Gary's Foods in Mt. Vernon

Last year, as my family was driving to Galesburg for Thanksgiving, we drove thru Mt. Vernon and past a small grocery store called Gary's.  My husband teased me that I had never "harrassed" this small town grocery store with my coupons and that I ought to shop with my binder there.  Well, I took his advice and began watching the Gary's ads, and leading up to Christmas, they had some fabulous prices.  I have since quit following their ads unless I am going to be in or near Mt. Vernon, then I make sure to take a quick look at their ad.  However, with Christmas just around the corner again, my mom asked me a couple weeks ago to start watching for Gary's to put their 8 oz. cheese blocks on sale for $1.39 again (like they did last year).  Although I never mentioned it on the blog, last week, they had them for $1.09, so we made a trip to Gary's. 

Gary's ads usually have their "Best Choice" brand items on sale, so not necessarily anything you can use coupons on, but last year they had cake mixes for 39c, the above mentioned cheese blocks, along with some other nice prices.  Another thing I have noticed about Gary's is that they have meat, dairy, etc. marked way down daily for quick sale.  I usually find something to buy that is close to expiration that I can freeze.

On my first ever trip to Gary's, I did have a bad experience.  EVERYTHING I had gone for was out of stock.  I did find some Country Crock mashed potatoes marked down, and I had had some coupons for them, so I picked up as many as I had coupons for.  They wouldn't have been free, but not too far from it.  Anyway, I got the whole "one per purchase" thing, and the 16ish year old "manager" also wouldn't budge when I tried to explain it, so I left with only 2...one that I bought and one that I threw onto my mom's order.  I wrote to the store manager and he apologized profusely and mailed me a $25.00 gift card.  Since then, I haven't noticed a stock issue and have had no problems with my coupons.  He said he would train his cashiers on the proper use of coupons.  Thank you!

So, you may see a Gary's post pop up from time to time, and if you're going that direction, I encorage you to at least check their ad.

Why has it never occurred to me before now?

An excerpt from a previous post (common problems you may experience):

Most coupons say "limit one per purchase." A better wording for this would be "limit one coupon per item purchased," and some companies are putting a little more descriptive wording on their coupons, but most aren't. You will eventually run across a cashier who thinks this wording actually means "limit one per transaction." Ask your cashier, "how many items am I PURCHASING?" They'll answer your quesion, and you just stand there, nod, and smile as a lightbulb goes off in their head. If you cannot get them to understand that each item is a purchase, have them ring each item as a separate transaction.

Yesterday, I *ALMOST* had an issue with this at Wal-Mart.  I was using a P & G coupon and had 4 identical coupons.  The cashier wanted to tell me that it is limited to one per purchase (duh?), but then stopped and said, "I think I've been reading these wrong all along.  I thought it was one per purchase, but this coupon says limit 4 matching coupons per transaction."  Well, yes, in fact, P & G coupons have BOTH phrases on them, so next time you have this issue with any coupon, pull out a P & G coupon and show them that both phrases are on those coupons, so obviously "limit one per purchase" doesn't mean what they think it means.

News from CVS

The CVS ExtraCare card just got better.  Instead of using it simply as a membership card, you now have the option of loading digital coupons right onto your card.

This “Send to Card” option gives customers the opportunity to select certain coupons that will load straight to their ExtraCare card and automatically deduct at the register, thus eliminating the need to print off paper coupons at home.   In order to take advantage of this new program, you must first sign up to receive ExtraCare emails.

CVS VP customer relationship management Melissa Studzinski said: “We encourage all of our cardholders to sign up for ExtraCare emails to take advantage of this new, easy way to save while shopping at CVS/pharmacy.”  Hurry on over to CVS.com and sign up for this simple way to save.  Plus, when you sign up now, you’ll receive a coupon for $4.00 off any $20.00 purchase!

Thanks, KrazyCouponLady!

Staples and Office Max...your back to school "best friends!!!"

It is time to add the office supply stores.  Stop!  Do not run to Wal-Mart with that back to school list!  Over the next 6-8 weeks, you will find Staples and Office Max offering some crazy good sales.  1c crayons, pencils, 5c protractors, compasses, markers, 10c filler paper, FREE back packs...yes, I said FREE back packs.  I will explain in a second.

You NEED to sign up for both of these store's rewards programs.  NOW!  And if you're a teacher, even a Sunday School teacher, sign up for Staples Teachers rewards program. 

Back to those back packs.  For the past 2 years, both stores have done this deal.  Buy a Jansport or other high quality back pack.  I am not talking about the ones you get at Target or Wal-Mart for $10, and then have to replace in 3 months because the bottom has ripped out of them.  These are the back packs that could theoretically last for YEARS.  You will pay cash for this back pack.  At the end of the following month, your reward...100% of the purchase price...will arrive in your e-mail.  This reward can be used on anything in the store or online.  With my rewards, I have bought computer office chairs, digital cameras for $2.00ish. 

About once a year, you can get an entire BOX of printer paper from Office Max for free with their rewards program and around Christmas, Staples will be giving away TONS of AAA and AA batteries for free with the rewards program.   

Staplesalso has a rebate program.  Their program is quite simple since you can enter the information online.  You will get a check in about 6 weeks which you can deposit in your account and spend anywhere. 

Happy back to school shopping!!!

coupon database

If you are looking for a specific coupon or wondering if there is a coupon available somewhere for an item, the database is really handy.  Just type in the name of whatever it is you're looking for, and it should pop up if there is anything out there.

Here's the link: coupon database

*NEW* Target coupon policy

The new version of Target's coupon policy is here.

I am C & P'ing this from Totally Target.

Well if you have had a copy of Target’s Coupon Policy in your binders, it is time to print another one. Target has updated its Coupon Policy and the most notable difference is now addressing the use of B1G1 Coupons. Since Target has never addressed the use of B1G1 coupons, it has pretty much been up to each store’s own discretion. That now changes with the new updated policy. You can view and print off a copy of Target’s Coupon Policy HERE. The following are the stated terms when using B1G1 coupons…

1. BOGO coupons cannot be combined (i.e. you cannot use two BOGO coupons on two items and get both for free). Unless stated otherwise on the coupon, the use of one Buy One Get One Free coupon requires that two of the valid items are presented at checkout of which one item will be charged to the guest and the 2nd item will be discounted by its full retail price.

2. A second cents-off coupon of the same type cannot be redeemed towards the purchase price of the first item.This means they are now prohibiting in writing the use of a $ Off manufacturer’s coupon on the non free item when using a manufacturer’s B1G1 coupon.
3. If a Target BOGO coupon is used, one additional manufacturer coupon maybe used on the first item.You can no longer use 2 manufacturer’s coupons against a Target B1G1 Store Coupon. So in other words if you have a B1G1 Free Pantene Target Coupon, you may only use one $1/1 Pantene Manufacturer Coupon, you can no longer use 2 manufacturer’s coupons against both items.

4. If a Manufacturer BOGO coupon is used, one additional Target coupon may be used on the first item.You can no longer use 2 Target Coupons against a Manufacturer’s B1G1 Coupon. So in other words if you have a B1G1 Old Spice Body Wash Manufacturer’s Coupon, you can no longer use two $1/1 Old Spice Body Wash Target Store Coupons along with it. you may only use 1 store coupon.

A new coupon policy for Wal-Mart???

I just read that Wal-Mart changed their coupon policy again, and it is available here.

From a quick read thru, I'm not finding the changes, but wanted to pass thins along to you and also encourage you to print out a copy to carry with you. 

