Well, it is 10:30 and I have not left the house yet. I woke up with a raging headache this morning, and was undecided as to whether or not I even wanted to leave the house. My headache is all but gone now, so I’ll be heading out soon and updating this post when I return.
Did you go out this morning to shop? Did it go well or did you have to change on the fly?
Here’s my update:
I skipped Rite Aid. Sure I could have made some money, but I was not prepared and, due to my headache this morning, did not feel like clipping coupons. I may go Thursday after the trucks come in.
We went over to CVS to use the ECB that were expiring. I had a $3/$15 and planned on stacking it.
I went up to the register with (6) newspapers.
Oh
My
Gosh
You’d think I was committing a crime.
“Well did you take them all?”
me: nope
“Well how many are left?”
me: silence
The cashier then goes to look at how many newspapers are left on the stand, presumably to see if she would allow me to purchase six newspapers.
She then goes down an aisle and says something to her manager.
She comes back to the register, gives me the ole stink-eye and proceeds to scan my card, newspaper and hair clips.
There was absolutely no way I was going to try and use the $3/$15 coupon on the newspapers. At this point I just wanted to hand over my ECB and get the hell out of there. Apparently one of the hair clips I purchased was on clearance, and instead of almost $4, it rang up 82¢, so there was my $3. (At least that was how I rationalized it.)
Worst customer service experience I ever had at a CVS. They are usually so very nice and accomodating. No idea what her problem was, and I did not stick around to ask. I would laugh if they never did sell their 10 to 15 remaining papers. Yes, I can be childish.
After that, we went over to the mall for me to get sneakers. I go to this place that specializes in fitting you (because my arch is so high, it ain’t easy), and they had to special order for me. An excuse to mall shop later this week!
After that, we went to Target. They had Land O’ Lakes fat free half and half on sale for $2.09, and the date was May so I picked up 10 and used five of my $1/2 manufacturer coupons. I also wrote up over 50 TPCs that started today and I will update the main Target page later.
Here’s a few new extended deals:
Purchase three (3) Keebler Club Crackers, Townhouse Flipsides and/or Sandies ($2.50), Receive one (1) Keebler Club Crackers, Townhouse or Sandies Free
Note: the signs indicated only the flipsides qualified on the purchase, but you could get any townhouse free. I’m not sure that is accurate.
Purchase one (1) Febreze Flameless Luminary ($13.09 or $14.99), Receive one (1) Refill Free
We ended up skipping Walgreens and I shed no tears over that decision.
So that was it today.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Wonderful trip this morning. I like it when the manager rings me up. At least they know what they are doing. Unfortunately my paper did not get Visine rebate. But still I did your two transactions and they went as planned. Thank you!!!!!
The weather here has been awful for the last three days but I did make it out to get the papers. We didn’t get the Visine rebate and Newsday was up to $2.50. They had just raised it to $2 a few weeks ago. The Daily News which was $1.25 had an AWFUL RedPlum and no SmartSource and the Post had no RedPlum at all. Newsday is the only paper which has all the inserts but the price seems to be going up all the time lately. The skies really opened up when I was walking back from the store. I don’t plan on going out again today. I hope it will be better tomorrow so I can hit Rite Aid.
I had one of my worst couponing days ever at Tops. They now analyze every coupon. I went to four different cashiers because I had the $10 off your order coupons to use before they expire, and it’s one per transaction.
I had coupons for the hilshire farms sausage (wouldn’t let me us them, didn’t match picture). The yogurt (wouldn’t double them) The chip dip (wouldn’t double them, it was in the fine print) and sunny D. The sunny D was the only thing that worked, and now reading the label I see why the kids like it so much, its basically sugar water.
I’m so disgusted. I guess I won’t be ordering any more coupons since most of them say do not double. I spent hours and basically got a whole bunch of colored sugar water…….
I had a pretty good morning even though it was raining like crazy! Made it to Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens, Target, and two grocery stores. I really only went to the second grocery store because it was right next to the Edible Arrangements (yummy free sample today!) and it carries the Marcal single rolls under $1. My store here in town has them priced too high to use the free coupons. Target was my most expensive at $18 dollars. I was almost out of cat litter and couldn’t find a coupon (sad) so that was $10 of it but got a bunch of stuff with the other $8!!!
Gita,
I bought papers, but I think the coupons are lousy. Will Newsday deliver papers at a reduced price?
Dawn,
So sorry you had a cruddy day! I haven’t had any problems at Tops lately. There is just one store that I will never go back to where when I checked out through the self check they took my coupons from me to ring them through. No other store I know does that. And yeah, with the Bison dips I got them completely free.
I got ants in my pants last night and went to RA where I used the cover girl BOGO coupons and then got J&J lotions. Today, I went back for the visine and sudafed and 2- 6 packs of cottonelle for which I paid $6.17 with tax. It is nice to bring home something that I can actually use.
I got 2 Jenny-O Turkey breasts at Tops for 99 cents a pound. Too bad I did the rebate last week. I will save the receipt to send in for a rebate that requires a meat purchase.
