Guest post by Lacey Wilcox
I can still remember the first time I went to try and play the drugstore game. I was excited, a little nervous, and expectant of being able to show my husband my money-saving triumph.
I walked into Walgreens with my coupons and detailed list in hand. I’d used MoneySavingMom®’s helpful tools to come up with transactions that would help me get what I needed, and get a great deal.
Let’s just say, I was pumped as I walked in the door towards my first item.
It was gone.
I was crushed, for a moment. But, I could do without the baby lotion–for now anyway. I shook it off, deciding to just move on to the next item, only to find that it was gone, too.
I worked my way through the rest of my list, only to find that almost all of the items I had planned on purchasing, had already been bought. Talk about a feeling of money-saving defeat.
Anyone else ever been there? My guess is I’m not alone.
So, what do you do when all your deals are gone? Cry? Scream? Gripe about all those selfish people out there? Yell at the store manager for not ordering enough baby lotion or laundry detergent? Sit in your car and pout? Buy ice cream?
Well, no (although that last one is pretty tempting…!). But, here are some things you can do when all your deals are gone that can help save your sanity, and maybe even help you save a buck.
1. Have a back-up plan.
Write out the transactions that are your goal, and then have some others planned out just in case you can’t make them. (Note: I would only recommend putting items on your back-up plan that you either really need, or can get for free. If there are not items like this, I would not suggest spending money just so you can say you used your coupons.)
2. Try another store.
Try another location of the same store, or maybe you decide to go try a completely different one altogether. Create some transactions for alternate drug stores and grocery stores in case your first choice doesn’t work out.
3. Politely and cordially talk to the store manager.
First, ask the store manager when their merchandise is delivered, and when would be the best time to make your purchase. Then, you can also talk with him/her about the possibility of addressing people who take all of the good deals. They might not realize that this can actually hurt their store’s business.
4. Partner with a friend.
If you have small children or a busy schedule, having a back-up plan can be a little tricky. If this is the case, try partnering with a friend to help purchase deals for yourselves and each other. This way, you both don’t have to go every week. I’ve also found that planning transactions with someone else helps me to create the best scenarios.
5. Walk away, but with joy.
When all else fails, choose joy. If you can’t make it work this week, walk away choosing to try again next week. And as you walk away, remember the things you have to be thankful for: for life, for grace, for breath, for family, for sunshine, for blessings…
…and, for ice cream. 🙂
What about you? How do you react when all of your deals are gone? What advice do you have to hande that situation?
Lacey lives in the Panhandle of Texas with her husband, Kade and sweet baby, Selah, where they manage Panfork Baptist Camp. Lacey writes about adventures in marriage, mommy-hood, and camp life on her blog.
Asking the manager is definitely a well-used option for me! My Walgreens manager knows me well by now and jokes with me when I’ve actually been able to find everything on the first try. 🙂 Once, he let me substitute a different brand of PB when the Planters brand was out of stock, and made sure the cashier knew how to ring up the deal so that I would get the PB and jelly both at their sale price and able to use the Planters coupon, too. It definitely pays to make friends with the store employees!
As the old saying goes “misery loves company.” I LOVED this article, as I too can relate SO well!!! My mistake admittedly is I wait till Saturday to go to Walgreen’s, the last day of the sale, and of course they are out of everything. I get upset and say next time I’ll make it a point to go earlier in the week but never have the time. THANKS for the idea of asking what day the “truck comes in”. As far as rainchecks go this Saturday was a prime example of why that doesn’t always help. A customer was pointing out to the clerk that a raincheck wouldn’t help as the item had a Register Reward which you wouldn’t get when you came in later with the raincheck. Another helpful tip I gained from this article was the person who mentioned going to Walmart for the price match deal. Thanks for that thought too.
I only looked at a few of the comments above and don’t know if this has already been mentioned. But, we only have a Walgreens in town, so that’s the only drug store game we can play. I will ask for a raincheck and when their next shipments are, but also I will sometimes (especially if the coupon is expiring) ask the manager if they are substituting another item for the one that is out of stock. Sometimes they will allow me to substitute a similar item for the same deal, and sometimes that item will take the coupon too or it ends up being a little more expensive since I can’t use the coupon but still a good deal.
I’m new to the coupon game, but so far every place that’s been out of something has been willing to give me a rain check. Unless the coupon is expiring right away, you should still be able to get your deal when the product is in. And I’d think you could call the store to see if an item was back in stock, to save yourself from making a trip for nothing.
If it is an item I am wanting immediatly-I go on Sun or Mon…..if I cannot find my coupon or are short on time….I go in Fri or Sat and invariably (knowing this ahead of time) they are out-I happily ask for a rain check.