Walmart Coupon Policy

We gladly accept the following types of coupons*

• Print-at-home internet coupons
  • Must be legible
  • Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
  • Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
  • Must have a valid expiration date
  • Must have a scannable bar code
  • Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons with a specified price
  • Are acceptable in black and white or color
  • May not be duplicated
• Manufacturers' coupons
  • For dollar/cents off
  • For free items (except those printed off the Internet)
  • Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons
  • Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
  • Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
  • Must have a valid expiration date
  • Must have a scannable bar code
  • May not be duplicated
• Competitors' coupons
  
  • A specific item for a specified price, for example, $2.99
  • Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price
  • Have a valid expiration date
  • Are acceptable in black and white
• Soft drink container caps
• Checkout coupons ("Catalinas")
  • Printed at our competitors' registers for dollar/cents off on a specific item
  • Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" with specific item requirements printed on them
  • Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
  • Must have a valid expiration date
  • Must have a scannable bar code
  • Are acceptable in black and white
  • May not be duplicated

We DO NOT accept the following coupons:

• Checkout coupons
  • Dollars/cents off the entire basket purchase
  • Percentage off the entire basket purchase
• Print-at-home Internet coupons that require no purchase
• Competitors' coupons
  • Dollars/cents off at a specific retailer
  • Percentage off
  • Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons without a specified price
  • Double- or triple-value coupons

*The following are guidelines and limitations:

• We only accepts coupons for merchandise that we sell.
• Coupons must be presented at the time of purchase.
• Only one coupon per item.
• Item purchased must be identical to the coupon (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc).
• There is no limit on the number of coupons per transaction.
• Coupons must have an expiration date and be redeemed prior to expiration.
• If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase.
• SNAP items purchased in a SNAP transaction are ineligible for cash back.
• WIC items purchased in a WIC transaction are applied to the basket purchase and may not be eligible for cash back. Refer to state-specific WIC guidelines.
• Great Value, Marketside, Equate, Parents Choice, and World Table coupons have no cash value and are ineligible for cash back or application to the basket purchase.
• The system will prompt for supervisor verification for:
  • 40 coupons per transaction.
  • A coupon of $20 or greater on one item.
  • $50 or more in coupons in one transaction.

Couponing at Fareway

I was just looking over my blog and realized I have never addressed couponing at Fareway.  I suppose I skipped it because there just isn't a lot to say about Fareway?

Couponing at Fareway is very straight forward...match a sale with a coupon.  They do not offer any Catalina type promos or loyalty cards or anything like that, but they do have really low prices every day and offer some nice loss leaders.  I always look at their ad online on Tuesday morning, but it also comes in Tuesday's Gazette or Wednesday's penny saver, or is in the store. There just is not a lot to say about Fareway. You can stack a Fareway coupon and a MQ, the only place you'll find Fareway coupons is in the ad. They usually automatically price match Hy-Vee's ad, but will also price match other grocery stores if you bring them the ad. I have had them deny price matching other local stores that are not grocery store such as Hy-Vee Drugstore or KMart.

Their coupon  policy is available here.  It is very short and very vague.

Couponing at Dollar General

I haven't done a lot of couponing at Dollar General, but I have done enough and heard enough to know that they are not always real coupon friendly.  The actual concept of couponing at Dollar General is pretty straight forward, match a sale with an available coupon, but the methods are sometimes not so easy.  If you have a coupon that requires a multiple purchase such as $1.00/3, have them ring up 3, ring up the coupon, ring up the next 3, ring up the coupon, ring up the next 3...you're getting the picture here.  I am thinking back to this past Thanksgiving when they had Libby's canned vegetables on sale for 45c per can, and I had $1.00/3 coupons that I had gotten from ebay.  I had not realized this little nuance prior to this, so I had them ring up all my veggies, then handed over the coupons.  They came up with a million reasons why the coupons couldn't be accepted, and none of them was the "limit one per purchase" thing.  Finally the manager came up with the ring 3, ring coupon idea.  It worked like a charm...no further register problems.  From one of my friends on FB, I have heard that sometimes it just works best to always have them ring the coupon immediately after the product, you end up with a lot less headaches this way, and I think I may have to agree with this.  Dollar General doesn't always have an ad, and I rarely find a great deal even when they do, but I always at least look. Their ads come inside the coupon inserts of your Sunday paper.

common misconception about coupons: coupons are only for highly processed, unhealthy foods

While it is true, there does seem to be a lot of coupons for high sodium, processed foods such as Hamburger Helper and Yakisoba noodles, there are also a lot of coupons for healthy foods!  I see coupons for yogurt, Quaker oatmeal, eggs, milk, juice, canned tomatoes, cheese, and tuna among many others.  I've even seen coupons for strawberries, tomatoes, and bagged lettuce salads.  Every fall, a couple of different products put out coupons for $2.00 apples free when you buy their product.  And while it may be true that there aren't a lot of available coupons for fresh produce and meat items, they do exist.  If you coupon for the other items on your list, however, it frees up funds in your budget to buy produce and meat items!  Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't coupon and still eat healthy, it simply isn't true, and is a comment you'll sometimes hear from a person who is uneducated on coupons.  Do I have Hamburger Helper in my stockpile?  a few Do I have fresh vegetables in my kitchen?  Lots of them!   

buy one, get one free scenerios

If your store has something on sale buy one, get one free, and you have a buy one, get one free coupon, you should be able to use that coupon to get both items for free...they pay for each other.  I know this will work at CVS and Walgreen's for sure, but YMMV (your mileage may vary) at our local grocery stores.

If you have a buy one, get one free coupon, you should be able to use a $$$ off coupon in addition to the BOGO coupon on the item which you are buying (paying for).  So, you'd be using 2 coupons on 2 items, just that one of them would be free.

If your store is having a buy one, get one free sale, you should be able to use 2 $$$ off coupons on the 2 items which they have scanned a UPC for...the register sees 2 items purchased, so 2 coupons can be used.

Clear as mud?

common problems you could experience while using coupons

Most coupons say "limit one per purchase." A better wording for this would be "limit one coupon per item purchased," and some companies are putting a little more descriptive wording on their coupons, but most aren't. You will eventually run across a cashier who thinks this wording actually means "limit one per transaction." Ask your cashier, "how many items am I PURCHASING?" They'll answer your quesion, and you just stand there, nod, and smile as a lightbulb goes off in their head. If you cannot get them to understand that each item is a purchase, have them ring each item as a separate transaction.

All stores locally accept internet printed coupons (IP's) as far as I know. I have occassionally run into a cashier who has said they don't accept them, but asking for a manager or even having that store's coupon policy on hand can be helpful. Some stores, such as Hy-Vee, do not accept an IP for a free item. Fareway will call over a manager to approve your IP's, but they have always taken any I've presented them with.

The store is out of stock. Get a raincheck. All stores offer them, it's the law, and many don't expire. If the item you got the raincheck for doesn't come back into stock by the time any coupons you have expire, don't worry. There's a good chance that coupon will come back again. Just hang onto that raincheck. Also, with raincheck in hand, you have time to gather more coupons (that have a longer expiration date) for items that are a definite stockup price.

Your favorite brand doesn't seem to ever go on sale. Try to get over your brand loyalties, you'll be a much more successful couponer. Cascade dishwashing detergent rarely goes on a great sale, and never has a better than 25c or 50c off coupon. If you're willing to branch out, you'll find that Finish by Electrasol puts out a $2.25 off coupon a couple times a year and they have always gone on a corresponding sale making them 25c per box or even free. I used to be brand loyal to Heinz ketchup, and it is still my favorite, but other than the recent facebook coupon, I don't think I've ever seen a Heinz coupon. I have discovered that I like Hunt's almost as well, and even though Hunt's is just cheaper in general, they put out 20c coupons each spring.

In answer to a common question...can I use 2 coupons when a coupon is for $$$/2?

