Josh Elledge - Chief Executive Angel
Double coupons certainly seem to be going the way of the dodo. Most shoppers have long lived in the “˜land of no doubles,' and double couponing policies are being steadily discontinued elsewhere in the nation.
Last month, Midwest grocery chain Dillons announced it would no longer double coupons. And in a few short weeks, the Atlanta division of Kroger will end its double coupon policy as well.
Meijer stopped doubling coupons chain-wide two weeks ago. Shoppers in Detroit and central Michigan may still be able to double coupons at Kroger and other area stores, but given the rash of coupon policy changes, one must wonder whether double coupons are on life support in those locations.
While the end of double coupons seems like grim news for shoppers ““ there is absolutely no need to panic. As many savvy shoppers already know, you can still find great savings even without double coupons.
How to save when there are no double coupons
The biggest disadvantage of shopping in the “˜land of no doubles' is the lack of free items. All those freebies you see shoppers score on Extreme Couponing? Those come courtesy of double coupon policies.
So before you start shopping, set your expectations to realistic. You probably aren't going to walk out of the store with a cart full of free items, but you can certainly save 60 percent or more.
Use these rules of thumb to maximize your savings.
Shop the sales: First, always buy items on sale. Typically, sale prices will be anywhere from 20-50 percent off. For items that rarely go on sale, I set up alerts using the SavingsAngel Price Watcher service so I'll get an email notification when there is a good deal on those products.
Stack coupons on sales: Some sales are good enough to buy even if you don't have a coupon. For example, last week, Meijer had McCormick Grill Mates Seasoning on sale for $1.00 which was close to 60 percent off the regular price. However, adding a coupon to a sale price can typically save you another 20-50 percent. I use the Enlightened Shopping section of SavingsAngel.com to find the sale and coupon combinations that are at least 50 percent off.
Stack store promos on coupons on sales: This strategy works particularly well at drug stores which offer rewards programs. To see how this works, consider the Scope mouthwash that was on sale last week at Walgreens. It was marked down to $2.99 from a regular price of $3.99. There is a Proctor & Gamble coupon for $1.50 off one plus Walgreens was offering a $1 Register Rewards coupon for the purchase. Register Rewards are coupons you can use on a future purchase of virtually anything in the store. So in this deal, your out-of-pocket cost would be $1.49 and your final cost (factoring in the Register Rewards) would be 49 cents, an 88 percent savings off the regular price.
Stack rebates on store promos on coupons on sales: This is the grand slam of couponing in the land of no doubles. Stores will occasionally offer rebates ““ Meijer recently had a $10 rebate on a $30 purchase of Proctor & Gamble products ““ that can be combined with store promos, coupons and sales. When it all lines up perfectly, these scenarios can be moneymakers, meaning you actually get paid to make the purchase.
Finally, don't overlook the digital coupon programs that many chains are rolling out. Many of these programs offer savings on products, such as produce, that typically don't have paper coupons available.
Double coupons may be disappearing but there are still plenty of ways to save at the supermarket. Don't hesitate to stop by SavingsAngel.com or our Facebook page if you need help finding the best deals in your area.
