#1 Help the Cashier--
Organization :)
Before heading to the register go off to the side(on an aisle or an unused register), take your coupons out, and organize them. WHY? because cashiers can't remember everything; they scan hundreds of items a minute!
Let Them Know :)
They are not elephants, so let your cashier know you have coupons before you start. If they ask for them in advance, hand them over. DO NOT hoard them! This creates good cashier karma because the cashier doesn't feel like you withheld something from them to do their job properly. If they still have a bad attitude, you know now to go to someone else!
Every Cashier is Different :)
I've noticed about three different types of cashiers:
Pissie Missy- It doesn't matter if you have the correct Qs or not, they get pissed off with them. They'll do it, but they hate it with a passion and won't let you leave before you know that. Some pissies will also try to find every reason in the book to not scan something.
Lazy Lori- As long as it's in their hands they will scan it, regardless of the store coupon policy. Quite frankly, they don't care! Couponing with this cashier is easy, but also I've noticed more mistakes happen too: missed coupons, a Q scanned more then it should. Sure saving more money is great, but it hurts all couponers in the long run!
Policy Polly- They want to read everything! They're not trying to be mean, or think you're stealing; they just want to make sure they're doing their jobs right. Just give them a minute and it'll probably be a really fast transaction. If you made a mistake, they'll let you know. Don't take it badly, mistakes happen and that's how we learn. If you are right, talk and figure it out together!
Every store is a little different and perceives their corporate coupon policy uniquely. They take liberties and allow certain rules to bend, but Don’t think that JUST because ONE STORE did it, they all will. The only thing we do know is the Corporate Coupon Policy IS Law! They can bend the rules to allow double coupons, or expired coupons, but they can NOT say, “You can’t use coupons that result in money back,” When the Policy clearly states “WE GIVE OVERAGE!”
#2 Know Your Store
Know your store and their Coupon policies!
Every store is a little different and perceives their corporate coupon policy uniquely. They take liberties and allow certain rules to bend, but Don’t think that JUST because ONE STORE did it, they all will. The only thing we do know is the Corporate Coupon Policy IS Law! They can bend the rules to allow double coupons, or expired coupons, but they can NOT say, “You can’t use coupons that result in money back,” When the Policy clearly states “WE GIVE OVERAGE!”
Know the Corporate policy and you should have no problems… although, sometimes you just need patience…
Below is a list of Coupon and Price Match Policies::
**Some times it's best to Print these policies to have as reference when a cashier or manager is being difficult.
#3 Buy Your Papers in Even Amounts!
WHY Buy in twos, four, and six?
The answer is simple; most stores allow you to use one coupon per item. This rule does not disappear during a BOGOfree promotion. Therefore you can use one coupon on the one you are buying and one coupon on the one you are getting for free, this doubles your savings!!
Example:: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter(ICBINB) is on sale for BOGOfree @ $3.89, I have two coupons of $1.25 off one ICBINB. NOW I’m only paying $1.39 for two little tubs of butter! (or less if you have store coupons to use as well!!)
#4 Know Your Online Coupon Websites!
I have a list of all my best site on my Favorites bar, along with a few others::
(6/3/12)
#5
Stockpiling Basics
Stockpiling
is for hoarders! I’m NOT Doing it! Why should I?!
Well, with
that mentality, please don’t! But if you want to save more money then listen
up!
I believe
more than 65% of all Sales are seasonal. The best time to buy school supplies
is between 4th of July to mid/late-Sept. Condiments, like Ketchup,
mustard,
BBQ sauce, and etc is right NOW! Cleaning supplies is in March and April.
Flour, sugar, and other baking needs is in Nov. and Dec. I got unbelievable
prices on toilet paper and paper towel on Black Friday! (yes that’s what I got
on Black Friday, LOL). So If they’re Seasonal, should we not stock up on it
while we can at the lowest price possible?!
Yes! That is what Stockpiling means!
Think about it like this…
You know you go through two boxes of cereal per week,
so you buy one box on your Sunday trip and one box on your Wednesday trip. When
it is on sale (which is about once every six weeks), you buy four boxes on
Sunday and just skip that item on Wednesday. Wasn’t it nice to not have to buy
cereal on Wednesday?! But come a week and a half later you’re paying full price
for it again! :( LET TRY THIS::
Instead of only buying four when it’s on sale, try buying 12. Now you can take
Cereal off your list for six whole weeks!! And when it’s time to buy it again…
ITS ON SALE AGAIN!! :)
Stock up again, so you only have to pay sale prices in the future!
You can do this with a lot of different items and
slowly but surely your grocery list will shrink in size to things you can only
buy fresh (like produce) and some things you need to stock up on. At First your
grocery bill may seem to rise when you start stockpiling, but that is because
while you are buying sale/coupon items in bulk, you are still buying all your
regular items. Your regular items will slowly be knocked off your list as you
stockpile them during their own coupon/sale time. Once that happens your bill
will drop a lot!
I got excited when I started couponing…
When I first started, this time last year, I bought
everything that was on sale and I had a coupon for. As a young person still
living at home, it normally wasn’t MY job to buy things like shampoo,
conditioner, bodywash, and deodorant. My mom did :P lol. Then I started
couponing and when my mom kept forgetting the Qs, or told me it was still too
expensive even with coupons; I bought it. I spent about $20 + my average $30
for my regular things to buy about 15 things of hair and body care items. I was
at my budget limit for the week and I just could not understand what I did
wrong. I was spending more, not less! But next week came and I realized I have
enough soaps and etc for at least 3 months!! My next item was something I
bought regularly, pasta, then it was sauces, chicken, frozen veggies… Today I
buy my stockpile items each week, unless there is something special I want… for
a single person, I usually spend about $15 to $25 dollars a week… This week’s
hail includes 28 soup, 2 body wash, 2 sauce packets, 4 tooth pastes, 2 B&J
ice-cream = $23.13… saved $88
Remember if it’s free or a MM after coupon and sale GET
it! Those $5 off $30, or $10 off $100 Qs are BEFORE Coupons!! Even if you don’t
use it! Someone else could, so DONATE IT!!
