How to Utilize Coupons to Get Free Groceries Part 1: Finding the Right Store

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

telephone

Step 1

by ilovemods at flickr.com

First of all you need to find the best stores in which to purchase your groceries. You should investigate all the grocery stores within a reasonable driving distance to you. Keep in mind that you may be willing to drive further than you normally do if it enables you to get free groceries or at least dirt cheap groceries. Call each of these stores and find out the following:

* Do they double or triple coupons?
* Do they double coupons every day of the week or only on selected days? Up to what amount do they double coupons?
* Do they have special promotions where they double or triple coupons up to a higher amount?

You are searching for a store that triples coupons. This is where you will get your free groceries. Usually coupon tripling is done only as a special promotion periodically. In our area only one grocery store triples coupons and only twice per year. But I’ve heard of stores in other areas running a tripling promotion one day a week or one day a month.

It does seem that coupons don’t really seem like they would save you all that much money. But take the following true example:

French’s French Fried Onions (for on top of casseroles) is on sale for $2.19. You use a $0.75 off manufacturer’s coupon during a triple coupon promotion. That coupon is now worth $2.25. You use it towards your French’s French Fried Onions and get it for FREE plus $0.06 which the store will credit toward other groceries!
Step 2

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Next, find out if they have a limit on the number of like coupons that they double in the same purchase? For example, if you buy two identical boxes of cereal, and you have two 50-cent coupons for the cereal, would that store double both coupons? Or would they double the first coupon and then deduct only the face value of subsequent coupons? If they only double the first coupon, then your best strategy to maximize savings is not to purchase many identical items in the same purchase but to spread them out over multiple trips.
Step 3

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What is their policy regarding “buy one, get one free” offers. Do they charge half price for each item or do they charge full price for the first item and zero for the second item? (If the store charges half price for each item, you will be able to use two coupons on “buy one, get one free” offers to save even more.)
Step 4

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Do they accept expired coupons?

Don’t laugh. Some stores in the states do honor them. Overseas military commissaries honor them for six months.
Step 5

Find out if they offer store coupons in their weekly ad, in a special section of the Sunday paper, on the store’s website or in a store magazine. Do they have an email newsletter that sends customers coupons, or any other customer mailing lists that mail coupons to customers? Do they have any programs like a Baby Club or Pet Club that mails coupons to members for specific types of products?

Being able to use store coupons increases your savings.
Step 6

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Ask if they have their own store coupons for selected items, do they also accept a manufacturer’s coupon with a store coupon for the same item?

Using both store and manufacturer’s coupons on the same item is known as “stacking” coupons. This is a key strategy to getting free groceries. If you had a store coupon for $0.75 off and a manufacturer’s coupon for $.50 off Hormel Chili with Beans you could “buy” it for free!
Sale price 4 cans for $5.00
4 store coupons totaling $3.00 off
2 manufacturer’s coupons totaling $2.00 off
Your final price = FREE
Step 7

Are coupons printed on a home computer accepted? Unfortunately, some retail stores do not accept coupons legitimately printed from online sources. This would be a big strike against a store since the internet is a great source of printable coupons.
Step 8

by sandpeat at flickr.com

What are their policies regarding their competitors? Ask:

* Do they match competitors’ advertised sale prices?
* Do they accept competitors’ store coupons?

Having a store which matches competitors’ advertised sale prices and/or competitors’ store coupons is a real convenience. Instead of having to visit each of your local stores for the best prices you can get the best sale prices from all your local stores in just one.
Step 9

by Ced at flickr.com

Does the store have a pharmacy? If the store has a pharmacy, do they give coupon bonuses (such as a $20 gift card) to shoppers who bring in a new prescription or transfer a prescription from another pharmacy? Do they accept competitors’ prescription transfer coupons? Pharmacy bonuses and transfer coupons can be a tremendous cost saver! If you have several different pharmacies in your area you can easily net $100 every year. (See Resources.)
Step 10

by kinzielaramie at flickr.com

You should also investigate your local drugstores for their customer loyalty programs. Most drugstores honor manufacturer’s coupons and offer store coupons as well. Combining those two kinds of coupons along with store sales and promotions, we get many groceries and other drugstore items for free through CVS and Walgreen’s (see Resources).

Did you think getting free groceries was going to be a piece of cake? No, unfortunately it does take some investigative work in the beginning; then finding lots of coupons and keeping them organized, and staying alert to advertised specials. But for free groceries it’s worth it!