No way I thought, but guess it could happen. Problem is that the show has ruined any chance consumers had at taking advantage of the coupons, now there are millions of stipulations and rules for using the coupons along with lots of teen tiny print.
I'm terrible at remembering to use coupons. Even if I remember to print the coupon and then remember to bring it into the store by the time I get to the check out I've long forgotten about the coupon and I don't even use it.
I have a friend here in NH who is coupon master and she invited me on her coupon outing last night. I really wanted to leave my house, so I agreed. Plus, I've heard her stories about the great deals she has found and I decided I needed to see how it worked! :)
Off we go to CVS, which is like a Longs (California) or a Budni (German) or a Netto (Denmark).
I'll admit I was just a little scared as my friend got into the car with 100 coupon books that you normally find in the newspapers!
She had developed a plan ...and I did as I was told.
First of all I needed to have the store card so when we went in I signed up for the card. That is one thing I didn't miss about the United States. Store Cards. You get special deals, or coupons, or accrue points to later be turned in for special deals or coupons or better points. Within a couple months of living here I had a HUGE collection of cards I now get to carry around with me in case I need them.
Anyways, add another card to my pile and off we go to the shampoo aisle.... which was the target of our shopping mission.
We put 20 bottles of Pantene Shampoo into our cart.
Here's how it worked for me, who bought ten of the Pantenes.
The store had a promotion and if you bought $30 worth of certain items (shampoo) you got a $10 gift card. 10 bottles of shampoo = $30.48. (2 for $7.00, except for two bottles that rang up as $1.24 for some reason).
There. I spent over $30, BUT then I gave them four coupons for $3.00 off! ...so subtract $12.00 and I spent $18.48, BUT then I got a $10 gift certificate! :)
SO. I really spent $18.48, but technically only $8.48. :)
That means each bottle of shampoo cost me $1.84, which, for a big bottle of panteen, is a good deal, but not "OMG exciting" as my daughter would say. HOWEVER ...if you consider the $10 they gave me back, each bottle of shampoo was only 84 cents. :) ...and that is kinda fun! Besides, it's not like shampoo ever goes bad and I have six heads of hair to wash in this house!
There you have it. My first extreme couponing experience. It was fun, but maybe more fun because I was with a friend who I know I couldn't live without here in New Hampshire. :) (...and after Operation Shampoo was complete, we went out dancing at a place that will rename nameless)
1 comment:
You are sweet :) It was fun and "our" place will always remain nameless!
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