(Excuse the dark circles under my eyes. I gave myself the last four weeks off from getting up early to catch up on sleep I missed while finishing up my book. I just switched back to my normal early to bed/early to rise schedule and my body is in that few-day zombie-like transition period right now!)
Reader Interactions
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Becky says
So my tip is: smile! I sometimes wonder if the people behind the register feel like a means to an end (my good deal) rather than a person. I try to greet them with a smile, I usually ask if it “bothers” them if I do multiple transactions, apologize if coupons are beeping and causing trouble, and assure them if there is a problem that I understand I don’t want them to get in trouble for doing something “illegal” but could we check with a manager… in short get in their shoes. I’d rather walk out without the deal than be rude or leave a cashier thinking I was rude. Several times the cashier have been on my side–some of them knew better than me what’s the cheapest filler or best order for coupons!
Meagan says
If your CVS is one that will not accept expired ECBs you can call 1-800-Shop-CVS and they can re-issue your ECBs 🙂
Amy D. says
I’ve had good luck at both CVS and Walgreen’s….however CVS hasn’t allowed me to use a BOGO coupon with an amt off coupon. A little frustrating, but I get over it. Very easy to shop both stores as I literally live across the street from both:).
Liz says
Great post! I stick to one store, CVS, and that seems to limit feeling overwhelmed by deals. I found that just using CVS has allowed my family of four to have an adequate stockpile of toiletries.
I use my 9 year old daughter to use the coupon scanner for prices while I’m shopping. My store has started not posting when items are free so in order to check I am purchasing the correct item, my daughter scans the item and it goes quicker for me.
Also, now that CVS does not do the $/$$ off coupons, my transactions are a bit simpler. I just buy what I need and figure OOP at home. If they don’t have something, no problem.
Bailey says
Not really a tip, but a reminder … be aware of the situation you’re creating. I was at Walgreens earlier this week and a lady shopper was so disorganized and stubborn about running the exact deal so that she didn’t pay any out of pocket (pay with all reg rewards) that she held up 8 of us and (by her actions) made the manager open 2 registers to help clear the queue. She actually left her cart twice to go back to the shelf to check prices explaining “well xyz blog said this was 3.99”. Seriously? Leaving your cart to return to the shelf while we all wait? When I left 4 of us had checked out & she was still working on getting the tuna deal sorted out (because she picked the wrong product).
I think it’s important to be friendly, polite and considerate and that means not just the staff, but also to other customers. I’m very fcoused on getting all the deals I came for, but if there’s a snafoo at the register that can’t be easily cleared up I set the deal aside and allow other customers to check out while I figure out what I misunderstood or what’s not working right.
Stores will continue to tighten policies if they continue to see couponers creating havoc for the rest of their customers.
Christy says
I shop Walgreens and CVS and have found CVS to be sooo much easier. They have more in stock because they limit quantity more, and they accept expired ECBs, plus they give me ECB’s each month on a % of all the stuff I bought!
Carolynn @ mylittlebitoflife.com says
I have found that the Walgreens by me are terrible at keeping things in stock. I know they do rain checks, but my coupon almost always expires before their next shipment comes in. Recently I have found that a Walgreen on the other side of town is better at keeping things in stock. My husband works by it, so if I need something at Walgreen I’ll make it a point to go have a lunch date with my husband or ask him to pick it up on the way home, that way I’m not driving that far out of my way!
@Michelle: To organize, I’ve used cardstock, page protectors and scrapbook adhesive. I had all of this already at my house, so I don’t know if it’s cost effective if you had to go out and buy all of it. I was planning on doing a post on this sometime soon! (I hope this doesn’t end up posting 3 times, cause that’s how many times I’ve tried! ) 🙂
Rachel says
The weekly menu posts and monthly financial updates are my fav. Thanks again for doing this!
