Well, if you're looking for deals, sometimes you have to do some work. I have just a few tips that have come to mind this week and I just needed to write them down!
1. Always verify a price if you're not sure. I hit Publix early on Wednesday to snap us some freebies and it was so early, they were still putting out B1G1 signs. There were quite a few B1G1 deals that were not yet marked. Of course, they weren't busy and were happy to double check the prices for me. If I had depended on there being a sign, I would have walked away from an awesome deal.
2. Grab blinkies whether you need them or not. I used to fuss on my son for this. When he was younger he had a grand time pulling those coupons and watching another pop up. Now I always take them whether the item is on sale or not. Just think next week, they might be on sale and the blinkie machine will be somewhere else!
3. The power of THREE! Well I just use THREE as my guideline. Yours will be different. I have 3 people in my household, so every week I get THREE papers, therefore THREE sets of coupons...well, you get the idea! When I am shopping for deals, I try to get only three. (It is tempting to come home with eight tubs of margarine, but I resist). You don't have to agree with me and I'm sure many couponing divas have a different formula. I can hear them screaming, "Stockpile, girl!" While that notion is tempting, I also know how frustrating it is to arrive at the store, coupons in hand, and everyone has already snapped up 100% of the stock of Spray N' Wash. Now of course, since I only get 3 papers, usually 3 would be my limit anyway. When I see blinkies or coupon pads, I try to only take three, etc. You get the idea. I'm just sayin', "Save some deals for others!" (And if you checked my extra fridge for margarine, there would be 6 in there!)
4. Self Check-Out! You can go at your own pace, watch the prices come up to verify they are ringing up as they should and you can verify that your coupons double (if applicable) and/or ring up correctly. I have found that many cashiers tire of my constant questioning of the prices that ring up. At the self check-out, there is no complaining, heavy sighs, people getting irritated behind you, etc. Publix allows you to scan your coupons and insert them into the coupon area. Kroger makes it a bit more painful. Every time you scan a coupon, you have to get the attendant's attention and give it to them. PITB!
5. Know your total before you check out! This takes just a little planning but it assures no surprises at the register. If you can't do self check out, make sure you know an approximate figure that should come up at the end. If it doesn't, then something didn't go as planned. I ask them not to begin my order until I am ready to watch the scanning. I use shopping lists that I've found online to help me with this; Faithful Provisions or Coupon Mom to name a few.
6. Pay attention to shelf prices! You will need to know this when your cashier is flying through your order. You can stop them if you catch it or later take the receipt to the service desk if items do not ring up as advertised on the shelf. Kroger gives you the item free if this happens.
7. Don't be afraid to say, "Well, then I don't want the item". When an item doesn't ring correctly or they will not take your coupon for some reason, it's ok to tell them to take the item off your order. Sometimes, I'm not sure a coupon will work for a particular item, so I try to make sure these items are LAST on the belt. That way, they are not already bagged and can be retrieved quickly.
8. Be nice! I have had my share of "ugly" cashiers who tire of couponers. If things aren't going well, I am polite and apologetic but I'd rather take the item off than fight about it. I can go to the service desk afterward and verify pricing if necessary.
9. Early birds get the worms! All others go vegetarian. This one is a hard one for me because I'm NOT an early bird kind of gal! Of course, I've always known this but it was so obvious this week when I hit Publix only 30 minutes after they opened on Wednesday. It was one of the first times I came home with 5 bags of groceries for about $17 because all the good deals were not sold out.
10. You don't have to get every deal. I subscribe to several newsletters outlining the deals of the week. Of course, it is humanly impossible to try to snag every one of them AND sometimes, to me, not even worth the trouble. I look at the bottom line price and ask myself, "If I got a flyer that Kroger had dog treats that were usually $3 on sale for $1, would I add it to my shopping list?" or sometimes, "Would I make a special trip?" If the answer is YES, I do the planning, find the coupon and add it to my list. If not, I skip it and don't stress about it.