I think that people shouldn’t get upset about deals being gone. I have just come to expect that if you are not at the store the morning the sale begins that you don’t get the deal. But thats ok deals are a dime a dozen.
I learned early on in my couponing to not let empty shelves get me down. However, I have to say there are a few instances when I have just become disgusted with people by the sheer greed they display so openly since shows like “extreme couponing” came out. Since this shows inception I have seen more and more people doing outlandish things to get free stuff with coupons. For example, this past Sunday I went to Walmart to get the Scrubbing Bubbles toilet cleaning deal only to get to the shelf and see a women completely take every last box off the freshly stocked shelf and dump it into her cart and then walk away. This wasn’t one or two items this was probably about 50 since the shelf had just been stocked. I didn’t say anything I just sat there is shock. Needless to say I was unable to get the two kits I myself was planning to get.
Last week two of our local grocery stores stopped doubling and tripling coupons and I just thought how this type of greed is making it hard for the people who just want to get by. I am so glad that more coupon sites are discussing how horrible these types of habits are for everyone now because it really has to stop before they ruin it for everyone.
This used to happen to me at CVS all the time. But then I learned their truck arrived on Friday mornings so that is when I arrived. Often they were restocking as I wanted things.
I had to do that today at Albertsons. They were out of the two deals that I was hoping for. I went straight to customer service and got rain checks for the items that I wanted. I am hoping that they will have the items in by next week.
Raincheck, raincheck!! One chain of drugstore in our area is almost always out of the items, so I rarely shop there. Sometimes that means I miss out on a great deal, but the peace of not walking totally frustrated is well worth it. If it is something I REALLY want/need, then I try to get there on the first day if possible. Remember, the items are going to be on sale again.
The clerk on the other side of the counter is not to blame. I must remember that my witness as a child of God needs to come before a free deodorant. 🙂
My local CVS is really good about giving out rain checks when they’re out of sale items. Problem is they are out of sale items a lot. You’d think they’d figure out that they need to order extra inventory of items that they know will be coming up for a good sale in the near future!
When I find my deals gone….I head strait the toe customer service desk to pick up RAINCHECKS! I can still use my coupons and take advantage of the advertised specials! The key is to make sure you make it back to the store within the time you can use the raincheck.
You should also check to see if they will do a rain check on the sale price. I have at times gotten a better deal with a rain check than I otherwise would have, because I received a better coupon or could double my coupons when the sale week there weren’t any doublers. 🙂
I also remember that it probably wasn’t just one person that cleared that drug store shelf! The drug stores around here don’t carry a huge inventory so just 10 or 12 different people each picking up just one of the deal items can clear a shelf.
There is nothing that I need that bad and as far as the drug stores go – they seem to go in cycles and there will always be a next time for that shampoo, toothpaste, or razor deal! 🙂
Walgreens for me is a mixed bag of frustration…. Sometimes I would think that they know what deals are out and what coupons are out and the policy is to remove those items that are free or nearly free especially if the RR is not involved. I had never had luck at walgreen like at CVS.
Several months ago I was working a couple of deals on Oral B tooth brushes and on Airwick/Lysol Sense n Sprays… The shelves were bare of anything I needed on the shelfs… I was asking the manager (it was Monday) if there were any in the back he was in the mddle of saying no im sorry we dont get our truck until…. when his younger cashier overheard and said hey Bill, Dont you remember you had me take all of those back into the stock room on Saturday??
WOW! Unbelievable yet SO believable! I wonder where you are located, my Walgreens also has a manager named Bill and they are continuously out of advertised products, often even when they open on Sundays!
When I cannot find what I went to buy I just see it as money I did not spend. Sometimes that is the best deal especially when I did not need the item I was going to buy.
These are wise, wise words! Most of the time, the item wasn’t something I really needed, but something that I just really would like to have. In the long run though, not spending money on it is saving money!
I loved the “buy ice cream” option! I have to guiltily (is that a word?) admit I’ve done that…just to make sure I didn’t go all the way to the store for nothing! Although, I guess NOT being able to buy whatever the coupons were for did in the end save money :0) unless they were going to be free…Thanks for the tips!
That is exactly the reason why I won’t do the drugstore game. I would consistently go to my Walgreens with a list and would maybe find half the items on the list – even if I shopped early in the week. I decided it wasn’t worth the hassle and frustration. I go elsewhere to pick up my deals and keep my joy.
my walgreens won’t give a rain check for any item that has a register rewards, and frankly I gave up on the drugstore game – yes there are great deals but I got so upset at myself because I let 7.00 in register rewards expire and then I said “self” get over it and get all of your needs at one store (krogers is where I get everything). I still use my coupons but if I pay more at least I still have my sanity. I may try the drugstore game again in the future, but I am much happier just buying everything in one place.
