Ask I Heart Publix 2/8

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!! As always a big thanks to my buddy Christy over at Winn Dixie on a Dime who gives me so much help to get the questions answered.

Remember–there is a tab at the top of the site called “Q & A” where you can find the questions and answers from past weeks!

Here are this week’s questions:

And here are the answers!

1.Linda wants to know: I am noticing that there are some coupons that I print that does not look complete at the bottom left corner. It appears that one of the bar codes is missing. Will these coupons still scan at the register and are they legit? I’ve printed them from coupons.com.

Christy: I believe I’ve read somewhere (I’m not sure where) that the ‘one bar code’ thing you’re describing is just a new format they’re trying out for printable coupons. I never worry about the legitimacy of coupons from Coupons.com – I’ve not had any sort of problems with their coupons in the 2+ years that I’ve been couponing.

Michelle: That is the new GS1 DataBar coupon. Pretty soon all coupons will be this format. Instead of copying the details on why the coupons are changing- you can read more on Wikipedia.

From what I understand, all Publix stores have made the necessary updates on their registers and you should have no issue redeeming the GS1 DataBar coupons at Publix.

2. Quan wants to know: What is the best way to keep your coupons from sticking together?

Christy: Whenever I have a number of the same coupons that I will be using in a single trip, I go through and crumple each one just a little bit, taking care to avoid the barcode. I’ve found that this keeps them from sticking together when I hand them over to the cashier.

Michelle: I also bend and crumple my coupons just to make sure that none stick together. They still scan just fine but I don’t worry that the cashier will accidentally miss them.

3. Buffy wants to know: My question is about your grocery budget. I am working very hard this year to lower my budget and stick to it, however, it is tough. I notice that you don’t seem to purchase a lot of paper goods on your weekly grocery trips and was wondering if they are included in your weekly grocery budget, or do you have a separate budget for household goods and paper products. I am trying to get everything with my weekly budget and it may be too low.

Michelle: I don’t buy a ton of paper goods mainly because I was working off a big stockpile that I had built up. It has dwindled dramatically so now I am jumping on deals wherever I can find them!!

I am a very big geek and work hard to keep my budget in check. So when I see deals from Groupon, Soap.com, etc. I will use my earned credits to grab toilet paper and paper towels to avoid having to spend my grocery money. I have also ordered paper products from Amazon’s Subscribe and Save program with my Swagbucks gift cards. Recently I was given a Beauty.com/Drugstore.com gift card and am almost embarrassed to admit that I bought hair color, paper towels, toilet paper and trash bags with the gift card. I just did not need anything else from those stores…so I went with items that I knew I would use. Some folks might call me crazy but I would rather have used that card to get what I needed and save my cash for things I really want.

I don’t use paper plates and we usually get pretty good deals on napkins with the Publix BOGO deals. So as long as I keep finding toilet paper and paper towels deals I should be good to go. I am considering stocking up on paper products in the upcoming ad to get my gift card. I will have to do the math to see if the deal is good enough for me to buy!

Christy: Michelle is definitely much better about keeping a strict budget than I am, but I will weigh in to say that paper goods can really add to your budget. I do my best to really stock up any time I find a good deal – I figure I might as well save as much as possible whenever I can!

4. Amber wants to know: I receive coupons through the mail all the time from Kroger, some are manufacturers coupons and even though they have a Kroger logo on it I can still use it at Publix. Well Publix sent me coupons through the mail a couple of weeks ago and they appear to be manufacturer coupons as well. They have a barcode and the mailing address, but it clearly says on the coupon redeemable at Publix Only. Is that true or is that just a tactic to steer me to Publix to use them?

Christy: If the coupon says “redeem at Publix” then I view it as a suggestion…but if it says “redeem ONLY at Publix” then I view it as a rule!

Michelle: If the coupon says redeemable ONLY at a certain store you must abide by that wording. If there is just a logo or name listed that is just a recommendation- the coupon can be used anywhere.

5. Erica wants to know: I love couponing!! For me it is two-fold, yes the saving money part, but also it is a “game” for me….and I am good at winning!! I don’t think that I go overboard on my purchases each week when I shop. I buy things that are “super deals” but not in crazy quantities, usually no more that two, unless it is something that my family uses very regularly. I do cook at home most of the time, but we are currently a family of three (my daughter being six months). My question is, “How do you manage the stockpile to be sure to eat or use the items before they go bad?” Do you use an inventory system? How far in advance do you plan your meals? And yes, I do try to donate so that I am not just throwing things in the trash!! Any suggestions and help is greatly appreciated!

