’t find a part time job paying me $77 per hour.

Getting that stockpile up is the first step. Once your stockpile is set and you follow everything above, you will see your numbers dropping each week until you get to a budget number that is comfortable for your family.

For those of you that are new to couponing, check out my beginner series here.

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