The manager at my CVS told me corporate decides how many of the “deal” items to send. He has no control. He said they get as frustrated as the customers, but sometimes he only gets 4-5 of an item.
I usually get a raincheck and the funny thing is sometimes it ends up being a better deal later on. I either have more q’s or an ECB deal is happening again. Double ECBs! I did not know about this until it happened. I told the cashier a mistake was made and he said, “No, that is how it works with a raincheck. It is your lucky day”. So sometimes the annoyance pays off in the end. It does no good to pout or get mad at all the so called “greedy” people.
I pretty much gave up on the drugstore game b/c of this.
My work week makes it tough to clip coupons, gather match-ups and shop until the last day or two of the sale week. Of course, this often results in finding products out of stock.
No prob – I just ask for a rain check that actually factors in the RR/UP Rewards/ECB. For example, Rite Aid had a special on a nighttime mouth guard for $24.99 with a $20 RR. They wrote the rain check to net to $4.99. Then we tore the special out of the circular and stapled it to the rain check as proof. (I also write the sale dates on the ad as well).
Sorry for those whose stores are slow to re-stock. Maybe show the rain check to the mgr and let them know that have yet to re-stock the item and you need a replacement rain check?
I learned the hard way. Do not go to the store on the last day of the offers. There is nothing left and the store had even pulled the signage off of the shelves. I had to get the circular to figure out what was supposed to be on sale. Very disappointing. I have gone earlier in the week and the sales do work. Keep trying! 🙂
As for couponing to stay off food stamps, are you sure you even qualify for them? My finace and I made less than our bills (we only brought home $1000 a month and our bills were $1300) and still didn’t qualify for food stamps. They do not care how much money you owe, only how much you make. It didn’t matter that we couldn’t afford food and had to sometimes go without eating to put gas in the car and keep the electricity on. We needed food stamps and couldn’t get them. Several of my friends went though the same thing. I’d double check before you tell people you are trying not to get them. You may not even qualify so using coupons is your only choice.
If you are in a position where you can get food stamps, I suggest you do it. You pay into the programs through taxes and there is nothing wrong with using a government program when you need the help. You’d be surprised how wonderful the help can be. It will give you a chance to catch up on your bills or around the house and then you can move away from them, even if you aren’t making more money. Its not shameful to ask for help.
I get rainchecks! This way, I don’t have to worry about when the sale item will be in, I can get it when it comes in again. Often times I can making something I’m almost out of stretch for several more weeks. For example, my tooth paste has been “gone” for 3 weeks and I’m still managing to get out a tiny bit, just enough to get some foam going on in my mouth. Its actually pretty difficult to get it out though. I have to use both hands and hope I can get it to the toothbrush in time. Haha!
I get a rain check. My walgreens clerk gave me a great tip. Have the cashier write your register rewards AND coupons on the rain check. Some store wil honour the manufacturers coupon or in-store coupon after it expires if was writem down for you on the rain check.
This is a good idea if it works, just be aware that some Walgreens stores won’t issue rain checks for RRs.
I’ve tried with the drugstores, and then gone to find out that my stores don’t even CARRY the items in the first place (there’s no empty spot because our store didn’t get these). Or, what happens even more frequently, is that I’ll find ou that my store’s price is higher than the blog prices I’ve seen (sometimes as high as $1 higher!) This means I end up not getting the items at all.
I made the mistake of driving to another store once, and later realized that I spent more in gas to go get the free item than the cost of the free item!
However, if the deal is at Walmart, and they’re out, then it’s a completely different scenario.
If the coupon doesn’t expire that week, try again another week. For example, our store was recently out of the free razors with overage. I saw which ones they should have been, and noted that the coupon didn’t expire until November.
I went back today, with the Cover Girl coupon. I was able to get all of the items (razors and makeup), plus $4.25 in overage, which I was able to apply to some chicken bullion powder (that was $4.95 and only cost me .70!) that my family needed.
So, if it doesn’t apply to a sale price, try again the next week!
And I agree with those who said above that some of us are couponing to keep from having to be on food stamps. Often the only things we can afford to get are the free or nearly free items.
This is a great post! I’m not close enough to a drugstore to play the drugstore game, but I do know the frustration of empty shelves where the very item I had a great coupon and deal for were supposed to be!
I would have said a lot more to the shelf clearing toothpaste lady. I would have said something like:
“My family is nearly out of toothpaste and I wanted to purchase two so that I could use the $6 in savings to things that we need like milk and bread so that we do not have to depend on the very charity you planned on taking these to.”