Christy: I try to organize my pantry (and I use the term ‘pantry’ loosely; we have a small old house and I basically just store what I can where I can) so that the older items are closer to hand. If possible, I also use a fine point Sharpie to write the month and year of expiration date somewhere I can easily see it on the product. That way I am always sure to use the item closest to expiration first.

I also try to keep an eye on how many of each item that I have – if I have four of an item that is expiring in a month and I know we won’t use more than two, I just throw those items in a bag to be donated. I want to make sure that SOMEONE can use those items if possible!

Michelle: I have a very small stockpile compared to some folks. I kept track of my family’s consumption rate for almost two years and have become very good at predicting how much I will use of typical items in a specific time frame. This is what works at my house. You definitely want to keep track of what you have and make sure you use it. That can be as much of a fun challenge as getting the deals! Plan a couple of weeks where you only eat from your pantry- that is the best way to make sure you use what you have – it can also be a big eye opener

I also buy according to the sales so…I really do only buy items when they are on sale. I really recommend you analyze your product usage, I think you will be very surprised at how much you actually need. For example- I know that we will only use (at most) 4 bottles of mustard in a year. If I buy more than that it will be too much.

I inventory constantly and it really helps that my family is totally flexible. There are very few things that are must have items here at my house (my husband’s Diet Coke addiction may be the only exception). I can pretty much swing it with what we have on hand and wait for a deal if I need to. I do splurge on things occasionally but overall my family works with what we have on hand. No one will cry if they are craving Cheez-its and all I happen to have it Ritz.

Instead of allowing what we want to dictate my meal plan, I use my current inventory and supplement with the sale items.

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.

Question Time!

Our Ask I Heart Publix stockpile is getting a little low on questions, and we need you to help us fill it up again! If you have a question, please send it in. Your questions can be about anything – basic couponing information, how to use the site, finding coupons, other ways to save, whatever you’re curious about! We happily welcome questions from new couponers or old hands alike – and if there’s a question you know the answer to but we haven’t talked about here, send that in too! We want to try to cover just about any question that a couponer could have about anything related to Publix or couponing, and we just know there’s a lot more out there to discuss! Email your questions to contactiheartpublix @ gmail.com.

I’m also looking for new people to spotlight for the ongoing Reader Spotlight section! If you’d like to be featured, email me your story at contactiheartpublix at gmail dot com.

Ask I Heart Publix 1/25

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!! As always a big thanks to my buddy Christy over at Winn Dixie on a Dime who gives me so much help to get the questions answered.

Remember–there is a tab at the top of the site called “Q & A” where you can find the questions and answers from past weeks!

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Where can I find the Publix Tailgate Rewards Booklet? There are so many great deals in it!
2. Can I use a manufacturer coupon for Enfamil together with an Enfamil check?
3. Will my Publix now consider Target a competitor since they will soon be a full grocery store (but not a Super Target)?
4. How can I get Facebook coupon offers without being their “friend” and then getting all of their Facebook posts?
5. Ever since Redplum changed their site, I can’t print the coupons…help!

And here are the answers!

1.Shawny wants to know: Where can I find the Publix Tailgate Rewards Booklet? There are so many great deals in it!

Christy: Unfortunately that coupon booklet was part of a rebate offer late last year…so if you didn’t do the rebate offer, you won’t be able to get the booklet. The only thing you might be able to do is trade for one or two of the coupons in the booklet over at the I Heart Publix Forum!

Michelle: Christy is right. That one had to be “earned”. I know it is frustrating to see a booklet mentioned in the matchups but I try to list as many coupons as possible so folks will know what to look for – or what to trade for.

2. Merri wants to know: Can I use a manufacturer coupon for Enfamil together with an Enfamil check? Or is the Enfamil check considered a manufacturer coupon?

Christy: I don’t have kids of my own but I know I’ve read that people are able to use Enfamil checks and Enfamil coupons together – like the EBT question for last week, the Enfamil check is a form of payment rather than a coupon.

Michelle: Yes you can and it works out even better if you have a Publix coupon to throw in the mix. Remind friends and family to inquire about coupons and vouchers from formula companies to help you obtain more savings. That stuff is so expensive!

