Best of Ask I Heart Publix 3/14

This week we thought we might do something a little different. We’ve been answering questions for Ask I Heart Publix for almost two years now, and we’ve definitely found that some questions keep popping up as new couponers write in. So this week we’re going to start a “Best Of” Ask I Heart Publix, where we post some of our favorite questions and answers from past weeks.

Don’t worry….we’ll still be answering the new questions you guys send in, too, so keep sending in those questions! 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.

Don’t forget that 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 “Best of” questions:

1. Is it okay for me to take peelie or hangtag coupons off of a product even if I’m not buying that product?
2. Can you use a Publix coupon, a Target (or other store) coupon and a MQ on just one item?
3. I’ve been looking at everyone’s totals for the week with their list of groceries and I have a question. How can you plan a weeks worth of meals and still save 50% or more?
4. What are some items that do well being stockpiled?
5. When you started couponing and stockpiling, did you find that you were spending a little more than normal at first?

And here are the answers!

1.guenthers@ wants to know: I am curious as to whether or not it is okay for me to take peelie or hangtag coupons off of a product even when I am not buying that product? I never take more than four, and I do it in hopes of a sale. I only take them because I have seen people in my store take ALL of the coupons off the products before. That I think is rude, but am I being hypocritical because I take the coupons when I can?? Is it just a judgement call?

Michelle: This question gets sent in at least once a week. I always say go with your gut. There are no written rules to couponing and any answer that I give will be based on MY opinion. So, you are best doing what makes you comfortable. I will tell you everyone has an opinion on this one and I would guess if we did a poll, we would probably have half the readers saying peel away and the other half say not to peel that it is stealing!!

Christy: Like Michelle says this is DEFINITELY a hot-button issue and people can get really upset over it. Over the years I’ve come to see it the way that Michelle does – everyone is going to have their own opinion and I think “live and let live” is the best policy!

2. Casey I know that this is probably a question that has been asked before but I am new to couponing, and with the policy change, I am sort of confused with one thing….. Can you use a Publix coupon, a Target (or other store) coupon and a MQ on just one item? I have been told yes to both and would really like a answer to make it clear!

Christy: Publix will only accept either a Publix coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon on a single item OR a competitor’s coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon on a single item – never all three.

Michelle: Publix policy states the following: We (Publix) will accept a manufacturer’s coupon and either a Publix or a competitor coupon on the same item. The key word in that sentence is OR….you can choose to use Publix OR a competitor coupon!

3. Cristi wants to know: I’m a new couponer so I need all the help I can get. I’ve been looking at everyone’s totals for the week with their list of groceries and I have a question. How can you plan a weeks worth of meals and still save 50% or more? I could buy 8 bags of frozen veggies and 12 cartons of drink mix and 6 bags of cheese for next to nothing, too, but that doesn’t make 5 meals for a family of 3. I must be missing a step between cashing in on all the coupon deals and being able to put those deals together to make complete meals for the week.

Christy: The key to really saving money through couponing is stockpiling. When I first started out about a two and a half years ago, I saved (at best) maybe 25% because I was still buying all our ‘staples’ – meat, produce, paper goods, personal items, dry goods like rice and pasta, dairy like milk and butter products, etc – every week in addition to the great sale items. Over time, though, I was able to stock up on those types of items every time a great sale came along and now at any one time I have about 3 months worth of those items on hand, which is generally enough to last until the next time there’s a really good sale/coupon deal. (The one exception here is produce, which we still buy every week because it won’t keep.) So what you’re seeing on people’s weekly totals is often just what they buy to keep their stockpile full….they already have everything else they need on hand before they go shopping, which is why they can save as much as they do.

Don’t think that all couponers have huge houses to store this stuff in, either – my husband and I rent a small house and I’ve had to be pretty clever in finding places to store my stockpile. I was lucky enough to be able to pick up a small used deep freezer on Craigslist for about $75 so that I can freeze meat, dairy (milk, cheese and butter freeze well for up to 6 months), etc. Frankly, I’m so grateful to couponing because without it I really don’t know how we’d be able to afford the things we need for our small family!

Michelle:Tee hee…I am sure the lists do look funny!  But, Christy is right.  One of the tricks to couponing is to use a coupon when it is worth the most–when the item is on sale!!  So, we hang on to our coupons until just the right time. I may buy 6 containers of peanut butter one week and then not need to buy it for another 4 months.  That is the case for many items.  Each week, I typically only buy what I need to round out my meal plan for the week plus any super deals that might be available. I think many non-couponers are not smart shoppers and over buy each week.