If a coupon attaches to 2 items, such as $1.00 off 2 widgets,  you can only use one coupon for 2 items, but say you have a buy one get one free coupon.  That coupon should attach only to the free item and you are free to use another $$$/1 off coupon on the one you are purchasing.  CVS and Walgreen's are very good about this, and Walgreen's has even addressed this in their coupon policy, other stores may occassionally question it depending upon cashier.

My coupon says "Do Not Double," what does this mean?

Other than KMart, which I touched on in a previous post, we have no stores that double coupons, so this really doesn't mean much to you, but you may/WILL eventually come across a cashier that also doesn't understand what this means and will give you a problem with your coupons.  In certain areas of the country, the stores will double the face value of a coupon meaning that if you present them with a 50c coupon, they give you credit for $1.00 off.  Sometimes, however, cashiers think that if you've handed them two or three or four identical coupons for the same number of identical items you are trying to purchase, you are trying to double.  There is also another line on your coupons which can trip up a cashier, "limit one coupon per purchase," for the same above reason.  Some manufactuer's have actually begun using a little more descriptive wording such as "limit one coupon per item purchased" which is actually what that little line means.  If you are buying 3 identical items, you can use 3 identical coupons.  If your cashier has trouble understanding this, you have a couple of options.  Either ask them, "if I am not PURCHASING these items (beyond the first one), that means you are giving them to me?" or you could just have them rung up in separate transactions.  This is always fun when you have 10+ coupons, because they eventually get frustrated and say, "I'll do it THIS ONE TIME" and ring everything up together.   

sales cycles

I had someone ask me to post a list of sales cycles, and I think this is about the most comprehensive list I've seen.  Take a look here.

using coupons correctly

There's been a lot of outrage among the couponing community at the fraud committed by a participant on the first episode of the current season of Extreme Couponing.  Since so many of you who are following my blog are new couponers, I wanted to just be sure to address the fact that #1-photocopying internet printed coupons is not OK.  Each coupon has a unique code, and if 2 coupons show up in the clearing house with identical codes, the store will not get reimbursed for those coupons, which is essentially theft.  Please don't do it.  And #2-you may have heard some hub bub about coupon coding.  Please just be sure that when you are using a coupon that you have read the wording on the coupon and are using it on the item the coupon was intended to be used for.  While the picture is not necessarily representative of what the manufacturer is allowing the coupon to be used for (they put a picture of their expensive items, hoping you'll buy those), the wording does indicate how you should be using that coupon.  Just because it will work doesn't mean it is ethical or legal.  I don't want to go into too much detail about this whole thing because even as a seasoned couponer, I didn't really know the ins and outs of what it is I am talking about until recently, so please just read your coupons.  If you have questions, I can maybe elaborate on an individual basis.

So where else can I find coupons?

The reason I am writing this tonight is because I spent some time clipping coupons in my ALL YOU magazine today.  What is ALL YOU?  It is a magazine that is available either at Wal-Mart or online.  It tends to be pretty loaded with high value coupons, so I try to pick one up every month.  It costs $2.24 at Wal-Mart and you can find it for various prices online for a subscription. 

*The Sunday paper.
*coupons.com-can usually print 2 per computer
*smartsource.com-can usually print 2 per computer
*target.com-can usually print 2 per computer
*peelies, tearpads, and blinkies in the store
*ebay
*clipping services such as The Coupon Clippers
*trading with other couponers
* "dumpster diving" isn't real lucritive around here since most people only get the Gazette and the Register is where the best coupons are, but for a free paper...if you want to try it...I never have
The only other advice I can give is to "like" all your favorite brands on facebook, write the companies of the products you buy with complaints and compliments, and pay attention for internet printable coupons to be offered on many various sites.

Target coupon policy

Target Stores Coupon Policy

Coupons are a great way to save even more when shopping with us, and it's easy to use them at our stores.

•    Target accepts one manufacturer coupon and one Target coupon for the same item (unless prohibited)
•    Super Target coupons can be used in any Target store if the store carries the item
•    We gladly accept valid internet coupons

Because of the variety of coupons available to our guests, we do have some guidelines for how coupons can be redeemed at Target.

When accepting coupons, we use the following guidelines:

•    We accept two kinds of coupons: Target-issued coupons and manufacturer-issued.
•    We'll accept one Target coupon and one manufacturer coupon for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits it.
•    Coupon amount may be reduced if it exceeds the value of the item after other discounts or coupons are applied.
•    We can't give cash back if the face value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of the item.
•    We can't accept coupons from other retailers, or coupons for products not carried in our stores.
•    All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier while you're checking out.

I like how they say that it's easy to use coupons at Target.  While that is true 75% of the time, if you're going to have a coupon "issue," it's probably going to be a REAL headache!  While Target has this nice, tidy coupon policy, don't always expect them to follow it, even if you bring the policy with you and show it to them.  Target has said this is more of a "guideline" than a "policy" and so it is up to each store manager to enforce as they see fit.

Target is generally pretty straight forward. They have Target coupons on Target.com or sometimes in the inserts, or sometimes they mail them to you. Noone quite knows how you do or do not get on the mailing lists for these, so lucky you if you get them. You can stack a Target coupon and a MQ. The Target coupons say "limit one per transaction" so technically you can only use one each time you pay, but lots of their cashiers simply don't care. A Target ad comes in both the Gazette and the Des Moines Register. You will find that these ads are not the same, even though both stores offer the same sale prices. I always look thru both, mostly the grocery pages because that is where the differences lie. Also, always a hot coupon, Target does a $10 Target giftcard with any new or transferred prescription about once a month or so. This coupon comes in their ad. Say you have a prescription for a drug on their $4.00 drug list. They will give you the $10.00 gift card no matter how cheap your prescription was. If you pay with credit or debit, the register will probably spit out some random coupon for you. If you pay with a Target credit or debit card, you will get 5% off your purchase. Target does price match, but you have to have the ad with you and pay first, then go to customer service for the match. When they have the deals where if you buy XXX, get a $5.00 Target giftcard, you can usually buy more than one XXX in a transaction and get the appropriate number of giftcards to go with it. Their registers are programmed to prompt the cashier to give you a giftcard each time you've reached the requirement for the deal.They also give you a 5c credit for each reusable bag you use.

Target is one store I find myself "cashier profiling" at, which simply means choosing the cashier who "looks" most likely to be friendly to you and your coupons.  I first look for a young male, then any male, then a young female, never the middle aged females...might as well not even bother checking out if that's your only option.  I actually have a couple of favorite cashiers at the Blairsferry Road Target, and will go to one of their lines even if it means waiting, especially if my only option is one particular middle aged woman who is HORRID!!!

Why I don't agree with "22 ways to save as food prices increase" in today's Des Moines Register

Did you see the "Tips to save on food" column in today's Des Moines Register on page 4E?  There's some good advice such as eating at home more, planning meals, etc. but there were a few suggestions that a smart couponing shopper knows as conventional wisdom, but that just won't work for you, you smart couponer!

Plan your meals so that you buy only the food you know you'll need.  Why?  When you need that same item next week or 2 weeks later, and it isn't on sale any longer, you're going to pay full price for it.  Why not stock up on that item when it's at its rock bottom price, then the next time, or the next 5+ times you need it, you'll have it on hand, having paid the price you want to pay for it, not the price the store wants you to pay for it!

Watch ads and clip coupons.  But only buy the items you use regularly.  I can agree with the first part, and can sort of agree with the second part, but say you occassionally will eat hot dogs or occassionally will use various baking supplies.  Doesn't it make sense to buy those items, in limited quantities based on your usage, when they are at their rock bottom price?  When the store has sugar on sale for 99c and you have a 50c off 1 coupon, wouldn't you rather buy your one bag of sugar you use per year when you can get it for 49c rather then wait until it is no longer in its sales cycle and you have to pay $3.00+ for it?  Think about the shelf life that item has.  Or...can it be frozen?