3. Gail wants to know: In my newspaper last week, there was an article that Target will be expanding the food sections of my Target — specifically more produce, more refrigerated, more frozen foods, more canned foods. Great, right? Well, maybe. I still prefer my Publix, but it will be nice to use some of those Target coupons at Target or Publix. But will my Publix now consider Target a competitor since they will be a full grocery store (but not a Super Target)? Have you heard anything? I know I can ask my manager once the Target store completes its renovation, but I was looking for a little early information.

Michelle: This will definitely vary from store to store. My Target has a minimal grocery area but my Publix accepts Target coupons. I haven’t heard any details on the addition but I will definitely keep my ears open and report back anything that I find!

Christy: This is really going to depend on your store – so you might want to ask your store manager about it next time you shop. This happened in my area and my stores (even the one IN the Target plaza) did not accept them as a competitor – hopefully you will have a different experience!

4. Lisa wants to know: How can you get Facebook coupon offers without being their “friend” and then getting all of their Facebook posts?

Christy: This one is actually pretty easy. Just “like” the company long enough to get the offer or coupon, then “unlike” them (on the right hand menu of the site) afterwards. There’s nothing that says you have to STAY their friend, after all!

Michelle: I don’t mind “liking” a page but I am not fond of those apps that want you to allow them to post as you. I try to delete them ASAP once I have my coupon. Often I like getting the status updates as it helps me stay up to date with promotions that I can share with you guys.

5. Crystal wants to know: Ever since Redplum changed their site, I can’t print the coupons! I kept thinking it was me and I went into preferences and double checked “enable java”, “enable cookies”, “enable popups” and nothing works! I work from a mac ( I think you do too?) and I was curious as to if you had any suggestions or words of wisdom. I always print from “Safari” as no coupons seem to print from Firefox, my preferred browser. I miss my redplum.com coupons! Help!

Christy: I’m actually having the same problem, so I’m really hoping that the commenters have some great info for us on this one!

Michelle: I pulled this from FAQ’s that RedPlum sent me….maybe it will be helpful

You will need to have Java installed on your computer in order to print RedPlum coupons – but
chances are you’ve already got it! If not, installing or updating your Java is quick, easy and free!

If you already have Java, you will be able to print RedPlum coupons simply by activating a Java applet in your internet browser. The process takes approximately 30 seconds and only needs to be done once!

Internet Explorer users may see a message simply asking them to activate an ActiveX control.
Firefox and Safari users will see a message box asking them to activate a Java applet.

You will not need to provide any personal information or register and the process will not download any adware, spyware or tracking software to your computer.

Our applet is called “AppletPrint” and depending upon your browser may say that it is coming from redplum.com, client.redplum.com or Valassis Communications

Java powers interactive functionality for websites that allows users to chat, share pictures, run financial calculations, view images and play online games. Users are typically prompted to download Java when engaging with websites that utilize it to manage high quality images and interactive functionality

It is a programming language used by web developers to enable users to interact with digital content in a consistent manner regardless of their computer or device operating system. It is pre-installed in 70% to 80% of Internet-enabled devices including computers, mobile phones, TV’s, game consoles, Blu-RayTM devices and ebook readers such as the Kindle. Java was developed by Sun Microsystems in 2000 and is currently owned by Oracle. It is TrustE certified for consumer privacy. For more information, visit www.java.com.
Browsers Supported for each OS
??
Windows 2000/?Windows XP, Vista, and 7
IE 6+ Firefox 3.5+ Safari 4+ Chrome 13+

?Mac OS (10.4 Tiger,10.5 Leopard)
?Safari 4+ Firefox 3.5+ Chrome

 

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.

Send In Your Questions!

Our Ask I Heart Publix stockpile is getting a little low on questions, and we need you to help us fill it up again! If you have a question, please send it in. Your questions can be about anything – basic couponing information, how to use the site, finding coupons, other ways to save, whatever you’re curious about! We happily welcome questions from new couponers or old hands alike – and if there’s a question you know the answer to but we haven’t talked about here, send that in too! We want to try to cover just about any question that a couponer could have about anything related to Publix or couponing, and we just know there’s a lot more out there to discuss! Email your questions to contactiheartpublix @ gmail.com.

I’m also looking for new people to spotlight for our ongoing Reader Spotlight section! If you’d like to be featured, email me your story at contactiheartpublix at gmail dot com.

Ask I Heart Publix 1/4

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!! As always a big thanks to my buddy Christy over at Winn Dixie on a Dime who gives me so much help to get the questions answered.

Remember–there is a tab at the top of the site called “Q & A” where you can find the questions and answers from past weeks!

