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There are lots of different places to get coupons. Newspaper, printables, magazines, in store dispensers, coupons on products, pamphlets in the store… the list is endless. Please remember with all these different coupons that you can still only use one manufacturer coupon per item. It doesn’t matter where you found the coupon, only one per item.
So you print a coupon to take with you and then find a coupon on the box when you get there. If they are both manufacturer coupons then you need to pick one of them to use for that item. Pick the coupon that is the highest price, or will be the highest price after doubling (a .40 cent coupon would be worth more than a .65 cent coupon at a store that doubles .50 cents or less coupons).
How do you tell if it is a manufacturer coupon?
Many store coupons say at the top that they are manufacturer coupons, so how do you really know what kind of coupon you have?
First look at the bar code. A manufacturer coupon will start with a 5 or a 9. That’s it. Any other number starting the bar code and you have a store coupon. Also look in the small print for a mailing address for redemption. All true manufacturer coupons that can be used at any store will have an address. If the coupon starts with a 5 or a 9 and has the address then you will be able to use the coupon at any store without problems. (Note: If the fine print states to be redemption only for X store than the above does not apply – haven’t run into one of those yet though). “Redeemable At…” or a coupon having a store logo are only attempts for the store to get you to use the coupon in their store, not a requirement.
If you find that you do have a store coupon, then you can find a manufacturer coupon to use with it. This is called stacking. At most stores you can use a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on each item. Stacking them together can really increase your savings! All stores covered by Southern Savers allow stacking.
Many grocery stores will double coupons that are a certain value or less every day. This is not based on the words on the coupon, but is based on the bar code. The computer systems will double any coupon that is the right value and if the bar code starts with a 5. While the store can override the double manually, that is not done in many stores.
This is just a basics post.There is a lot more to bar codes but for SouthernSavers.com we will stop there. It borders on illegal to go into decoding coupons and I am not up for that. Please no linking to other posts that discuss this either.
(Side note: any one that loves to decode coupons to use it to buy items that are not intended by the manufacturer your days a numbered as all coupons will switch to a new barcoding system Jan 01 of next year.)