Only Walgreen’s here, and yes, they are ALWAYS out of stock, even if I go on Sunday. Fortunately, the managers are very nice and bend over backwards to help you, even putting your name on a list and calling you when (if?) they get more in. I’m sure they must get complaint after complaint about the same thing, but they are always friendly and cheerful! What I don’t understand is why they only stock about 10 of an item in the first place when they know it is going to be free after RR.
It saves the company money. Most people won’t ask for a raincheck, so the company gets to sell the item at full price when it is finally restocked.
I guess… but for me, it just means I’m not going to buy it, period. Also, if they have the sale items I’m looking for, I’ll likely pick up a thing or two extra that I need anyway but don’t want to drive to another store for. But if they don’t, I’m not going to buy those things there either.
I refuse to shop at drugstores for this exact problem. Usually by Sunday afternoon everything is gone.
I’ve had better luck at the bigger stores, but not much. The really good deals get picked through early too.
Yep, rain checks are the way to go. My CVS writes them with no expiry date, so no complaints here!
My local Walgreens has a delivery truck that arrives on Thursday. Since it is near the end of the week, I usually don’t have any trouble getting my deals if I come in on Thursday night to do my shopping. Doesn’t hurt to ask if your store has a truck that comes in on the same day every week – it has saved me loads of wasted trips!
Oh…this was today.
I made a special trip to CVS to use ECBs that would expire today, plus I had a handy dandy $3 off Huggies coupon. Then I couldn’t find a parking space (it’s a downtown area) for ages and after feeding the meter and finally getting in the store…learned I didn’t have the coupon.
Then I went to Walgreens for cheap milk. No milk.
It had already been a rotten day, I had been awful to my husband, had left a mess at home, and was feeling pretty sorry for myself. I was a mess, but I knew that God could change the course of the day.
So what was on the ground right next to my car? Somebody’s discarded $3 RR (there was other trash sitting there, too, so I don’t think it was dropped accidentally). And as it’s Monday, I decided I would try driving by the nearby recycling to look for coupon inserts from yesterday’s paper…and I hit the motherload.
There’s really no reason to get bent out of shape over missed deals when God holds every price, coupon, deal, and product in His hand. 😀
Very true!! I’m so glad you had some encouragement today!
Good points…and so often the case with us too…when we can manage to get to the store, usually no specials left. I think however, that in some cases, some stores never had many to offer in the first place. Our RiteAids are so bad at this, I have not gone in a very long time. Also, the Walgreens are nearly as bad and I have rainchecks I finally ended up throwing out because they simply never got more stock. I appreciate all that Crystal and others on here share…but most often it is nothing I can take advantage of…yet I still use everything I can.
I usually try to pray for the poor people who are couponing instead of going to church on Sunday morning :). Actually since my hubby deoued couponing with 4 kids has been hard. I’ve managed to work out a good Sunday schedule that lets me get most deals before their gone. I go to the kroger gas station on the was to church and buy my papers- since the papers are outside I don’t even have to get the kids out. Then right after church while the kids are buckling up, I work on pulling that days coupons from the paper, add them to my already planned out list and head to Cvs on the way home. The kids gripe and complain but they’ll deal. I try to alternate who gets to scan the Cvs card, push the buggy etc. My baby is sometimes a little ornary, but my 3 and 4 year olds do ok. Then we head home- sometimes if we’re starving we’ll go home and eat lunch and then stop on the way back to church that night- of course Any and All razor, bodywash or diaper deals are gone by then.
Good luck to everyone else!
Does your CVS give rainchecks? If so, it might be easier to just get rainchecks on the sold out products then trying to do all that with four hungry kiddos after church, by yourself. Then the next week they’ll probably have that deal restocked, and you can get rainchecks on the deals from the current week that are sold out. The only way this wouldn’t work is if your coupons are going to expire before the next week.
They do give rainchecks but not on the CVS bucks. All-in-all it doesn’t matter, taking the kids in the store for a short bit once a week isn’t awful. I just am hoping for the day I can strike it rich by creating a kid friendly drugstore- one with carts big enough to not tip when all 4 kids are hanging on it, aisles that have less things to topple over, and definitely a check out with nothing but a brick wall for the kids to stare at instead of infinite amounts of candy and gum!!
My CVS DOES include the Extrabucks in the rainchecks. They just issue the “coupon” when you redeem the raincheck. Maybe this is just a regional thing. I’m in New York state.
Great article. Many times I’ve been sickened and thought, “why do the selfish people have to clear the shelves”. I can’t say that it still doesn’t bother me a little, but you’re definitely right in that we have the option to choose joy. I can either let it irritate me, or I can simply realize that I have no real reason to complain. My child is fed, clothed , and healthy…and not all parents can say the same. Sure, I may not get free toothpaste or shampoo, but I shouldn’t let that ruin my day.