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Can you explain how Facebook coupon offers work?
2. Do Upromise eCoupons load automatically to my Publix Upromise card?
3. What are some reliable coupon clipping sites?
4. Where can I find tearpad coupons?
5. If my store interprets the wording of a coupon differently than I do, what do I do?

And here are the answers!
1.Julie wants to know: I finally joined Facebook so I could get the coupons you all offer through them. Can you explain how that works with Facebook? Sometimes the questions that pop up are kind of intimidating that are asking for access to my settings and my friends.

Michelle: I know lots of people who miss out on these great coupons because they don’t want they apps to access their personal information. Super easy solution…create a new Facebook profile just to access the great coupons! Just use your secondary email address that you use to register for email newsletters and freebies (you are using a secondary email address right?!) and create your new profile. You can use a modified version of your name or a nickname and just skip past all the connections and in 2 minutes you have a brand new profile that you can sign into when you want to access the hot coupons
UPDATE: Ok-so you are supposed to only have one Facebook account so instead follow the directions and set one up for your “friend” or maybe you spouse …heck maybe your cat–tee hee!! Be sure and read the Facebook rules (if you can keep up with all their changes–tee hee) – thanks Sunshine!

Christy: I’ve been accessing printable coupons via Facebook for as long as I’ve been couponing and I haven’t really had a problem with any of the “Access” apps. From time to time different apps will post to my personal Facebook wall but I just delete those posts, Plus, most of my Facebook buddies are couponers too so they are signing up for the same offers I am! ?

2. Pam wants to know: I just signed up for the Publix Upromise card and I wanted to know if the electronic coupons that are available on the Upromise site would be downloaded to my card and when Publix swipes it, would the electronic coupons be valid and used?

Christy: You do need to go to the Upromise web site at the beginning of every month and load the eCoupons you want to your account – they won’t be automatically loaded to your card.

Then when you buy those items at Publix, the eCoupon adds to your Upromise account total. The best thing about Upromise is that you can use a paper coupon for the same item, so you effectively get twice the savings!

Michelle: I posted about Upromise a while back…you can check out that post for all the info about the program here. Definitely sign up and at the beginning of the month load all the coupons and you will be set for the month!

3. Shandra wants to know: I have used coupon clipping sites in the past but the one I used the most frequently is now out of business. Are there any more reliable coupon clipping companies out there?

Christy: Michelle and I have both had good luck with Crystal over at Coupon Beat and Katie over at Sunday Coupon Inserts, and I also like Florida Coupon Clipping and The Coupon Clippers. Commenters, do you have any other suggestions?

4. Stephanie wants to know: I’m fairly new to couponing and am learning the lingo and what works for me. I look through the ads every week, get my coupon binder and match everything I need/want. The only thing I have not been able to find is the tearpad coupons. Are they in a specific area of the store, are they mailed inserts, behind the customer counter?

Michelle: My store often has the tearpads behind the customer service desk because of abuse. There are a few folks who think it is ok to pull an entire tearpad and sell them on ebay. Typically, you will find them on cardboard standees or on the shelf right near the products.

Christy: Tearpads are pretty hit or miss – usually if you find one it is attached to the shelf near the item in question. Some people never find tearpad coupons and some people find them all the time – it just depends on your store and whether or not there are a lot of couponers in your area. Good luck!

5. Stacie wants to know: I recently tried to use the coupon from the yellow flyer that states “free Welch’s jelly or jam wyb 2 Welch’s juices”. I was buying 2 of the 100% juices that are BOGO this week and the jelly and was also using 2 $1/1 coupons for the juices. Both coupons ($1/1 and free jelly) are mq so the cashier and manager said I could not use these together as the free jelly coupon attaches to all 3 items. I know I have used similar coupons such as a BOGO q and $1/1 coupon together with no problem many times in the past.

I was wondering if this was a problem with this particular coupon? Is it coded differently to attach to all 3 products and if so how do I know when this is the case before I get to checkout? Or is this something new others have been experiencing as well? I did have another similar experience recently at a different store with the $1 off eggs wyb 2 Kellogg’s cereals coupon where they also said this coupon attached to all 3 and I couldn’t use another coupon on the cereal.

Christy: Deals like these will vary store by store – if your store is interpreting the free jam coupon as attaching to all 3 items, then you have to go by what they say…and at that point, you need to decide whether or not the deal is worth it to you without the free jam and/or without the $2 off the juice coupon.