Maggie Garcia says
One thing I have noticed with walgreens is the ‘suggestive sales’, which are the candy or gum at the register, make the cashier a small commission. It is only about a nickel each, but if you need fillers and it is a product that you will use, let the cashier know you are buying them to help them out and they are MUCH more cooperative with you!
Sarah says
I would highly recommend you have a plan for your RR, ECBs, etc for that trip or make sure you keep track of when they expire. I’ve had $2 fall through the cracks all too often when I realize they expired…yesterday!!! ugh. When Wag doesn’t have anything I want the week after my deal run then I run the risk of forgetting and letting those expire…just keep tabs on your expiration dates!
Emily says
Many CVS stores will accept expired ECBs. I believe it is up to the individual store manager, but I’ve had several CVSs near me tell me they always accept ECBs, even if expired.
Rae says
yes ours does too. Yet another reason I refuse to go to Wags and am exclusively a CVS shopper
Tamara says
Thanks Crystal! Good advice on being confident, I always get nervous when they challenge what I’m doing!!! And you look beautiful despite being tired!
Laura J says
It doesn’t bother me that they are always out of stock of stuff I want. I gave up on Walgreens because I don’t like their policies. I almost never got the deals there anyways. CVS is my friend though. I almost always end up with rainchecks and they will take expired ECB(for about 2 weeks, plus they have further expy dates). The good thing is that if you use a raincheck the ECB round up. Most of the time its only a penny more, but I have gotten 51 cents more before. I generally go once a week to get the deals I can and the next week I will pick up my raincheck items.
Sally says
My tip is before going into the store, while still in my car in the parking lot, to pray and ask for contentment with whatever God allows regarding the planned deals. Yes, sometimes the stock isn’t there. It’s not the end of the world for my family budget but if not getting the deal effects my mood or attitude, I end up not being a blessing to anyone.
carol says
This is what I do ,too! I’ll sit quietly in the parking lot for a few minutes and just pray for kindness and patience for both myself and the cashier, and for everything to go as planned on my shopping list. I’ve definately found this helps.
Crystal says
Love this — and sounds like a good thing to do for more areas than just shopping! When we truly trust Him to be in control of our days, we have a lot more peace and less stress and frustration.
Milk Donor Mama says
I do this too. I also say a prayer about safe travels because I have a fear of driving!
Merrilee says
I drive a little farther to a smaller CVS store than the bigger, closer one because I got tired of them not having the items in stock. Plus, the staff at the smaller store is much friendlier and even congratulate me when I do really well in saving at the register! I’d just add that it’s a good idea to find an inexpensive item (candy bar/dish soap) that you can add at the register if you end up having a negative balance. (Not that I’ve had that happen many times!) But being prepared makes the difference between grabbing anything and getting something you actually want.
Michelle says
I just started doing this, and now I go later in the week after the next shipment comes. One question, how do you organize your coupons? Is it with a binder. I want to do this, but can’t find affordable pages. I was told baseball inserts but they are too small for the coupons.
Crystal says
Here are more details on coupon organizational systems and what I use:
https://moneysavingmom.com/2010/05/31-days-to-a-better-grocery-budget-finding-a-coupon-organizational-system-which-works-for-you.html
Carolynn @ mylittlebitoflife.com says
I tried posting this earlier, I hope it doesn’t double post! When I tried out the binder system, I used cardstock, sheet protectors, and scrapbook adhesive tape. I had all of this on hand, so I don’t know if it would be cost effective if you had to go and buy all the supplies. I am planning on doing a blog post on this soon! 🙂
Carolynn @ mylittlebitoflife.com says
When I tried the binder system I used cardstock, sheet protectors and scrapbooking adhesive because I had all that stuff. I don’t know how much all of this would cost if you didn’t already have it. I am planning on doing a blog post on this sometime soon! 🙂
Rebecca says
Instead of using the too small baseball card inserts, I use photo protector sheets that I purchased from an office store. The 3 1/2 inch x 5 inch photo sheets work great for organizing coupons in a binder. I think they are the best size for most coupons. I rarely have to fold coupons using the photo sheet protectors.
