Tricks of the Trade

by Debbie Clark (DealDebbie) | More from this Blogger

28 May 2009 08:55 PM

So there you are, clipping, printing, organizing, and saving. You're matching coupons to sales at stores. You are finding amazing savings when your purchase generates a catalina coupon at the register, or Extra Care Bucks, Register Rewards, or when you get a product for nearly free and then can submit for a refund. You are doing really well.

But wait, there's more.

Did you know that some stores will accept competitor's coupons? You have to check and see about this - but it does happen. Your results will vary from store to store.

Publix is known in some parts of Florida for accepting competitor coupons. Check with your local store to see if this is the policy. Home Depot and Lowes have accepted competitor coupons in the past, and continue to do so in many of their stores. Sometimes you find a manager or cashier who is unaware of the practice, so it can be pretty uneven - what passes in the morning may not in the evening.

Stores that accept competitor's coupons will vary in their policies for stacking - that is using a competitor coupon and a manufacturer coupon for the same item. If they stack a deal with their own coupons, there should be no problem. It depends on how clearly the store's policy is worded. If they accept them, you should have no problem with competitors coupons from a 25 mile radius.

You'll also find that more restaurant chains are accepting competitor coupons. Some of these include El Pollo Loco, and local restaurants trying to stay competitive.

It pays to ask. Now, lets talk about paying.

Gift cards are becoming a popular choice for rebates, and good will gestures from stores. You can also get them through online points programs. Perhaps the granddaddy of these is mypoints.com. You earn points for reading emails, playing games, answering surveys, and of course, shopping. Mypoints has a lot of participants, so there are many choices for rewards. You can receive gift cards for Home Depot, Walmart, Target, CVS, Amazon, major clothing stores, Barnes & Noble, Lowes, major department stores, and others. You can even collect rewards points for printing and redeeming coupons!

Airlines and Hotels also are getting into the act, rewarding you for purchases with gift cards. Some credit card point programs will allow you to redeem points for gift cards.

You may not find a gift card to the grocery store this way, but you will likely find one for CVS, Walgeens, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, or Lowes. So, combine your manufacturers coupons, your store coupons, and your competitor coupons for deep discounts - and then pay with free money from a gift card!

Learn more about Debbie Clark (DealDebbie)

I'm a veteran deal hunter with two grown sons. I have been clipping coupons and doubling up with rebates and sales and points rewards since they were babies.

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