Michelle: Yep…different stores will interpret coupons differently. It is hard to argue right or wrong in this scenario as there are no cut and dry coupon rules.

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.

Ask I Heart Publix 12/28

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!! As always a big thanks to my buddy Christy over at Winn Dixie on a Dime who gives me so much help to get the questions answered.

Remember–there is a tab at the top of the site called “Q & A” where you can find the questions and answers from past weeks!

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Are the printable Red Plum coupons the same as the Sunday inserts?
2. If the total coupon and sales saving exceeds the purchase total; does Publix give money back or a gift card for the overage?
3. What do you mean when you say “True BOGO”?
4. Is there an easy way to tell which items are price adjusted and which you have to purchase the advertised amount of?
5. I ran into some HUGE problems at the store today. What did I do wrong?

And here are the answers!
1.Nathasha wants to know: Are the red plum printables the same coupons as the Sunday inserts?

Michelle: There may be a few overlapping coupons but typically the insert will have many more coupons than available online. I only get one paper so I am always happy to see duplicates of items that I will use.

Christy: You’re not going to find EVERY coupon from your Sunday Redplum insert online – usually you will find 5 to 10 of the same (or similar) coupons available to print online on Sundays. I use the Redplum printables to “supplement” my weekly inserts – if there are good coupons available online that I know I will use, I make sure to print them right away, because Redplum printables disappear quickly!

2. QP wants to know: If the total coupon and sales saving exceeds the purchase total; does Publix give money back or a gift card for the overage?

Michelle: I have heard that stores will indeed give you overage. This will of course vary by store. I have way too much that I can buy rather than asking the store to pay me to shop.  Be sure and ask your store before you make any assumptions.

Christy: This will depend on your store, so I would suggest that you ask at your Customer Service desk to be sure. Personally I’ve gotten cash back on a deal only once or twice – usually I try to buy meat, produce, or bakery items to ‘absorb’ my overage.

3. Cindy wants to know: What do you mean when you say “True BOGO”? What isn’t a “True BOGO”?

Florida folks have true BOGO…meaning you have to buy one to get the 2nd free. If you only buy one item in Florida you are leaving behind a freebie!

Here in GA and other states where Publix stores are located, BOGO means we can buy just one item and get it half price….we do not need to purchase 2 items to get the deal.

4. Jen wants to know: A few weeks ago, Coke 2L bottles were buy 2 get 1 free. I assumed that they were priced adjusted like the BOGO items and I bought two. When I got home, I realized that I was charged full price. Apparently you have to buy them in quantities of 3. Is there an easy way to tell which items are price adjusted and which you have to purchase the advertised amount of? For example, when an item is 3 for $5, do I have to buy 3 to get the sale price?

Michelle: For items that require a specific quantity to get a discount, you must buy the correct amounts to trigger the discount at the register. This rule only applies when you must buy (x amount) to get (x discount).

Christy: I can tell you for sure that anything advertised as 3/$5 or 10/$10 DOES NOT require that you buy 3 or 10 of the item to get that price – you can buy 1 of those items and you will still get the discount.

Any deal that says B2G1, B3G1, or says something in the ad about “Final Price” will likely require that you buy exactly the amount advertised – and at the moment I can’t think of anything besides soda or carbonated drinks that Publix advertises in this way, so that may be the only type of item that you need to be careful about how many you buy. Commenters, can you think of anything else that would fall into this “must buy the exact quantity” category?

5. Laura wants to know: I ran into some problems today. The Cashier and manager had me in tears. I wasn’t trying to con anyone, I’d just never run into these problems before!

1) Kozy Shack coupons – they said I had copied them because they all had the same number, and would only take one (I’ve used similar coupons before without problems).
2) Target Coupons – they said that the picture on the Target coupon had to match *exactly* the item I was buying. for instance, the Planters “any snack item” coupon had a picture of a can, and the item on sale was a trail mix bag. So they wouldn’t accept them.
3) Target Danimals Coupon – she said it just said “one per”, and again said I had copied them.

I tried explaining I knew the coupon policy, I hadn’t changed my habits, hadn’t copied anything, etc. They were very rude and I was too upset to get names. I seriously cried when I got home. I’m so upset. If any of these questions helps anyone else, that’s great.

Michelle:  There can be many reasons for your bad experience. You could have a cheater at your store that has caused employees to be more cautious or maybe they were just having a bad day!

As far as printable coupons from Coupons.com, SmartSource, RedPlum and the like – they will all have unique numbers on the coupon (not the barcode–the pin number). You can point those out if you have someone suggesting you are using copies.

