Coupon Question and Answer: Ask I Heart Publix 10/3
October 3, 2012
If you have a question about couponing at Publix, this is the place to find the answer! Each week my buddy Christy over at Winn Dixie on a Dime and I have a little coupon question and answer session here on Ask I Heart Publix. Keep sending in those questions – we love to answer them! Just remember if we didn’t get to your question this week…we will do our best to cover it another week!!
Remember–there is a tab at the top of the site under “About” titled “Ask I Heart Publix” where you can find the questions and answers from past weeks!
Here are this week’s questions:
- What happens to coupons once they are redeemed by customers like me at Publix?
- Do you have a schedule of when to clean out and organize your coupons?
- For rebates – am I limited to one per address- or one per person per address?
- How does a BOGO coupon work with a BOGO item?
- Are there are any coupon insert sites that sell whole inserts for less than the cost of a newspaper subscription?
And here are the answers!
1. Felicity wants to know: My question has to do with what happens to the coupons after they are redeemed by customers like me at Publix. I’m just curious how the store sorts or organizes them for submission back to the manufacturer and whether or not they match them to a report on store sales and whatever else might have to be done. This is just something I have always been curious about although I realize it isn’t your traditional coupon question. I’m an accountant by trade so I guess it’s in my DNA. 
Michelle: I know we have a bunch of Publix employees who visit the site so maybe they can leave some details in the comments. I have always had an idea of what they do, but it is purely based on speculation.
Give us the scoop…inquiring minds want to know
2. Amanda wants to know: I have been couponing for four years now for my single girl life. I have recently began helping a family of three with couponing, and had to make the switch to the coupon binder…. Dun dun dun! Previously I did not need such an elaborate system, as I would print the coupons listed in yours and drugstore matchups. Now I’m finding that with my binder it’s overwhelming to organize coupons and sort thru expired. Any tips? I know to clean it out at end of the month, but thought maybe some folks had a schedule or other tips for me. 
Michelle: I sort my coupons by category. I think is is easier to sort the coupons, find them and I can gradually clean it out as needed. I started with really broad categories and decided that lots of subcategories made my life much easier.
As far as keeping it organized – I am a pile person. I keep a little to-do pile on my desk and every Monday or Tuesday night I go through the pile and put things where they are supposed to go. This includes the many coupons I print or pick up throughout the week. As long as I don’t let my pile get out of control, I am able to manage my coupons.
Now, I am bad about cleaning out my coupons. I usually do it a little at a time when I happen to be looking for a particular coupon. I only go through my entire box about once every 3 months…that is about all I can squeeze in.
Christy: I used to have a binder too…but I found that it got really hard to keep organized when I started working with four sets of inserts and two sets of printables each week. Now I have the same sort of coupon box that Michelle has…and all those categories really help to keep me organized too! Plus, it is easier for me to flip through the coupons in the box than it was to work with binder pages.
I’m sure the commenters with binder will have some great suggestions for you as far as how to keep up with binder organization – but what I find to work best is to try to clean out one category per day. That way it’s not an overwhelming task and I can get through each section in a month’s time.
3. Carly wants to know: I have a question about rebates. If I want to submit a rebate for P&G am I limited to one per address- or one per person per address? Basically could I put my fiance’s name on the 2nd form and use our one address? I know I can only have one rebate per envelope. I did the Pantene deal at Publix and also qualify for my CVS purchases of Cover Girl and razors. I don’t want to miss out on any free money!
Michelle: This will vary and you’ll need to check the details in the fine print on the form. They will usually specify the redemption requirements and specifics. Usually there is also a number or website where you can contact them for help.
For those rebates that are one per address…I have been known to send out extra rebates and surprise my family members with an unexpected perk. If I am buying the items, someone might as well benefit.
Christy:For the most part, rebates are one per household…I can’t think of many recent rebates that allowed me to do more than one deal. However, as Michelle says, the fine print (or the customer service number) will tell you for sure if you can send in more than one per address. And if you can’t submit your purchases for the rebate for your household, then Michelle is right – why not surprise a family member with a little gift card or check?
