Cashier Coupon Scrutiny!

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Are you having problems using coupons?!
What is the deal these days with cashiers thinking that the coupons we use somehow come out of their paychecks? I just DON’T UNDERSTAND! It seems we should get praised for how much we save with the economy as bad as it is!

Now I’m not by any means trying to say there aren’t some fabulous cashiers out there because trust me, I know quite a few… check out this post to see what I mean!

I have gotten lots of emails lately about coupon usage and what to do when a store employee doesn’t want to accept a manufacturer coupon. Here are a few things I try to do and say to make sure ALL my coupons get scanned:

  • The first thing I do, this might sound a little funny, is look around and see what cashiers I have to choose from. Sometimes just by looking at facial expressions you can tell who is in a great mood and well… who is NOT so happy! Obviously, I always choose the perkiest of the bunch!
  • As I get up to the register I always, I mean ALWAYS strike up a conversation! Whether it be complimenting them on a piece of jewelry they have or how it hasn’t stopped raining outside. I always come up with something to say. Being friendly seems to help BIG TIME!
  • Now the hard part–Your coupon gets scrutinized! What to do? First NEVER get angry, that will do nothing for you. Stay calm and realize that most of the time when someone is worried about accepting your coupon it’s because they are not educated at all on the use of manufacturers coupons and may be worried they will get in trouble. The is the time to become their little teacher and educate them. I make it short and sweet–Your store will get reimbursed for each coupon that I’m using. Coupons to your store are pretty much the same as me using cash instead. Either way they will get their money. Then I go on to explain that coupons are coded to beep if I didn’t buy the correct item which usually gives the cashier the initiative to go ahead and scan the coupon.
  • Does she still not want to scan the coupon? If so, my next step usually involves flipping through the sales ad and finding a spot where it says coupon saving in the paper. Walgreen’s and CVS have this displayed in lots of places in their ads. This really helps if you can find the exact picture of what you’re purchasing with coupon savings written beside it. Basically, that pretty clearly says you CAN use a manufacture coupon to purchase your item. This happened with the Garnier products that were on sale for $2.99 at Walgreen’s previously. There was an EasySaver $2 Walgreen’s coupon that would make the price only $0.99! Plus,  if you used the $1/1 manufacturer coupon it would make the shampoo FREE! One cashier told me I couldn’t use the manufacturer coupon, so I politely showed her the ad where it pictured the Garnier product at $0.99 after EasySaver coupon… BUT is also had look for saving in the paper written beside it too! Of course after seeing that she went ahead and let me use it.
  • If you’re still having problems, your next step is to ask for a manager. Go through the above steps again with the manager and see if that works. If not, get his name and nicely let him know that you will be calling corporate about this. Sometimes just by saying that they will go ahead and let you use the coupons. Either way give corporate a call and see what they say about the problems with coupons usage your encountering!

Do you have any other coupon tips?
Please feel free to share!

Join The Discussion

Comments 153

  1. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    Sometimes, just knowing what you are talking about helps too. They are less likely to argue with you or not take your coupons when you know what you are doing. Take a minute to read the coupon policies on the web for the stores that you will be shopping with, take a copy with you if you want. Also, when you have a problem, call the stores general manager, when you use their name the next time a problem comes up, they fix things rather quickly. I had a problem with a night time cashier at Walmart not taking my IP’s and after talking to and dropping the GM’s name, he took them just fine. Most of the time, they just make stuff up, because they don’t know.

    • delaina

      I ahve never been able to use those Q’s that have the target logo anywhere but at target, anyone else have this issue?

      • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

        In Florida, we can use the Target coupons at any Publix store. Publix always has BOGO items and thus I wait for the BOGO sale, grab my 2 manufacturers’ coupons, one for each item and check for either a Publix or Target coupon (in store and/or on internet). I get a lot of FREE items or overage $ which makes my final bill much lower or free. …It’s interesting to me how some Publix stores in Orlando have given me cash back if I had overage and other stores will not (in which case, I throw in a few packs of gum). :o)

        Example: Publix has Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom cleaners on BOGO. At $3.39, that brings the price to $1.70 each. They also have an Earth Day coupon book that has Publix coupons $2.00 / 2. Which brought the price to $.70 each. Finally, the newspaper had manufacturer coupons for $.75 /1. That brought me to an overage of $.10. I LOVE THIS GAME.

  2. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    Thank you, this is good advice. I’m fairly new at this and don’t know the ropes too well. If they say they can’t, i just accept it with no questions. Now, I can try a few things next time. Thanks.

  3. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I don’t mean this to sound bad, but when I go shopping, I try to find a GUY cashier. They don’t give a flip about what coupons I’m using! Not that I’m trying to sneak anything by. All my coupons are legitimate, but I’m just saying that guy cashiers don’t seem to question them. at. all.

    Funny…I had planned to do a similar article on my blog, but haven’t gotten to it yet.

    Love your blog!

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      Im a cashier & have told my close couponing buddy that you should go in the evenings b/c generally, most of the cashiers are single moms, college students, or people working a 2nd job and tend not to really give a crap, compared to the bitter 1st shift people that have worked there forever and seem they need to prove something. This doesnt go for all of em just a generalization.

      • Elizabeth

        I absolutely AGREE with this statement. I went to a kroger around 3 and the cashier at the U SCAN rejected EVERY SINGLE one of my coupons. I walked out mad. So I went to the Kroger near my house after 8 PM and all my coupons went through WITHOUT question.

        • kathy

          I love to go to USCAN but th only thing is you cant make money there so when I know I will make money off of item then I go to a cashier,but when the items 97 cents and the couions 1dllr then ill go to UCAN but when Im making at least a buck u know where ill go

  4. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I have had the worst time in Montgomery Alabama. I see the posts for great deals and it never works here. I went today to get some of the cleaning products for B1G1 and they would only except 1 coupon. I talked to the manager and he was clueless about the whole process. He did listen and proceeded to call Hqtrs, he said they can only take one for those deals because on the coupon it states “Limit only one coupon per purchase” So I’m just very frustrated I can’t get a good deal!!!!

    • Shannon

      I am not sure why you would be upset. You didn’t pay for the second item and coupons have no cash value, so why would you expect to get money off of a free item? The manufacturer would be paying for you to get money off another manufacturers product then since you afre not paying anything for their second item, that seems unethical to me.

      • April Martin

        I use coupons on free items all the time. The only time you can do that is when the store is offering a buy one get one free. It is the Manufacturer paying for the coupons…the manufacturer is still getting paid for the item because the store I am sure bought it (if I understand correctly) so really even if they were selling it and I used a coupon, the manufacturer is still getting the same money and the store is getting the same money they would even if I didnt have a coupon because it is the store offering the promotion.

      • Damien B

        Actually you can use two manu coupons on B1G1 free items and it is not the manufacturer who offers the B1G1 deal, it is the store (though the manufacturer may compensate the store some for the deal). Bottom line is: there is nothing wrong with using a coupon on the free item in a B1G1 deal and many stores actually say in their official coupon policy that this is perfectly legitimate.

      • Dawn

        Keep in mind that the Buy 1 Get 1 Sales are a store promotion. It can be compared to the products being on sale for 50% off. So yes, coupon shoppers should be able to expect to use 1 coupon per product should their store policy allow.

      • amyngreenwood

        I know that some people will use the second coupon on the BOGO free, but i feel it is unethical as well and won’t do it.

        • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

          The reason it IS legit is because when the stores, like Bilo, Food Lion and Publix offer the BOGO deals, THE price for one is actually split in half. For example: Hunts Ketchup BOGO @ $2.99. They actually ring up as $1.49 each. So you can “legally” use two $1 off Manufacture’s C’s, which makes them $.49 each. Its not wrong! Bilo, Publix and Food Lion all three state this in their coupon policies. Noone is losing money. It is not stealing. Dont feel bad about it. It’s a win win situation for evryone or else they wouldnt be offering the deals, right?

    • Damien B

      I’ve never had a problem at Publix’s in Montgomery and I find that they often have the best grocery deals. I shop mainly at the Taylor Crossing Publix, but have also shopped at the Dalraida Publix. I know the Taylor one takes Target coupons as a competitor (pretty much the only accepted competitor in Montgomery that actually has coupons on a regular basis). I also have not had a problem at the Winn Dixie on Burbank. The Rite Aids at Vaughn and E. Blvd, Atlanta and Taylor, and Dalraida have never given me any trouble either… nor has the CVS at either Dalraida area or Atlanta and Taylor.

      Now WALMART will give you a huge problem no matter what city you are in. I always try to avoid Walmart for the majority of my grocery/ household/ personal care products because usually they do not have the lowest prices and using coupons with them is a pain… if you have a stack of 10 coupons, then odds are at least 2 will beep and the cashier probably is not going to override the beep.

  5. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I too get shaky when I arrive at the check out wondering what they are going to say to me.

    I worked in the accounting office of our Walmart for 2 years, and I do know we watch the cashiers closely and made sure they were doing everything by “Walmarts rules” blah blah. And we did have to flag cashiers when they used many of the same coupons. BUT…I don’t think management ever actually looked at the coupon to see what it said. I too got confused on exactly what you can double up on. If anyone here can translate the different rules on the coupon and tell me which ones actually let you have more than 1. Some say 1 per customer, some say 1 per transaction, others say 1 per item?
    I agree with asking a manager though. I had a manager once come to me when I was on a register once and told me that a young woman would be coming through with many coupons for baby wipes and to except them all. I though can’t remember if the register “beeped” for an override. She somehow landed about 30-40 $2.00 off Huggies wipes making them about .34 each! And we excepted them all! What a deal she got!

    But yes, I do get confused about the coupon part. Buying more items with a coupon for each..OR better yet..a store coupon matched with a manufacturer coupon. Is that totally okay? Or do some stores give you grief more than others.

    • Damien B

      1 per customer means just that: you can only use one of these… though rarely if you went back through would they give you a problem… and Rite-Aid does not seem to stick to this policy for their video-rewards coupons that say 1 per customer, so ultimately it depends on the store.

      1 per transaction means you can only use one for your entire transaction.

      1 per item means you can use multiple coupons if you have multiple qualifying items… i.e. if you buy 4 pizzas, then you can use 4 manu coupons.

      Also, many stores allow you to combine a manu and a store coupon on 1 item… some Publixs even take a manu, a store, and a competitor for a single item… though these are becoming rare as most say u can only use a manu and a store OR competitor these days.

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      I know that krogers, or cousins of them (king soopers, ralphs ect) policy is that you can take a manufacture AND a store coup on one item. I know wags is this way as well. I think most stores have this policy its just that not all the cashiers have seen their coupon policy forms. I worked somewhere for a year before I got into coupons and figured this out. Although I dont think I have EVER hassled a customer over coupons. I think I’ve scanned the $1 off 2 for single items numerous times. Who cares

  6. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I was just informed last night by a manager at WalMart (Las Vegas) that they’re no longer accept printed internet coupons! I asked for their official coupon policy and she (nor the manager at customer service) could produce it. They gave me the number of their lead and said I should call her to verify. Has anyone else been denied using internet coupons @ Walmart? 🙁

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      I just used some the other day at my local walmart in Portage IN. The only grief I received was trying to buy two boxes of noodles with 2 coupons that said $1 off of 2. She said they can only take one of the coupons bc I was buying only two. I have used this same technique at my local grocery store. So who knows.

      • Damien B

        if it says $1 off 2 then you can only use 1 coupon for 2 products… if you want to use 2 Qs then you must buy 4… or else use an X off of 1 coupon.

      • pam

        OMG, someone else from Portage!! Which Wags do u find best for deals? And where do you go to shop for food. It’s hard to find anybody with a deal list or catalina information here.

    • Faith

      Absolutely! I have shopped at the Walmart on IH183 in Irving, TX for years, using IP coupons, sometimes encountering a few problems. But a few weeks back, I had multiple items, all scanned, then I presented my IP coupons. The guy cashier didn’t know if the coupons were accepted…he acted like he had never seen them before. He called someone over, she wouldn’t Ok them, I countered with reasonableness, blah, blah.
      She called another lady over, no, no, no. I even tried to use a manufacturer’s coupon printed at Kroger – she wouldn’t accept that because it had been printed at Kroger. I finally gave up, had the cashier reverse everything out that I had planned to use an IP coupon. I left & promised myself I was not ever going back to that store again – the next nearest Walmart is about 20 miles further. I probably will shop at Kroger & Tom Thumb where they are much more customer friendly.

    • Tammy

      My Walmart is the same way.( We don’t accept internet coupons). Go to the Walmart site and print a copy of their coupon policy. I highlighted mine and produce it everytime I have printable coupons. The sad fact is the cashiers are not trained the in’s and outs of coupons.I have printed off Target, my local grocery store Vons and a few others. Just carry them with you.Hope this helps.

      • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

        Our wal marts in central illinois just recently started accepting internet coupons. Hope they dont take that away!

  7. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    If you google ‘walmarts coupon policy’ it will state that they do IN fact take internet coupons.

  8. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I’m a grocery store clerk and one of those clerks that most customer gravitate towards. I give out coupon tips and websites to check out. I actually found your site because of a customer that I was talking to.

    As far as Julies comment about going to a male cashier she’s probably right at least as far as my store goes.

    Thanks for all the great tips on your site.

    Ramona in Missouri

  9. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    what i want to know, is let’s say that you use your $2 coupon at walgreens and you happen to have that $1 coupon, but both of them say in fine print (as MOST coupons say,)”not to be used with any other promotion” or something of the like.. how are you able to be using more than one coupon on an item!? that’s what confuses me! and what about sales? sometimes sales are “promotional” and cannot be paired with a coupon..

  10. Michelle

    I had an issue at the Camp Lejeune commissary on Monday. The cashier wouldn’t accept the manufacturer coupons with the Target logo, I explained that they clearly stated that they were manufacturer coupons. She even when to the front desk and was told that they couldn’t take them becasue they were Target coupons. At least now I know not to waste my time, paper and ink printing them.

  11. Natalie

    I went to walgreens a couple weeks ago to do the theraflu deal, triaminic and bought sudafed so I had to check out at the pharmacy. It was during the week of the get 5 holiday dollars for spending 25 dollars. My total came out to around eight dollars and then i got back 13 in R.R. and the pharmacist said really loud( with 2 other customers behind me in line) “Your not going to send someone in after you with the same coupons to get more rewards!?!?!” It was so rude! I never go to that walgreens(CLUTE< TX) anymore because I always have some problem with them!!!