I find that meal planning & using coupons is less wasteful!  Before I shop, I can determine what I have on hand then create my meals so that the ingredients work together and I only buy exactly what I need! An even further step is planning meals based on what I have and what is on sale! Doing all of this may not make for a pretty shopping list but it certainly makes for some smart shopping and nice savings!!

4. Elizabeth wants to know: I have a question regarding stockpiling. There are just two people in my family and I am concerned that I’ll buy too much or not enough of something when an item is on sale. For example, we go through those bagel/bread thins like crazy! They are 2/$4 this week but we already have 2 unopened packs in the fridge. Publix had that in store coupon so it would be a great deal, but I didn’t know how they freeze/keep? What are some items that do well being stockpiled? (Obviously TP, Paper Towels, etc). What about cereal and other food items?

Michelle:  I have found it to be a little bit of trial and error.  It will really just depend on your consumption rate. I try to get about what we will use in 8 weeks. There are really so many options with all the great deals that if you vary your menu you really don’t need a ton of one thing. When meat and dairy items are on sale, I will grab what I can store as we use these products on a daily basis…so there really is no way to be fully stocked.

Most things freeze with no problem.  There are a few things that I don’t freeze…cream cheese, sour cream  and leafy veggies just don’t hold up. Use the web to see what veggies you can freeze.

Christy: Same here…I pretty much had to learn by making mistakes. For a while there I thought we might be buried under an avalanche of cereal…so I learned that 10 boxes is about the max that my family of 2 should have at any one time . You might want to try to keep a basic (dated) inventory of items for a few months – mark how many you have at your starting date and keep track of how many you add or subtract over that period of time. That should give you a good sense of what you need to have on hand at any one time.

I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping track of expiration dates, too…my rule is “if we can’t use it before two weeks of its’ use-by date, it goes in the donate bag.”

5. Melanie wants to know: When you first started couponing and stockpiling, did you find that you were spending a little more than normal at first? I am still saving at least 50% on my grocery bills each week and have started a nice little stockpile of a few items but I find that I am still spending a little over $100.00 each week. Maybe I am missing something – any advice?

Christy: My totals definitely went down (and my percentages went up!) over time, and the stockpile is key! Once you have a good 2-3 month supply of your ‘everyday use’ items, you’ll be able to save the most because you’ll only be need to shop for the absolute best deals. (I know some people keep more than 2-3 months worth, but this is about as much as I can reasonably stuff into my relatively small kitchen and storage areas.) I usually tell people that they should expect to see about 50% savings for the first 4 to 6 months, and after that their savings should go up and their overall spending should go down. One thing that may help is shopping the drugstores for your health & beauty and household items as you can generally find WAY better deals on those types of items there….my monthly totals went way down after I stopped having to buy our toiletries at near-full price every month!

Michelle: Yes, I was spending more money when I first started couponing. I dedicated a specific amount just to build my stockpile. Once I was at the point where I found I was barely touching those funds I got rid of it! I think it was a combination of the fact that I was becoming a better couponer. As a new couponer, I bought too much!! After about a year I was able to understand what my family would use. I also was able to determine what a good deal was for me. By that time I had a good stockpile and knew my price point for everything based on our consumption! My first year’s spending was about double what I spend now. I gradually reduced the amount to what worked best for me. I always encourage people who want to reduce their spending to do it gradually. If you reduce it slowly you will never even realize the impact…if you cut it drastically you will likely be overwhelmed and you might give up!! Slow and steady is best!!

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.

Coupon Question and Answer: Ask I Heart Publix 2/29

It is time for our weekly Coupon Question and Answer session! 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. If an item is on sale as a BOGO, and I have a Publix coupon for each item and a manufacturer’s coupon for each item, can I use all those coupons for one BOGO set?
2. What’s the best time of the year to have a yard sale?
3. Sometimes I don’t find all the items you list in the ad preview on sale at my store. Are there regional differences in the Publix sales, and what region are you in?
4. Does I Heart Publix have a list of the product sale cycles for Publix that I can print to use for reference?
5. Was it ok to try to use these coupons together?

And here are the answers!

1.Misty wants to know: If an item is on sale as a BOGO, and I have a Publix coupon for each item and a manufacturer’s coupon for each item, can I use all of these?

Christy: You absolutely can….that is what makes for some great deals at Publix!