However, I agree with the person above who said #6 should be DON’T BE A SHELF CLEARER, lol!
There is no reason to be a hog!
I was watching part of Extreme Couponing tonight, and the preview shows a woman saying “I’m emptying the shelf.” as she puts a cart full of the same item. I thought how much I’d like to slap her. So I’ve officially stopped watching the show. Anytime a TV show makes me feel like that I can find better things to do with my time.
At the grocery store, I always ask for a raincheck. At stores like CVS and Walgreens, you can sometimes get rainchecks as well, but sometimes if it is a RR deal, the RR will not print out if you get it later. If it is a deal I need, I will have them call another location to see if they have any of the item before driving over. It takes a little longer, but it saves me some gas driving around town. If it is a deal I want but don’t need, I evaluate my schedule for the week to see if I’ll have time to come back, and if it is worth it.
For this reason, I rarely chase the deals at CVS, Walgreens, and Target, because my local stores are almost always wiped out anyway. Of course, staying home and out of these stores saves me money in my bottom line! 🙂
99% of the time, the deals I want are just that…things I want and not things I need. So, I remind myself that it’s not worth getting worked up about, either change it or forget about it. If I can’t change it (can’t get a raincheck, other stores have the same issue, etc), I forget about it and realize there will always be good deals!
Please, please whatever you do . . . don’t get angry with the store manager. My son works for a beverage company that often has products on sale and coupons. No matter how much they try to plan for sales and coupons, sometimes someone wipes out the stock. And when couponers get mad at the store manager, they take it out on the company reps. Whether or not its deserved. So please keep in mind that there’s a lot of people — in addition to the frontline ones you see working at the store — that take a lot of heat because of over zealous couponers. Thanks!!
true unless the customer service isn’t good. I was at my walgreens two times last week. the second time I only went there because they told me they would have a truck and would have what I needed on the last day of the sale. A cashier there told me it was all there. Both her and the manager wouldn’t do anything for me. I eventually ended up getting 2 Walgreens Kotex Pads ( i had just gotten my period). I wanted to do 2 different orders. During the first order, she was having a problem for a second scanning my RR and she said very clear in front of me “I hate coupons.” Making me feel awful, then she tried to cover it up by saying “I hate this computer.” Just because a store is lacking in stock ( even though they admited to me it was there) and just because its busy doesn’t mean that the customer service should suck. I kept trying to ask her telling her two people on Thursday had told me that there would be a truck and I wanted to know if there was any way I could wait until the shelves would be stocked… she kept telling me it could be another day. It was already 6pm and the sale ended that day. Then the lady behind me had tried to push her greeting card into my kotex pads, I turned around and told her I’m doing a second bill. Its insane how people act. And how awful/crappy my walgreens is. Now maybe I understand why I only just now ventured into shopping there.
I always ask for rainchecks. CVS gives them, no question, no expiration date. They are great! So long as your coupon doesn’t expire the next day, just bring it and do it next week.
This post couldn’t have come on a better day! The description of your Walgreens experience is exactly what happens to me almost every time I visit our Walgreens.
I joke with the sweet cashiers that work there (I know them by name because I see them nearly every week!) that I have a love/hate relationship with Walgreens. I get frustrated with the empty shelves, getting stuck with Register Rewards that I don’t need, and the general “coupon unfriendliness” of the company. But usually, a few weeks after my “boycott”, Wags comes out with a great ad, the deals are irresistible, and I end up there again, repeating the cycle. 🙂
The good news is that CVS usually has similar deals on similar products, and they, in my opinion, are exceptionally coupon-friendly. I love getting rain checks there, only to have an even better coupon released before I redeem the rain check. Sometimes I hope the shelves are empty, so I can come back on a better day and do all my rain check shopping at once!
I think it’s really important to treat the employees with kindness and grace. The empty shelves are not their fault, and it’s frustrating for them, too.
Thanks for this post! But now I’m craving ice cream! 🙂
I used to struggle with putting these great deals together at several different stores just to go and find that they were completely sold out. It’s especially frustrating if the store doesn’t offer rainchecks. So, I just changed my money-saving/couponing strategy.
The only two stores that are worth my time in couponing are Kroger and CVS, which are both within four minutes of my home. These two stores gladly give rainchecks on almost all of the sales, so if it’s out of stock, I politely ask for rainchecks and try again next week! Other stores and their coupon policies, lack of rainchecks, lack of supply or unfriendly cashiers/managers just aren’t worth my time and energy anymore.