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      shame shame on him>>> i work at walgreens and we love our customers i think you should talk to the store manager or contact headquarters register rewards are used for that purpose so you can use them on your next purchase be it in 5 minutes or 5 days thats up to customer i sure hope you enjoy your next visit smiley

    • Jessica

      I was filling a prescription for pain medication at a Jacksonville Walgreens and just by luck checked the bottle in front of the cashier… They kept back over half the prescription. It has happened enough that I always check if it is something they might want to keep… Aside from the snotty coupon attitudes…just fyi.

  12. Tiphanie

    Hi, I went to Frys Grocery store yesterday and two of the manufactures coupons from teh target site. They had the target logo on them, but said MC on them. The cashier wanted to argue with me and tell me she couldnt take target coupons. Finally i got her to just scan it and it went through just fine. She told me she could get in trouble for taking it, but did take it. UHG… She was an old woman too. I should have looked for a young male.

  13. Anonymous

    I recently came across a problem at Target. I wanted to get the free travel size Renu Contact lense solution with my 2 dollar off coupon which DOES NOT exclude travel size items. The item was priced at about $1.90. I went to the cashier and she said it wouldn’t except it because the item was travel size and the coupon was more than the item. I forgot my coupon policy at home (my bad) and so I politely told her to remove the item. She did and I later went to customer service and asked them for their coupon policy. None of them even knew they had one!!! I was pretty mad but waited until I got out of the store to start yelling. Hahaha. I now have my coupon policy ready in my coupon binder :]

    • Valerie

      Where do you purchase a good coupon binder?

  14. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    Shannon, first of all, you are not getting ANYTHING for free. Even if you are purchasing a BOGO item, that second item is NOT free. You had to PURCHASE an item to GET an item. So in reality, you are getting 2 for the price of 1. You are still PAYING for both items, one way or the other. The only things that are FREE are when there is no purchase required. SO it is ethical to use 2 cpns on a bogo item. AND if the store doesn’t want to take 2 cpns, only 1, then they are LOSING because instead of giving you an item for “free” and losing money, they could be taking both cpns and getting reimbursed by the manuf for BOTH items and thus not losing money.

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      wrong

      • Mammafaus

        how is it wrong? at my grocery store a B1G1 shows each item separately at half price. It’s just a temporary price reduction and if you have a coupon it’s a further reduction. If the store doesn’t want to do this deal they would need to say “B1G1 – no coupons accepted”. They know we’re out there and it’s not up to the cashier, it’s up to the manager.

        • Felicia

          I don’t know whether this is a rule that has to be accepted by all stores. I know Walgreens and rite Aid both have it in their coupon policy that they accept a coupon for the free part of the buy one get 1 free. I didn’t know whether my grocery store had a policy on this, so I called and asked before I tried it. They told me it was perfectly fine. When the cashier questioned it, I told them I called previously and asked “do you accept coupons for buy one get one promotions”? He had no idea what I meant LOL, but telling him that I called (which I did) worked. So I would call my store first and verify that they accept this, I’m not so sure that all stores HAVE to accept this.

  15. Sandy

    I’ve had a walgreen’s employee write on my coupon the store price of the travel J&J baby powder I was purchasing $0.78 and not give me overage. I had about 5 people behind me so I was happy to at least get the powder for free. Looking back now it bugs me I let her do that! Do they have that right? I have not heard the manufactures give the right and I don’t believe the store does. I know we are talking $0.22 but it’s the principle of coupons we have grown up on that the coupon is what it says it is. This is probably why I haven’t been back. Sad because I have seen sales I would have loved to have had! I’ve even lost out on $13 in register rewards also because they have expired now.

    • momwhocares

      Yes the store has the right – according to the terms of the coupon – it says that you have to pay the tax and the manufactuer will only reimburse the store the sale price of the item. So, if the travel size item is .78 – it is fraud for the store to only charge you .78 and ask the manfactuer to reimburse the store the full 1.00. Otherwise, the store will take a loss of .22 for every customer who they do not adjust the coupons for.

      Not all casheirs or stores worry about it, but to answer your question – coupon overage is coupon fraud in accordance to legal terms. So, the maanufacturer actually does ask the store to make the proper adjustments on the coupons – to answer your question.

      But, overage is nice and I gladly accept it when a cashier tells me not to worry about it. I always take my coupons and put the ones that should legally be adjusted and put them aside and offer them first and tell the cashier they need to be adjusted and let the cashier make the decsion if they want to. That way at least I know I was honest and if they say not to worry about it, I am like cool 🙂

      • Damien B

        Actually, as far as the manufacturer is concerned, they do not care as they expected the coupon to yield $1. It also is not illegal or unethical to get the overage. What is all comes down to is the individual store’s coupon policy… and as I do not shop at Walgreens, I cannot say what their policy is concerning overage. Many stores simply say as long as you do not ring up a negative balance at the end of your transaction, then it is okay… in other words as long as they do not have to hand you cash after all is said and done, but check Walgreens for their coupon policy.

  16. momwhocares

    Collin – why not also add a post on coupon terms lingo – that way your readers can easlier explain and know when a cashier her/himself is wrong. Lookat what “Michelle B” says about the coupon terms – if she only knew how the lingo worked – she would have been better off explaining how they are wrong. Plus, make one post listing each stores coupon policy link and their email and corportate number. Like walgreens policy link, corporate number and corpoate email, catalina policy link, corporate phone number and email etc….

    Here is an example of lingo tips written by me – feel free to use any and all of this:

    * purchase = one item
    * transaction = one item in a complete sale (sale = 1 and up items totalled together to get a final amount to pay)
    * per customer = per person (this means bring your hubby or friend to use the 2nd coupon that day right behind you in line. They should have their own method of payment for this to work)
    * per day = you can come back the next day to use another of the same coupon or go to another store the same day
    * limit # = you can only buy that amount in a trip, you can leave the store and go right back in to buy more in that limit. Or, ask the casher if they enforce the limit; if not you can do more than one transaction
    * cannot combine with any other offer, discount, special offer, coupon = usually means if you use one coupon you cannot use another – you cannot used more than one coupon code etc… You can always try or contact the company to find out more – but don’t be surprised if they cancel your order or deny you. Keep in mind: this wouldn’t include combining store coupons with manaufacture coupons, or store sales with manufacture coupons; but would likely include combining store coupons with store sales. Stores have the right to make the final say, you have the right to verify with corporate.
    * Filler = an item used to increase the amount of purchased items in a transaction to help meet “1 store item per coupon” policy. Walgreens would have you do this.
    Here is an example:
    You want to buy 3 items and use 6 coupons (3 store, 3 manufacture) the store policy states you can only use one coupon of any kind per purchase in a transaction. How you handle this is use a “filler” for the difference, but do not buy things that will turn the deal into a non-deal. I use the store sale items that are found in the walgreens ad- like 5 pencils for a dollar for example. So each pencil is .20 each.

    Here is the break down:
    1st item – 1st manuf. Q
    2nd item – 2nd manuf. Q
    3rd item – 3rd manuf. Q
    1st filler – 1st store Q
    2nd filler – 2nd store Q
    3rd filler – 3rd store Q
    4th filler – the store Q for the pencils at 5/$1 (you do not have to get all 5 pencils for the deal)

    See how you have 1 item per coupon used and you only spent an extra .80 to be able to get that deal. THis is what filler means – keep in mind, sometimes the sale in the ad does not require you to use a store Q, so you may not need the 4th filler – ask the cashier to check the item to see if it rings up at sale price first before doing your transaction. If it does, you can eliminate the 4th filler and save the .20 🙂

    Always use the cosmetics counter for transactions like these to avoid being rushed and making a mistake. That way you can avoid the lines of peopel at the front counter rushing you and being rude.

