Weekly Store Snag!

Sorry, guys! I've been super booked all week long and have just now gotten around to making time for a post. Here's this weeks' store snag!

Rite Aid
4 Colgate Advanced Total Toothpaste $3.50 each
Used 3 $0.75/1 Colgate coupons
Received 4 $3.50 +UP Rewards
Submitted for $5 rebate (regional) on Colgate

3 Colgate 360 Toothbrushes $2.49 each
1 Colgate 360 Sensitive Toothbrush $1.12 (still not sure why it rang up as this, but it did)
Received 4 $1.50 +UP Rewards

1 U by Kotex Pantiliners $1.52
Used $1/1 Kotex coupon
Received $1 in SavingsStar account

1 Nescafe Taster's Choice Sticks $1
Used $1/1 Nescafe coupon that came with a free sample

1 Tylenol Precision Cream $5.99
Used $5/1 Tylenol coupon

3 Coke 12pks $3.66 each
Used 2 FREE Coke coupons from My Coke Rewards
Received $3 +UP Reward

2 Vaseline Total Moisture Lotion $2.97
Used 2 $1/1 Vaseline coupon
Received 2 $2 +UP Rewards

2 Sally Hansen Nailpolish $.49 each (75% off clearance!)

2 M&M's Peanut Singles $0.99 (BOGO FREE)
2 Snickers Singles $0.99 (BOGO FREE)
2 Butterfinger Singles $0.99 (BOGO FREE) (only one is pictured because I surprised my fiance with one this morning when he got off work; he just loves them!)

Total Before Coupon and Sale Price Cost: $101.35
Total After Coupons: ALL ITEMS FREE + $28.52 MONEYMAKER! (WOOHOO!)

CVS
2 Salmon Packets $1 each

Colcalm 60ct $6.99
Received $6.99 ECB

*used my gift card to pay for the rest, which I used in a previous deal and made $6 on*

Total Before Coupon and Sale Price Cost: $12.49
Total After Coupons: $0!

Walmart
5 Glade Plugins Oil Warmers $1.38 each
Used 5 $1.50 Glade coupons

2 Vaseline Lotions $0.97 each
Used 2 $1/1 Vaseline coupons

1 K-Y Jelly $2.84
Used $3/1 K-Y coupon

2 Maggi Soup Mixes $0.44 each
Used 2 $0.50/1 Maggi coupons

Total Before Coupons: $12.56
Total After Coupons: ALL ITEMS FREE + $0.33 MONEYMAKER! (and yes, Walmart paid me!)

Target
1 Kashi Pita Crisps $3.19

1 Kashi Cereal $2.99
Used $2/1 Kashi coupon

1 Welchs Grape Jelly $1.69
Used $0.55/1 Welchs MFR coupon
Used $1/1 Welchs Target coupon

A super stylin Sonia Kashuk cosmetics bag $1.78 (also on clearance, was $5.99!)
Used $2/1 Sonia Kashuk Target Mobile coupon

Total Before Coupons: $9.65
Total After Coupons: $4.44!

My Total Total Before Coupons and Savings: $136.05
My Total Total After Coupons: ALL ITEMS FREE AND I WALKED AWAY WITH $24.41 AS MONEY MADE IN MY POCKET!

In addition, I also snagged this $5 value at Bath and Body Works for FREE:

Weekly Store Snag!

This was an awesome coupon week for me! Here's what I snagged in stores:

Food Lion

4 bottles of store brand soda $0.89 each

Used $3 CAT coupon I got from my stepmom

Received $1 CAT coupon from Super Store Brand Sale

Total Before Coupons: $3.56

Total After Coupons: $0.43 MM!

Target

Market Pantry Mac and Cheese $0.52

Used $1 Mac and Cheese Target coupon

Kre-o Optimus Prime Transformers Set $7.99

Used $8 Kre-o coupon

Yes-to-Carrots Travel Body Butter $1.99

Used $2 Yes-to-Carrots coupon

**Used my Target reusable shopping bag, so another $0.05 off!**

Total Before Coupons: $10.50

Total After Coupons: $0.00!