Michelle: Yep, that is one of the best ways to snag a FANTASTIC deal at Publix! Since they allow us to stack a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon during a sale, we can get some incredible deals. Those are usually the deals where you stock up!

2. Quan wants to know: Since I’ve been couponing, I am now looking for more ways to save money and earn extra cash. With that said, would you happen to know the best time of year to have a yard sale?

Michelle: Honestly, I really don’t know. I know when warm weather sets in I usually see more signs up. I think that is when people are wanting to get out of their houses and do a little shopping?

Christy: From my experience, I’d definitely recommend the spring and fall (if you are in FL like me, that means November and March) – basically when the weather is nice and comfortable and you have a good chance of sunshine, because a lot less people are going to want to head out to hit the yard sales in the rain or heat! The last time I had a yard sale I had a friend (another couponer) join in and we both did pretty well and had some fun. Make sure you advertise in as many places as you can and put signs on major roads in your area, and you should do pretty well!

3. Vickie wants to know: Sometimes I don’t find all the items you list in the ad preview on sale at my store. Are there regional differences in the Publix sales, and what region are you in?

Michelle: Yes there are regional differences – that is why I always note at the top of the ad post that you should check your ad for any differences. I am in metro Atlanta. There are usually only a few (if any) and you will want to price check the items as sometimes I get unadvertised deals that may not actually be in the ad…so it’s always best to check!

Christy: I live in North Central Florida and I occasionally don’t find a sale or two that Michelle has listed. However, if you don’t find a sale sign on a particular item, you might want to have your cashier price check the item just to be sure – sometimes my store misses a sign!

4. Rebecca wants to know: I’m still somewhat new to couponing (less than a year). I’ve read that products go on sale in cycles and that it is beneficial to track the sale cycles. I cannot seem to find the time figure this out. Does I Heart Publix have a list of the product sale cycles for Publix that I can print to use for reference?

Michelle: Rebecca there is not an exact science to sales cycles so creating a list would not really be helpful. Generally things go on sale every 6 – 8 weeks. It is not a guarantee and the timing is an approximation. Many sales follow holiday/seasonal occurrences and Publix has a few promotions that seem to repeat every year.

You will start to see patterns but again often sales have no rhyme or reason. Predicting sales is more of an educated guess based on previous information.

5. Kareen wants to know: I have a Publix couponing question that I really hope you can help me with. Yesterday, when checking out a Publix, I had an interesting experience. While scanning my coupons, the cashier had a skeptical look on her face and kept putting my Publix coupons aside after already scanning 2 of them. So I had a feeling there was going to be an issue. After she got to the 3rd one, she called over the customer service person and asked if that Publix coupon was in fact a Publix coupon since it had a bar code on the back. The customer service person advised the cashier that the Publix coupons were manufacturer coupons and not Publix coupons since there was a bar code on the back even thought the front of the coupon said Redeemable at Publix Stores only. The coupons were taken from the Simply Delicious Inspirations booklet that were located in the front of the store.

Here is how i planned to use the coupons:
$1 off 2 Digorno’s Pizza (Publix coupon from Simple Delicious booklet)
(2) $1 off 1 Digorno Pizza

(2) $1 off 1 Boost Nutritional Drinks (Publix coupon from Simple Delicious booklet)
$3 off 2 Boost Nutritional Drinks (Manufacturer)

(2) $1 off 1 Carnation Breakfast Essentials Drinks (Publix coupon from Simple Delicious booklet)
$1 off 2 Carnation Breakfast Essentials Drinks (Manufacturer)

Now after the customer service person told the cashier the coupons were not actual Publix coupons, she then voided the first 2 that she initially scanned and I ended up only using my other manufacturer coupons or the coupon with the highest discount value for my items. I told the cashier until now, I never had an issue with Publix coupons before as I have used plenty of the same types of Publix coupons and many of them were stacked with manufacturer coupons with no problems.

Was this correct? Are these coupons that say Redeemable at Publix Stores only supposed to be considered as a manufacturer coupon and not a store coupon? The funny thing is that I also used a Publix coupon that had a barcode that I printed from the Kraft website, and the cashier didn’t have any problems with that one. So I am very confused about the whole barcode thing…can you help?

Christy: The coupons in the Simply Delicious are manufacturer’s coupons that say “Redeem at Publix only” on them, and they’ve caused quite a bit of confusion.

Michelle: Christy is correct. I will add that there are a few Publix coupons that have a bar code but again they will look totally different from your standard coupon bar code. Also, remember the new GS1 DataBar is showing up on more and more coupons -so the 5 and 9 rule will no longer apply. BUT–the GS1 DataBar is very big and easily recognizable – you will be able to tell the difference between it and a Publix bar code.