    Lastly, Remember that most store walgreens coupons only have to be used once to give the discount on all of that same item in a transaction. So, lets say you have a store Q for $1 off of 1 particular item, and you have 4 of that one item in a transaction. That one Q will discount all 4 items. So, If you have 4 manaufacture Q’s, for each item and you want to also use that store Q to save an extra $4 – you will only need one filler for that store Q. CHeck with the cashier – as this is not always the case. This is why it is important to use the cosmetics counter.

    Here is some combined examples:

    One coupon per purchase = if you have 3 dove deoderants you want to pay for all at once: you have 3 purchases in one transaction. This means you can use 3 of those coupons for each item. If you also have store coupons you can use 3 manufacturer coupons and 3 store coupons. Unless the policy of the store states otherwise, like Walgreens. In that case you want to use 3 “fillers”. Then you have 6 total purchases in one transaction and can use 3 store Q and 3 store manufacturer Q for the first 3 items.

    One Coupon per transaction = you do not have to leave the store and come back. Let’s say you have 3 of these coupons, all you do is take wach item and pay for them seperatly giving each coupon, each time.

    One coupon per transaction per customer = you cannot do seperate transactions at the same time. You will have to have someone else with you behind you in line or leave and go to another store, go to a different line for the other coupons like it, or come back another day.

    One coupon per transaction, per customer, per day = you can come back each day with that type of coupon – but only one item and that same coupon can be used each day. Or like I said earlier, use a different cashier or go to another store

    Hope these tips help and hope collin thinks about posting these and more tips on her site. I see so many people who are confused by the coupon lingo on the coupon. I think her readers will love to have these guides!

  17. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I try to pick the younger smiling cashiers. They talk with the kids and give them stickers while I am pulling out my piles of coupons. Since I am a divorced mom of three young-ins that really helps because by the end of a shopping trip, I have usually left my mind in aisle 5.

  18. Latasha

    momwhocares- I don’t agree with you on the 1 coupon per item thing when store coupons are involved. . . at walgreens there have been plenty of times I’m buying ONE item and use a man q and the store q and its just fine. Same with rite aid, target, etc. If you want to use 2 man q’s then yeah, you need at least 2 items.

    I had the cosmetics cashier (at walgreens) tell me that the store coupons do not count toward your coupon total. So if I have 3 items and I have a man q as well as a store q for each, then i’m okay and don’t need any fillers even though I really have 6 coupons (cause the 3 store coupons “do not count”) Not all stores are necessarily the same but this has been my experience.

  19. momwhocares

    Latasha – You’re right not all stores are the same. That is why I stated you should ask your cashier about their store policy upfront before doing the transaction to see what their policy is. But, it is best to write out the details in full for all peopel to understand how it generally works, if it doesn’t apply to them – the better.

    BUt, I have seen many posts in collins blog with peopel running into that problem at walgreens and they were not sure why the register beeped. And, so I explained it – my discription doesn’t apply to all stores – it is just a break down of how the rules gernerally apply. So, you do not have to agree because it doens’t apply to you, but understand there are those who it does apply to and they find help in people expaining all the general rules to them.

    I know that my walgreens is very couponer friendly and not all the rules I posted apply to me either, doesn’t mean I wont post it for those who will run into those issues.

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      Hi Mom who cares,
      The policy is one item per like coupon like you said. This is the MRQ’s not the in add coupons or the coupons from the books.
      The only time you need extra fillers at Wags is with Register Rewards. This is because they say on the top Manufactor’s coupon.

      If you have a dove deodarent and you have 1 mrq and 1 wags store coupon in any form you are good to go unles, you pay for it with a Register Reward. Then you need a filler because they say on them Manufactor coupons.

      I know this as I worked at Walgreens for 2 years, and have friends in management. I teach coupon classes and this is the way I explain it.

      So save your self those extra fillers. You don’t need them for Store coupons, only MRQ’s and Register Rewards.
      Have fun shopping!

  20. Kelly

    One of my wonderful cashiers Jennifer at Walgreens asked me to blog about the beuty consultants at Walgreens. They have a book behind the register and will gladly pull it out and offer you coupons on items you are purchasing if asked. She stated that all Walgreens beauty consultants cut coupons and keep them for customers. You must check out at the cosmatics counter. Check it out and let me know how you make out………it is also a great way to get to know and befriend a cashier. I take Jennifer my coupons for thing I know I would never use, in return I feel comfortable going through her line no matter how many tranactions I have.

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      sshh your not suppose to tell

      • jman16165

        Hey Kelly, are you in Farmers Branch, Texas? There’s a beauty advisor at my store named Jennifer too. Im the front cashier there.

  21. Dana

    keep in mind that alot of the time the reason the cashier is checking over the coupon is because so many people use bad coupons, there is a network out there of people making fake coupons, there is thousands of dollars a year in loss to stores for taking bad coupons. so dont always jump the gun and think the cashier just doesn’t know her job. just like every thing else in life, there is many bad people who ruin it for the good people.

  22. Jennifer

    Hey there! I am a cashier at Walgreens and I want to say it does pay to be nice to the cashier. If you come in with an attitude, the cashier is less likely to bend over backwards for you. For example we usually have ads for the next 3 weeks or so behind the counter and coupon books for the next month and sometimes we know what it going to be on clearance. Just ask, but don’t be pushy. We have our favorites as much as you guys do. That being said, we aren’t miracle workers. We do what we are told to do from the store manager. We will lose our jobs in certain situations, even if it means “giving you a break.” If we say we can’t do it, it’s not because we are being unfair, we can’t do it because we are told NOT to do it. We are watched on everything we do from price modifying to checking the price of something-we actually get docked for using those buttons too much. Also, we don’t mind you buying stuff with coupons-just don’t take the WHOLE store with you. It’s easy to get greedy or excited. Yes, the store manager has the right to set limits on items, even if it doesn’t say it beneath it. Remember read the fine print on EVERYTHING and go to the cosmetics counter at your local Walgreens if you have more than one transaction. That way they can take their time with you and not have to rush through. You can get nosy and ask questions, plus it helps their sales. Happy shopping! =)

    • Valerie

      Thanks for the advice, and that’s exactly what I do. The girls at the store appreciate it too! Happy cashier=happy customer!

  23. James R

    I’ve been having lots of problems with my local Walgreens. I’m never able to split my shopping up to take advantage of the RRs that print out, as I’m told they must be used on another visit. I’ve also been told it’s “illegal” to use them immediately. This doesn’t make sense to me.

    I’ve also been outrightly denied the use of a manufacturers coupon. In the interest of the long line behind me, I let it go, but it’s annoying that the manager (who was ringing me up because the store was so busy) wasn’t following the rules of the company.

  24. Michelle

    I know it sounds strange but I love getting the male cashiers, they get so psyched about your savings. There is one guy at CVS that gets so excited and keeps telling me I should work for the government because they need help managing money. I always try to avoid the “little old lady” cashiers. It never fails that regardless of how nice I am when I get up there they act bitter over my savings. Strange because a lot of them live on fixed incomes and you would think would love learning how to stretch a dollar.