4. Misty wants to know: If an item is on sale as a BOGO $5, and I have a coupon for BOGO for the same item, how does this work? Do I get 4 for the price of 1, $2.50?
Christy: This is a question we’ve answered a number of times but it always seems to come up again, so it’s probably a good idea if we address it every couple of months or so .
This will depend on the BOGO policy where you live. If you are in Florida, then you likely have what we call “true” BOGO (if an item is on sale for BOGO $5, then the first item rings up $5 and the second item rings up $0). In any other Publix state, you likely have “half-price” BOGO (if an item is on sale for BOGO $5, each item rings up for $2.50).
In “true” BOGO stores, you will pay nothing for both items -the store sale takes care of the cost of one item, and the coupon takes care of the cost of the second item. In “half-price” BOGO stores, you will pay $2.50 for both items – the store sale makes each item half price and the coupon takes care of the cost of the second item.
Michelle: I am always jealous of you folks with a BOGO coupon and true BOGO. I can’t complain too much…we get other perks here in the land of half price BOGO
5. Judy wants to know: I was wondering if there is service that you can buy 2 whole inserts of the coupons that you get in the weekly newspapers for LESS than the cost of the news paper subscription? I’ve seen a couple out there, but after adding in mailing/handling fee, it adds up to quite a bit more.
Christy: You might want to try out a few services and “test” out their shipping speed, cost, and coupon variety while you are making this decision..because whether or not a coupon insert service is right for you depends on a number of factors. You will want to keep in mind that inserts vary from region to region – so if you are buying from a service, you may get different coupon values (or different coupons entirely!) in those inserts than you would get in your local paper. You need to take into account how much you spend on the service, how long you will wait for your coupons (as opposed to having them delivered to your door on Sunday), and whether the coupons you get are better or worse when you figure out your best insert deal.
In my case, it is worth it to me to get my inserts delivered on Sunday morning – that way if I’m waiting for a particular coupon to use with a sale, I have more than a day or two to shop before the sale ends…and I like the coupon variety and values in my area as opposed to some insert services I have used, too.
Michelle: Honestly I think this is one of those things that will vary based on location. Since newspaper prices vary DRAMATICALLY it is hard to say for sure. I post deals where Florida folks can get a year subscription for like $25. That is unheard of here in Atlanta. The cheapest deal I have ever found was over double that price. So the added shipping fee of a clipping service is not that hard to swallow. When you factor in time and convenience, it may be worth the added expense. For folks who can pick up papers for just few cents, you are better off getting your paper from the store or an additional delivery.
Clipping services are just that …a service. They will likely be more expensive in order to be profitable. You will have to determine if the price is worth it for you.
I hope our answers to these questions were helpful! Make sure you ‘tune in’ next week for even more Q&A with I Heart Publix. If you have a question you’d like to see answered, email me at contactiheartpublix@gmail.com.
I buy my coupons on Ebay. I get sets of 20 for as low as $1.25. I have never had a problem.
I have a Sunday subscription to my local newspaper. But to get more coupon inserts I have asked my mom for the coupons from her paper and my husband brings home the coupons from their newspaper at work. Of course this will only work if you know people who do not want their coupons. Ask around you never know who might be throwing their coupons away. Also I have been known to visit the local newspaper recycling centers and look for coupons. I have found lots of coupon inserts that others obviously did not want.
Hi from Pensacola, Florida. I have ONE paper delivered 7 days a week and it costs $25.80 per month. Tried to have extra paper Delivered on Wed and Sunday but it was too expensive. Now I just print extra coupons from this site.
Hi im from miami i get my newspaper at a 7 eleven close to my house each paper comes out to .50 cents because i get the spanish one the coupons come in english so its the same thing. The english newspaper is .75 cents so i rather save .25 cents since they are the same and i also get them on saturday because on sunday they double in price i rather do it this way because i know what im getting instead of wondering what will b given..
i was wondering if the spanish paper’s coupon inserts come in the Saturday or Sunday paper? Thanks!!