As for the requirement that you must buy what is pictured is incorrect. You actually have to go by the wording on the coupon. Companies often make many many products  and there would be no way for them to “show” all products on a coupon. The wording is what you must go by when making your purchases.

Target store coupons do indeed indicate one coupon per transaction (Limit One Coupon per guest). In this case you will only be allowed to use one per transaction. Be sure and read any specifics on the coupon to avoid an unhappy coupon experience.

Christy: Oh, Laura, I’m so sorry that you had this experience! We’ve likely all had experiences while couponing that made us feel bad – hopefully at stores OTHER than Publix – and so we all feel your pain. It’s not fun to be made to feel that way but hopefully the way you were treated was as they say ‘the exception rather than the rule’ at your store. It sounds like you had an over-zealous cashier and manager who likely have run into couponers who do not play by the rules, and unfortunately you paid the price for someone else’s behavior.

I would suggest that you go back to that store and ask to speak to the store manager. If possible bring similar coupons with you and describe the situation and how you were treated and ask calmly how this particular store would define “appropriate” coupon use. Get it straight from the store manager and that way if you run into similar problems later, you can take it back to that store manager and identify the problem. If you don’t feel like you’re getting a clear answer from your store manager, you should also think about calling the district manager and/or the corporate office – again, you have the right to be heard and to get a clear answer about how coupons can be used at your store, and it may take a conversation or two with corporate and the district manager to make sure that happens.

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.

Got a Question?

Our Ask I Heart Publix stockpile is still a little low on questions, and we need you to help us fill it up again! If you have a question, please send it in. Your questions can be about anything – basic couponing information, how to use the site, finding coupons, other ways to save, whatever you’re curious about! We happily welcome questions from new couponers or old hands alike – and if there’s a question you know the answer to but we haven’t talked about here, send that in too! We want to try to cover just about any question that a couponer could have about anything related to Publix or couponing, and we just know there’s a lot more out there to discuss! Email your questions to contactiheartpublix @ gmail.com.

I’m also looking for new people to spotlight for our ongoing Reader Spotlight section! If you’d like to be featured, email me your story at contactiheartpublix at gmail dot com.

Ask I Heart Publix 12/21

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!! As always a big thanks to my buddy Christy over at Winn Dixie on a Dime who gives me so much help to get the questions answered.

Remember–there is a tab at the top of the site called “Q & A” where you can find the questions and answers from past weeks!

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Which newspaper or area has the best coupon inserts?
2. How do I determine the best stockpile price for an item without doubles?
3. Many of my coupons now say “No other coupon may be used in conjunction with this coupon.” What does this mean?
4. Do you have any suggestions for how to file, organize or store the printable coupons?
5. If I can find a way, I would like to try and create some sort of class or program locally that could help teach families on a tight budget to eat better for less with some grocery planning. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?

And here are the answers!
1.Kristin wants to know: I may have to start buying coupon inserts on-line. Which newspaper/city has the best coupons overall?

Michelle: Honestly I have no idea if there is a specific area that gets the best of the best. Sometimes you find higher value coupons in areas where the cost of living is a bit higher (California, New York, etc…) I have found that here in Atlanta we get pretty good coupons but I have never actually done a weekly comparison of all the areas.

Christy: Michelle is right that the coupon values can be higher in some areas. Personally I think Florida coupons are pretty good. I’d love to hear what the commenters have to say about this one!

2. QP wants to know: I am a new couponer and have been couponing for four months now. I live in Jacksonville, Florida. Unfortunately, this means that I am unable to take advantage of the deals that are received from coupon doubling. How do I determine the best stockpile price for an item without doubles?

Michelle: We have talked before that stock up price is a very personal number as it is based on rate of consumption. There are lots of folks out there who keep price books identifying their buy it now price…but honestly, you will need to create your own. I always use the cereal example. Here at my house cereal is not a necessity so unless it is a special treat, I never pay more than 50¢ – 75¢ per box. Folks who go through 4 boxes a week may pay over $1 per box to avoid having to buy it at full price!

Christy: I agree – ‘stockpile’ pricing really is something that depends on your shopping priorities and you’ll get a better sense of your ‘best price’ and how many of each particular item you need in your stockpile as time goes on. I personally try to stock up when an item is discounted 75% or more.

