COUPON WAVE 101 -2
By: Darlene Lavoy-Eddington
Tags: Coupon, Coupon Codes

LET’S GO! Pick one or two stores, learn as much as you can about the store(s). Join the store’s savings card program, if available. Find the store’s weekly ad circular online or in-store. Find out about the store’s coupon policy (get a copy), rain-check policy and senior or military discount program. Get a copy of the store layout from customer service or make your own aisle-by-aisle of the store. This is a huge time-saver when you are organizing your coupons and making your shopping list.

COUPON, a small piece of printed paper or cardboard that lets you get a service or product for free or at a lower cost. Most important is the EXPIRATION date, the manufacturer's want you to use the coupon as soon as possible. Be a Confident Shopper by Understanding your Coupons.

READ THE FINE PRINT, know what your reading. EXAMPLE:// (Get .50 off when you purchase two of the item. ) Or (.50 off when you purchase one item of 20oz. or larger.) Make sure you understand exactly which product sizes and variations are valid for the purchase, with each coupon. For example, if the coupon is for a 20-ounce bottle of Pepsi, don’t plan to use it with a 12-ounce can of Pepsi.

COUPONING, a good way to save money on food, clothing and most items. Everyone eats, buys clothing, does activities, etc. Why not save money doing so. It is not a get rich scheme, you need to work at it, in the end, you will find it worth it.

ORGANIZATION, most important thing that thrifty shoppers need to know about couponing, is to be very organized. Make sure your coupons are organized before you enter the store. Looking for coupons when you are in line can be stressful. The better the transactions go, the easier your shopping trips become.​

PEAK HOURS, shopping during busy hours can make for a very bad trip. Crowds, long lines, cashiers being frustrated. Don’t wait until the last day of the sale to shop. Store’s are likely to be out of the items you need. Find out your store's ordering schedule. Then shop on the days you know they will be stocked. Most stores receive shipments 3 times a week and it is always the same three days. Keep in mind the time of day the shipments come in. Ask if they have items in the back. Many times the store has not had time to re-stock.

Call right before you leave to see if your top 3 items are in stock. That will help you decide if it is worth a trip to the store. Try your three closest stores and choose the one that is stocked the best.

TRANSACTIONS beginning of a check out (including coupons) ending with a total on your grocery slip. You may have multiple transactions in one trip! Check your store policy to see how many you are allowed in one trip!

COUPON POLICY, every store you shop you need to get the store policy. Not every cashier is usually updated. KNOW the store’s policies so you don’t have an issue when you’re in the checkout line. No one wants to get to the register and everything fall apart when your planning on saving money. Grocery stores, retailers and local merchants will all have different coupon policies. Stores can be chained, private, or franchised. You may be allowed to use coupons for items that are on sale in some stores, but others won’t. There are times you may get cash back if you exceed the value of your purchase, while others may not. All stores will have different rules around rain checks, coupons, and product amounts.

​You can use one store coupon and one manufacturer’s coupon per item. If you try to use more, chances are you are violating store policy or the terms of one of the coupons you are already using.