I live in Miami too and although the Soanish paper is cheaper the coupon value is not the same there have been many times I go to look for a coupon in the Spanish paper and it is not there.. Also check the dollar amount listed on the top of the paper & compare it with the Miami Herald or the Sun Sent. it is TOTALLY different almost abount $100 less in cpns
Has this website though about making a section that shows the various competitors coupons that a shopper can use at different stores?
For myself that would be useful information as on occasion I travel through Pinellas and Hillsborough County and have the chance to shop at various stores.
For example some stores less than 1 mile apart accept Winn Dixie/Save-A-Lot/Albertsons as competitors, while others do not.
It’s such a hodgepodge that it can be challenging.
Perhaps if fans of this website were to submit the store number and location along with the current competitors’ coupons accepted it may make everyone’s shopping at Publix a Pleasure.
If you wander over to the Forum there is a sticky post in the Q&A section started by our very own Happy asking folks to submit the specs for thier store. That might garner you a chunk of the info you are seeking.
To answer your question about what happens to the coupons, they are sent to our corporate office weekly. From there I hear they get counted by a clearing house or some company and then we are credited for that amount.
I believe the company can request records if they do not believe we are selling the correct items with the correct coupons. Also the registers are audited regularly to keep the cashiers honest, even with the coupons.
Replying to Amanda’s ?: I use the binder method also. I clean out expired coupons every week PRIOR TO their expiration date so I can have an idea if I want to use that coupon or leave it on the shelf for some1 else to use (I rather some1 else use it instead of it going to waste). I do this before I add the new ones, this works for me and only takes me about 15min. Btw, I sort by catergory. HTH
To Amanda (with the binder): I use a binder and receive four sets of inserts personally, plus have about 10 other people that I exchange with so I get theirs when they are done with them. I clip my coupons Sunday afternoon or evening and if its a 1 or 2 insert week I will go ahead and file them. (BTW, I only clip the coupons I want) If there’s more than that, then I set them aside until Monday to file. One thing I do that helps me is that when I clip them, I do not stack them. I set them into piles, ie. Baking Products, Canned Goods, Dairy Products; that way when I stack them in alpha order to be filed = one big pile into my book category by category. I go through the binder twice a month – the 15th and the 30th/31st. I can do this quickly while watching the news or something. It also helps me to see what coupons are about to expire so if I really need that product (even if it’s not on sale!), I can get it. The trick to the binder system is don’t let it eat you alive!! Stay on top of it. I feel the organization is worth it.
“Coup”
I also use a binder. I like carrying it with me so I don’t miss out on a deal. I try to pull coupons as I sort each week (add new coupons to the binder). I also go through the coupons on or around the 15th and 30th of each month. I usually do this on a Sunday morning when I am couponing anyway.
As far as categories, I have a few large categories (pantry, fridge, frozen, HBA, Household, and misc). Then I have lots of subcategories. I use paper tabbed dividers to sort each of these into subcategories. I like being really organized and specific categories work well for me.
I do sort the coupons before I shop and bring them in an envelope. However, when there’s a deal, I have all my coupons in the binder so I can grab that too.
I personally alphabetize all of my coupons by product name.
It take a little bit longer but I love this method.
Once I’m at the store, I can just go to letter “M” versus having to find the dairy coupons & then sort through them.
I do too. School age members of the family can help file them too since they only have to be able to alphabetize. I use a small index file box that fits in my pocketbook – I think it’s easier to add to/take out than a binder.