3. Lindsay wants to know: I have noticed that many of my manufacturer’s coupons have the verbiage “No other coupon may be used in conjunction with this coupon.” Does this mean that no other manufacturer’s coupon can be used on the same item? Or does this mean that these coupons are not technically valid to be used with a store coupon for the same item? I have never been refused or questioned for using one of these manufacturer’s coupons with a Publix coupon, but I want to know what this statement really means.

Michelle: Of course everything is open to interpretation, but I believe it to mean that no other manufacturer’s coupon can be used with the coupon. Publix offering the use of a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon is a store specific policy and “trumps” the general wording on the coupon.

Christy: I agree with Michelle here – I think that wording means that you can’t use any other manufacturer’s coupon in conjunction with that coupon.

4. Nathasha wants to know: I’m pretty new at couponing and still trying to get organized. I currently use the binder method and my coupons are stored by inserts. I also try to print the coupons during the suggested printing days or as they come to my email. My question is: How to file, organize or store the printable coupons? Should I be clipping these and filing according to food type or alphabetically, or should I be filing these as inserts according to the coupon source?

Michelle: I do a combination method where I store full inserts in a filing cabinet and I file all other coupons by food type in general categories that make sense to me. I have categories such as baking, dairy, canned, etc… I chose them based on how I know I would be able to sort and then find coupons quickly. I have tried a million different methods and this is what works best for me.

Maybe some of the readers can comment on how they prefer to sort and organize coupons.

Christy: I’m always interested in how other people organize. I’ll be the first to admit that I need to find a better way to handle my printables. Right now I 3 hole punch printables as I print them and store them in a big binder right on my desk – but I have a hard time finding particular coupons once they’re in the binder. I’d love to hear any suggestions you guys have for keeping track of printables!

5. Lisa wants to know: I live in Tampa, I don’t spend a lot of time on deal sites, and I don’t spend as much time as I could getting every deal and creating a stockpile, but I still save a good amount of money. Over the past year there have been several articles in our local papers about food hardship and families not having enough to eat. Everytime I read one of these articles and they mention what the family is eating, what their budget is and how hard it is to feed their families I can’t help but think how much better off they would be if they knew how to coupon, stockpile, plan meals based on sales, etc. If I can find a way, I would like to try and create some sort of class or program locally that could help teach families on a tight budget to eat better for less with some grocery planning.

Right now this is just an idea that I’m not really sure how to act on, but if you have any suggestions or are willing to post this and see if any of your other Tampa readers would be willing to help me set something up, that would be great.

Michelle: If you are passionate about this then that is all it takes to get it started up. With any new venture you have to determine how much time, energy and possibly money you are willing to invest in your project. You might consider looking around to see if there are similar projects already doing the same thing and see if you can learn from them.

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.

Send in Your Questions!

Our Ask I Heart Publix stockpile is still a little low on questions, and we need you to help us fill it up again! If you have a question, please send it in. Your questions can be about anything – basic couponing information, how to use the site, finding coupons, other ways to save, whatever you’re curious about! We happily welcome questions from new couponers or old hands alike – and if there’s a question you know the answer to but we haven’t talked about here, send that in too! We want to try to cover just about any question that a couponer could have about anything related to Publix or couponing, and we just know there’s a lot more out there to discuss! Email your questions to contactiheartpublix @ gmail.com.

Also, if you’d like to be featured on the Reader Spotlight, you can also email the idea for your post (or your completed post!) to contactiheartpublix at gmail dot com.

Ask I Heart Publix 12/7

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!! As always a big thanks to my buddy Christy over at Winn Dixie on a Dime who gives me so much help to get the questions answered.

Remember–there is a tab at the top of the site called “Q & A” where you can find the questions and answers from past weeks!

Here are this week’s questions:

1. Where do I find coupons for free paper goods like I see on “Extreme Couponing”?
2. Where can I find all these great Publix booklets?
3. My printer is on a wireless network and it’s causing problems when I try to print SmartSource coupons…do you have any suggestions?
4. If I have a Publix (or competitor) $5/$30 coupon, do I need to spend $30 before or after coupons and specials?
5. How do you handle returns of things you bought with a coupon? For example, I bought a toy with a $5 off coupon and then learned my mom had already bought the toy for my daughter. Do I need to tell them that I used a coupon when I return it? Is it ethical to get reimbursed the full amount?
   

And here are the answers!