It's generally less expensive and more efficient to shop at one nearby store with reasonable prices than trying to hit up three or four stores with deals.  It takes time and fuel to go to different stores.  Isn't this how Wal-Mart convinced us all to shop there exclusively when their prices aren't even that cheap?  Why pay the $3.00 that Wal-Mart wants for toothpaste when you can get it free at CVS or Walgreen's?  While it does take a little extra time to make the extra stops, the money you can save by doing this is tremendous.  I try to make stops when I'm in the area, or if that doesn't work for me, I make a logical plan to make a big circle, hitting the stores I need to stop at.  I'm sure it does cost a tiny bit more in fuel, but the savings more than make up for it!  BTW, did those of you on the S.W. side see that you have a CVS coming in where Happy Joe's and Bonanza used to be?  Consider yourself blessed, even Des Moines doesn't have a single CVS store!  CR is going to have 3!!!

Shop the perimeter of the store where the fresh meats, produce, dairy, and bakery are.  The inside aisles are home to prepared foods, which generally are more expensive.  Good advice, but not for the reason given.  The perimeter of the store is where you'll find the more natural, less processed foods which is better for your health, but the foods on the inside aisles are frequently the foods you'll find coupons for.  Tuna, canned tomatoes, oatmeal and other no sugar added cereals, seasonings...they're all in the inner aisles and are some of the healthier things that you can buy with coupons there.

Compare unit prices instead of marked prices...but don't forget to subtract your coupon first!!!

Buy the cheaper instead of name brand.  The cheaper, store versions don't have coupons.  If you're buying within the sales cycle, you're going to find the name brand with a coupon and any in store promotion is going to be cheaper than the store brand by far!

OK, off my soap box now!  LOL!

Couponing at KMart

I had someone bring up KMart doubles, so I will do a quick post about couponing at KMart this morning.

I very rarely shop at KMart because their regular prices are well above that of any other similar store.  Over the past 2 or so years, however, KMart has been occassionally doing double coupons.  When they first started doing it, they were doubling the face value of coupons up to $2.00 with a limit of 75 coupons doubled per transaction, but they have changed the rules over and over, changing the amount that they'll double and the number of coupons they will double each time they've run the promotion.  As it stands now, you must have a "shopyourway" rewards card in order to double, and they really don't advertise when they're doing it.  You may get an email from them saying your KMart is particiating, but other times you just have to kind of follow the blogs and message boards and find out from other couponers that they are doing it.  Sometimes you'll find out that KMart is doubling on such and such days, only to find out that your KMart is not one of the participating stores.  They make it all quite confusing.  So, while doubled coupons may sound exciting since it's the only doubling you'll find anywhere near here, truly...it just gives me a headache!  They have managed to make it a very complicated thing with a lot of restrictions.  What you'll usually find now is that you can only use 5 coupons PER DAY, but they change the amounts from 75c on up to $2.00.  On top of that, like I said, KMart doesn't have that good of prices, even on sale items, so a doubled coupon is rarely a better deal than you could've gotten without a doubled coupon.  On the few times that I have waded into this area of doubled coupons at KMart, I found the best deals by matching the household cleaning supplies that were in their ad with my higher value cleaning item coupons and come away with 50c-$1.00 cleaning supplies.  Sounds good?  I can usually get cleaning items free-50c at Target or Walgreen's without the extra stop at KMart and the hassle of cashiers that don't really quite understand what you are doing.

Other than that, couponing at KMart is straight forward.  Match a coupon with a sale, they don't do a whole lot of other "special" promotions.  They do have a catalina machine that will spit out coupons such as $5.00 off your next purchase of $50.00 consumable goods. 

Since I don't follow KMart too closely, I frequently miss when they are doubling, but I will try to let you know if I find out that they are doing it.

Questions?  Comments?

some common coupon abbreviations you're likely to see me use

Common Couponing Abbreviations

BOGO or B1G1 = Buy one, get one free

CRT = Cash Register Tape, a coupon that prints at the end of your receipt

ECBs = Extra Care Bucks, rewards at CVS.

IP = internet printable, meaning a coupon printed from the internet

MQ = Manufacturer Coupon

MM = Money Maker

OOP = out-of-pocket

OYNO - on your next order

PSA = prices starting at

Q = a common abbreviation for "coupon"

RR = Register Rewards, rewards (coupons) from Wal-Greens.

WYB = when you buy



Sunday coupon inserts:

RP = Red Plum

SS = Smartsource

P&G = Proctor & Gamble

GM = General Mills

Using coupons at Hy-Vee

Hy-Vee coupon policy

Hy-Vee is happy to redeem your coupons. The following rules apply when accepting vendor coupons clipped from newspapers or magazines, received by mail, or obtained legitimately from the internet:

• The coupon must be legible.
• The coupon should have a scannable bar code (UPC) and a remittable manufacturer’s address.
• Coupons must have an expiration date and must be used within the stated time frame. Expired coupons will not be accepted.
• Only one vendor coupon per item will be accepted. However, a customer may use a vendor coupon in combination with a Hy-Vee coupon on the same item.
• Coupon values that exceed the price of the item will not be accepted.
• Soft drink container caps will be accepted.

Due to increased fraud, the following two additional rules apply to internet coupons:

• Vendor coupons that involve any kind of free product will not be accepted, including “buy one, get one free” offers.
• A Store Director has authority to set monetary limitations (for example, $2.50 per coupon) for the acceptance of internet coupons at the Store Director’s store.

Using coupons at Hy-Vee is quite straight forward. The ad comes in Tuesday's paper, Wednesday's penny saver, at the store, or the best place to look is online on Tuesday morning because they have a special ad that is online only. I just look thru all their ads online at the same time. You can stack a Hy-Vee coupon and a MQ. Usually they only have coupons inside their ad or you can print them from their online ads, or if you're lucky enough to find a Hy-Vee fundraising booklet being sold, get one. I always buy 4 or so of them when someone comes around selling them. The ads that are only one day or one weekend are usually pretty good deals, probably loss leaders that they are using to try to get you into the store to buy all your needs there. You know better! Just go for the items on your list that are cheap, you can get the other stuff elsewhere cheaper or as your stockpile grows, you probably will find you don't need much else than those loss leaders each week. I have found certain Hy-Vee's are VERY coupon friendly, and certain Hy-Vee's are definately not. Their registers also print out catalina coupons based on your purchases. Sometimes it'll be something like "Save $5.00 on your next order" (OYNO) and it doesn't even attach to any specific item so it's just "free grocery money," similar to a Register Reward at Walgreen's. A couple times a year, they seem to mail out a sheet with 6 weeks of coupons with great prices, but they have a requirement like $25.00 to get this item free. This is usually the pre-coupon prices, so if they are giving you a pound of ground beef free with a $25.00 purchase, and the ground beef is $2.50 per pound, you only need $22.50 more. Be sure to take all your coupons into the store with you when shopping because they have a lot of unadvertised deals and clearance items that you may just have a coupon for.

OK, a few things to note about their coupon policy:

1-Hy-Vee will not accept an internet printed coupon (IP) for a free item, even if it is buy one, get one free.  If it is clipped from the paper, then you are OK.  However, that being said, they do not mean if you have an IP for $1.00 of an item, and they have the item priced at $1.00, making it free.  They actually do not want to see the word "FREE" on your IP's.  I hope this makes sense.