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      that is a insult> little old lady vs,> male cashier and for stretching a dollar that little old lady will do circles around you WATCHA GONNA DO WHEN YOUR A LITTLE OLD LADY TIME ????

      • donna

        I agree! I am a young cashier, but one day I might be an old lady cashier myself, and I will still be cool! In my personal shopping experiences I have had plenty of “little old lady” cashiers who were great. I just look for the cashiers that look nice, or who I have had in the past that were cool about coupons. To be honest, the only time I have had a cashier try to not let me use a coupon, it HAS been by older females, but there are still a lot of nice ones, too. Anytime they try to deny me usage I just wait patiently for them to figure it out. I had a few bad experiences when I first started couponing. Once at Meijers the cashier told me I couldn’t use the oil of olay coupon for the free lotion wyb body wash because the body wash was on sale and the lotion cost more. She was just making up her own rules as she went along and she was so bitchy about it. So I just let the line pile up behind me and argued with her for a little while. She calls the supervisor over and the supervisor told her that it was okay to let me use the coupon. Then the cashier was so angry about it! She then argued with the supervisor about it! OMG, what a nightmare. Talk about hostility towards coupons and customers! It was rediculous! I am a cashier and I never care what people wanted to do. They can use 50 coupons, 10 different payment methods, and 5 transactions for all I care. I get paid by the hour! I won’t let anyone do something that isn’t allowed, but I don’t act like I am the coupon police by any means. If all else fails, call corporate. Most of the time the haters are the bitter cashiers on a mini power trip. I have coworkers like that. They always bitch about people who use coupons. In the mean time we cashiers are always broke ourselves! I started couponing because of the deals that I was seeing customers get. I just started asking them how they knew where to get all the coupons from and I was told about all these different blogs. I say, more power to the couponers! Just be nice about it and we’ll all get along! But, back to my original point….don’t judge someone by their age, it’s all in their attitude!

        • amyngreenwood

          omg, My Meijer cashiers are just the sweetest. I am so sorry this happened to you. This would never happen in my Meijer store

      • mamabear

        It may be an insult, but in my case its true! At my cvs there is this little old lady, and bless her soul, she is very crabby. I know that she prob. resents having to work at such an age, and she is nice if you strike up a convo– but geez, hand her a coupon and watch her blow!! The young male cashier could care less, and he kinda cheers you on saying “wow! look how much you saved!”

        I know this could be another “lemon war” (young male vs. old lady cashier), but it’s true here! And the same for my fav food lion too!

        • Valerie

          I have the SAME thing here in my town. I hate when I walk in and see the lil ole lady! It almost ruins my trip!

        • Barb

          Indeed, I have noticed at my Kroger the young male cashiers do not give the coupons a second glance.

          I haven’t really had any problems with coupon acceptance except with an older lady cashier at Wal-Mart. She wouldn’t even take the coupon to see if it scanned or beeped. As I was leaving, I asked the CSM about it and she told me if it scans, they take it. So I went back to the original cashier and she made me go to someone else’s line since she was so mad about it.

          Not setting out to make anyone mad, but don’t make up stuff as you go just to get out of work or carry out some personal agenda.

          Target is also AWESOME about coupons.

          My guess is that any store that will no longer take IP just thinks their cashiers are too stupid to learn about them.

        • Natalie P.

          It’s true! The men are always super excited about my savings and cheer me on while the ladies act like it’s coming our of their paycheck!

  25. christine senear

    I was wondering if anyone has a walmart coupon policy. Seems no one has one at our walmart. Also alot of my internet coupons dont scan at riteaids so they wont let me use them. They think I am a scammer if I use 10 or more coupons.

    • LindaB

      https://walmartstores.com/7655.aspx

      Walmart Coupon Policy

      Walmart accepts the following types of coupons (see guidelines below):

      •Manufacturer coupons (Cents Off)
      •Free merchandise (or manufacturer’s Buy-One-Get-One-Free) coupons
      •Store coupons
      •Pharmacy (Advertising and Promotional) coupons
      •Internet coupons
      •Soft drink container caps
      The following are guidelines and limits:

      •Walmart only accepts coupons for merchandise we sell and only when presented at the time of purchase.
      •Coupons should have an expiration date and be presented within the valid dates. Walmart will not accept expired coupons.
      •Internet coupons should be legible and say “Manufacturer Coupon.” There should be a valid remit address for the manufacturer and a scannable bar code.
      •Only one coupon per item is permitted.
      •Use of 40 or more coupons per transaction will require approval by Customer Service Manager.

  26. Michelle

    I always have trouble at my local Target. Coupons won’t scan properly and the cashier just goes on as if nothing happened. The machine beeps either way so I have to stare at the little monitor in order to see if the coupon has worked or not. With 2 small children, that’s virtually impossible. I’ve resorted to using my shopping list. Beside each item, I write the amount of the coupon I’m using and I know the total number of coupons I had. Before I leave the store, I check my receipt (again, fun with 2 kids). If there are any discrepancies, I go to the customer service desk. They have to go to the cashier’s coupon drawer and go through my receipt line by line. Once, they had to refund me $8.75! There must be an easier way though! My coupons are always valid and I find this very frustrating. The last time, I just firmly told the cashier in advance that my coupons were all valid, that I expected to get credit for every single one of them and that I would gladly show her the items from my bag if she had any questions. Any other advice?

    • Felicia

      This happened to me the first time I used coupons at Target. They had to refund me over $7. Since then, I watch the register as she scans the coupons, and if I see that error message pop up, I quickly say “that one didn’t go through” – sometimes they get annoyed, but at least they force them through! I have gotten great cashiers that look at the screen as they scan each coupon and fix it as needed – I love those ones!

      Then last time I was there, I was dealing with a price error (was marked lower than scanning price) so I missed that she didn’t force a coupon through, lost $1. 🙁 Oh well.

    • Valerie

      I had that problem tonight, so frustrating! I still don’t know if all my coupons scanned and she threw my $5 gift card away instead of using it towards my purchase. I spent an extra 45 minutes just getting that straightened out!

      • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

        I am a Target cashier and when we offer the “free $5 giftcards” a lot of people think they should actually get $5 off their purchase. I’m not sure why (maybe the coupon isn’t clear), but those giftcards cannot be used immediately for that transaction. They are to be used for another transaction.

        • Barb

          I LOVE the $5 giftcard promotions! Most times it’s something I would already have spent money on with no promotion at all! I tend to tuck them away for a rainy day or gift-giving. Seems like gift giving never happens at a convenient time.

    • xna

      i am very new to couponing..i am wondering, at target during check out, when the scanning the coupon and it beeps, does that mean it didnt work? i always wonder if all my coupons worked…if a certain coupon didnt work, does the cashier have to give it back to you or they keep the coupon? i did a mistake today. i have earths best coupon for $1/7 jars of baby food. i felt so stupid that i only picked 6. so i assume that my coupon didnt work.. but cashier took my coupon..so, was the coupon still applied even if i only bought 6???? please enlighten me.. 🙂 i am new to using coupons and i feel so stupid and very frustrating to made this mistake..
      thanks in advance…

    • amyngreenwood

      I will be honest, when I was a cashier at Target, it it was close and not expired and I did not get too many unaccepted coupons, I let it go through. Hell, I figured if the person had worked that hard on the coupons and Target was getting the money anyway. Take it. It was better than letting my already full line fill up anymore arguing over a few coupons. I never got into any trouble.