Kroger

8 packages of Knorr sides $1 each

Used 4 $0.50/2 coupons that doubled

Received back $2 CAT from the "quarter promotion"

3 count Pop Secret Popcorn $1.79

Used FREE Pop Secret coupon

Total Before Coupons: $9.79

Total After Coupons: $2.00!

Rite Aid

4 Stayfree Maxi Pads $3 each

Used 2 BOGO FREE Stayfree coupons

Received back $8 +UP Rewards

Physicians Formula Concealer $12.95 (reg. , 50% off $6.48)

Physicians Formula Foundation $13.95

*Part of BOGO 50% off AND Buy 2, Receive $5 +UP Reward*

Submit both for Try Me Free Rebates

Received back $5 +UP Rewards

Total Before Coupons: $38.90

Total After Coupons: $7.00 MM!

Walmart

6 Schick Disposable Razors $1.97 each

Used 6 $2 Schick coupons

2 K-Y Jelly $2.84 each

Used 2 $3 K-Y coupons

Total Before Coupons: $17.50

Total After Coupons: $0.50 MM!

The total retail value BEFORE coupons was $80.25, the final price I will have paid after my rebates come back is $0! Plus, I will have MADE $5.93!

Walmart Deals as of 2/1/12 (LOTS OF FREEBIES!)

Here is an updated list of what you can snag for free at Walmart this week!

HEALTH/BEAUTY

Vaseline Lotion (Total Moisture, Aloe Fresh or Cocoa Radiant) 3oz $0.97
Use $1/1 Vaseline coupon (1/29 RP)
Final Price: FREE + $0.03 overage!

Robitussin To-Go 2ct $1
Use $1/1 Robitussin coupon found here
Final Price: FREE!

Just For Men $6.97
Use $2/1 Just For Men coupon found here
Submit for the Try Me Free MIR found here
Final Price: FREE + $2 money maker!

Schick Disposable Razors 12 pk $1.97
Use $2/1 Schick coupon (1/8 SS)
Final Price: FREE + $0.03 overage!

Reach Floss 55 yards $0.97
Use $1/1 Reach coupon (formerly found on SmartSource.com, but I can't find it)
Final Price: FREE + $0.03 overage!

K-Y Jelly 2oz $2.84
Use $3/1 K-Y coupon (1/8 SS)
Final Price: FREE + $0.16 overage!

Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste Trial Size $0.97
Use $1/1 Aquafresh coupon found here
Final Price: FREE + $0.03 overage!

Benefiber Sticks 3 pk $1.97
Use $5/2 Benefiber coupon (1/8 SS)
Final Price: FREE + $1.03 overage!

HOUSEHOLD

Renuzit Crystal Elements Air Freshening Crystals 9oz $2.97
Submit for Try Me Free MIR found here
Final Price: FREE!

Carpet Fresh $0.97
Use $1/1 coupon (1/29 SS)
Final Price: FREE + $0.03 overage!

Rayovac Alkaline Batteries 2ct $0.94
Use $1/1 Rayovac coupon found here
Final Price: FREE + $0.06 overage!

Bic Crystal Pens 10ct $0.97
Use $1/1 Bic coupon (1/8 SS)
Final Price: FREE + $0.03 overage!

Bic White Out $1
Use $1/1 Bic coupon (1/8 SS)
Final Price: FREE!

GROCERY

Mt. Olive Dill Relish 8oz $0.98
Use $1/1 Mt. Olive coupon (1/22 SS)
Final Price: FREE + $0.02 overage!

Martha White Muffin Mix $0.98
Use $1/1 Martha White coupon (11/13/11 RP)
Final Price: FREE + $0.02 overage!