Couponing has changed drastically in the last year with all the publicity of Extreme Couponing and the thousands of couponing blogs sprouting up everywhere. Store’s coupon policies and the companies that actually issue coupons have changed dramatically as well with so many people now using/abusing coupons. Instead of always rushing to get all those “wonderful” deals out there before someone else does, I just changed my ideas on what saving money looks like for us.
I save more money now by simply planning every single meal and snack we eat without fail, only shopping once a week (and I’m working on stretching that out), buying in bulk and making as much as I can from scratch. Most of the coupon deals out there on foods and snacks are super processed, not good for you, and still more expensive then just making something from scratch. Couponing only at CVS and Kroger provides almost all of the household supplies I need, and I pick up the diapers and wipes deals sometimes on Amazon.com. Anything else I can get the generic brand at Wal-Mart for just about the same price as working a deal somewhere else- without all the hassle!
I LOVE this response!! I’ve been trying to discipline myself more to what it looks like to truly live simply. It’s amazing that you can save money and tine that would have been spent couponing just by planning everything out and cooking from scratch. Plus, I’m a sucker for any kind of cooking (unfortunately I can no longer fit into my skinny jeans either…)
#6 should be
Don’t be a shelf-clearer!
Walgreens is the worst offender. My daughter used to work there and she said they never ordered more of a sale item so the items sold out quickly.
I’ve talked to the clerk at the beauty counter, and she says she does order more of a sale item, but they don’t get them in.
Just last week I met a ‘shelf clearer’ at my local walgreens and I have to say it was not a very good experience. I went on monday to get the Colgate Optic deal(I was running out of toothpaste) and when I walk in the special aisle shelf was full of them and I saw a lady putting some in her cart and I came a stood behind her to take 2 once she was done. But right in front of me she cleared the entire shelf, and I asked her very politely if I could have 2 as I needed 2 to get my RR, she said she couldn’t spare any as they were needed for her family and for the donations to her chosen charity. I have to say that I was stunned, she needed about 40 toothpastes for her stockpile and charity and couldn’t spare 2 for a fellow shopper? I just went and picked up another Colgate and went to talk to the Manager. Unfortunately, he was well aware of the lady’s habits and said that when stopped, she comes with multiple family members and they all hold up lines and create scenes if they are not allowed to do all their deals. I just felt sorry for the poor man and didn’t say anything else and went to get some soda. When I was checking out I saw her with another man who also had a bulging cart filled with soaps, bodywashes etc., now I wonder if they truly believe that they are helping any charity org. by clearing out shelves. There are many who rely on coupons to get basic items and are not necessarily looking for a handout from a charity to meet their needs. but I feel that such zealous couponing in the name of charity is more detrimental to the very people they so seek to help.
Wow! That is appalling! And you make a good point at the end.
I agree with you there! Just because you are clearing a shelf “for charity” doesn’t make it ok to clear the shelf! There are many of us who coupon so we don’t have to go to a charity or food bank to get through the month. I was a little sad when Rite Aid tightened up their coupon and UP reward limits, but it has made it way easier to get at least one of each deal.
I’ve heard the charity excuse from many people too and don’t believe it for a second. Few go out to purchase numerous copies of newspapers (that’s a huge cost) just to get great or free deals for a charity – its for themselves. That’s why I stopped shopping Albertsons. They allow extreme shoppers to wipe out the shelves at all area stores of all sale products on Sunday mornings when they have 3-day coupon doublers and then don’t get a shipment in until after the coupon doublers expire. So frustrating and a waste of time. They also don’t seem to care as I’ve spoken to local management and wrote the corporate office and got no response.
I don’t clear shelves, but I do give any extra items I can get to a lady in my church. She does volunteer work at the local food pantry, and they will give out items (shampoos, deodorants, toothpaste, etc.) that I get a great deal on with coupons. So some of us really do give items to charity. I also make care packages up when I am made aware of someone who’s husband has been laid off and they are in need. But like I said, I do not clean shelves, because I have had too many times where no stores in my area had any of the sale items. It is really annoying to see someone filling a cart like that.
A lot of stores are starting limits, and I am in favor of it.
It seems some people are being way too greedy.
Regarding rainchecks……My CVS manager doesn’t issue me regular rainchecks but instead writes a note directly on the weekly ad next to the picture of the deal. This, then, serves as the raincheck. It makes it quick and easy when I come in the following week/month. The cashier can easily see the deal I am trying to buy.
If your CVS manager isn’t willing to forgo the raincheck, that’s OK. Just cut out the picture of the deal from the weekly ad and staple it to the raincheck for future reference — the cashier will thank you!
When I shop at CVS I clip out what I’m going to buy from the ad then when I get the rain check either they staple it to the rain check or I do it when I get home and paper clip any corresponding coupon, if applicable.
