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?