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 2/22 – Publix Coupon Questions Answered

Keep sending in those questions – we love to answer them! Just remember if we didn’t get to your Publix coupon questions 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 there paper recycling places where you can find coupon inserts for free?
2. How many inserts do I need to buy each week to have the best savings?
3. How do people get such low out of pocket costs when they’re buying things like produce and meat?
4. What is considered a great deal for a chest deep freezer and where is the best place to store one in a home?
5. What is the official Publix policy on overage?

And here are the answers!

1.Torrence wants to know: My question is about newspaper recycling, I often see on tv where couponers can go to some type of news paper recycling bins and look for older coupon inserts etc. I wanted to know do any such places exists in the city of Atlanta or Fulton County, GA? Also if you have any suggestion on what I can do to obtain older inserts, it seems to me like the one Sunday I miss getting a newspaper, it is the one with all the useful coupons for me.

Christy: I’ve seen people dumpster diving for inserts on tv too, but I’ve never known where to find places like that in my area. Commenters, I’d love to know if you’ve found places or ways to get free inserts!

Michelle: Since Recycling stations will vary by city, you might want to look online for a station in your area. I will forewarn you that many recycling stations have rules that prevent folks from digging through the bins. Make sure you ask your center their rules and regulations before you start dumpster diving!

Many of the clipping sites sell whole uncut inserts. Try Sunday Coupon Inserts or Coupon Beat - they can give you a deal on multiple copies of your missing inserts.

2. Mugi wants to know: We are a family of 3. I’m wondering how many inserts I should buy each week in order to save the most money?

Christy: If you live in Florida and have “true BOGO,” then I would definitely recommend that you buy your inserts in multiples of two. Other than that, I would suggest that you look back over a few week’s ads and try to figure out how many of each insert coupon you would like to have to build and maintain your stockpile. For me that number is 4 – but this will be different for everyone!

Michelle: It will likely vary based on lots of factors. Here in Atlanta the paper is EXPENSIVE. I get one home delivered paper and that is it. I have found that I do better grabbing multiples of what I need from clipping sites and ebay. I get only what I need and don’t have to bother to store lots of copies of the paper. If your paper is cheap, you might be better off buying multiple inserts.

I also find that I use way more printable coupons each week than insert coupons. So my money is better spent on ink that inserts -tee hee!

3. Gail wants to know: How do people get such low out of pocket cost if their purchases include items for which you don’t typically have coupons, such as produce? I could easily spend $20 just on fresh produce for one week. I don’t want to sacrifice a balanced, healthy diet for awesome savings, but if there is a way to save in that area as well, I would love to know!!

Michelle: There are the occasional coupons for meat and produce but they are definitely not as prevalent as other coupons. Using Publix $5/$30 coupons (and the like) can help take a bite out of the cost. Generally, meat and produce eat up the most from my budget.

I have a produce delivery service that is factored in as part of my food budget. I only have to supplement with things I might need/want that are on sale each week. My freezer is full of chicken and ground beef from the recent Zaycon sales. Many folks stock up on these items when prices are super low. You can parboil and freeze many veggies which can be a great help. Also, I know some folks even grow their own veggies to save.

I also keep a big selection of frozen veggies on hand. If I am making vegetable stew or the like, I can use a combination of fresh and frozen veggies and still have a fantastic dish. No one in my family would be able to tell you if the corn was cut from the cob or poured from a bag –tee hee!

Also, like any shopping trip – when possible you want to shop the sale. If bell peppers are not on sale on a specific week, you might want to skip making stuffed bell peppers that week. Keep in mind, everyone has different needs and may not choose to do lots of fresh produce. I had a friend who only bought canned and frozen veggies–never bothered with fresh. While that would not be my choice for my family…she was very content in her shopping habits.

Christy: There are  couple ways to save on fresh items like produce, bakery bread, meat, seafood. First, of course, shop sales whenever you can – but other than that, you can also reduce your overall out of pocket cost with $X/$XX coupons and overage items (if there are any that week). Even if you can’t reduce your out of pocket costs every week, you need to keep in mind that you are saving a ton on your other grocery items…and that savings does offset the price of the more expensive items on your list!

4. Quan wants to know: What is considered a great deal for a chest deep freezer and where is the best place to store one in a home?

Michelle: Personally when I bought mine I looked at several key points.

