Now that you are starting to collect coupons, then next thing you need to do is to learn each stores coupon policies. You can find these either on the company's websites or just go to the store and ask for a copy of their coupon policy. Through trial and error, you will find little loop holes to use to your advantage. My coupon mom friends and I like to call each other and dish about what loop holes we have found. Through my experience, I have found that Wallymart has one of the worst coupon policies out there. They do not double or triple any coupons, they will not accept any online coupons, and if a coupon does not scan, they will not override the system and give you your savings. Don't bother complaining to customer service about this, because they are just rude and will refuse to help you even if you are right. Then there is the price matching that Wallymart says they do. I have tried over and over again to do the price matching thing, but each time they just find a way not to give it to me. After enough failed attempts, I have decided to take my business elsewhere.
The stores I mainly shop at are Kroger, Albertsons, and Tom Thumb. These are the stores closest to my house and the ones that send me flyers in my Wednesday mail. I will talk some about the coupon policies of each store.
Let's start with Kroger. For the most part, I like Kroger. They have electronic coupons and for the most part have something on sale that I can get really really cheap or free. I tend to get more free toothpaste or deodorant at Kroger. I also like it when their milk goes on clearance, because you can get some milk that still has 7 more days until it expires for cheap. And just to let you know, milk will stay good for 7 days once open. My family will go through 4-5 gallons of milk a week, so there is never a problem of milk going bad at my house. Kroger last year changed their coupon policy. Their "official" policy is that they double or triple the first coupon and any like coupons afterwards will be accepted at face value. Along with that you can only use 3 like coupons in one transaction. Now I have discovered for myself and from other people, that there are other Kroger in the area that has not updated their systems, so they will still double or triple all my like coupons. Now electronic coupons can be used on an item that you have already used a regular coupon on. So for example, if you have a coupon for 50 cents off a box of Cheerios on your Kroger Card, you can also use a regular 50 cents off a box of Cheerios on top of that coupon. So with our example, that is a $1.50 off a box of Cheerios since the store will double the regular coupon and accept the electronic coupon on top of that. You do need to know that electronic coupons will not get double or tripled at any store, and sometimes the electronic coupons for some weird reason will not be applied to your bill. When this happens, you can let the people at Cellfire or Shortcuts know and they will reimburse you. Something new at Kroger is that they no longer pay you to take stuff off their hands. This happens when something is on sale and you have a coupon that is more than the sale value of the item. The store will not credit the remainder to your bill, instead they will just give you the credit for the sale price. For example, Lady's Speed Stick is on sale at Kroger this week for 88 cents. I have a 50 cents off of 1 coupon. So when I go to get my Speed Stick, the computer will still double my coupon but instead of giving me the full dollar off, they will only give me the 88 cents off. Enough to make that item free. I remember I used to get tons of sour cream at Kroger and my defense to Rob was, "But Rob, they paid me 5 cents to take this off their hands!" He couldn't argue with that even if he really hated sour cream. Kroger also loves to give me coupons every 3 months for things I have bought during the prior 3 months. Kroger keeps track of the items you buy and how much you buy them with your Kroger plus card. Every 3 months you will receive Kroger coupons in the mail for some items and all the time they throw in a coupon for something for FREE!!!! I find that around November I always get a coupon for a free turkey. I usually either get free cereal or free lunch meat. Now those coupons, do not double or triple. So I guess Kroger is right when they say, "It pays to shop at Kroger."
My favorite store in regards to their coupon policy has to be Albertsons. They will double and triple coupons up to 3 like coupons. Another thing Albertsons has is every so often they have Albertsons coupons in their mail flyer. Now with these, you can use regular manufacturing coupons on top of Albertson's coupon. For example, Albertsons loves to send out coupons for Yoplait Yogurts. If I got an Albertsons coupon for yogurt at the price of 20cents each limit 20, then I can get 20 yogurts for 20 cents each, but I can also use 3 Yoplait 45 cents off of 6 yogurts manufacturing coupons. That equals to $1.30 for all 20 yogurts, or just a little over 6 cents each. Now if you did not see where I got that number, then I will break it down for you. First your Albertsons coupon makes the sale price on those 20 yogurts 20 cents each. We decided to get 20 yogurts and find that we have 3,45 cents off of 6 coupons. At Albertson they will double all three of those coupons. So first I find the price of all 20 yogurts which is 20x.20=$4. Then I figure out how much to subtract from the $4 dollars by doubling all three coupons and adding them together. So it will be .45+.45=.90. .90x3=$2.70. Subtract the final coupon discount from the four dollars. $4.00-$2.70=$1.30 for all 20! Another thing that Albertsons does that the other 2 groceries stores do not do, is that they will give you a 5 cent discount on each renewable shopping bag you use. Sometimes I use 8 bags there and at 5 cents each, that equals 40 cents. That can be enough to pay my sales tax.
The last store I shop at is Tom Thumb. Tom Thumb in my book has really stepped up and started to compete with the other stores. When I first started to shop there, their coupon policy was worse than Wallymart! Now their coupon policy is more of a cross between Kroger and Albertsons. Like Kroger, Tom Thumb does use electronic coupons that you can use on top of regular coupons. They also only double or triple the first coupon and take the other 2 at face value. Now some people have had problems with Tom Thumb not taking a coupon if it does not scan in their system. I have not had this problem, mainly because the lady who checks me out every time I go there, knows me and likes me so she ends up just overriding the system to give me my 40 cents. Try getting someone at Wallymart to do that for you! Now where Tom Thumb is like Albertsons, is that every weekly flyer, they have Tom Thumb coupons that you use manufacturing coupons on top of. Just like the Yoplait Yogurt example I used above. Tom Thumb almost always has some form of dairy product on clearance. Like Kroger, you tend to have 7 days until the expiration date. There are times I have gotten Organic Borden milk for cheaper than the regular Tom Thumb brand milk. Mainly because once the milk is put on clearance, it is always 50%off regular price and I have $1 off of one gallon Borden milk coupons.
Something that I will like to address separately is each store's policy about printable online coupons. Kroger and Albertsons will take any online coupon, as long as it scans. If it doesn't scan, then odds are they will not accept it. Tom Thumb used to not accept any online coupons at all, but has recently decided to accept online coupons that you can get only on the Tom Thumb website. Most of those coupons are from Coupons.com. I do know that Wallymart no longer accepts online coupons at all. The reason why grocery stores do not take online coupons or if they do they are very hesitant to, is because there is a lot of fraud that goes on with the coupons you can get online. So that said, try not to put the majority of your saving techniques into online coupons. It just might not be worth the hassle. I know I have tried to steer mostly away from print online coupons.
Now I know there are other stores out there that I have not mentioned. Probably because they are not around in my area so I have no way to shop there. So if there is a store you like and I have not mentioned, please feel free to comment on their coupon policy for the other readers who may want to know. There is a Super Target here and I hear from many people that they have an excellent coupon policy. I don't shop for groceries at Super Target because I love that store so much I would end up blowing my budget on clothes and other things in addition to buying groceries. I know my weaknesses and I try to stay away from them. If there are other things that I have failed to mentioned then please comment.
Knowledge is power, and the more you know, the more you can save. Get to know your favorite stores coupon policy because I guarantee there will be a time when something does not scan right and you want that mistake fixed. If you know their policy then you can fight successfully for your money back . Albertsons is pretty good about admitting mistakes and if one is made you can get that product for free. Kroger and Tom Thumb on the other hand, you will have to fight a little more to prove that they made a mistake. Next post I will take you through the weekly deals and how I make my lists.
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