  27. jaclyn

    I have tried using a coupon for the travel size tide in the package. i had a $1 off coupon for ” tide to go or any tide” this did not say “does not include travel size”, so i figured i could use the coupon because I watched the video with shopping and saving for travel sized items, then I check out at the register only to find that I was not able to use my coupon for that specific item. This happened because the lady said the item was 0.99 and the coupon was for $1 off. She told me that I could not use it because she could not scan it Clearly, she was not trained to use coupon’s. I did not see a problem with trying to save a little money here. so, i did not purchase the item..

  28. Angela

    I have to agree with Dana on this one. I think we have to remember that coupon fraud – counterfeit coupons in particular – costs retailers and manufacturers LOTS of money every year. While I want and hope that all my coupons will scan without problems, I do not fault a cashier for scrutinizing the dates or items. Common’ folks – at worst, we might not save $1 – at worst for a cashier – they could get in trouble at work. In this economy, there’s no room to risk losing a job, you know?

    Collin, you bring up some good points – we should feel confident in sharing our concerns with cashiers and managers. I would just urge everyone – don’t be condescending in doing so (i.e. “educating cashiers”) – this won’t win over anyone. Remember that long-term, friendly relationships with your stores are what you’re after here. I have had a couple instances where I was unable to resolve a coupon issue with a cashier. Sometimes it’s worth talking to a manager about…other times, keep the bigger picture in mind. Do you really want all the cashiers to sigh loudly every time you walk through the door…”oh…here SHE is again!” Be polite, be courteous, and for heaven’s sakes, do be open minded that we might well NOT have all the facts. Believe it or not, we couponers can learn from our stores and manufacturers, too. Let’s learn from one another.

    • Lynn

      manufacturer coupons always start with a 5 or a 9 in the bar code. if it starts with another number, it’s a store coupon. the target, kroger, or other logo is irrelevant–the number is what indicates whether it’s a mf coupon.

    • Barb

      I would fully expect someone to look at the coupons if they have a question.

      Seems most of the cashiers I deal with are quite familiar with internet coupons.

      Kroger doesn’t even say anything when I use more than 2 IP coupons.

      I really don’t care if someone hates to see me coming. I used to work as a bank teller and some lazy tellers would try to leave the line and take a break if they saw a “problem” customer coming in. “Problem customer” to them usually meant more than a quick check deposit or cash withdrawal. I figure people are employed to deal with customers and not attempt to shirk work or encounter unusual situations.

      I would hate to sees someone come in if they were known for borderline harassing behavior, etc., but I see no reason to apologize because I cut out and printed some coupons. The manufacturers issue coupons because they want their products to go home with people! It’s not a form of welfare. It’s being smart.

      Although a Wal-Mart cashier told me she would never use coupons even if she had the time to gather them.

  29. Miss Jay

    I think along with being pleasant, your confidence going into the transaction will make a difference. If you are nervous and looking like you’re not sure a coupon is going to “work” I think they sometimes sense it and think you are trying to get away with something. I am confident, and usually hand them in order, “here are my 5 manufacture coupons for those 5 boxes of cereal” ” Now here is my store coupon, it should stack” etc. I listen for the beep and know what price I am expecting to pay after tax so I know right away if there is a problem.

    I have a GREAT older guy cashier at Wags who loves us couponers. I have learned his shifts and always only go when I know he will be working. He seems to delight as much as his customers do with the savings. It’s really sweet.

  30. Heather

    I work at a Rite Aid and coupons can be tricky things at times. There are MANY fradulant internet coupons out there so cashiers always have to be on the look out. It seems that every few weeks another memo comes down from corporate detailing 5-10 fake coupons people have been passing in stores, which is why Rite Aid has such a clear coupon policy. We can (and many people have) lost their jobs over not handling coupons properly.

    Are some cashiers uneducated about coupons? Sad to say, yes they are… but you should never get mad and argue with them, its best to stay polite and ask for a member of the managment team.

    There is this one man who comes into my store every week, and most of the time he is armed with a pile of coupons. Well, he is not the most honest person to say the least. He tends to cut expiration dates off of coupons when they are too old (which is why we cant accept coupons with no dates on them) He also scans in coupons from the news papers into his computer and prints them out, pretending that they are ‘internet’ coupons. No, thats coupon fraud and it is why cashiers at my store can be skeptical at times.

    Can you use two manf coupons if your items are B1G1 Free? Yes, but only up to both of the items being free. No, you are not allowed to use a coupon for more then the amount of the product. We change the value of the coupons all the time (usually the store coupon, if there is one). If you read (most) coupons, printed down at the bottom it says that its worth no cash value, or the value is 1/20th of a cent. What makes you think if the coupon is worth that little to nothing you will be getting money back on a sale? Your getting your item free, dont be greedy. If I use a coupon like that at another store and they dont modify it properly (though registers at Rite Aid wont let a coupon go through if it exceeds the value of the merchandise) I will refuse to take the change.

    Yes, you can use a store coupon and a manf on the same item BUT remember, if you have a manf coupon and the item you want has an instant savings coupon on the package… that coupon is also a manf coupon, as the vendors stick them on the products and not the stores.

    All-in-all I like using coupons myself and cashiers shouldnt give you issues about wanting to use them… just remember that accepting that $1 internet coupon could cost the cashier his/her job if its not valid (you may think its legal, but innocent people have unwittingly obtained fradulant coupons)

  31. faith.baricat

    I have shopped at the Walmart on IH183 in Irving, TX for years, using IP coupons, sometimes encountering a few problems. But a few weeks back, I had multiple items, all scanned, then I presented my IP coupons. The guy cashier didn’t know if the coupons were accepted…he acted like he had never seen them before. He called someone over, she wouldn’t Ok them, I countered with reasonableness, blah, blah. She called another lady over, no, no, no. I even tried to use a manufacturer’s coupon printed at Kroger – she wouldn’t accept that because it had been printed at Kroger. I finally gave up, had the cashier reverse everything out that I had planned to use an IP coupon. I left & promised myself I was not ever going back to that store again – the next nearest Walmart is about 20 miles further. I probably will shop at Kroger & Tom Thumb where they are much more customer friendly.

    • amyngreenwood

      I don’t like to single out a store, but Walmart is the worse with arguing over your coupons. I only use them if I have too. My other two stores double them and never give me any trouble.

  32. Kristin

    Does anybody else shop at HEB in Texas? I am so frustrated with them! They have yellow coupons that they put out all over the store, but won’t let you stack them with a manu Q, claiming that the yellow ones are manu Qs also. But, I couldn’t take them anywhere else and use them, so I disagree with their policy. And, to irritate me further, they are now not accepting internet printed coupons – when they have a link to Coupons.com on their website! Ha!