• Size
• Energy Usage
• Storage compartments
• Price

I think getting all your requirements within budget makes for a great deal. You may find something that has a lower price tag but is an energy monster. That is not a good deal in my book. Do a little research and you should be able to find the one that works best for you. I also chose to go to a store where I would get a little perk. I happened to have a coupon for Best Buy. I also chose to shop there as I would get points from their Reward Program that would earn me a Best buy gift card. Getting all of my key points with a coupon and earning points made my purchase a great deal in my book.

I researched online then when I had a few that I wanted to check out in person, I went armed with a short list. I ranked them and actually ended up grabbing my top pick. I went with the the largest upright that was Energy Efficient. I wanted shelves and baskets so I could access my food easily. I also got a few bells and whistles including a lock and an alarm. I have been one happy gal since I made my purchase!

Christy: I had a different experience than Michelle did. Since my husband and I rent versus own our home, we decided that we did not want to purchase anything new since we know for certain that we will need to move sometime in the next few years and we just don’t know how much space we will or won’t have in the future (and how much we will or won’t choose to move with us). I kept an eye on our local Craigslist for a few weeks and sure enough a the size deep freeze we needed popped up for $75. It was in near perfect condition, so it was perfect for what we needed. Two years later, it is still running great!

As to where to put it – basically anywhere it will fit that is convenient. You probably won’t need to be in and out of the deep freeze all the time so it doesn’t need to be in the kitchen – but you also don’t want to have to carry all your groceries to an inconvenient location when you’ve stocked up on something frozen. We rent a smaller cracker house and there was literally nowhere to put ours in the house…so it is out on our back porch (next to the dryer…got to love Florida cracker houses !

5. Gerardo wants to know: I need to know from an official Publix source what happens when, for example, a product costs $1 and I have a coupon for $1.50. I been couponing for almost a year, and have never had a problem getting overage in the past, but there have been a few managers and store managers that give me a problem with it. I’ve called corporate a few times, and I could sense that they weren’t sure what to say, and they always end up saying that it’s up to the individual store manager. Do they make the coupon policy intentionally vague about this?

Christy: As you say, the Publix coupon policy does not specifically address overage – and so my thought is that it is up to the individual store manager as to their store’s policy on overage. It can be frustrating when you just want someone to tell you what the “official” ruling is – but Publix is so amazing in their willingness to accept competitor coupons that I just can’t complain very much!

Michelle: I can’t give you any official word since I am not affiliated with Publix. Your best bet is to ask your store. As you noted, you may get a different response based on who you ask. Unfortunately, there is no clear cut answer but I really think that helps us in the long run. The Publix coupon policy being somewhat vague allows for flexibility. If they were to be super specific I feel that it would cut out some of the great deals that we “heart” from Publix!

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 2/15

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. I’m thinking about using a coupon clipping service, and I have a few questions.
2. What do I do when my store tells me that my coupons are counterfeit…and how do I know for next time?
3. Do you have any suggestions for an inexpensive stockpile storage system?
4. How can I get my savings percentages lower?
5. My friend can use expired Publix at her store…are there other stores that allow this?

And here are the answers!

1.Laurie wants to know: I have been couponing for almost a year now, by clipping coupons from the newspaper, pulling them off tear pads at the grocery store, and printing them off the internet. I finally feel like I may be ready to go “the next step” and contact a clipping service for extra coupons when I stumble upon an amazing deal. I have a few questions about clipping services: How do I find a legitimate clipping service? How long does it usually take them to send the coupons? And is it really worth it to pay for coupons? I used to feel like this defeats the purpose, but if it is a small amount, then I would save more than I spent, right?

Christy: When I am thinking about ordering from a new clipping service, I always place one small order first just to test it out – that way you don’t put out too much money on an unknown service, and you can also see about how long it takes for your coupons to arrive (most services I’ve used send out coupons within a day or so of ordering, so you should receive them within 4 days or so). And as far as your savings – if I need the item and will spend less on my order and shipping than I will potentially save with the coupons, then I think it can sometimes make sense to order coupons!

Michelle: I don’t buy a ton but I have used Coupon Beat, Sunday Coupon Inserts and The Coupon Clippers. I also buy off ebay if I see something that will be worth the money. You definitely have to look at whether you are spending more than the coupons are worth.

