Double coupons may not save you money
Posted
Jan 09 2009, 11:47 AM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
My Smart Spending colleague, Karen Datko, recently posted an item about knowing what things cost. The idea is that knowing everyday prices keeps you from being snookered by “sale” prices that aren’t.
I uttered that same phrase on the same day, while talking to an MSN Money editor about double coupons. “They’re not necessarily the best deal because you might be paying more for the products to begin with,” I said. “You need to know what things cost.”
Later that day, I tested this theory at Albertsons. Was I right?
Yes and no. I did walk away with some decent deals, including five months’ worth of low-dose aspirin absolutely free. Mostly, the experience supported what I’d told the editor.
Cents off and sensibility
Let me begin by saying I’m a big coupon fan, so I was excited when I read that for one week, Albertsons would double up to six manufacturer coupons per visit. In the nearly five years that I’ve lived in Seattle, this is the first time I’ve seen double coupons in a supermarket.
Kmart recently had double coupons for a one-week period. Then, as now, I found a couple of swell deals. Generally, though, the prices at Kmart were higher than those at drugstore chains such as Walgreens and Rite Aid.
That said, I’m jealous of all of you who live in areas where double coupons are routine -- if you're careful, you can save a lot of money. To those who are double-coupon newbies, I’m offering a few observations based on my own experiences.
You really do need to know what things cost. Many of the products for which I had coupons cost more at the supermarket than they would elsewhere. For example, a vitamin/mineral supplement that cost $13.79 at Albertsons goes for $10.49 at Walgreens -- and that store regularly features this particular brand as a buy-one-get-one item. I'm saving my $1-off coupon for one of those sales.
Some people make up a price book, a list of items they use most often and the regular prices for those products. This is a good idea for those who can’t remember prices easily, or who are tired of trying to keep up mentally with rapid cost increases.
Drugstore rebates may be a better deal. Garnier Fructis shampoo was on sale for $3.99 at Albertsons; after my $1 coupon was doubled, it would have been $1.99. However, Walgreens is offering Garnier Fructis for 99 cents after rebate this week -- and my $1 coupon will mean it’s free (except for the sales tax, of course). That brings me to my third observation.
Know before you go
Read the ads. Your price book may tell you what a 5-pound bag of flour usually costs. But it won’t tell you that flour is a major loss leader this week at a nearby supermarket. Read all the ads and plan your trip(s) according to the best deals.
Don’t automatically believe those who say that driving around is hardly worth the gas. Instead, do the math for both miles per gallon and coupon savings. Decide for yourself whether it’s worth the effort -- and remember that some people overvalue the price of their time.
Sometimes, price is no object. I had coupons for 75 cents off Muir Glen organic food products. Because these items are pricey -- $6.45 for a jar of spaghetti sauce! -- I didn’t bother. However, someone determined to eat organically would have found that $1.50 off to be a nice little boost.
Incidentally, a common complaint about coupons is that they’re mostly for junk food. Sure, someone focused on healthier or organic food products wouldn’t have any interest in a coupon for high-fructose sugar cane snacks. (I just made that up, by the way.) However, I’ve seen coupons for items like orange juice, organic milk, baby carrots, bagged salads, whole oats, clementine oranges and plain frozen vegetables. (In fact, on my next trip to Albertsons I'll be getting a 12-ounce bag of frozen corn for 19 cents.)
To end on a blue-sky note, here’s Tip No. 5: Use your coupon powers for good. Doubling a coupon can stretch your giving dollars. I have obtained or am going back to get two packages of Duracell batteries, a bag of cough drops and four boxes of cereal completely free; a box of tissues for 39 cents; two bottles of Powerade for 20 cents apiece; a box of Nestle cocoa mix for 59 cents; and two boxes of cereal bars for 50 cents each. All will go to a local homeless encampment, which is currently set up in my church's parking lot.
Look through your coupons, and then look around you. Maybe there’s a senior center, an after-school program, a teachers lounge or a social service agency that could use those tissues or that hot chocolate mix. Happy couponing.
