Are You Clipping Every Coupon From The Paper?

Are you a couponer who goes through the coupons from the newspaper and keeps only the coupons that you think you will use?  If you are, you are missing out on some money making opportunities. 

Consider buying a product that you don't use, just to reduce the total cost of items that you do need.  First, let's explain how you can make money at the register.  Often, there are coupons in the newspaper inserts or coupons that you can print online that are valued more than the product costs at stores. For example, in my Walmart shopping trip yesterday I bought 7 Old Spice Body Washes for Men.  Here's what the deal looked like:


Buy 4 Old Spice (price match from Alberton's through Tuesday) $1.50 each
Use 4 $2/1 from 1-1-PG
Final Price: $0.50 money maker each for a total of $2! 


I made $0.50 per item.  Walmart will apply that $0.50 towards other items that you are buying.  Now, the boys in my house actually like Old Spice Body Wash, so it's a win-win situation for me.  But let's say that they don't like it.  Would I still buy it?  You bet!  I'm making $3.50 for all 7 items.  That paid for the 8-pack of Yoplait Yogurt that I bought yesterday to make those 8 items FREE.


Next, let's talk about which stores do you shop at that give overages?  Here in Denver, Walmart is the only store that gives overages.  It states it in their coupon policy.  (Here's the Walmart coupon policy if you would like to see it.)  The pertinent part of the policy is:


If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase.

That is the reason I priced matched to Albertson's for the Old Spice deal.  If I had gone to Albertson's, I would have gotten the Body Wash for free, but wouldn't have made the $0.50 on each one.  

Whenever I find a coupon that exceeds the price of the item in a store's sales flyer, I take the flyer with me over to Walmart to price match the item.  When I price match, I always have the flyer with me that has the sales price and also a printed copy of the Walmart Coupon policy.  You may be challenged by the cashier about the overage, and you should be prepared to 'teach' the cashiers about Walmart policies.  Don't let this intimidate you.  Yesterday the cashier didn't know about the overage policy and she called over a Customer Service Manager to confirm that they apply the overage to the rest of the order.  The CSM confirmed their policy and even chatted with me about coupons a little. 

By keeping every coupon, not necessarily clipping every coupon, you will save even more money at the register.  I know it takes time to clip and organize coupons, but since you are already clipping the coupons that you will use it doesn't take too much more effort to hold onto the other coupons from the newspaper.  (Check out my article about organizing coupons to see other options that may work for you.)

I hope I've convinced you that you should keep all coupons even if you don't think you would buy the product.  Even if you have one coupon for a product that will give you an overage, it will make a difference in the total cost of your shopping trip.  A dollar is a dollar, right?


The last thing we need to talk about is what should you do with all the products that you're buying and aren't going to use.  Donate!  Twice a year I donate to 9Cares Colorado Shares to purge the items I don't use.  You can also donate to FISH, or a Shelter that you would like to help out.  I love telling people that I've received all the items I'm donating for free because I use coupons!