I know I just did a post on this topic, but I cannot stress enough the importance of checking your receipts.

I was working on getting a post up about a recent trip to Target. As I was looking at my receipt, I realized that I was overcharged by over $5. There are 5 coupons that show up on my receipt as scanned but were not deducted from my total and 2 products that I was charged from than the price on the shelf.

I had actually asked the checker about some of the coupons that were scanning as $0. She told me it was because they were store coupons and would be taken off automatically. Of course, these were the coupons that didn’t deduct.

This is third time this has happened to me in the past couple weeks (twice at Safeway and once at Target). It is so frustrating, especially when I don’t realize it until after I get home. $5 is a good chunk of change and represents over 10% of my total. So back to Target I go tomorrow.

It makes me sick to think about how much I overpaid in the past before I was so diligent about checking my receipts and coupons.

When I first started reading couponing blogs, I was very confused by the number of coupons people were writing about for a salad dressing that no one has bought since 1986. Turns out a “catalina coupon” is not a coupon for salad dressing (yes, I literally thought that’s what they were).

Catalina coupons are those coupons that print out at the register that cashier usually hands you with your reciept.

These coupons are triggered by the items that you purchase. Sometimes they are for competing products, sometimes they are for your next purchase of the same product, and sometimes they are money to use on your next purchase of anything in that store.

Catalina coupons can generally only be used at the store that generates them (this information prints on the coupon). However, some stores in the same “family” will take catalina coupons from one another. In the Northwest, QFC and Fred Meyer catalinas can be used at either store because they are in the Kroger “family”.

Most catalinas are manufacturer’s coupons so they cannot be combined with another manufacturer’s coupon. However, Target has their own catalinas which print as Target coupons and can be stacked with a manufacturer’s coupon.

Sometimes I know about a catalina deal ahead of time from a fellow blogger. Sometimes you will see a tag near the product that indicates a catalina promotion. And sometimes, it is a total surprise what you get back.

What other questions do you have about catalina coupons?

Every good grocery shopper knows the importance of paying attention to unit prices. This is the small (sometimes teeny tiny) price listed on a price tag that tells you the price per ounce/pound/can or some other increment. Paying attention to this price is key to making sure you are getting the most for your money.

I went to Albertson’s this weekend to pickup some Coffeemate liquid creamer that was on sale (not a great sale, but I was out and consider this to be an absolutely life necessity). The 32oz containers were on sale for $3.99 and the 16oz containers were on sale for $1.99. A quick glance at the unit price on the price tag showed me that the price per ounce was essential the same ($0.12/oz).

I had two $.75/1 coupons that could be used on any container larger than 15oz. If I had bought the bigger container, I would have only been able to use one coupon. But by buying two smaller containers, I was able to use both coupons and save myself an extra $0.75. Not huge, but every little bit helps.

When comparing unit prices, make sure the tags are using the same increment. For example, some soda tags list the unit price per ounce while others list it per can. Also, sometimes a sale price tag won’t list the unit price. Take the time to pull out your calculator and do the math to make sure you are getting the best deal.

My friend, Carmen, recently asked me how stacking coupons works. I thought I would write up the answer in a blog post in case anyone else had the same question.

You can only use one manufacturer coupon per item. But most stores will let you stack a manufacturer’s coupon with a store coupon.

The trifecta is stacking a store sale with a store coupon and a manufacturers coupon. Here’s an example from my recent trip to Target.

Garnier Cleansing Towels
Regular price $4.74
Sale price $4.24

I bought 2 and used the following coupons:

(2) $2/1 Target web coupon (store coupon)
(1) $2/1 manufacturers coupon
(1) $1/1 manufacturers coupon

Final price = $1.48

Some stores will allow you to use a BOGO manufacturer’s coupon on a BOGO store sale in order to get both items for free. I did this on a recent trip to Rite-Aid.

Special K Cereal
Regular price $4.99
Sale price BOGO

+ BOGO manufacturer’s coupon

Final price = $0 for 2 boxes

Frugal Living NW recently did a post on coupon stacking that has a great list of where to find store coupons.

What other questions or topics would you like me to cover?

As I mentioned in my first post, couponing can get addictive really fast. But things are only a good deal if you are going to use them. I have heard about a show on TLC called Extreme Couponing (we don’t have cable so I haven’t seen it yet), about people who have thousands of items stockpiled. I don’t have the space or the desire the become that person. My goals are to save my family money on things we will actually use and to donate generously anything that we won’t. So here are my basic rules:

1) Don’t buy something just because it is a good deal. However, I do seek out free items that I can donate to a local food bank or shelter.

2) Don’t hoard. I won’t buy more than our family can use in 3 months. For my donation items, I have one large bin that I store everything in. When it’s full, it gets donated.

3) Make a list and stick to it.

4) You don’t have to go to 100 different stores to get the best deals. My weekly shopping trips are generally to Rite-Aid and Safeway. I go to Albertson’s only when they have double coupons. I also shop at Target, Fred Meyer, and Costco but those trips are generally for specific items.

5) Be polite to cashier’s and other people in line. If you have multiple transactions, go to the back of the line rather than holding everyone up.

6) Pay attention as your items and coupons are scanned. Make sure you are getting the correct price and that all your coupons scan. I am still kicking myself over a $5 coupon that got missed on a recent Target trip.

7) Have fun. Enjoy the thrill of the hunt and the savings!