(Thanks How To Shop For Free , Fabulessly Frugal and Hip2Save !!)

When Cash Registers (or their operators) Don't Cooperate

This morning as I headed out to do my couponing before all the shelves were wiped I felt awesome about the day and the deals I would be getting. Sorry to say that as I made my way from store to store everything just kept going wrong and I got fed up by the time 1:30 rolled around. At CVS the shift supervisor more or less accused me of coupon fraud simply because my printables wouldn’t scan, at Wal-Mart nothing was stocked, at Rite Aid my +UP reward did not print when I purchased the qualifying products and finally at Family Dollar the cashier made a smart remark about not be able to help her co-worker because she “had a ‘spender’ in her line”. As a result, this post.

1.      If your coupons don’t scan, it doesn’t always mean they aren’t valid. Top reasons my coupons don’t scan are 1) the price and the coupon are the same amount 2) the price is lower than the amount of the coupon 3)the cashier did not ring my item up. A lot of cashiers at places I shop have to manually enter my coupons because their systems will not take off the coupon if the item price is equal to or lower than the value of the coupon. (This is especially true for dollar stores like Family Dollar and Dollar General.)

2.      If the cashier will not accept your coupon for various reasons such as “this coupon is more than the item, I can’t take it” or “it won’t scan, I can’t accept it” (the last being for newspaper coupons, not printables) and you know very well that it IS valid for that item, get another opinion! If this means having the cashier call the customer service manager or just checking out and going to customer service yourself. I have had to do the second one quite a bit at Wal-Mart when I don’t want to hold up the line for $1 coupon; I walk right over and say “I gave them this coupon [show coupon] for this product [show product and receipt] and was told they couldn’t accept it because [insert reason], is that correct” and usually they side with you and take your coupon and give you back your money.

3.      If the cashier argues the coupon policy with you and you know better, pull out your stores’ coupon policy or ask for the customer service manager. In my experience, a lot of cashiers don’t know their own coupon policy or misunderstand it.

4.      If you have a coupon uneducated customer service manager that wants to argue with you and you know you’re right, have them call corporate or email corporate yourself and have it sorted out. (I will most definitely be doing two of these today. Hate to, but respect is respect and I don’t appreciate being publicly humiliated and being called out for coupon fraud when that’s not at all what it is.)

5.      If a reward (such as an ExtraCare Buck or +UP reward) doesn’t print, point it out the cashier at CVS and they will print one for you or for Rite Aid, call the customer service on your receipt and they will fix it. For some reason Rite Aid can’t print them out when they don’t print anymore.

6.      If you think your before coupon total is wrong, have the cashier check the receipt. Before using coupons I would never question, now I realize that I have probably paid for things I haven’t even bought quite frequently. A lot of times a cashier will double scan something (I just had this happen at Rite Aid a month ago, a $5 toothbrush; $5 is $5!) or something will not ring up at its sale price such as holiday clearance items.

Just remember, if you’re thorough and pay attention to what’s going on while shopping you’ll catch a lot of these mishaps. And another thing, there’s always someone else to double check your questions. If it takes you a customer service manager, two phone calls and a train ride, you’ll find answers!

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!

Store Coupon Policies

One essential tool in successful couponing is knowing (and printing and highlighting and taking that paper with you to the store!) the stores’ coupon policy. Below is a list of stores I shop at, most being big name stores that I’m sure you shop at too, and their respective coupon policy links.

 Walmart Coupon Policy

Target Coupon Policy

Martin's Coupon Policy

 Dollar General Coupon Policy

 Family Dollar Coupon Policy

 Food Lion Coupon Policy

CVS Coupon Policy

 Rite Aid Coupon Policy

Remember to print these and keep them somewhere safe! What works best for me is keeping them in a binder with tabs so I can easily flip to and fro in my policies wonderland. I also highlight key points in each policy so if a problem arises in checkout I can resort right back to major information.

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!