Coupon Kristin

Chaining and Stacking for Saving, Oh My!

This post may contain links to sponsors and/or advertisers. By using these links, you help support this free site at no cost to you. Thank you!

Chaining and stacking are commonly used terms in extreme couponing. Chaining involves using different coupons on related purchases. For example: I found a tearpad coupon for $2 off of Tropicana Orange Juice when you buy (wyb) 2 boxes of Quaker Oatmeal. I also have 2 $2 off coupons for Quaker Oatmeal. The ideal math would involve finding orange juice right around $2 to get the best bang for my buck. There is no reason not to use all three coupons in one transaction, and if a cashier gives you a hassle, ask to speak to a manager. If the manager can’t resolve the issue, IE give you what you want, feel free to put your items back. There is no language on any coupon I’ve ever seen that says you must pay full price for one item in order to use the coupons.

Let me say it again. There is no reason to pay for things if you’re not getting the price you want.

Okay then, moving right along.

Stacking usually involves using a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon. Only certain stores allow this, and they tend to be upfront about it.

Randalls offers in-ad coupons that can be combined with a manufacturer coupon. You can also use a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon, and you can use all three if you have them scan the in-ad first, then manufacturer and then store. At least, that’s the order it worked for me.
Walgreens allows store coupons and manufacturer coupons as long as the coupons do not create overage.
CVS allows store and manufacturer coupons.
Target allows store and manufacturer coupons, and has many printables available on their website. Do not let a cashier tell you otherwise! Sometimes, they make up policies on the spot.

It’s never a bad idea to print the store’s policy and take it with you in your coupon bag, binder, pouch or wallet.

Wal-Mart, again.

This post may contain links to sponsors and/or advertisers. By using these links, you help support this free site at no cost to you. Thank you!

Because I forgot to mention it, let me do that first thing.

I was compensated by Wal-Mart for my time, opinions and recommendations. I received a $50 gift card. I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t expect it, but I won’t lie and say I didn’t appreciate it.

I’m all about the transparency, and honesty over here. I call it like I see it, and if you don’t like it, take a hike and pound sand.

When I walk into Wal-Mart, I want to be able to get my items and be out of the store in a timely manner. Not in an hour, not in two hours. A trip to Wal-mart should not be an all day experience unless I make it so.

I have a confession.

This post may contain links to sponsors and/or advertisers. By using these links, you help support this free site at no cost to you. Thank you!

Hi, my name is Kristin, and I have aconfession to make.

I’m the shopper you hate to be behindin the checkout line.

I’m the one with the stack of coupons,full basket, and three forms of payment.

And noisy kids. That like to pullthings off of shelves when their dad gets them a car cart.

Unfortunately, I’m also the one whowill have customer service do a refund if her $51.00 of electroniccoupons don’t work out right. Or come off at all.

So, if you were behind me today atRandalls, I apologize.

A little bit.

But it won’t keep me fromgoing back. 🙂

Wal-Mart

This post may contain links to sponsors and/or advertisers. By using these links, you help support this free site at no cost to you. Thank you!

The lovely and gracious Lisa, fromMilehimama, allowed me toattend her walk through at Wal-Mart, with execs and bigwigs. Imanaged to get myself lost, and was way too late for my own liking,but I still got to make a few points, which was terrific. I also gotto eat dinner with Lisa, and had a blast. Adult conversation? TastyTex Mex? I’m all in.

I have issues with Wal-Mart on manydifferent levels, and if you know me in person, you know I’m not shy.

At all.

Ahem.

I also talk a lot, but you’ll find thatout, since this is a really long blog post.

My great-grandmother has been aWal-Mart associate (people greeter) for 20 years. She’s 92 yearsold. I know how Wal-Mart treats their people. The main thing isthat Wal-Mart is made of people too. They have flaws, and they makemistakes, and hopefully, they learn when those mistakes are pointedout to them. I really feel like Wal-Mart was listening, takingnotes, and remembering that everyone needs a touch up now and then. I’ve worked retail jobs; they aren’t fun. They’re long hours andlittle pay and sometimes, hard work. Believe me, I sympathize.

However, what has turned me off ofWal-Mart in the past mainly boils down to stocking, cashiers, andproducts. Stocking is making sure the right products are on theright shelves with the right prices marked. Cashiers should knowtheir store’s polices, procedures, and be aware of any promotions. Products include quality things that I want to buy to feed my familyat a price I am willing to pay. General store atmosphere isimportant.

Having the products on the shelvesmeans actually putting the product out. Not leaving it in pallets inthe aisle. Despite corporate policy, aisles are filled with palletsat both of the stores I visit. I took this picture last nightat one of the two stores near me. Occasionally, I need to use amotorized cart because of my bad back. I shouldn’t have to cut myshopping list in half because I can’t get to items.

Also, it means making sure the price ismarked correctly. Last night, a whole box of Charmin was marked onthe shelf at $3.27. It rang up at $13.98. That’s carelessness onthe stockers’ part. And it’s aggravating. I took a picture with mycell phone camera and showed it to the cashier. She changed it withno problem, and that was great. I really appreciated not having toargue. Although, how can you argue with a picture?

If there’s any one thing I hate, it’shaving to school cashiers. I have never worked for Wal-Mart. It’sbeen 10 years since I worked retail in general. There is no way onGod’s green earth that I should know more about cash registers thanthe actual employees. As a couponer, and an ethical one, I am verycareful to use my coupons correctly. Wal-Mart’s coupon policy doesneed some work. There is no official price matching guideline. There are no examples of “good coupons” available for cashiers. There is no instruction on modifying coupons down to the price of anitem. That needs to be fixed. Cashiers should know what’s expectedof them.

I love to shop. Really. I do. I liketo be able to walk down clean aisles in a clean store and just lookat things. I’m a magpie when it comes to shiny. “Ooh, there’s apeelie coupon there. I wants some, but they’ll be on sale at Krogernext week. I’ll take 3, because I’m not a greedy hoarder that has totake all the coupons off of all the boxes.” Why yes, that ispretty much how my brain works. But I do stockpile. I buy enoughwhen something is on a really good sale, to last me till the nextgood sale. That depends on price, item, and season. I might buy 15bottles of barbeque sauce because it’s so cheap or free, but I won’tclear any one store’s shelves or stock. I’ve bought 10 bottles ofgrape juice at a time, because it was on sale and I had a coupon. When I asked the manager at Kroger to do a special order, she laughedand told me to take all I wanted. What I should never see at anystore, is a completely cleared shelf. My local Wal-Mart was out ofregular, white sugar just this past Thursday. That doesn’t makesense.

I like to see clean stores, with cleanproducts and when I walk through the meat department, I don’t want tosmell anything. All you want to smell is clean, people, when you’rebuying meat. And if you don’t, take yourself on down the road. Produce should smell like, well, clean fruits and veggies. Noexpired products, and no crushed cans. Unfortunately, I see thoseall the time when I go into Wal-Mart. I hope that I stop seeingthem.

To be continued:

Cheap Potatoes

This post may contain links to sponsors and/or advertisers. By using these links, you help support this free site at no cost to you. Thank you!

I just saw this deal at Food Town:

OreIda Potatoes are on sale for 1.99 this week. Use the $3/2 coupon from the Randalls coupon book that was available last month to make it $.49 when you buy 2.

Some of the older Food Towns give couponers the squinty eye, so don’t clear all the shelves. 🙂