This week in the Call of Coupon’s we’ve talked about gathering coupons and how to find out where the deals are. So, what about actually USING the coupons. That is the most important part! To begin here are my top 5 places to get the most out of my Q’s.
1. CVS- If you don’t already know my feelings about CVS check out one of my very first blogs, The Messy Mom: Money Saving Mom.
2. Target- Target has store coupon’s that you can stack with manufacturer’s coupon, they allow overage, AND they also have certain deals were you can earn cash back in the form of a gift card. I like Target anyway so there you have it.
3. Walgreen’s- They have a system very similar to CVS only instead of Extra Buck’s you earn Register Rewards.
4. H.E.B.- This is my local grocer and although they may not score highest on having the best sales, they have won my heart through convenience, consistency, and great selection of organic products.
5. Wal-mart- Why the bottom of the list? Well, Wallie World has been known to treat some of us coupon user like criminals and I don’t appreciate it. Some Wal-Mart’s won’t even accept printable coupons. One time they wouldn’t let me use a coupon on a 4 lb bag of cat food because they said it was considered trial size !?? Yet in the end they do tend to dominate in low price and I manage to find myself sucked back into this giant cyclone of commercialism.
Kroger’s and many other stores double and triple coupons, I didn’t list any of them because they are not in my area, but it is definitely something to look into.
Once you have decided where you are going with your coupons you need a strategy. Decide ahead of time which coupons your using, how you are going to spend them, and how much you intend to pay out of pocket. This does require some math. This is my weakness so I always bring a calculator with me when I go to the store.
The next thing you need to know is what order to give your coupons. If you have a $/$$ ($5 off purchase of $20 for example) you want to give that first. Then you hand over your manufacturer coupons, then store credit, and lastly your cash if you owe any. I have walked into a store, picked out my purchases, handed all of my coupons over and walked out without paying a dime. I feel weird doing it, but it is pretty cool when it all works out that way. There are times I get frustrated because things were sold out or I miscalculated, but they are outweighed by the times I am blown away with how much I saved. Remember the key to winning battles on the fields is the extent of your strategic planning off the fields.
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