Couponing Basics - Double Coupons

Coupons. We all know and love them. We already know using them is a great way to lower your grocery bill. Once you are comfortable clipping & using coupons, it is time to make those coupons work for you and elevate your savings to the next level. Doubling coupons will get you items at deep discounts or even free.

If you are a reader of this blog, you already know many retailers around the country will actually double the face value of your coupon. The trick is to understand which stores do this & what limitations (if any) they have.

Here are a few tips to make the most of double coupon deals:

Do a little legwork.
None of us have spare time, but doing a little prep work can save you lots of money in the long run. Check with each of your local retailers to confirm their policies on doubling coupons. I have spoiled my fellow Arizonans and done the legwork for you. The current coupon policies of our big retailers are listed on the right side of my blog. Some retailers keep a copy of their coupon policy at the customer service desk, but to be safe, I recommend printing a current copy off the store's website. It's a good tool to have in your coupon binder. Print a few copies; you never know when you'll need to educate staff members and leave them with a company document they should already have.

Know your limits.
Each retailer varies slightly on their policy. Some retailers may limit double couponing to values up to $1.00, while other retailers may double higher values.

Special Deals
Some retailers might not double coupons as standard practice, but keep an eye on these store's ads for special promotions when they do. It's not a bad idea to call your favorite grocery store & ask if they offer such deals on a regular basis. For example, Kmart (for the past few years) has run Super Double Coupon events where any coupon up to $1 in face value is doubled, which turns $1.00 coupons into $2.00 coupons. This always creates several freebies & makes me a happy Kmart shopper!

Not all coupons are created equal
Pay attention to the fine print. Some manufacturers limit their coupons' value by specifically noting “Not Subject to Doubling”, or “Do Not Double” on the coupon itself. It’s typically written in bold type across the top of the coupon. If the coupon coding starts with a 5, it will double automatically unless the cashier manually supresses it. If the coupon coding starts with a 9, it will not double.

Save every coupon!
I religiously keep every single coupon until it expires. I have dog food, hair color, & denture cream coupons even though I don't have a dog, don't color my hair (yet!), & don't wear dentures (yet!!). I have had too many missed money making deals because I threw away a coupon thinking I would never need it. You never know when Poligrip is going to be a $3 moneymaker or when a rebate will pop up for hair color. Believe me, keep all those coupons.

And finally, some love for my fellow Arizona shoppers - here is a quick overview of the Arizona grocery stores (thanks SD!):

Basha's

Doubles coupons everyday
Ad viewable online Tuesday after midnight at www.bashas.com
Can use Basha's Coupon and MQ (should have several leading zeroes)
Cannot have/use more coupons than item total

Albertsons
Does not double
Can use an IN store coupon & MQ together
Ad viewable on Tuesday usually after 10pm at www.albertsonsmarket.com
Has an additional "Big Book of Savings" monthly ad that sometimes has a coupon in it.

Fry's
Doubles coupons everyday
Ad viewable on Tuesday usually after 10pm at www.frysfood.com
Often has an additional smaller ad on Sundays

Safeway
Doubles coupons everyday
Can only use 1 internet printable coupon per transaction (per corporate) YMMV
View ad the day before online (they activate the pricing the day before for grocery deliveries) http://www.safeway.com/
Often has an additional ad on Sundays

Sprouts
No coupons accepted, generally speaking. Some select stores may accept them.
Double-Ad day on Wednesdays

General Info
The regular grocery ads run from Wednesday-Tuesday