2-I am actually a little surprised to see the wording on their policy this morning that they DO NOT ACCEPT coupons that exceed the price of the item.  I guess I had made the assumption that they just adjusted the coupon (because I did kind of know about this rule), but to say they don't accept them seems a little extreme.  I was at Hy-Vee just recently buying Bestlife buttery spread which they had for 99c and I had $1.00/1 coupons.  The register didn't like them (obviously), and the cashier called over a manager that I am very familiar with.  I told him about the price discrepency and that he would probably just have to adjust them down to 99c, but he counted up my coupons and put in the whole amount as a vendor coupon, so this particular policy is obviously YMMV (your mileage or your manager may vary).

CVS is a verb! Do you CVS?

CVS is probably my favorite store to coupon at.  The cashiers know exactly what it is you are doing, some of them do it themselves, and they never make me feel like I'm doing something wrong.  I've developed a "relationship" with several of the cashiers, and they'll ask me where my kids are if I've come alone, comment on how "they haven't seen me in a while" (one cashier who I seem to always miss when I go to Mt. Vernon Road) and wonder what I've been up to, or even talk to me if we run into one another someplace else.  Couponing is so easy at CVS, once someone lays it out for you, you wonder why you didn't figure that one out yourself.  So, let me lay it out for you.

The savings program at CVS is called "The Extracare Program." Go to the register and sign up for a card, you won't save anything without it. You can also sign up on their website, but it'll take a week or 2 for the card to be mailed to you. Now obtain a copy of their weekly ad in the Gazette, in the store, or at CVS.com. You will find several items that are being offered with extra bucks (ECB), sometimes they'll even be free. As an example, widget is on sale for $3.00 with your extracare card, and you get $3.00 ECB when purchasing widget. You have a $1.00 off coupon for that widget which means they are essentially PAYING you to walk out of the store with that widget. Other times you can get gadget for $5.00, and they are offering $2.00 ECB when you buy gadget. You don't have a coupon, but you know even at your cheap stores gadget is sold for $4.00 so $3.00 after ECB is a good price. Not all ECB deals are great, be selective! Here is how these 2 scenerio's are going to look once in the store. You pick up a widget for $3.00 and a gadget for $5.00. Your total is $8.00, but you have that $1.00 coupon so now your total is $7.00 plus tax. You are going to pay this out of pocket (OOP) in real money, and it may be more money than you'd have spent if you'd have just bought these items at your cheap store...think of this as your "investment." Now the register is going to spit out ECB's worth a total of $5.00. These ECB's can be used on almost anything in the store, you could even turn around and buy something else with them right then and there, but the best way to use them is to "roll" them. Next week, CVS may offer a whatzit for $6.00 with a $4.00 ECB, and you have a $1.00 manufacturer's coupon (MQ). You pay for your purchase with your MQ and that $5.00 in ECB's they gave you last week and they'll hand you another ECB worth $4.00 which you can roll next week. You've paid nothing in real money except the tax! Pay attention to the limits, they stand by them, and the limits listed in their ad are for the entire ad week, not just per trip into the store.  They are keeping track with your card.  At the bottom of your receipt, it will list what you've bought and say "limit reached" or "total needed for next reward" and there are times the limit is more than they've said in the ad, so keep an eye on that section on your receipt.

Watch for clearance. Both CVS stores locally have an endcap way at the back of the store near the bathrooms where they put clearance, but they also are sometimes just in the aisles, marked with a yellow tag. I rarely buy anything that is not being offered with an ECB, on sale in their ad, or on clearance because CVS's regular prices are just too high.

ECB are good for 4 weeks, but they will usually let you use them even if expired. They do allow you to stack a CVS coupon and a manufacturer's coupon, watch the end of your receipt for CVS coupons, or better yet, as soon as you walk in the store, scan your card at the card scanner at the front of the store to print out whatever CVS coupons they are offering this week.

If your store is out of the ECB item you went in for, they will give you a raincheck upon request, and their rainchecks do not expire, and they include the ECB right on them.

OK, a few more things I'd like to add...there are times when I am doing multiple transactions.  I will make sure I am all organized and ready to go with my first transaction before I ever step up to the register.  This means I know which coupons I am using and I have them in my hand, my card is ready to be handed to the cashier, and even my payment method is readily accessible.  After transaction one is done, I'll excuse myself, go get transaction 2 all organized, let others go ahead of me, then step to the register with transaction 2.  It's always polite to step to the back of the line, no matter where you are, when doing multiple transactions.  That way you are not monopolizing the cashier's time and making other customers wait.  They really do appreciate it, I've had cashiers thank me for this one simple action.

And one other thing...when you get the hang of this CVS thing, after a couple months, you should not be paying more than pennies...EVER...for toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, body wash, pain relievers, make-up, candy, etc.  Toothpaste is a biggie...it cycles sooooooo frequently, soon you'll feel like you could brush the teeth of every child in every third world country with your stockpile.  You can usually get it free, but my limit is 24c.  I will never pay more than 24c for a tube of toothpaste.

Questions or comments?  Don't hesitate to ask!
 

rainchecks

I thought I'd better post another post tonight, and since I promised I would talk about rainchecks, I'll go ahead with it. 

Rainchecks are a couponer's friend!  If the store has an awesome deal, but they sell out of the item before you get your products, ask for a raincheck.  A raincheck guarantees that price for you, even after the sale is technically over, and many do not expire.  Say an item goes on sale, and you notice that just one flavor sells out.  You can get a raincheck, then go about gathering coupons via ebay, a clipping service, or trading coupons, so you can get as many of that particular deal as possible to add to your stockpile.  The only time a raincheck becomes discouraging is when the item does not come back into stock before any coupons you do have expire.  Be patient, more coupons are probably coming. 

In most instances, the law requires that a store give you a raincheck, the only exception being when the ad specifically says, "limited to quantity in stock" or other similar wording. 

Of our local stores, Hy-Vee is always ready to offer a raincheck, and it doesn't expire.  Fareway will give you a raincheck, but may limit the quantity you can get with it, and they are good for 15 days.  CVS readily offers rainchecks and they do not expire.  They even include the ECB's on their rainchecks.  Walgreen's rainchecks are useless for RR items as they won't include the RR, but are good and unexpiring on other sales.  Target doesn't give rainchecks on grocery items USUALLY, but ask...you never know.  They do expire, but I can't remember how long.  Wal-Mart will tell you they don't offer them and do not even appear to have any in the store, but their ad says they do, so they'll probably offer a substitution.  

Walgreen's coupon policy

Another store that has a "newish" coupon policy is Walgreen's.  You can find the policy and print it out here.

As a customer-focused retailer, Walgreens encourages the use of coupons by our customers in our retail stores, in accordance with the following guidelines.

Guidelines:

General 

• All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier at the time of checkout.
• Walgreens does not accept expired coupons.
• Coupons and their face value cannot be exchanged for cash or gift cards.
• Competitor coupons are not accepted at Walgreens.
• Walgreens cannot accept coupons for items not carried in our stores.
• The number of manufacturer coupons, including Register Rewards^TM manufacturer coupons, may not exceed the number of items in the transaction. The total value of the coupons may not exceed the value of the transaction. Sales tax must be paid, if required by state law.
• Any coupon offer not covered in these guidelines will be accepted at the discretion of Walgreens management.

Sale Items 

• Walgreens will accept manufacturer coupons for an item that is on sale.
• In the event that any item's selling price is less than the value of the coupon, Walgreens will only accept the coupon in exchange for the selling price of the item. Coupon redemption can never exceed the selling price of an item and no cash back is ever provided in exchange for any coupons.