DeeAnn says
Your advice in this video is spot on Crystal! I went shopping at Walgreens this evening and my experience closely mirrors the scenario you describe. They were sold out of their best deals on vitamins, etc. for register rewards and they told me to come back Wednesday after the truck comes in and they restock. I didn’t show it, but I was a little frustrated and about ready to give up. (I’m shopping with my 10 week old baby and it’s hard to take the time I need if he’s awake) I decided to regroup and review the ad again for other deals. I found one for razors which were still in stock and I had all the coupons with me. I made friends with the cashier and she asked if I would put in a good word for her on the survey printed on the receipt. I promised to help her out and that I’d be back. One bummer she told me is that you cannot use your Register Rewards to purchase dairy items. (I had a gallon of milk) Otherwise I felt like I did pretty well under the circumstances.
Here’s what I came home with: 3 Gillette Power Razors
2 Colgate Toothpastes
1 Dawn dish liquid
1 WG Scouring Powder
1 Bayer AM Aspirin (on clearance and had coupon)
1-24 pack Dasani Bottled Water
1 Gallon Milk
I did 4 separate transactions and w/Register Rewards it ends up being less than $20.00
Janet says
If you put in a good word for them three times they almost always get a small raise. The employee might also hold you a bit of items back if they wish to until you can make it to the store. At some stores the mark it “pre ordered”. You can always ask.
Maggie Garcia says
I didn’t know that the surveys were attached to the specific employee. I have gotten to know some cashiers pretty well and I will let them know I’ll put a good word in for them … I think that will help both of us!
Becky says
I’m wondering whether perhaps the no-paying-for-dairy-with-RR policy is just at your store … or whether the cashier was mistaken. I regularly use RR to help pay for milk — Walgreens is the one place in town where milk is still under $3/gallon, so it’s my go-to store for that regardless of what other deals are/aren’t there.
jessica says
the milk thing is state by state.
Amber M says
Crystal, I am so glad you mentioned CONFIDENCE at the register and knowing what the stores coupon policies are. I have had so many problems with stores (especially WM) using printable coupons. This is usually due to a difficult cashier usually not knowing their own store policies. I have MANY of times have called a manager over to my register to deal with issues if I know I am in the right (YES, I am that person that will hold up the line for a coupon issue : ). I usually keep a updated version of the stores Coupon Policy so that I can bring it out if I have to. I have found out myself as well that it is best to go right when the sale starts and as early in the day as you can or on the last day of the sale when they have had time to restock if they are out of items.
Milk Donor Mama says
That was me at Meijer the other day. I was purchasing two 15-oz containers of Country Crock margarine. I had a Meijer Mealbox coupon for $1.00 off 2 Country Crock size 12-45 oz that didn’t go through. The cashier had to dig them back out of the bag, argued with me about the coupon, etc.
There was a little old lady in line behind me purchasing a newspaper. She could have gone to self checkout. But instead she stood there and huffed and puffed and complained. I had a small order and it was just that one coupon causing trouble. I felt like telling her that if she preferred, she could pay for my groceries for me and then I wouldn’t worry about the $1 coupon. However, I just plastered a smile on my face and thanked the cashier for being so patient with the difficult computer!
Amber M says
I usually always about 95% of the time have coupons for almost everything I purchase. My family right now lives on a budget with only one income and if it were not for coupons we more than likely would do without of alot of things. I always seem to have people huffing and puffing behind me because I have so many coupons. It make’s me mad…..One, because they don’t know my family’s situation of needing the coupon’s and 2…..that the can always go to another register. I try to warn people coming up behind me that I have coupon’s and my transaction might take a little bit longer to ring up. I always thank the cashier for being patient with me. I have learned to go early in the morning at 7am when the store opens so that I am pretty much the only person in the store. I live in a very small town and have goten to know my Grocery store manager and cashiers……most of the time they know when they see me come to the checkout to open up another line LOL. I like to think of it this way……The people huffing and puffing behind me are mad because they were not smart enough to use coupons and get the great deals I am. 9 times out of 10 the poeople in line behind me start off mad because they have to wait and then it turns to awe after the see my transaction go from $249 to less than $20…….then they are the ones running after me to ask how I did it 🙂
jessica says
I love this! I have to smile to myself at how those huffers and puffers are wasting their money. It’s worth every huff and puff I get!
