Coupon exchange discussion and general coupon questions

CoffeeQueen · Guru

RE: Coupon exchange discussion and general coupon questions

Corey · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Thanks, I am going to check out my ad and see what it says. I am so clueless when it comes to coupons. I am slowly learning and trying to be smart. I am trying to buy good deals with coupons to get them next to nothing.

Anyone know where to get oscar meyer coupons? I have a B1G1 for bacon and wanted to find a coupon for it.

http://www.couponsthingsbydede.com/Oscar_Mayer_Bacon_0_75_1_Clipped_Coupons_p/om_bacon_v3s.htm

kris · Guru

I do 85% of my grocery shopping at Kroger. My Kroger doubles coupons up to 60 cents. So if I have a coupon for 35 cents off of one package of Bounty paper towels, Kroger will take 70 cents off of my one package of paper towels. In the coupon section of your receipt, it will have on line that says something like Manufacturer Coupon -35, then the next line will say Kroger Plus Savings -35. If I had a coupon for 75 cents off of something, it would only take 75 cents off, and there would be no extra line under the coupon section.

Idk if my Kroger limits the number of same coupons, like if I bought 5 packages of paper towels and had 5 coupons. I've never had more than 5 of the same coupon in one transaction. I also asked the poor guy working the self-check the other day if my coupons were beeping because I had too many, and he said they didn't have a limit on total number of coupons. (But I think they do really; he just didn't know. 30 coupons per transaction, I think.)

Before I go to bed, I wanted to add that you can look up your Kroger's weekly ad at Kroger.com, and it should say at the bottom of the first page the amount to which your store doubles. Some lucky people's Krogers double up to $1, and some people even get times when they triple. Lucky, lucky, lucky.

-- Edited by Robin on Tuesday 1st of December 2009 10:12:10 PM

Robin - I have Kroger and WalMart in my area. Do you notice that Kroger's base prices are more than WalMart? I'm just wondering if going to Kroger with a Q that is doubled is a better deal than going to WalMart with the same Q that won't be doubled b/c WalMart's price is lower to begin with.

Melissa - you can also load Q onto your Kroger card (I've never done it - I've loaded them but have yet to go there and shop so I'm not sure how it works).

Chrissie · Guru

kris wrote:

I do 85% of my grocery shopping at Kroger. My Kroger doubles coupons up to 60 cents. So if I have a coupon for 35 cents off of one package of Bounty paper towels, Kroger will take 70 cents off of my one package of paper towels. In the coupon section of your receipt, it will have on line that says something like Manufacturer Coupon -35, then the next line will say Kroger Plus Savings -35. If I had a coupon for 75 cents off of something, it would only take 75 cents off, and there would be no extra line under the coupon section.

Idk if my Kroger limits the number of same coupons, like if I bought 5 packages of paper towels and had 5 coupons. I've never had more than 5 of the same coupon in one transaction. I also asked the poor guy working the self-check the other day if my coupons were beeping because I had too many, and he said they didn't have a limit on total number of coupons. (But I think they do really; he just didn't know. 30 coupons per transaction, I think.)

Before I go to bed, I wanted to add that you can look up your Kroger's weekly ad at Kroger.com, and it should say at the bottom of the first page the amount to which your store doubles. Some lucky people's Krogers double up to $1, and some people even get times when they triple. Lucky, lucky, lucky.

-- Edited by Robin on Tuesday 1st of December 2009 10:12:10 PM

Robin - I have Kroger and WalMart in my area. Do you notice that Kroger's base prices are more than WalMart? I'm just wondering if going to Kroger with a Q that is doubled is a better deal than going to WalMart with the same Q that won't be doubled b/c WalMart's price is lower to begin with.

Melissa - you can also load Q onto your Kroger card (I've never done it - I've loaded them but have yet to go there and shop so I'm not sure how it works).

Kris, I don't have a Kroger here, but at my grocery store(Giant Eagle) the base prices are way more than wal-mart. It definitely works to my advantage though to match up things that are on sale at Giant Eagle with coupons(which are doubled). When I do that things end up being way less than they would have been even using a coupon at Wal-mart. Make sense?

So now I'm shopping at Giant Eagle for sale items, and Wal-mart for things that aren't on sale that I need. Oh and my other grocery store(Heinen's) for a few other things. The thing that sucks is that Heinen's doesn't double coupons either!

kris · Guru

Robin - I have Kroger and WalMart in my area. Do you notice that Kroger's base prices are more than WalMart? I'm just wondering if going to Kroger with a Q that is doubled is a better deal than going to WalMart with the same Q that won't be doubled b/c WalMart's price is lower to begin with.

Melissa - you can also load Q onto your Kroger card (I've never done it - I've loaded them but have yet to go there and shop so I'm not sure how it works).

Kris, I don't have a Kroger here, but at my grocery store(Giant Eagle) the base prices are way more than wal-mart. It definitely works to my advantage though to match up things that are on sale at Giant Eagle with coupons(which are doubled). When I do that things end up being way less than they would have been even using a coupon at Wal-mart. Make sense?

So now I'm shopping at Giant Eagle for sale items, and Wal-mart for things that aren't on sale that I need. Oh and my other grocery store(Heinen's) for a few other things. The thing that sucks is that Heinen's doesn't double coupons either!

Now here is where I have to ask myself how important to me is my time? Is it more important than hauling myself to 3 stores to save $? I'm already investing time in reviewing the Qs, reviewing sale flyers for 3 different stores (to do my comps), making my list. How much is my time worth?