Wendy I loved this week’s coupons. Our denominations were much better than normal! I was super pleased this week for the first time in a long time.
Ann
Hi Dawn,
Sorry your Tops experience was so terrible. I have one store I will NOT shop at (NFB and Robinson for those wondering) because their customer service SUCKS! The store is always empty and since that corner is a zoo they should be able to figure out why, especially when the Wegmans next door is always packed to the gills.
Ann
Ann, I guess you didn’t realize the newspapers at CVS are there for “display purposes only”! Silly you, trying to buy them!
LMAO Dawn!
Ann
LOL on the display purposes, that’s funny.
i only bought papers today. i got 4 because of the maruchan noodle coupons, my hubs likes to eat those all the time. i didn’t go shopping because my hubs had to work this weekend and with him being on nights our time together is short. but i’ll head out later this week. see what i can scrounge up.
i did however get the coupons clipped and put in their proper places in my coupon binder. usually that’s in a couple of days i’ll get to that, LOL.
Hi Ann,
I had an awful customer service complaint that involved two CVS stores here last year. They even made me go back to the original store to refund my cash purchase. I called the customer service line that is available to customers to air their grievances and the gal that handled the issue was very accommodating. I told her I was mainly annoyed because I was made to feel that I was cheating the system and half the stuff I buy actually gets donated to several projects that I work on year round. She said the issue was mishandled and was unnecessary, she added $6 ECB onto my Rewards card to make up for the inconvenience. You should have used the $3/$15 anyway, I get so sick of the lack of knowledge from some clerks, takes away from the good ones. Call and speak with a rep, you’ll feel better.
Hi Karen,
One problem with me calling CVS is the address I have attached to my card: it is not real and that is quite obvious when you read the address. I have CVS CS that laugh, and those that are not amused, so I avoid calling unless necessary. Since I used up all my ECB and I am done with CVS until they open the new one (she says, until the next great offer comes along), calling is unnecessary at this time.
I may actually get a new card when the store opens with a real mailing address!
Ann
I did my shopping yesterday. Our new CVS activates on Saturday, and they ALWAYS tell me that when I walk through the door. They are great. Nopefully your new CVS is as great as mine!
Well, the address thing is certainly a good enough reason for sure !!! You are funny…. I think with me it all depends on when they catch me with this nonsense. I do try and use my favorite CVS if I can, they know me and what I am doing and they are all always great. I hope your new CVS is like my favorite store too, you deserve it!
I had such a bad experience with a Walgreens here this weekend that I actually did two things I’ve never done before – left a FULL cart of items at the store AND emailed in a complaint to customer service. The woman who worked there was literally screaming at me in the middle of the store because I asked to do two transactions! Apparently now that Walgreens has a rule that if there are RR involved – they don’t do multiple transactions. Insane! I went to the other Walgreens I love where they apologized profusely and let me do FOUR transactions!
I actually haven’t done a good Walgreen’s or Riteaid shop for a couple of weeks. I just get sick of the ridiculous idiots that want to challenge everything. I’ve got a Walgreen’s and Riteaid that every time I check out, it’s like an interrogation,they argue and they try any trick to try and kill your deal. It takes everything out of me not to hop the counter and snatch somebody up. I know I can’t and won’t ever do it. It’s just fun to think about. Once in a while, I do get a cashier or manager who understands that I’m just trying to be a smart shopper and that I’m not a criminal. I’m psyching myself up to get back on track again. I’m going in prepared with store policies in hand and a good attitude.
Hi Kelly,
That is awful! Walgreens has no such rule (because they do not have any corporate rules), but your store may have such a rule. It should be posted though.
However, I am quite sure Walgreens has rules against employees screaming at customers! Unreal!
Ann
Hi Shirley,
Call, call, CALL Rite Aid customer service. Unlike Walgreens they do know what is what at corporate level and they will contact the store to correct them if they are not correctly accepting coupons. Ask Rite Aid corporate to email you the latest coupon policy with your name attached to the email.
Ann
There was a great article about couponing on either iheartpublix or iheartsavingmoney that was really well written. It was taken off of another blog but I can not remember the name. I’m sure if you wrote Michelle, they are her sites, she could refer those interested to it. It listed in detail how the stores actually benefit from most of the coupons we use in all the different forms the coupons come in. I did not know a lot of the information there and even have told some clerks that the stores benefit not only from the face value of the coupon, but the postage is paid for reimbursement and then they get the small increment of money that is listed in the fine print. It was a very easy read and quite enlightening for me. Of course, Ann, you give lots of good info too from all the experience you have and we are lucky to benefit from it.
Hi Karen,
There has been mixed data as to whether or not the 8¢ handling fee actually covers the cost of handling the manufacturer coupon from store level through clearinghouse. Back when they raised it to 8¢ (about 20 years ago) it definitely did. Now, the folks that claim it does not cover costs are probably correct. Still on the store level the charge for the shelf space (the manufacturers pay the store for the space on their store shelf) and the profit from selling the product are probably worth the coupon “inconvenience”.
Ann