Canadian Coupons says
with the coupons available nowadays, drugstore shopping is becoming affordable for our family.
Becky says
I think the tip on being confident is a good one.. I had one nasty cashier at a Target once, and for months after I would get all sweaty and nervous at the register…. things so much smoother if I just relax.
Also, don’t forget to talk to your cashier. I find most cashiers are nicer and more eager to please if you talk to them (ie. kiss a little butt) It can be something as simple as saying “ugh I can’t believe they make you guys stand up here in this heat” Making it seem like you feel bad for them makes them much more amendable to taking all of my coupons.
Janet says
I had one cashier yell at me so loud a manager came over. He said the cashier was wrong and he gave me a $25.00 gift card for being yelled at . I went out to the car and cried afterwards but I was right and I was being nice.
Angela willis says
I seen on one video that you got about 30 tubes of crest toothpaste and used that many coupons. Do most stores let people use that many of the same coupons as long as you have an item for each one?
Crystal says
It depends upon the store. Some do, some don’t. If they don’t — and your store has plenty of stock and you have the time — you can do multiple transactions.
Rae says
Another thing for newbies to remember is that you CAN get rainchecks for items that are out even if they product ECB’s. They won’t do the 2/3 day sale ones (some stores will but in general they will not) but with the regular weekly sale items they will. They write the regular price, sale price, ECBs produced, item limit, and the event code. I always have to do this when Blink Tears eye drops go on the free after ecb sales. My store always under orders that product and they always sell out. So I do not fret, just get a raincheck and use it on a future trip 🙂
Leigh Anne says
Tonight was my first experience getting rain checks from cvs and I’m hoping redeeming them next week will go smoothly. I think this will need to be my new cvs game plan since it seems they are always out of the items I’m wanting.
Rae says
My store almost always has their stuff in stock but the times I have had to get rainchecks, they have never given me a problem. They can actually come in handy if you didn’t have a coupon for the item originally (and then one comes out) or if you end up getting a $/$$ coupon that you need to reach that limit. Don’t get me wrong, I only get rain checks for items that are truly out never intentionally getting them for those instances. But if they are out and I have the RC, I might as well make it work for me 🙂
Christine says
My store did not have the Tasters Choice singles from the 10/$10 sale last week. I talked to the manager as he was passing by and he said I could get a raincheck even though it is not an item that they are stocking right now. He said that they often get in stock for the summer and that I could get the raincheck so that way if they do get it again in the summer I could get it for that price. I really liked hearing that . I really enjoy shopping at CVS and Rite Aid. 😀
Becky says
Yes, I have a slew of Walgreens rain checks right now — they had manufacturer/shipping difficulties on several sale items last week. At Walgreens, though, rain checks don’t include Register Rewards, which means that it’s not worth it to get a rain check for a RR deal because you won’t get the RR when you buy the item later. 🙁 On the bright side, though, my store has really been cracking down on the limits stated in the ads lately, which means it is now possible to shop there after Sunday and still find items on the shelves. 🙂
Cheryl P says
Something that you may want to check on at your store if you see that stock is out and you can not get your RR with a raincheck, is to ask if you can pay for your sale item now and get a raincheck that states that it is paid for already, and just come in and get the item when it comes in. That way you get your RR.
I shop at the Rite Aid near me and they let me do this (just make sure you don’t loose the rain check). To make is easier for the cashier I write down the item code off the price label on the shelf so they don’t have to waste their time running around the store.
I am still waiting for them to restock the Purex Crystals for 6 weeks now but I’m not in a hurry and I got a great deal.