2. Jennifer wants to know: Remember those $10 off 1 Enfamil formula from last month? Well, I just went to my local store and was told that it was a counterfeit. Have you heard of this being the case? I asked the cashier to tell me what made it counterfeit, because that was news to me, but she just told me that the “company would not have issued it.”She was downright rude. So my first question is – was that true? I would never pass a counterfeit coupon intentionally. After that, I said “no problem, I have another coupon.” It was for $8 off 1 Enfamil that clearly said “Manufacturer’s Coupon” and “Available at Kroger” on it. She refused this as well, saying that it was a Kroger coupon. She would not even look at the coupon after that…started to yell at me when I said calmly, “No it says right here – Manufacturer’s Coupon.” So my second question is..if the coupon is a manufacturer’s coupon, it should be accepted anywhere, correct? I just want to get all of the facts straight before I write a letter to the store manager. 

Christy: As far as I know, the $10/1 Enfamil coupon you’re talking about cam from Coupons.com, and I never doubt that coupons they issue are legitimate. Some stores DO have strict policies about manufacturer’s coupons over $5 so that may be the issue…but it sounds like you may have just encountered an ill-informed cashier.

As far as the question about ‘manufacturer’s coupons’ versus store coupon – if it doesn’t say “redeemable ONLY at Kroger” then I assume it is only a suggestion!

Michelle: For whatever reason, some folks like to just make things up. The Enfamil coupon was not counterfeit – the cashier was incorrect. As for the Kroger coupon, again since it was a manufacturer’s coupon it should have been accepted.

Honestly, once she started getting grumpy I would have asked her to remove the items from my order and went to customer service to check out. I don’t have a lot of patience for folks who randomly make up rules. I am always very nice but I will not allow someone to spout incorrect information at their whim when it affects my bottom line

3. Quan wants to know: We are renting a home and are unable to invest in a permanent shelving system. We plan on purchasing a home some time next year; however, our stockpile is growing and we need a temporary storage system. We need something that is affordable and would be easy to move with us to our new home. Do you have any recommendations on what we could use and where we could find it?

Michelle: I use a heavy duty shelving system that I picked up at Lowe’s. It was under $50 and is HUGE. Be sure and get something that can hold a lot of weight. The weight from cans, boxes and bottles can add up quickly!

The great thing about the shelf system is that  you can repurpose the shelves when you get to your new home. My husband has a couple in his garage and I have one in the boys’ closet. Get a quality model and you will be able to use it for years to come.

4. Gail wants to know: My question is about the percentage you save on a typical grocery trip. I’ve been couponing seriously for only about 4 months. I usually just shop at CVS and Publix. Those are the stores I like the most and I seem to be able to find good deals on items I would typically buy. Also, I work full time so I don’t have time to go three different grocery stores just to get a slightly better deal on a certain item. It seems that my typical savings for the month are between 50-60%. While that is definitely a lot of money, I just don’t understand how I could save a whole lot more. I see other people talk about much lower out of pocket expenses and much higher savings percentages. Are there some secret tips I’ve missed. Let me also mention that I live in Florida, where the true BOGO policy and the absence of coupon doubling often make my savings a little less. Still, I would like to be able to save more, if possible.

Christy: We’ve written before about the plateau that many couponers hit around 4 months or so…and it does happen to many couponers, so don’t worry that it is just you! Everyone’s percentages are going to be different because everyone shops a little differently. If you are committed to buying a number of fresh items each week (bread, produce, meat, and dairy), then you will likely spend a bit more than someone whose stockpile relies more heavily on the freezer.

Personally, while I will sometimes hit a savings percentage of 80% or more, I usually am around 60 to 70% each week. As long as you are saving a bunch and have all the things you need – then you are doing great no matter what your savings percentage!

Michelle: Definitely stop focusing on your savings percentage. Focus on whether you are getting the most bang for your buck! It is fun to see high percentages –but, you can get 100% savings and not have anything in your order that you can actually eat! If you are looking to “improve” your skills work on lowering your overall budget.

5. Candias wants to know: I have a friend in South Florida who uses expired Publix coupons in her store all the time. She uses them from the Green Adv Flyer and the Yellow Adv Flyer as well as any other Publix Coupon. Publix puts an exp date on their coupons for a reason so how is she able to do that? She was told by a customer in the store one day to never throw away her Publix coupons because they never expire. I know it depends on each store and the managers as well as the cashiers but I was curious if anyone else does this?

Christy: This will REALLY depend on your store. I’ve heard of some stores that will take expired coupons for a long period of time, but my stores generally only accept expired coupons for a day or two.

Michelle: Yep, Christy is right…it will vary by store. My store has never taken expired coupons but I have also heard that some stores will take 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.

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.

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