This is why I no longer sleep in on Sundays. The Walgreens down the street from me open at 8 am on Sundays so I’m up at 7 getting papers and waiting for the doors to open at 8. I don’t clear the shelves by no means but I’m also not the only one waiting in the parking lot at 8 am on Sunday mornings either.
I get up early and head to the drugstore. If its not in one location, there’s usually several others within a 1-2 mile radius where I go.
I’ve also noticed there’s a certain CVS and Walgreens that have what I need. I’ll start there when playing the drugstore game.
This is exactly why I’ve stopped doing the drugstore game. I remember one Sunday we went to 3 Rite Aids early in the morning. Nada.
I have gotten rainchecks at Kroger before. Very nice.
You should also add… get a raincheck. Most stores offer rainchecks for their deals, and its always easier to come back next week and do your deals when there isn’t a big rush for them.
Expect everything to be gone, then get raincheck when it is. 🙂
The best thing that works for me, is to go early in the morning after the sale ads have been updated. For example, our grocery store releases their advertised specials on Tuesday night. So I would go the next morning. By the next afternoon, most items are gone and it’s not worth the trip.
Thats a great point-earlier does seem to be less crowded! That’s the best time to go here!
Most of the time my RA will swap out the item – several times I’ve had diaper coupons, but by the time I can get to the store on a Friday or Saturday the shelf is empty. I go out of my way to be polite and they have always compensated me for any uprewards I cannot get because their shelf is empty. I’ve not had as much luck price comping at WalMart as I would like, they seem to always make up an excuse (I used to work there, so I know the policy!) but I just keep at it and work the chain of command until I get someone who will work with me. I always ask the same thing – do you want my money, or would you rather I spend it at another store after I have made a complaint to your DM?? Seems to work LOL.
I know when my Walgreen’s gets its truck so I stop back on that day and usually the item is in stock. Also, it doesn’t hurt to be friendly! If you build a relationship with the cashiers they might be willing to stick what you need behind the cosmetics counter for you (assuming you don’t do this all the time and there’s just one item you *really* need.)
Micayla,
You are absolutely right in being friendly and building relationships with the cashiers. The cashiers at my Rite-Aid are like friends, and sometimes they’ll save items for me even though I’ve never asked them to do that. I love it!!!
You forgot ask for a raincheck!
I would say to pick a drugstore that fits your needs the most. Walgreens has been a huge disappointment to me on a number of occasions. I have decided that if I can’t price match the item at Walmart, it isn’t worth the frustrations that it brings to walk in the store and find that every item you were looking to purchase was gone. I gave Walgreens a fair chance, and I would say that is just doesn’t meet my needs. I also have CVS and Rite Aid to shop at. I say if you are constantly running into dilemmas at a particular drugstore, then shop a different drugstore, and if that is not an option, then aim to price match at Walmart. I don’t know how Walmart handles rebates, but with normal sale items I’ve never had a problem.
Our Walmart sounds like your Walgreens though.
I agree! If you live in an area with several drugstores, try going to different ones on different days. I used to live not far from a small CVS in a strip mall that always had the good deals in stock. The larger CVS nearby was always sold out.
and don’t forget to ask for rainchecks 🙂
Most store managers know there whether there is a problem or not with over-shoppers, but if there is no printed limit on items you can purchase at the discount than there is nothing to say to the over-achieving-deal-snatcher. Besides, there is no proof that a single person took ALL the product and do you worry about the next person who might come in later when you take two of one deal? I don’t and I would be truly offended if I heard from management “I’m sorry you can only purchase one of these deals because we’re saving the rest for another customer who MIGHT come in later.” Store managers have a million things to do besides listening to outraged coupon ladies (and I include myself here) gripe about the OTHER coupon ladies getting there first.
Also, if you ask nicely and the store isn’t packed, most employees will gladly call another store to see if they have the product you need and request them to hold it for the few minutes it will take you to arrive.
I never thought to have a manager call a nearby store – good tip!
A great point-and I would never want to weigh them down with something that they can’t truly control. I do though think there is value in talking to them-respectfully-about the best time to come and shop!
Do the rainchecks get you the rr too?
No, that’s what stinks about rainchecks!
But at my CVS they will give rainchecks including ECB so it depends on the store. I am considered a “regular” there so know the staff and they are extremely helpful and will often look in the back or give me a different item to replace the one in the ad. I gave up on Walgreens ages ago because it was too frustrating not having stock and having rude staff. I don’t think it’s worth the aggravation.