Multiple Coupons 

• When purchasing a single item, Walgreens accepts one manufacturer coupon and applicable Walgreens coupon(s) for the purchase of a single item, unless prohibited by either coupon offer.
• The coupon amount must be reduced if it exceeds the value of the item after other discounts or coupons are applied. (For example, a $5.00 coupon for a $4.99 item will result in a $4.99 coupon value).
• When purchasing multiple items, Walgreens accepts multiple identical coupons for multiple qualifying items as long as there is sufficient stock to satisfy other customers, unless a limit is specified. Management reserves the right to limit the quantity of items purchased.

Buy One, Get One Free Coupons 

• When items are featured in a Buy One, Get One Free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the items being purchased.
• Sales tax must be paid for any Buy One, Get One Free coupon offers, if required by applicable state laws.

Internet/Print at Home Coupons 

• Walgreens accepts valid internet/print at home coupons.

Register Rewards^TM coupons 

Earning Register Rewards^TM

• Register Rewards^TM will only print for in-stock merchandise during the promotional period.
• Register Rewards^TM can only be earned for eligible items. No substitutions.
• There is a limit of one Register Rewards^TM (RR) printed per offer per customer per transaction.
• Customers redeeming a Register Rewards^TM against the same offer may not receive another RR.

Redeeming Register Rewards^TM

• Customers redeeming a Register Rewards^TM against the same offer may not receive another RR.
• Refer to Register Rewards^TM coupon for expiration date.
• The RR coupon value cannot exceed the total purchase amount. No cash back and no cash value for RR coupon.
• The number of manufacturer coupons, including RR manufacturer coupons, must not exceed the number of items in the transaction.
• Register Rewards^TM must be forfeited if the qualifying merchandise is returned.
• Register Rewards^TM cannot be used toward the purchase of gift cards and pre-paid cards.
• Register Rewards^TM can be redeemed for eligible items only. Ineligible items include but are not limited to:
• Prescriptions
• Tobacco products
• Alcoholic beverages
• Dairy products
• Lottery tickets
• Money orders/transfers
• Transportation passes
• Special event/entertainment tickets or passes
• Postage stamps
• Gift cards/phone cards/prepaid/Green Dot^TM cards
• Prescription Savings Club" memberships
• Health care services, including immunizations
• Any items prohibited by law

I am going to post a piece I wrote for a recent coupon "class" I taught, and will then try to break down any portions of this policy that may still be confusing to a new couponer.

WAG has a program called Register Rewards (RR). You can obtain their ad in the Des Moines Register, the Gazette, in the store, or at Walgreens.com. Look for items that say they are offering RR in the weekly ad. Sometimes these aren't real obvious, other times the deals are glaring at you, so look carefully. The RR program works like this: buy a widget for $X.00, they will give you back a RR worth $X.00. All RR round up to the next dollar amount, so if the ad says, buy widget for $4.99, get a RR worth $4.99, you will get a $5.00 RR. Let me give you another example of how the program works. Buy a widget for $5.00, get a RR worth $3.00. You have a $1.00 manufacturer's coupon (MQ), so here is how this will look in the store. Buy widget for $5.00 minus $1.00 MQ. Your out of pocket (OOP) is $4.00 plus tax, then they will give you a RR worth $3.00. A RR is a MQ, not a store coupon, and it expires in 2 weeks. This is important to know because WAG has a rule about coupon counts. You cannot have more MQ than the number of items you are buying, so if you plan on using a coupon cut from the paper and that RR they gave you last time, you have to have 2 items you will be purchasing. This can be as simple as a box of Jello or a seasonal pencil. WAG coupons do not count in your coupon count, though, just MQ. They always limit you to one of the same offer per transaction, but you could do 30 transactions within a week because they don't have a card tracking you. You could buy a widget, a gadget, and a whatzit all in one transaction and get their RR deal for each of those items, but if you did the widget deal 2 times in a single transaction, you would only get a RR for one of those deals, so break them down! Another thing that can be a bit confusing about WAG is that say you earned a RR for the widget you bought, and widget is manufactured by Proctor and Gamble. Next week they have RR deals on gadget and whatzit. Gadget is manufactured by P & G also, but Whatzit is manufactured by Unilever. If you use the RR earned from the widget to buy the gadget, it won't print a new RR, but if you use it to buy the whatzit, it will. You have to be careful of the manufacturer of the item you're buying and "flop" back and forth between manufacturer's to always be sure to get your next RR. WAG also has great grocery deals sometimes! In general, however, WAG is overpriced and I don't go there "just to shop." WAG also has some nice clearance sales. You are allowed to stack WAG coupons and a MQ. You can find WAG coupons in the ad, in a little booklet near the front of the store in the ad rack, or sometimes in magazines, calendars, and booklets located throughout the store. Rainchecks on RR items are pretty useless, so go early in the week if possible. They will include only the sale price on a raincheck and not the RR price.

OK, 1st point I need to make.  Walgreen's adjusts any coupon down to the sale price of the item OR adjusts the selling price of the item up to the value of the coupon if the value of the coupon exceeds the selling price.  They do not allow overage, and you must pay all taxes, the coupon cannot cover any portion of the taxes.  The only "loophole" in this rule is that if the item's regular price is above that of the coupon value, and WAG has put out a store coupon that makes the selling price under that of the coupon, if you give the MQ FIRST then the store coupon, it will take off the whole value because the register sees the higher price.  Let me give you an example.  Widget sells for $1.99, regular price, but a WAG store coupon has come out in the paper for the item to be on sale for 89c.  You have a $1.00 MQ.  You will need extra items in your order to absorb this overage, but they ring thru widget, and the register says it costs $1.99.  You give MQ which takes off $1.00.  Then you give store Q which takes off the $1.10 which is really just a WAG sale promotion.  You now have overage at WAG.

Next important point.  If the WAG ad has an item on sale buy one, get one free, the register sees this as you purchasing 2 items even though you are only paying for one item, so you may use 2 MQ's in that transaction AS LONG AS THE VALUE OF THE 2 COUPONS DOESN'T EXCEED THE SELLING PRICE.  For example, gadget is buy one at $2.99, get one free.  You have 2 75c off MQ's.  You may use both, and the register will remove an additional $1.50 from the $2.99 sale price of the 2 items.  Also, if you are purchasing gadget during this buy one, get one free sale, and you have a buy one, get one free MQ, both items will be free.  Why?  Because WAG is having a promotion giving you one item for free, and the manufacturer is offering you a coupon to get the other for free.  They "pay" for each other.  Both free.  This can sometimes be a little hard for a new couponer to wrap their mind around, heck sometimes I have to think this thru to get to the "why," but it is how it works at WAG, and they have reasonably plainly laid it out in the wording of their policy.

The only other thing I need to point out is the list of excluded items to use a RR on.  Even I have forgotten recently.  I was trying to use up an expiring RR when WAG didn't have anything much to roll it over onto, but they did have eggs on sale.  I happily took my eggs to the counter only to be turned down by the cashier...thankfully he caught it.  Duh...can't use RR on dairy items.  It is easy to forget, so just kind of familiarize yourself with this list of exclusions, but don't beat yourself up if you make an accidental mistake...we all do it sometimes!

Now that I have all these coupons, how do I save and organize them?

When you get the Sunday coupon inserts, you need to save those coupons, waiting for the corresponding item to go on sale, not just clip a coupon or two that are for items you need this week or using a coupon for an item just because you have a coupon. There are various ways to save and organize your coupons.

Some couponers leave their entire insert intact and file it by date along with a list of what coupons are inside that insert. While this method saves a lot of time up front, since you won't be clipping and filing all those coupons,  the drawback to this method is that while you are in the store, you may find a great price on an item for which you haven't clipped the coupon that you just know you have to go with it, and that coupon is filed in its intact insert...at home.  I tried this method for a short while with just my P & G inserts (since those don't change a whole lot from one month to the next, you just kind of get used to what is in there), but even with just that one insert, I found myself missing a lot of sales.  I now clip ALL my coupons!