To Amanda, I use to clip the coupons and put them in a box with small cases for category last year…and it’s so much work when you have 4 inserts its too much trash and too much time spend on just sorting and cutting, so what I did this year is I bought big clips and a plastic drawer, every Sunday I gather all my coupon book inserts, print the insert preview for that specific date and put a label in the front the date, and name of the coupon book inserts..that way it is much easier to look for coupons that I need when I see any match ups from websites like IHP. I just look at the date and flip through the pages of the insert where I’m looking the coupons for…this is very easy to clean too, after 2 or 3 months I sort through all the old inserts and see if there’s any coupon not expiring that’s worth saving and trash inserts that’s all expired. Now what I do with the worth saving is I put them in that small box with category, and the printables I put then all in a folder with a clip and only cut then when I see a match up for the specific coupon…hope that helps
I’ve never used a coupon clipping service, but the Dollar Tree in our area sells copies of the local newspaper on Sunday. I don’t buy them every week, but I watch the content of the inserts and if I will use coupons in certain Sunday papers, I go Sunday morning and pick up a few extra papers. At $1.00 each, you have them on the spot and between the inserts on the good coupon weeks and printables, it works out pretty well. There are still a few stores that don’t accept internet coupons, so having both is a good mix.
I use a binder too, but I am not nearly so organized. the binder has consumables on the front 1/2, and everything else in the back 1/2, separated by a 2 pocket folder that I keep various things in, store policies (if needed) printed coupons that I have not yet cut out. The binder also has some inside pockets for me to put booklets in, scissors in, stuff like that. theres also 2 pouches. 1 I use for really important things (special coupons like $2/$2 publix Q’s or $5/$30 Q’s, or ECB’s from CVS. the last pouch is where I place the coupons while I am shopping after I decide what I can/will get.
I left Publix a few minutes ago and to my horror, as my payment was processing, my entire stack of Publix and competitor coupons was put directly into the TRASH! She said they are only keeping the MQs now. Wouldn’t it be awesome if they did like Wags and just let you keep your store coupons to be reused. Sure would save a lot of trees.
To Amanda: I started out with the accordian file. I found that I missed too many deals by not having my q’s with me. I am now the proud owner of a 4″ binder that I never leave home without. I get 4 inserts every week and lots of printables through the week. I clip almost all of the q’s and file them alphabetically. I use baseball card holders (available at Hobby Lobby). I also use a zippered pencil pouch in the front for my competitor q’s. I get my inserts filed while watching TV. I clip and print my printable q’s the night before my shopping trip. I clean my binder out usually at the end of the month. That’s when most expire. During my shopping trip, I also get a produce bag and tie it to my cart handle. While I am shopping, if I find expired q’s, I put them in the bag and then I throw them away as I leave. I have found many a money maker or freebie by having my binder. I hope this helps!
To add on to IHP comment, if the Customer Service Manager is thorough, the drawer should be counted including MQ, and SQ And CQ, to ensure the cashier isn’t “processing extra” the coupons should then = drawer total. Total weekly coupons processed should match what is in the bag, even though the SQ and CQ do get disposed of. The bag gets sent off, and if there is anything that should not be in the bag IE store coupons, they deduct it from the total.
I live in true BOGO land and am jealous of the folks who get coupons doubled and get penny deals. The grass is always greener…
Don’t be jealous because of penny deals, the penny deals are usually not that great. Do you pay taxes on groceries? I am jealous of folks who pay no grocery taxes. I pay 9 %. I am also jealous of folks who have multiple Publix stores in their area. We have one in my area and it serves a huge region. They don’t keep their shelves stocked, have few competitors (almost nill on the $/$$ coupons) and write more rain checks than any other Publix if that tells you anything. The grass isn’t always greener…
I buy my paper at Publix every Sunday because they have a 2 paper deal, where you buy 1 and get the second 1 at a discount. That way I always get 2 sets of coupons inserts everyweek without paying full price for the second set. Up until last week, the paper was buy 1, get 1 for a penny…an awesome deal!! But to my dismay, it is now buy 1 get 1 for a 1.50. That’s $72 extra a year!
It’s still better than paying full price for a second paper, and I get more than $72 worth of savings, but still. I live in Alpharetta, GA. Does anyone know if they’ll ever offer the penny papers again?? Maybe that was just a temporary thing they did.