I know that Rite Aid has the ability to write the rain check to include the +UP. 🙂 Very handy at times.
my riteaid has always told me no about the +UP’s and my Walgreens has always told me no about my RR’s being on the raincheck! 🙁
Moriah,
You need to check with your store manager. When I get rainchecks from my Rite-Aid they always note the amount of the UP that I’m supposed to get. When I go back to the store to purchase the item with the raincheck they’ll deduct the amount of the UP (i.e. the items is $1.50 and I’ll receive a $1 up – they’ll ring up the item for $.50)
Walgreens has always been frustrating to me so I shop at CVS and Rite-Aid.
It has been a while and the policy might have changed…. but CVS writes the rain check for the price after the ECB for me.
me too Dee2! I did this just a few weeks ago
The downside of my area is no double coupons, but the upside is that hardly anyone pays any attention to coupons, so my stores are always stocked.
I LOVE this article! Especially the tip about trying to share the shopping with a friend. I’ll have to think of a friend to approach with this idea.
CVS is great about rainchecks- and they usually don’t expire. 🙂
Thanks Lacey!
You are more than welcome! I’m so glad it could offer encouragement! And the rainchecks seem to be a popular thing in all of the comments! I’m definitely going to have to start
I always politely ask if they have extra stock in the back…most of the time they just haven’t had time to restock the shelves. If they are out, I just get a raincheck. (Which can work out better in the long run).
RAIN CHECKS ARE MY BEST FRIEND!! I love them! They often turn //another shopping trip into a super success. 7/10 times I can often match a new coupon i did not not have on my original purchase with my savored rain check. I especially love CVS’s rain checks because they never expire!
I do pout a bit especially if it is something I need, but I move on. There is always next week! I defeintely recommend when your store gets their deliveries. I know my Walgreen’s is on Tuesday so there is no reason to go in there no Sunday or Monday because they are always out! I now plan my drug store trips on Tuesday on lunch!
Smart girl! And you can definitely apply thy principle everywhere-especially te produce section!
Thanks so very much for this post! It’s exactly what I needed after a terrible day of shopping! The bargain scenarios didn’t work out right and the cashiers and customer service were of little help! Thanks I need to choose joy!
I’m so glad it was encouraging!! Hang in there-there are better days, and theres always something to be thankful for!!
I would suggest rainchecks. I know that it isn’t the solution to everything, but if your not getting an RR or UPS it could be the way to go. When I started using coupons almost 2 years ago I would always find empty shelves, and yes I would be disappointed. Now I just figure someone else needed it more than I did!
Get a raincheck anyway, even if your coupon is expiring. Some stores have a time limit on their rainchecks, but some (like CVS) don’t. Others (like Publix) “suggest” you use them within a certain amount of time, but you absolutely don’t have to.
I always consider rainchecks an extra bonus, because it means the next time I have a coupon, I can have my own sale! Let’s face it, a good 3/4 of the coupons out there are for the same items over and over again. If I don’t have a $4 off razors coupon this week, I’ll have one again within the next month. A raincheck means I can buy when I have the coupon, not have to fit the coupon to the best available sale.
I never thought of it like that, but it’s so true! And who doesn’t love a good raincheck??!!
i have spoken witht he clerks at the store and gotten tips from them. For example…rite aid in my area is open 24 hours….she suggest go at midnight get what you need and avaooid the hassle. another option is to shop at a store that does more business, my walgreens openly admits that they will not stock more, they are too new of a store, so they suggested another one and it worked! not always but has elevated my shooping finds!
That’s so great!! I think sometimes we’re too quick to say that the managers won’t be helpful, when in reality that’s probably not the case. They can be very willing to help!
I usually ask for a rain-check for the item and come back later.
me too! And at CVS, you can get a rain check on the extrabucks too, so you can still earn them the next week. : )
You can also get rainchecks for the items with UPs at Rite-Aid!
Great Tips! I have had that happen many times, and so I try to always remember that most stores will give Rainchecks so that I can come back when it’s a more convenient time for me.
This has happened to me many times. I just ask for a raincheck or price match the item at Wal-Mart.
amen to the raincheck! Sometimes you end up getting a better deal this way on accident if different coupons come out
Great article! I really think that being able to adapt on the fly is one of THE cornerstones of living a frugal lifestyle. Especially nowadays when frugality is the “new black” and everywhere you turn shelves are clear and good deals are scarce.
You have to be willing to roll with the punches and also willing to roll up your sleeves and think outside the box a bit.
I’m loving the title of this article btw. LOL
Ha thanks so much!! As far as adapting on the fly, I couldn’t agree more-what are some of your best tips for doing just that?
I also think this very scenario is one reason why I’m trying to get back to making as much as I can from scratch-the staples to do so are always much more likely to be available!