Stacking coupons is one way to rack up massive savings on your grocery or drugstore bills. Stacking is defined as the combining or the use of two or more coupons towards the purchase of one item. Most stores and pharmacies allow the stacking of a store coupon and a manufacture's coupon; some stores, if you are lucky enough to find one, allow the stacking of multiple manufactures’ coupons along with the use of a store coupon. Below are examples of different scenarios of stacking coupons and taking advantages of sales with coupons if your store does not allow stacking.
Scenario 1: Randalls: A typical regional chain store (owned by Safeway). Their coupon policy allows the purchaser to use 1 store coupon and 1 manufacturer's coupon.
In Randalls a 64oz bottle of Pine Sol costs $3.49. There was a store coupon on the weekly ad making the product $1.49 per bottle. Also, online at Pine Sol's website there was a coupon for $1.00 off any product, which I printed out. Let's do the math to find out final price per bottle:
$3.49
-$2.00 (Randalls coupon)
-$1.00 (manufacturer's coupon)
_______
$0.49 out of pocket cost per bottle
87.5% savings!
So now you can see how stacking saves big. A few tips when you are using store coupons. First you do not normally need to clip them, I would ask your local store about this, usually the store will allow you to just bring the weekly ad to the cashier when you get to checkout for the coupon to apply. DO NOT forget to show the cashier your store coupons as it is easy to forget.
Scenario 2: Walgreens: A typical drugstore. Their coupon policy is the same as Randalls 1 manufacturer's coupon and 1 store coupon. Register Rewards (like store credit) count as a store coupon in many locations.
At Walgreens Dove deodorant is on sale for $2.99 and you get $2 Register Reward when you buy 1 deodorant. There is a manufacture's coupon for Dove deodorant 50¢ off, you also have $2 Register rewards from a previous visit. Your transaction could go like this:
$2.99
-$2.00 (register rewards)
-$0.50 (manufacturer's coupon)
_______
$0.49 out of pocket per deodorant
84% savings! Plus $2 register rewards to use towards next purchase.
Scenario 3: Walmart: Coupon policy is 1 manufacturer's coupon per item. Walmart is not a good place to find sales since they rarely have sales and do not offer store coupons. There are a few things that may be worth picking up at Walmart. One nice thing Walmart will do is allow overage on coupons to cover the cost of full purchase
There is a manufacture's coupon for $3.00 off any Reach product. Walmart sells Reach floss for 99¢. You also wish to purchase a three pack Ivory soap for $1.99. Transaction will look like this:
$0.99
$1.99
-$3.00
______
$0.02 overage
You get both items free even though Ivory soap is not a reach product but because Walmart allows the overage of the coupon to cover other items to be purchased. Even though you are left with 2¢ you do not receive the money, only the free products.