I think that for me, I'm going to have to not go crazy with this - I will be happy to realize a savings. My WalMart price comps other stores in the area if you have the sale flyer. What I can do (and used to do regularly) is price comp what is on sale and then use a Q - while it will not double I still will be saving some. I will not get those oyno deals, cat deals or whatever but I am going to have to accept the fact that I'm never going to be a guru at this.

/thinking out loud biggrin

CoffeeQueen · Guru

kris wrote:

Robin - I have Kroger and WalMart in my area. Do you notice that Kroger's base prices are more than WalMart? I'm just wondering if going to Kroger with a Q that is doubled is a better deal than going to WalMart with the same Q that won't be doubled b/c WalMart's price is lower to begin with.

Melissa - you can also load Q onto your Kroger card (I've never done it - I've loaded them but have yet to go there and shop so I'm not sure how it works).

Kris, I don't have a Kroger here, but at my grocery store(Giant Eagle) the base prices are way more than wal-mart. It definitely works to my advantage though to match up things that are on sale at Giant Eagle with coupons(which are doubled). When I do that things end up being way less than they would have been even using a coupon at Wal-mart. Make sense?

So now I'm shopping at Giant Eagle for sale items, and Wal-mart for things that aren't on sale that I need. Oh and my other grocery store(Heinen's) for a few other things. The thing that sucks is that Heinen's doesn't double coupons either!

Now here is where I have to ask myself how important to me is my time? Is it more important than hauling myself to 3 stores to save $? I'm already investing time in reviewing the Qs, reviewing sale flyers for 3 different stores (to do my comps), making my list. How much is my time worth?

I think that for me, I'm going to have to not go crazy with this - I will be happy to realize a savings. My WalMart price comps other stores in the area if you have the sale flyer. What I can do (and used to do regularly) is price comp what is on sale and then use a Q - while it will not double I still will be saving some. I will not get those oyno deals, cat deals or whatever but I am going to have to accept the fact that I'm never going to be a guru at this.

/thinking out loud

This is where I am struggling too. I am trying to be smart, but my shopping habits are not matching up with coupons and the time it takes me to figure out where to go for what is tough. I do not have the time to run from this store or that store. I have kids with me before and after work. I have zero time to just run in and out. I mean I can do it, but I guess I have to figure out if I want to.

Chrissie · Guru

I understand the time constraint concerns!

For me it works out, but I only have one kid! He helps me cut out the coupons on Sunday and loves it. He's kind of obsessed with me! lol! The other day DH bought some cereal, when he got home, M2 told him that he should have taken the coupon because we have a coupon for it! (which we do)

Sometimes, I'd rather not take him to the grocery store with me, but he actually likes it and tries to be helpful!!

With my Giant Eagle I've just been making a list and sticking to what is on that list only! I've really been able to stock up on things for cheap or free. I mostly look at the forum on a full cup.com and get ideas from there. I'm not always good about knowing if there's a coupon for a certain item, but the people on the board are really helpful!!

To me the time is worth the savings, but I understand if it's not the same for other people.

Corey · Guru

i totally understand the time constraints also! like others, i don't get to go to the store alone...dave works during the day and i work at night, so i always have the kids with me.

i think the difference is that it isn't work to me--it is fun to me so i don't mind spending a little time on it. honestly, it is my hobby...some people fish or write poems...i clip coupons. biggrin

having to drag the kids with me is the reason i don't do the drugstores...that would add up to too much time for me.

Robin · Guru

I think it's fun too, and all 3 of my grocery stores--Kroger, Schnuck's, and WM Neighborhood Market are about 5 minutes from my house. On Black Friday, I went to WM Market (without my kids) to write down the base prices of all the stuff we use often. I keep it in my coupon binder so I can check the prices at Kroger and Schnuck's against them. I also study the Kroger forum on afc to see what's on sale to be combined with coupons and what deals are getting oyno cats. I really prefer my Kroger to WM anyway--friendlier, more helpful workers, cleaner, better-organized, well-stocked store--so I'm happy to move most of my shopping there if I can still keep a low bill. I was never a one-stop shopper in the first place since the milk is always off-tasting at our WM forcing an extra stop at Kroger anytime we need milk. And Schnuck's is the only grocery store around here that carries the Pop-tarts we like, "light" OM hot dogs, and OM turkey dogs so I have to go there when we need those things. WM is the only place that has Duncan Hines chocolate buttercream frosting.

There is still stuff that will always be cheaper from WM so I'll get that stuff there.

(Mark wanted to see a good face.)

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Corey wrote:

i totally understand the time constraints also! like others, i don't get to go to the store alone...dave works during the day and i work at night, so i always have the kids with me.

i think the difference is that it isn't work to me--it is fun to me so i don't mind spending a little time on it. honestly, it is my hobby...some people fish or write poems...i clip coupons.

having to drag the kids with me is the reason i don't do the drugstores...that would add up to too much time for me.

You know what I think it is more then dragging the kids with me. I am not good enough yet and I need to think about my trips still,lol.

I also have this internal battle with do I really needs this stuff or am I just buying because it is cheap. I am going to go for it and decided if I do get things I do not use or need that I will donate to a local food shelter or something like that. I mean if I can get it free or next to nothing then I can pass that on to someone if I will not use it, right.

I do like finding the coupons, but it is the organizing my trips and where to get what and what store that gets me.