Coupon Policy Test Run

On Thursday I get to talk to a group of mom's about couponing! I look forward to it for many reasons. I love helping to empower others, I also learn things from other moms. The art of saving is constantly changing, and every store has their own policy.

A new Walmart opened recently in our town, and I wanted to see how well their cashiers knew their policy. Using some of my favorite blogs, I created a shopping list and assembled my coupons and ads. I also printed off a Coupon Policy from the Walmart website to have with me. I used a competitors store coupon to price match and used a manufacturer coupon on the same item. I used multiple competitor ads to price match. If the competitor had a quantity limit, Walmart enforced that limit, if no limit was mentioned I was able to purchase as many as I wanted. Using multiple computers I printed 8 of the same coupon. I was able to use all in a single transaction. I had coupons that exceeded the value of the item, and received credit for the rest of my purchases. I had a coupon for free product that was mailed from the manufacturer honored. I exceeded 40 coupons in a single transaction with no problems. The girls and I went early in the day, to avoid creating long lines. There weren't enough cashiers on duty to profile, so I just picked one. She was courteous, and knowledgable. As I placed items on the counter, I placed my competitors ad with the item circled, on top of the product. I was then able to keep track of the girls without missing a savings. The only problem I encountered was that on a couple of items the size/brand I wanted wasn't available. That being said, I still managed to save 45% of the total. [caption id="attachment_1032" align="aligncenter" width="300"] I brought some coupons hoping to score a deal before they expired. If I didn't find an item with a low enough price, I left my coupons behind for a another shopper to use.[/caption] Not spectacular, but I was able to restock my pantry with coffee and toilet paper! I was surprised to see that my receipt did not have a "You Saved XX" portion. Most other stores have that convenient feature. Finding: It was convenient to not have to go from store to store, But I also impulse bought 35% of my receipt total on items I hadn't intended on purchasing in the first place. (Items I would have needed in the next few weeks, but didn't have coupons for, or even know if I paid the "best" price.) I guess the oldest tips for saving is still the best. Eat before you shop, and stick to your list.