couponing mis-adventures
So after tediously going through the Sunday paper and clipping any coupon that I thought I would be even remotely interested in, as well as looking at various sites online and printing out coupons for the past two weeks I decided today to venture out and see how much money I could save on my mini grocery trip. I say mini grocery trip because I am recovering from a vicious virus and didn't have the energy for a full-fledged grocery adventure at this time.
I have a very vivid memory and was able to make a map of the local Wal-Mart where I would be doing my shopping. I generally try to avoid Wal-Mart when I only need groceries, but I needed a few other small items (medicine, etc) as well as diapers and, basically, nobody can beat Wal-Mart's diaper prices. Using my awesomely constructed aisle by aisle guide of the store, I arranged my coupons and made a list of exactly what I would need from each aisle. I even had notations next to certain items about exactly what coupons I had for different brands so I could compare, with the discount, which would be the best choice to buy. I also take advantage of the WIC program for Benjamin and I get certain items with that, free of charge!
Type your cut coI walked into Wal-Mart and was greeted with a crowd of the scum of the earth people that appear to only dwell in southern Louisiana. I noticed a Wal-Mart associate walking around with her arms inside of her shirt and one hand sticking out of the neck-line talking away on her cell phone, clicking her tongue and glaring angrily at the customers who dared glance in her direction. I walked directly to the baby section to get the diapers and they were completely out of the brand and size that I needed. FYI, Benjamin uses Luvs so if anyone finds any coupons for that brand, send them my way! I had to settle for another brand (but I had a coupon so they were the same price as the Luvs even though I find that the Huggies aren't as good, but you can't be picky when you don't have any diapers!). When I walked to the grocery section, the cooler where they keep the juices was completely empty. I wanted a specific brand and type of juice (I had a coupon, afterall!) and there was exactly one caraffe left! What luck! Or so I thought, until I picked it up and realized that it had been opened and some of the contents were missing and it was placed back onto the shelf! YUCK!
At this point, I abandoned my basket, which only had diapers and Therma Care heat wraps anyway and exited the building. I went to Rouse's which is generally higher priced, but at least its clean! My map and list did not correspond correctly to the aisles in this store, but I was able to make do and I completed my shopping. When I got to the register, I put everything on the counter with the corresponding coupon on top of the item and had my WIC items arranged neatly with the voucher in full view so the cashier would know to ring it up separately. She scanned all of my items and collected the coupons as she went then began scanning the coupons. I had a "buy 1 get 1 free" coupon for frozen veggies that she got confused about how to ring up so she called the manager over. The manager showed her how to ring in the coupon, but then informed her that none of the computer-printed coupons would be accepted. This accounted for nearly half of my purchase. I politely informed her that if I could not use the coupons, I would not want the items so we began going through the bags and pulling out the things that would be voided off of the ticket.
At this time, a woman gets in the line behind me and begins unloading her basket. I informed her that there was an issue and I would be a while and she rolled her eyes and continued to unload her buggy. Mind you, there were 3 other registers open and neither had more than one person in line checking out so she did have plenty of other options. After she finished unloading all of her items, she got on her cell phone and proceeded to complain about the "cheap bitch" in front of her who "had some issue with her coupons and not having enough money so they are going through and taking stuff off of her bill."
Number one, I had plenty enough money to pay for the items without the coupons, I just refused to pay full price when I am trying to be frugal. Number two, one of the people in this line was definitely being a bitch; it was not me. I turned to her and told her just that. She looked taken aback and hung up her phone and stood behind me, fuming.
Once the coupon debaucle was taken care of, I still had my WIC items to check out. For those of you who don't know how it works, they give you vouchers with specific items that you have to get, you must get them all and certain rules apply for each item. The cashier has to go through the items and check to be sure you got the right brands and then she scans them. Then there is the task of having the manager return to key in her special code that allows the computer to delete the tax off of the items and prints the receipt on the back of the voucher as well as on receipt paper. Then I have to sign the voucher and she has to match my signature with the one on the folder as well as check my ID to make sure I am who I claim to be. This is quite time consuming. I just watched the bitch behind me grow more and more impatient. When the cashier called for the manager to do her thing, the manager was in the middle of something else so we had to wait. The cashier apologized to me for the delay and I smiled and said, more to the woman behind me, "its ok, I have all night!"
