Which Stores Are Worth It?

So you’re a couponer now. Which stores are actually worth couponing in? That was one of my biggest questions when I was just starting out and I was a little shocked to hear the answer. ALL OF THEM! You’re going to want to shop at multiple stores to score the most deals you can. Think like this; each store will have different things on sale each week, each store offers different incentives (which I will go over below) and the more stores you shop at, the more free stuff you will come home with.

When I say “incentives” I mean things like, does the store double or triple coupons, does it offer reward coupons like +UP or ExtraCare Bucks or does it have a super hot Catalina deal going on? Let’s take a closer look.

If I HAVE to buy Theraflu Warming Caplets because my boyfriend is sick (and so making my life a living you-know-what with the whining, man-cold act) which store would it be more beneficial for me to buy it at? I have a $3/1 coupon and there are three stores that carry this brand, two having sales on it.

Walmart Scenario

Theraflu Caplets, $5.99, regular price

Use $3/1 Theraflu coupon

Final Price: $2.99

Rite Aid Scenario

Theraflu Caplets, $4.99, sale price (Buy one, get $3 +UP reward back)

Use $3/1 Theraflu coupon

Final Price: $1 MONEYMAKER!

Kroger Scenario

Theraflu Caplets, $4.99, sale price

Use $3/1 Theraflu coupon

Final Price: $1.99

Yes! It would be more beneficial to purchase it at Rite Aid because you are making $1.00. If you didn’t shop at multiple stores, you wouldn’t know that. But now you do shop at multiple stores, because now you know! =]

Each week expect to look through multiple stores’ ads and shop at them too. This way you’ll be able to get your hands on as much free product as you can (but still minding limitations and leaving some for others).

In my experience, the stores I find myself shopping more often than others are Rite Aid, Target, Walmart and Kroger. I will say that it seems like stores rotate who has the best and most sale item in a given week; some weeks I find myself stocking up at Kroger and CVS and others I feel like I’m getting everything at Rite Aid, Walmart and Target.

Each store I shop at has at least one reason why I love them. Here are a couple of those reasons.

Kroger – My Kroger doubles coupons and that always makes for super cheap deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Target – Target always has those awesome “buy two of these items and get a $5 gift card” promotions going on and that’s how I’ve stocked up on Curel lotion and vitamins there. They also have amazing store coupons on their site. Before Christmas last year I got three sleep shirts for free by using the $3/1 sleepwear item and pairing it with the clearance merch (which Target also has a lot of at super prices).

Rite Aid – This store ALWAYS has cold medicine and cough drops for free and for someone who gets sick fairly often (which is very expensive by the way), it’s a way for me to stock up on my most loved cough syrup. 

Walmart – Let me lay it on you now; I LOVE OVERAGE AT WALMART! I cannot stress enough how important overage is to me! My fiancé is a health nut who needs protein shakes, kashi, and all kinds of vitamins. He is also lactose intolerant and happens to prefer the Walmart brand of the milk pills (seriously, when do you get coupons for that?!). So most of the time the overage goes towards that and when it doesn’t, it goes towards Coke and what my fiancé calls “Laura-food”, meaning easy to make, readily accessible tasty snacks for me!

You too will come to love these stores, their incentives and all the variety they have to offer. And you will DEFINITELY begin to love overage at Walmart too!

How To Make and Use Overage at Walmart

Want to know how to rack up overage dollars at Walmart to use on items that you don't have coupons for but still want to get for free? In fact, that's all I've been doing this past week and I'm willing to share!

1. Having an abundance of coupons is key to making sure you get the best overage deals Walmart has to offer. Clip from the newspaper, print from the internet, dumpster dive for extras, whatever you have to do to get your hands on those coupons! Just promise me you won't do anything unethical.

2. In addition to having access to an ocean of coupons, you absolutely must have access to good couponing blogs such as Hip2Save (my favorite), Fabulessly Frugal and The Krazy Coupon Lady. They post fabulous deals at Walmart weekly, including dollar or less deals and many, many overage deals. The more blogs you check, the more deals you are bound to come across. Let's face it, we can't all find all the deals by ourselves!

3. Clip those coupons and get it together! If you have multiples of a coupon, keep them all together so you know how many of a product you can buy. Remember, organization is key. Make a list of products, how many of that product you need, the coupon value and the total OOP (out of pocket) cost for those products. For example:

(4) Schick Disposable Razors, Value Pack, $1.97 each
Use (4) $2/1 Schick coupons (ss 12/4/11)
Final Price: FREE + $0.12 overage!

4. You guessed it! To make overage at Walmart, all you need is to find a product that sells for lower than your coupons value! However, racking up a decent amount of overage is a little more work and that is where your blogs come in. Sometimes it's a waiting game to see if anymore high value coupons will come out before your other "overage coupons" expire.

Here's a good example of making a lot of overage in one go (this is also my shopping list for next week!)
(2) Dulcolax Products 10ct., $1.98 each
Use (2) $3/1 Dulcolax coupon (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)
Final Price: FREE + $2.04 overage!

(4) Dulcolax Products 10ct., $1.98 each
Use (2) $5/2 Dulcolax coupon (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)
Final Price: FREE + $2.08 overage!

(4) Schick Disposable Razors, $1.97 each
Use (4) $2/1 Schick coupons  (SS 12/4/11)
Final Price: FREE + $0.12 overage!

(1) Kashi Go Lean Single Bar, $1.26
Use $2/1 Kashi coupon ( FOUND ON RECYCLEBANK)
Final Price: FREE + $0.74 overage

(1) Cortaid product, small bottle, $2.50
Use $3/1 Cortaid coupon (SS 1/8/12 #2)
Final Price: FREE + $0.50 overage

Total: $5.48 overage (plus all those products are FREE!)

That overage, according to Walmarts' coupon policy can either be paid out to you as cash or applied to the basket purchase. If you choose to use it towards your purchase that means you can pick up $5.48 worth of additional products that are difficult to get for free, such as meat or dairy products, that you'll only have to pay tax on.

On a side note, if you don't need 6 boxes of Dulcolax or any razors, donate it! There will always be a need at your local senior center, homeless shelter or a neighbor; just promise not to throw any coupons away!

Thanks for reading!