Couponing 101: How to Get Expensive Stuff for Free
June 06, 2011My husband hates it when I buy vitamins (well he used to). It is not that he doesn’t want us to be healthy and he is not a “purist” thinking you should get all of your vitamins from the food you eat. He just hates to pay for them since they are expensive and of course, he’s right, they are. So when I used to come home with a multi-vitamin pack and our Vitamin C, he wasn’t happy. Now, well it is another story. Since I am no longer a coupon snob, I now get my vitamins compliments of Walgreens or CVS with three added benefits – we are healthier, wealthier and happier (I bet you thought I was going to say “wiser”).
Here is what I learned:
The little piece of paper that prints at the bottom of your receipt at check out is like GOLD – an “extra buck.” I used to simply ignore that thinking what a pain to have to worry about expiration dates or having it with me when I needed it. For some reason, I never made the connection THESE SPEND LIKE REAL DOLLARS. In other words, they are real “bucks” to be used under special circumstances: used at that store and then used by a certain time. I can live with that – it’s really not that big a deal.
Example: I needed laundry detergent and fabric softener. The store had them on sale and I had a coupon from the paper. They also had an “extra buck” special where if I bought a certain brand and spent at least $30, I got $10 in extra bucks. So I stocked up on things I needed, used my coupons and at checkout out printed a crisp ten dollar bill. It wasn’t really a government issue ten dollar bill but a ten dollar extra buck bill. I immediately used it to buy my vitamins. I never even put it in my wallet or took it to my car where it could have been forgotten.
I sweetly asked the clerk when I was at checkout, “May I do two transactions?” where she nicely replied, “Yes. Of course.” eyeing my coupon book binder with a smile. I put the laundry detergent (and such) in the first transaction and I put my vitamins (which were on sale two for one) in the second along with a few candy bars to make my ten bucks. Then when I finalized the first transaction and got the receipt, I asked her with a little smile, “May I use the extra bucks now?” She replied, “Of course.” (Some stores may have different requirements.) So I tore them off and started my second transaction and just happened to have exactly $10 worth of goods and I was good to go. I was walking with free vitamins and some chocolate to boot.
The first time I did this, I was a little nervous because I didn’t want to hold up the line or look like a jerk who was trying to get stuff for free by working the system. Once I’d done it successfully, I found out that if I was organized, I didn’t hold up the line and secondly, the store LOVES it when you use the coupons. They are creating a loyal following or they wouldn’t do the promotions! Shoppers who are given good value return time after time. I will however, let someone go in front of me that only has one small item and I avoid the cashier who has the cigarettes behind the counter. Those smokers who are dying for their cigarette break are a little crabbier than the normal shopper and I don’t want to get in their way even to get free stuff.
So you may ask, how do I find out about the extra bucks? If you subscribe to the Sunday paper, you’ll receive the circular from the local pharmacy such as CVS or Walgreens – it’s all in there. If you don’t subscribe simply look online at your favorite store’s website. Then plan ahead so when you are stocking up on your staples, you can maximize your purchases by using free store bucks for things that may not normally go on sale or are just plain expensive. That does complete it and make it “healthy, wealthy and wise.”