I know now that I should avoid Rouses because the coupons from the internet are the best ones around.
I just thought I would share that with everyone.
ntents here.
I have a very vivid memory and was able to make a map of the local Wal-Mart where I would be doing my shopping. I generally try to avoid Wal-Mart when I only need groceries, but I needed a few other small items (medicine, etc) as well as diapers and, basically, nobody can beat Wal-Mart's diaper prices. Using my awesomely constructed aisle by aisle guide of the store, I arranged my coupons and made a list of exactly what I would need from each aisle. I even had notations next to certain items about exactly what coupons I had for different brands so I could compare, with the discount, which would be the best choice to buy. I also take advantage of the WIC program for Benjamin and I get certain items with that, free of charge!
Type your cut coI walked into Wal-Mart and was greeted with a crowd of the scum of the earth people that appear to only dwell in southern Louisiana. I noticed a Wal-Mart associate walking around with her arms inside of her shirt and one hand sticking out of the neck-line talking away on her cell phone, clicking her tongue and glaring angrily at the customers who dared glance in her direction. I walked directly to the baby section to get the diapers and they were completely out of the brand and size that I needed. FYI, Benjamin uses Luvs so if anyone finds any coupons for that brand, send them my way! I had to settle for another brand (but I had a coupon so they were the same price as the Luvs even though I find that the Huggies aren't as good, but you can't be picky when you don't have any diapers!). When I walked to the grocery section, the cooler where they keep the juices was completely empty. I wanted a specific brand and type of juice (I had a coupon, afterall!) and there was exactly one caraffe left! What luck! Or so I thought, until I picked it up and realized that it had been opened and some of the contents were missing and it was placed back onto the shelf! YUCK!
At this point, I abandoned my basket, which only had diapers and Therma Care heat wraps anyway and exited the building. I went to Rouse's which is generally higher priced, but at least its clean! My map and list did not correspond correctly to the aisles in this store, but I was able to make do and I completed my shopping. When I got to the register, I put everything on the counter with the corresponding coupon on top of the item and had my WIC items arranged neatly with the voucher in full view so the cashier would know to ring it up separately. She scanned all of my items and collected the coupons as she went then began scanning the coupons. I had a "buy 1 get 1 free" coupon for frozen veggies that she got confused about how to ring up so she called the manager over. The manager showed her how to ring in the coupon, but then informed her that none of the computer-printed coupons would be accepted. This accounted for nearly half of my purchase. I politely informed her that if I could not use the coupons, I would not want the items so we began going through the bags and pulling out the things that would be voided off of the ticket.
At this time, a woman gets in the line behind me and begins unloading her basket. I informed her that there was an issue and I would be a while and she rolled her eyes and continued to unload her buggy. Mind you, there were 3 other registers open and neither had more than one person in line checking out so she did have plenty of other options. After she finished unloading all of her items, she got on her cell phone and proceeded to complain about the "cheap bitch" in front of her who "had some issue with her coupons and not having enough money so they are going through and taking stuff off of her bill."
Number one, I had plenty enough money to pay for the items without the coupons, I just refused to pay full price when I am trying to be frugal. Number two, one of the people in this line was definitely being a bitch; it was not me. I turned to her and told her just that. She looked taken aback and hung up her phone and stood behind me, fuming.
Once the coupon debaucle was taken care of, I still had my WIC items to check out. For those of you who don't know how it works, they give you vouchers with specific items that you have to get, you must get them all and certain rules apply for each item. The cashier has to go through the items and check to be sure you got the right brands and then she scans them. Then there is the task of having the manager return to key in her special code that allows the computer to delete the tax off of the items and prints the receipt on the back of the voucher as well as on receipt paper. Then I have to sign the voucher and she has to match my signature with the one on the folder as well as check my ID to make sure I am who I claim to be. This is quite time consuming. I just watched the bitch behind me grow more and more impatient. When the cashier called for the manager to do her thing, the manager was in the middle of something else so we had to wait. The cashier apologized to me for the delay and I smiled and said, more to the woman behind me, "its ok, I have all night!"
I know now that I should avoid Rouses because the coupons from the internet are the best ones around.
I just thought I would share that with everyone.
ntents here.