When I first began couponing, I organized mine by category in an accordian file, but that quickly became unmanagable. It was difficult to purge out the expired coupons and it was difficult to find the coupon I needed quickly.  I suppose the main problem was that I was saving all my coupons, in multiples, trying to sort them by expiration date inside their categories, it was truly overwhelming, and my poor accordian files (I had 2) looked like they were 13 months pregnant!  This method would probably suit the casual couponer just fine, but doesn't work well for the "super couponer."

I moved onto the binder system which requires me to cut all my coupons and file them in baseball card inserts or photo pages inside a zippered binder, separated by clearly labeled dividers. This is very convenient for me because I can see the fronts of each coupon so I know what it is for and when it expires. Although this may seem like overkill in the beginning, if you were to really get into this whole coupon thing, you may want to just start out with a binder.  There are a couple different binder methods that people use.  Some sort by expiration date, others sort by category.  The problem, to me, about sorting by expiration date is that you may know you have a coupon for a product, but aren't sure when it expires.  You may find yourself in the store, fumbling through each date tab until you find the coupon which you are wanting to use.  I sort mine by category.  I will share my categories with you in a moment, but the important thing is that your categories make sense to you.  You don't have to do exactly like I do.  You may choose to have a frozen foods and a dry goods category which encompass all of those types of products where my categories are entrees (which can include frozen and non-frozen main dish type things).

I have 2 2" 3 ring binders.  One is food, one is non-food.  My categories inside my food binder are:

Hy-Vee store coupons-usually from the fundraising booklets
Target food coupons-either printed, from inserts, or home mailers
cereal and breakfast items
fruits and vegetables-this can include fresh items, canned items, frozen items
side dishes-rice, pasta, noodles, etc
entrees-frozen entrees, boxed meals, pizza, even my peanut butter goes here for some reason
soups
sauces and dressings
dairy-yogurt, milk, butter, eggs
meats and cheeses-lunch meats, fresh meats, all kinds of cheeses, frozen meats, tuna, hot dogs
bread-frozen, crescent roll type products, shelf bread
baking-sugar, nuts, yeast, syrup, cake mixes, frostings, oils, and for some reason, Jello
desserts and ice cream-already prepared dessert items
snacks-crackers, granola bars, cookies, popcorn, pretzels, fruit snacks, chips
gum and candy
beverages-coffee, tea, hot cocoa, items related to beverages such as Coffeemate

My categories inside my non-food binder:

Hy-Vee store coupons for non-food products
Target non-food coupons
dishwashing items
disposables and paper goods-trash bags, paper towels, Ziploc baggies, paper plates, toilet paper, kleenex
laundry items
home fragrance sprays
home fragrance plug ins
home fragrance candles, etc.
cleaning items
baby-diapers, wipes
cigarettes-because my husband is a smoker
batteries
misc. non-food-pet food, magazines, socks, salt pellets, anything that doesn't fit anywhere else
medicines
vitamins and supplements
first aid
feminine hygiene and lubricants-because we get an aweful lot of K-Y coupons it seems
soap and body wash
haircare items
hair color
make-up
skincare-lotions, cleansers
shaving needs
deoderants
oral care

As you can see, I am pretty specific with my categories, but you may wish to consolidate some of them or change them completely, just so it makes sense to you.

There are other methods which I have heard of people using, but these are the most common.

about the Sunday newspaper

Now that I've posted a coupon preview, I should probably make a few comments about the newspapers available in Iowa.  Obviously, I am in the Cedar Rapids area, so my local newspaper is The Gazette.  Every Sunday, I buy one copy of The Gazette so that I can get all the local ads, and obviously one set of coupons.  That being said, I always get multiple copies of The Des Moines Register because there are more and better coupons available in it usually.  Some Sunday, buy a copy of each and sit down and compare them, you will be shocked at the difference between the 2 (Maybe not this particular Sunday, though since the P & G is always exactly the same with the exception of that The Gazette won't have Covergirl coupons in it).  The coupon previews I post are going to align much more closely with The Register than they will with the Gazette.

Where do I get my Des Moines Registers?  I have found them at Hy-Vee, Casey's, and Kum and Go here in town.  Every Kum and Go in the state of Iowa, does the following "deal" and I try to get as many free this way as possible:  When you put at least $15.00 worth of gas in your car, you get a free Des Moines Register.  Take 2 cars and pump in separate transactions, you'll get 2 free papers.  I know the Kum and Go in Marion has gotten pretty picky about going back and forth doing $15.00 transactions, so we usually just do one paper per car per day anymore. 

Why do I want multiple copies of the paper?  I've previously mentioned that the key to couponing is really stockpiling.  When an item goes on sale at a rock bottom price, you want to have enough of that item to get you through until the next time it hits its rock bottom price.  For this reason, you will want extra copies of that coupon.  On a Sunday where the coupons just don't thrill me at all, I may buy 2-4 copies.  On a good Sunday, I'll buy 4-8 copies.  On an exceptional Sunday (usually January coupons), I'll buy up to 12 copies of the paper.  Sometimes the coupons will be just so-so, but there are just one or 2 coupons that are really exciting.  On those weeks, I'll buy a smaller number of papers, but head over to ebay to obtain extra copies of that one or 2 coupons that I really want a lot of.  Depending how "HOT" those coupons are, you can typically get around 20 copies of those coupons, already clipped, for around the cost of one or 2 whole newspapers.

Now that I've said all that, I would not recommend that a person brand new to couponing run out on Sunday and buy 8 copies of the newspaper.  Early on, I'd keep it at 2-4 so you are not getting completely overwhelmed.  Build up to more newspapers as you get the hang of using coupons. 

When you are in the store getting your newspapers, take a peek inside to make sure the coupon inserts you are expecting are in there.  If you pay $2.00 for a newspaper that hasn't got any coupons in it, you've just wasted $2.00. 

And just one last note, there typically aren't coupon inserts in the Sunday paper if a major holiday falls during the week. If it is the first Sunday of the month, there may be a Proctor and Gamble insert.

Coupon shopping at Wal-Mart (how do I do that?)

Since I posted my Wal-Mart trip yesterday, I thought I'd start there. 

Wal-Mart has changed their coupon policy a couple of times in the past month, but this is the newest one:

Walmart Coupon Policy

We gladly accept the following types of coupons*

• Print-at-home internet coupons
  • Must be legible
  • Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
  • Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
  • Must have a valid expiration date
  • Must have a scannable bar code
  • Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons with a specified price
  • Are acceptable in black and white or color
  • May not be duplicated
• Manufacturers' coupons
  • For dollar/cents off
  • For free items (except those printed off the Internet)
  • Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons
  • Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
  • Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
  • Must have a valid expiration date
  • Must have a scannable bar code
  • May not be duplicated
• Competitors' coupons
  
  • A specific item for a specified price, for example, $2.99
  • Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price
  • Have a valid expiration date
  • Are acceptable in black and white
• Soft drink container caps
• Checkout coupons ("Catalinas")
  • Printed at our competitors' registers for dollar/cents off on a specific item
  • Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" with specific item requirements printed on them
  • Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
  • Must have a valid expiration date
  • Must have a scannable bar code
  • Are acceptable in black and white
  • May not be duplicated

We DO NOT accept the following coupons:

• Checkout coupons
  • Dollars/cents off the entire basket purchase
  • Percentage off the entire basket purchase
• Print-at-home Internet coupons that require no purchase
• Competitors' coupons
  • Dollars/cents off at a specific retailer
  • Percentage off
  • Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons without a specified price
  • Double- or triple-value coupons

*The following are guidelines and limitations:

• We only accepts coupons for merchandise that we sell.
• Coupons must be presented at the time of purchase.
• Only one coupon per item.
• Item purchased must be identical to the coupon (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc).
• There is no limit on the number of coupons per transaction.
• Coupons must have an expiration date and be redeemed prior to expiration.
• If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase.
• WIC or SNAP items purchased in a WIC or SNAP transaction are ineligible for cash back or application to the basket purchase.
• Great Value, Marketside, Equate, Parents Choice, and World Table coupons have no cash value and are ineligible for cash back or application to the basket purchase.
• The system will prompt for supervisor verification for:
  • 40 coupons per transaction.
  • A coupon of $20 or greater on one item
  • $50 or more in coupons in one transaction

Download our Coupon Policy

It never hurts to print this out and take it with you should you ever have an "issue" with a cashier not wanting to accept your coupons when you know you are doing things correctly...and this does happen.