1.Patricia wants to know: I know your site is not based on “extreme couponing” but I was wondering if you knew for example which coupons to look out for that would get you free paper towels? During one episode the lady bought 240 single rolls and they were all for free. Also the same episode had a kid who got huge packages of Quilted Northern toliet paper for free, the coupons were valued at 11.99, where in the world did he get something like that? In Florida I find it hard to get any good or free deals on paper products.

Michelle: You can not use that show to compare realistic couponing!  There was a Brawny coupon that is $0.50/1 any and made the single rolls super cheap at some stores.  The $11.99 coupons I can’t address…the only thing I can guess is that they were from the manufacturer or maybe even fake?! Who knows with that show!

Also, keep in mind that coupon policy will vary across the country. Some stores double coupons up to $1, some even triple coupons!

Christy: One of the reasons why I hate that show is because it is SO unrealistic….there might (RARELY) be a coupon from time to time for a free roll of paper towels but it takes TONS of time, effort, and money to actually collect enough of those coupons to really stock up. I think it makes much more sense to shop the drugstores for cheap paper goods!

2. Brittney wants to know: You always seem to find the extra coupon booklets that Publix puts out throughout the year. (Not the green or yellow, but the all the other ones.) For some reason they’re never on the turnstile at my store, and when I ask at customer service they look at me like I have 3 heads. I want all those fabulous extra coupons too, do they come out with any kind of regularity so I can be looking out for them? Any other suggestions?

Michelle: Oh my…I rarely find the booklets. I post the booklets that are sent in by the readers but hardly ever get any myself! My store even keeps them behind the counter but they go so fast that unless I happen to be at the store the day they get them…I am out of luck!

You’ll definitely want to find a trading buddy to help you scout out the booklets.

Christy: Personally I find about 1 out of every 4 or 5 booklets that Michelle posts, so don’t feel bad – it’s not just you! For the booklets you don’t find, you might want to try trading for them in the I Heart Publix Forum.

3. Jennifer wants to know: My husband has my computer and his set up on our wireless network. My printer is not physically attached to my computer, but is on the network so I can print most coupons except for SmartSource. Every time I print a SmartSource coupon, it won’t let me because my computer is not physically attached to my printer, which, at this point in technology, seems like an antiquated way to do things. How do I get around that? Is there any way to print SmartSource without having a printer physically attached to your computer?

Michelle: My computer is also on a wireless network and I can print SmartSource coupons. You might want to make sure your printer software is up to date and make sure you have the latest updates for your printer drivers too. I know lots of folks often have printing issues so maybe someone else has had this same issue and can give some pointers?!

Christy: I’m going to ask the commenters to help me out with this one – I haven’t had this problem before. However, I have had coupon printing issues in the past – it seems like there is always some little glitch or another. The only trick that I have to offer is try switching browsers – sometimes when I can’t print in Firefox, I can in Chrome or Safari – so just try changing the little things to see if it makes any difference. Commenters, do you have any other suggestions?

4. Jennifer wants to know: I have a $5/$30 Winn Dixie coupon to use. I know the Publix coupon policy says “Dollars-off-total-order coupons will be limited to one Publix and one competitor coupon per order. The order total must be equal to or greater than the total purchase requirements indicated on the coupon(s) presented” and I know the registers automatically take off the BOGO’s as it’s ringing them up, but do I need to spend $30 before coupons & specials, or after?

Christy: In order to use the coupon, you need to spend $30 BEFORE coupons but (because Publix registers adjust for sale prices as they ring up) AFTER sales and specials. If you use the $X/$XX coupon with a number of coupon deals, you should end up with a GREAT price!

5. Carly wants to know: How do you handle returns of things you bought with a coupon? For example, I bought a toy with a $5 off coupon and then learned my mom had already bought the toy for my daughter. Do I need to tell them that I used a coupon when I return it? Is it ethical to get reimbursed the full amount?

Michelle: Personally – I would tell them. I know at my store there are a couple of folks who have made a habit of returning products that were on sale to get full price refund and make money. It makes me sad that folks feel that this is appropriate. I don’t want to be known as “that person”! I really don’t return many products…maybe one or twice per year at the most. I have had to do a few exchanges…I am terrible about buying whole bean instead of ground coffee…why don’t I check before I grab the bag–tee hee!

Christy: This is ultimately going to be a call you have to make for yourself. The store will get reimbursed for the coupon no matter whether the item is returned…but I personally don’t think I should “make” money by returning items that I bought with a coupon. While there isn’t technically anything wrong about doing that…I just prefer not to do that for myself. As I said, though, this will have to be a call you make for yourself!

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.

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