    • Audrey

      My HEB (Waco) still accepts internet coupons… I used some yesterday without any trouble. The yellow coupons are manufacturer’s coupons if there’s an “M” at the bottom, store coupons if there’s an “S” (I just learned this). Most are manufacturer coupons, though, so I agree, it’s harder to do couponing there. I do like how there are coupons hanging everywhere in the store, though. 🙂

  33. Audrey

    A few days ago, my boyfriend’s dad tried using a 75% off coupon toward medication that I had given to him. I printed a list of places that the coupon would be accepted at & sent Robert on his way. He doesn’t have health insurance and is currently experiencing a layoff, so this coupon would have been great. However, when he tried to use the coupon at a Wal Mart pharmacy- the woman told him it could not be combined with the discounts from the Wal Mart pharmacy. I was confused… she didn’t give Robert the option of using his coupon. Neither of us were aware of any discounts Wal Mart was giving us, and to top everything off, the woman working at the Wal Mart pharmacy actually KEPT, our coupon? Can she do that? She said Rob could not keep the coupon because she had scanned it. I am beyond frustrated & don’t understand.. Does anyone know anything about this or, has anyone experienced anything similar? If Wal Mart pharmacy isn’t going to use my coupons, I’ll take them else-where. How can I avoid getting my coupons TAKEN? Someone PLEASE, give me advice before I have a conniption fit! Haha!

  34. Sondra

    I just started couponing and stacked coupons at Walgreens for the first time tonight. After checking out, the cashier told me “next time, you have to use the manufacturer’s coupons first, before the store coupons.” Has anyone else run into this problem?

    • Sondra

      Oophs, I meant they said to use the Store coupons first … sorry, lol.

  35. Rachel

    I just had to ask if anyone else has had issues with using the $1off coupon for any johnson and johnson baby product on the buddy bars at Target? I have been using these coupons every time they come out on this very product for months and months now and never had any problem until yesterday. I had one of the cashiers give me the ” it does not show this product in the picture and therefore this is not the product it is intended for.” Well first of all I am a cashier also, at a different store, and know very well that just because a product is not pictured does not mean you can not purchase it with the coupon. Part of the problem here is consistency and lack there of knowledge for coupons. I know I don’t like to be educated in the check stand by a customer, but I also think I probably know a lot more about coupons then your average cashier. Anyone else have this problem? And how would you handle an uneducated cashier?

    • Olivia Smith

      Be sure to check if the coupon states it is for a SPECIFIC product– if it says for ANY Johnson and Johnson baby product, you are good as long as it is a baby product. Not all coupons picture the items that are eligible for the savings.

      HTH

  36. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I am a cashier at a store where this couponing happens quite frequently. I have not read all comments to this post, but I did read the post. I would just like to add that (and I guess I can only speak for myself and othersworking in my store) as a cashier, I do not fault people for using lots of coupons and do not assume they are all trying to cheat the store out of money. However, I do know that there are people out there who DO take too much advantage of the system and use it dishonestly. Unfortunately, because of those people, we have to be very cautious and knowledgeable when it comes to scanning coupons. I don’t jump to any conclusions, but I do know the red flags for people who are unfairly couponing, and unfortunately, sometimes these red flags also appear when someone is doing it honestly. It also makes the process much harder, longer, and more suspicious if there are a LOT of items in the transaction and a LOT of coupons being used, just because it’s important for us to make sure everything it done right, even if you ARE using coupons appropriately. Just know that by using the coupons, you might automatically be putting yourself in the “red flag” cattegory whether you (or we) like it or not.

    I do know how to use manufacture coupons. Most of the time I accept them right away, but if I need to couble check for some reason whether or not the item you bought is correct, please don’t be offended. And while I realize how the store gets reimbursed, it has been made VERY clear to us by our store’s security employees just the many ways people take advantage of these types of coupons, so please don’t be offended when we are being overly cautious. Cashiers (at least in my store) are trained very well on how to deal with situations like this. I am not afraid of getting in trouble or the money coming out of my paycheck; I’m just being a reliable, trustworthy, and responsible employee by doing what is asked of me. (In the end, it could come out of my paycheck if my performance reviews by my supervisor is not good.)

    In the end, I commend you for ever being able to pull this off fairly because it’s difficult to do.

    • Collin (Mrs. Hip)

      I would also like to add that all these little suggestions/tips you have for selecting the right cashier and behaving a certain way are also the same tricks as someone who’s trying to do something dishonest, so you can’t blame us for being careful.

  37. JennMomofGirls

    How do you find the store’s “Official Coupon Policy”? I checked the webiste for my favorite store, Fred Meyer and did not find it. I also searched the Kroger website (their parent company) and didn’t see it there either…

    Thanks!

  38. JennMomofGirls

    How do you find the store’s “Official Coupon Policy”? I checked the webiste for my favorite store, Fred Meyer and did not find it. I also searched the Kroger website (their parent company) and didn’t see it there either…

    Thanks!

    • Olivia Smith

      You could always email corporate asking for their coupon policy if it isn’t on their website.

      HTH!

  39. Christy Peters

    I was a cashier a few years back at Wal-Mart and I had a lady every week that would pick my line because she would come in with 5 to 10 different sales ads and all their products. Wal-Mart will match other stores prices so she did not have to go to all those different stores. I apparently was her favorite because the other cashiers didn’t know how to override/put in the competitior store code and use the manufacture coupon. Often times she would have at least 10 bags and only had to pay around $20. I was always jelous because I could never be that organized.

    I love this site I am new to it and love reading all the tips and tricks. Almost scarry because I find myself thinking wow that is an awesome deal but then I remember it is for an item I do not use or need so I would be spending money I didn’t need to in the first place.

  40. Ed

    Had a bad experience with this old lady cashier at CVS. First she would not accept my internet printed coupons because she said they were copies. When I pointed out the fact that they had different bar codes she then said it was store policy not to accept internet coupons. What? I never heard that before. The manager then told her it was ok to accept the coupons. So you would think good to go. Nope. She then said I could only use 1 coupon but I was trying to buy 4 items. I said I have 4 coupons why can’t I purchase 4 items with the coupons. She said because it says on the coupon per purchase. What? She then said she could do separate transactions to use the coupon. But then I would not get to use a buy $25 get 5 off CVS coupon also because the individual transactions would not be greater than $25. Finally after a 15 minutes of trying to teach her about coupons but not getting anywhere I said I don’t want any of the items and I left. When to another CVS where they didn’t hassle me and just took all of my coupons and discounts without even asking me a single question. The cashier just scanned everything and then took my cash and told me to have a nice day. WOW what a concept a friendly cashier. Wish they were all like this.

    • Carla D.

      I completely agree with you. I always get SUPER nervous when i am going to pay because I can almost feel the look. I had a problem with walgreens this week with my John Frieda RR not printing. She even told me you got them almost for free what are you complaining about when I explained to her that my coupons had nothing to do with the RR not printing she even went to the extent of telling me do you want to start over the reason it didn’t print…By that point I just walked away from her. I was so embarrassed by the line and the way she talked to me and I had my 20 month old baby on my hip and he was getting tired. He even seemed scared because of her tone of voice. He kept looking at me like mommy why is this lady being mean to you….I wanted to cry and just got in the car and left. Yes I did get a good deal. BUT the purpose I bought them was for the RR and to try the product.

  41. Sarah Daily

    If I may, I would like clarification on the 4th bullet about the Walgreen’s clerk. The last sentence has me really confused…

  42. Hollie

    I was in Walgreens getting the Biore buy 2 get a $5 register rewards the other day and I had a coupon for buy 1 get 1 free. The box had a $2 off coupon if you bought 2 cleaning items and the bottle had a $1 off coupon on it. When I got to the front the cashier scanned all the coupons on the items then let me use the buy 1 get 1 free too. After I paid I got the $5 register rewards too!! I ended up making $2 towards my next purchase!