Wal-Mart has us American's duped into thinking they are the cheapest store around, they definitely are not!  As a matter of fact, an study was recently conducted that showed Target was beating them on the items people cared most about.  You can read that article here:

http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/562/low-low-prices-target-beats-wal-mart

Since I have been couponing for about 4 and a half years now and have a nice stockpile, I find that I rarely have a need to go to Wal-Mart, and it seems that when I do go, it's just to use up some coupons which will be giving overage, which I will explain momentarily.  The thing about Wal-Mart is that their price is just their price.  They don't offer store coupons and they usually don't put out a sales ad.  They do price match other stores' ads which is nice when the other store is out of the item, but if you'd have gone to the original store, there's a possibility that you'd have gotten a catalina coupon for your purchase, and you won't get anything back at Wal-Mart.  They also accept competitor coupons as noted in their coupon policy above, but it can't be a dollars or cents off type coupon, it must state a specific price on it.

OK, back to overage.  What that means is that you have a coupon which has a face value over the price the store is charging for an item, and this does happen quite a lot.  Some stores will adjust the face value of the coupon to make it the price they are charging for the item, but Wal-Mart will redeem that coupon for the whole face value.  The reason for this is that the stores are reimbursed for the whole value of the coupon regardless of what they "write" on it, so Wal-Mart is giving you that extra money instead of pocketing it themselves like other stores tend to do.  Their coupon policy states that you can either have that money back in cash (a negative balance) or you can apply that money to the remainder of your purchases.  I prefer to do the latter, I just pick up enough items to absorb that overage.  I like to buy things that rarely have coupons such as produce or pop or even clothing needs.  The reason I prefer not to get cash back is because I fear Wal-Mart may "take notice" of people making money and remove that whole portion about overage in their policy. 

Occassionally, Wal-Mart does put out a sales ad.  On those occassions, if you go in to get an item from the ad and they happen to be out of it, ask for a raincheck.  (I will be talking about rainchecks more in the future.)  They will most likely tell you they don't give rainchecks, but they do.  Just grab that sales ad, flip it over to the back page, and show them the fine print way down at the bottom.  They will probably act dumbfounded, call a manager over who will also act dumbfounded, and end up offering you a substitution.  I am thinking of the Heinz ketchup last spring.  They had the 40 oz. bottles for $1.00, but when they sold out, they went back and got me 2 24 oz. bottles for each 40 oz. bottle that I wanted to buy.  It ended up being more ketchup for me at the same price as I'd have been paying had they had the item in stock.

Well, there's Wal-Mart in a nutshell.  Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions!

Getting started

I'm going to be blogging about a game called couponing. Couponing is a sport that has recently gained a lot of popularity and media coverage, but most people don't understand how the game works. There is a learning curve to this game that may escape the casual coupon user, and I would like to help you to begin playing this exciting game.

To start off with, think about the stores in the area. What stores do you shop at because you save money there? What stores do you consider to be overpriced and rarely shop there? Now turn that list upside down. Those stores that you consider too expensive may just give you the greatest deals and offer the best loss leaders and deeply discounted sales and those "cheaper" stores may just become too expensive for you once you get the hang of this coupon thing.

If you are anything like the average American, you probably make a grocery list each week, buy the items on your list, then do it all again next week, buying many of the same things week after week, paying the price the store is charging should the item not happen to be on sale. You may have tried this couponing thing before, clipped a few coupons from the Sunday paper, took those coupons to the store, only to realize the store brand was cheaper than the item your coupon is for, even after the coupon was applied. This game will probably take a little extra time and work than what you are doing now, but the money you can save will reward you for your efforts.

The objective to this game is to match the coupons you have to the sales and promotions the store is offering to get you to come in, hoping you'll buy all your needs while you're there. There are various types of promotions that stores use, and I will be talking in detail about several of our local stores as I get going with this. Some things you need to keep in mind is that there are no grocery or drug stores in our area that double, so it will be difficult to obtain some of the deals you may hear others talk about on TV or online. We can still get great deals on groceries, health and beauty, and household needs by stacking store and manufacturer's coupons and utilizing the other promotions the stores use. You will probably find yourself in multiple stores each week because each store is going to try to lure you in with different bait. Use this to your advantage.

The most important factor to saving a lot of money is to stockpile. You want to buy the items you use when they are at their lowest price, and you want to have enough of that item to make it until the next time that item hits it's lowest price, provided you have the storage space available. Your stockpile can be as big or as small as you are comfortable with. By stockpiling when the things you use are at their rock bottom price, you will be paying the price you want to pay for the items you use, not the price the store wants you to pay when you need that item. A lot of this depends on the sales cycles. Things like ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, and hot dogs begin hitting their lowest prices in late spring up until about the fourth of July, cereal and snack foods go on sale with back to school sales, baking supplies of every kind go on sale in November and December, potato chips, crackers, and pop go on sale between New Year's Eve and the Superbowl. You will be able to spot these sales cycles fairly easily because the coupons you have in your possession and the sales ads will reflect where the cycle is currently at. Some items cycle as frequently as every 3-4 months. The best way to have enough coupons available to you when that great sale hits is to obtain multiple copies of the coupon inserts. I will be explaining a few ways to do this inexpensively soon.

When the manufacturer puts out a coupon, there's a very good chance that sometime before that coupon expires, there will be a good sale on that item. When you get the Sunday coupon inserts, you need to save those coupons, waiting for the corresponding item to go on sale, not just clip a coupon or two that are for items you need this week or using a coupon for an item just because you have a coupon. I will eventually talk to you about saving and organizing your coupons effectively. 

If you find in the beginning you aren't really saving any money, don't worry. When I first started couponing, I didn't really save any money, but I had a lot more stuff for the money I was spending. This is partly because you will still be buying your weekly needs as you are building your stockpile. Eventually, as your stockpile grows, you will find yourself in the stores a lot less, buying mostly fresh foods and loss leaders, and spending a whole lot less money.


As you begin to play this coupon game, you'll need to change the way you think about grocery shopping. Yes, you'll be making more trips to several stores throughout the week, spending time clipping and organizing your coupons and making lists, but you should be HAVING FUN DOING IT. Think of couponing as a sport, a sport that will save your family a lot of money.

Learn to coupon in Cedar Rapids, IA and surrounding areas!

You may have recently seen a show on TLC called "Extreme Couponing," and you may be wondering how those shoppers were able to get so many groceries, health and beauty items, and household needs for so cheap.  Couponing isn't quite as easy as they may have made it look, especially in Iowa where the stores do not double coupons, but there is a lot of money to be saved.  Follow me, and I will help you how to play this game called couponing!