  43. Melissa

    While at Target I tried to use two coupons. One was a buy a scrubby bubbles auto sprayer get a refill free and the other was a $2.00 off the scrubby bubbles auto sprayer. The cashier wouldn’t let me use them both, she even called over the manager who wouldn’t let me use them both either. They both said that the buy one get one free refill coupon was used twords both products and you can’t use an addtional coupon. This is so very frustrating, I tried to explain to them that this coupon states buy this item get this item free, therefore I can use the $2.00 coupon for the sprayer. They weren’t having it! So I said I no longer wanted to purchase these items. Then she tried to tell me that I couldn’t use a store coupon along with a man. coupon (I didn’t let her get away with this one)
    When I first approached her she was lovely, twords the end I was the one telling her nicely to have a great day.
    I wish Target would be more specific with their wording on the coupon policy!!!!

  44. Laurie

    I usually shop online but found this website thru a friend who RAVES about it so decided to try some of the ideas.

    Twice this week I’ve had problems with legitimate promotions. I was treated like a crook and am
    still so embarrassed that I’m ready to quit couponing all together! Anyone else feel like this?

    One problem was Walgreens not printing a RR when I was clearly eligible (the manager even told me I could Mail it in. If I’m not eligible, then why would he offer that?) and the other at a Target not taking a coupon from their own web site-he even accused me of cutting off part of the coupon to hide some rules! Both times I stayed calm, read the coupon with the clerk to make sure I was following the rules, talked to TWO managers, acknowledged they have a job to do and told them I really wanted to understand their policy to avoid future problems but the coupon said……

    Both times they gave me 1 excuse after another as to why I was ineligible for the promotion (like can’t use a manufacturer’s coupon and get a RR) but each objection was calmly explained away (I had done this exact thing on a separate order) so they’d just come up with another until I gave up- which I guess is what they wanted. I am Not trying to take advantage of anyone and if they had a legtimate Sounding reason, I’d understand but when they get louder and louder with 1 made-up reason after another until you’re worn down and humiliated, well, then it just isn’t worth it. I Did contact both corporate offices; Target sent a form letter, Walgreens promised a 2 day call back which never came.

    Sorry for the long post but any comments from the experts would be helpful before I go hide behind my keyboard again. 🙂 Thanks!

  45. cashier heather

    I’m a cashier at a Walmart, and it’s not that the cashier is worried whether or not the coupon will be paid on, but in face, if we take a coupon that is not vaild(Many people receive these bogus coupon through emails and don’t know they are fraudulent) we get written up and could get fired if we do it too often. The problem is not with the cashiers(all the time..I’ll admit some of them are just cranky)..but with the people who consistently try to pass off coupons that aren’t valid. I’ve got a particular customer who knows all the coupons she uses are counterfeit, and we tell her that we can’t take them(I mean, who gets coupons for 16 free rolls of toilet paper, or a free 96 oz bottle of laundry soap). So most of the fault lies in the people who are manufacturing these fake coupons. Just explain where you printed the coupons from, and if they tell you that they still won’t take it, it’s probably for a reason. the cahsier risks losing their job every time they take a counterfeit coupon. Sympathizing with them helps.. “I understand that you have to be very careful, but I got these from a valid site”..even offer to write the site down so they can look it up when they’re at home(as a cashier I give people tips that I’ve learned and ever write down some sites where they can score free samples of products..like Walmart.com(just type in free samples to find some))! Cashiers are people too..they are not staring at your coupon and taking an hour just to make your life miserable, I promise! Thanks for reading this!! and happy saving!!

    • amyngreenwood

      Heather,
      I understand and sympatize with the cashiers who may feel as though they could lose their jobs. I was once a cashier for a few years. If the coupon will not scan and it is for an usual purchase, I would be concerned as well. If it scans, then why would Walmart blame you for the coupon. Walmart should inform the staff of the fraudulent coupon. Most internet coupons print the site on the coupon. It would not surprise me if people have learned to make fraudulent coupons. Some have learned to print fraudulent barcodes. They usually get caught. I have seen them handcuffed and taken out in a place I was employed.

  46. amyngreenwood

    Thanks for the tips on cashiers giving one trouble over using coupons. I did the tip of looking for the cheeriest cashier. I sometimes look for the youngest cashier as well. I only have one store that gives me more trouble than any. My other two double my coupons anyway, so I will use them if I can get my item the cheapest. I hate it though when the cashier acts as though it is a pain because you are holding them up with your coupons. First of all, the business is getting cash plus a little more for taking the coupon. I guess the business and the cashier could be reminded of this also.

  47. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    I think you guys are funny…I really do. I work as a cashier at Wal – Mart…and our coupon policy really isn’t that difficult to understand, it has nothing to do with reasonableness, or how nice you are to us, or being customer friendly or whatever else you guys think it has to do with. Yes, there are times when your lovely internet produced coupons will not be accepted. But, it’s not because the store doesn’t accept internet produced coupons, it’s because all internet produced coupons have to be printed off in color now, black and white will not be accepted, and in the little box at the top that has the expiration date in it, there are often times little yellow dots. These little yellow dots tell us that the coupons are legimate internet coupons and not scanned. Scanned coupons will not be accepted. And as far as manufactors coupons go…if they have another name on them, for example, Meijer or Kroger, they will not be accepted at Wal – Mart. This is because when the store sends the coupons in to get reimbursed for the value of the coupon, the money will automatically be sent to the name of the store on the coupon. It doesn’t matter if it’s a manufactorer’s coupon or not.

    • Jenn

      Wow… Never heard some of this before! And um… I use black & white printables at Walmart ALL the time. So >>> It’s no wonder everyone’s confused & frustrated. No one has the same answers ANYWHERE, and nothing is consistent, ever! At one single store, including Albertsons, Target, etc… every cashier AND manager has a different answer for the same question!

      I’m an honest, legitimate, & HUGE couponer, & it’s a good thing I’m patient. Cause we all HAVE to be patient with this freaking coupon confusion. What about coupon consistency? Does anyone think that will EVER happen??? I think I’m going to call or write to the manufacturer’s (coupon makers) MYSELF & get their direct answers, as to how THEY want & allow THEIR coupons to actually be used. Then I’ll ask them to personally sign their response with an ink pen, & I’ll stick THAT in my handy dandy 4 inch coupon binder!

      • Elizabeth

        You CAN use black and white coupons. MAYBE reread the policy at Walmart because it nevers say “Walmart ONLY accepts color IP coupons”. I love when people think they just know it all and dont!

  48. Collin (Mrs. Hip)

    Ashley, what about those of us who don’t have color printers? We can not use an internet coupon?

  49. miranda

    Wal*mart today (in Oregon) suspended my order and had another cashier go through my 40 coupons (their max) one by one. They then tried to tell me that all the coupons that I had printed of the internet where not accepted at Wal*mart. With your advice though, I had my policy in had, and showed it to them. This still was not good enough. I stayed calm and browsed around while 4 (yes 4 associates) looked through my coupons and order. After about 25 minutes of this they decided that I was able to use them all and sent me on my way. Amazing that they would waste company time having 4 employees work on this for 25 minutes for coupons! By the way, I saved $50 in coupons!

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