I am so excited about the new feature and love that there was such a great response from you all!! Actually there was such a great response that I needed a little help!! My buddy Christy over at Haphazardly Hobbying was kind enough to give me some help to get ten of your questions answered. There was no way we could get to everyone –if we didn’t get to your question this week…don’t worry we will do our best to cover it another week!!
I am going to start a new tab at the top of the site where I will do my best to organize the information so that it can serve as a quick reference!
Here are this week’s questions:

  1. Is the sale price in the Advantage Buy Flyer the best deals offered on those particular items?
  2. Where do I find the non-printable coupons listed in red and green in your matchups?
  3. Why can’t I get a particular item as cheaply as you do when I use all the coupons you list for that item?
  4. Why does it seem that my Publix doesn’t like coupons?
  5. If a store refuses your coupon, is it considered poor etiquette to inform them that you would rather not purchase that item?
  6. Why doesn’t my store double coupons or accept competitor coupons?
  7. Can I use more than one $X/$XX competitor coupon in one transaction? What about multiples of the same coupon?
  8. How do I get my Publix to take coupons that will result in overage?
  9. What general rules do you follow when stockpiling?
  10. How do you organize your stock of coupons?

And here are the answers!

  1. Jessica wants to know: When something is listed for a sale price in an Advantage Buy Flyer, is it safe to assume that this is the best deal they will offer until the Flyer expires? Also, are they usually the best deal offered on these items or do you often see the items at better prices other times throughout the year?

    2. Yes, the deals in the flyers are generally the best deals that will be offered on those items until the flyer expires. However, it’s not necessarily the best deal you will ever see on a particular item. I generally find that BOGO deals (not typically offered in the flyers) are the ones that give us the lowest overall price on specific items.

  2. Brandi wants to know: I’m new to couponing and your site and I’d like to know: Where do I find the (non-printable) coupons listed in red and green under each deal?

    3. Let’s look at a couple matchups from this week’s ad to answer this question:
    Fresh Express Salad Blends, Assorted Varieties, 4.5 to 12 oz bag, BOGO $3.99
    -$.55/1 Fresh Express Salad Blends And Complete Kits, Any Tearpad
    -$1/2 Fresh Express Salad Blends Publix Family Style Magazine
    Welch’s 100% Grape Juice or Grape Juice Cocktail, Assorted Varieties, 64 oz bot, BOGO $3.99
    -$1/2 Welch’s Sparkling Juices Or Juice Cocktails, Any – 03-21-10 SS
    -$1.50/2 Welch’s 100% White Grape Juice Or 100% Juice White Grape Blends, Any 64 Oz. (Manufacturer’s Coupon With Kroger Logo)
    -$1/1 Welch’s 100% Grape Juices, 100% Juice Blends, Any 64 Oz. Or 96 Oz. – 02-07-10 SS
    -$1/1 Welch’s PRINT
    Coupons listed in red are manufacturer’s coupons and those listed in green are store coupons (either Publix or competitor coupons). The last coupon, a $1/1 Welch’s that says PRINT and is bright blue is a link that will take you to where you can print the specified coupon. All the rest of the coupons I list are paper coupons, and the information included in that matchup line tells you where it was found.
    Now to the description:   the “-$.55/1 Fresh Express Salad Blends And Complete Kits, Any Tearpad” is a manufacturer’s coupon that was found on a tearpad in someone’s store. It will not necessarily be in your store today.  Keep an eye out for it and check your binder as you may have picked it up at another time. The “-$1/2 Fresh Express Salad Blends Publix Family Style Magazine” is a Publix coupon (with a LU#) that was found in the last Publix Family Style magazine. Finally, the “-$1/2 Welch’s Sparkling Juices Or Juice Cocktails, Any – 03-21-10 SS” is a manufacturer’s coupon that was found in the Smart Source (SS) coupon insert in the 3/21/10 Sunday paper. The other abbreviations that are used to designate Sunday coupon inserts are RP (Red Plum) and PG (Proctor & Gamble). You can always go to the Basics Tab at the top of the site to see the definitions of the lingo used here on the site!
    Keep in mind that I may not have all the coupons that I list in the matchup – I use a coupon database that tells me about all the coupons that have been reported to be found for a particular item – so you may not have access to everything that is listed. I’m just trying to give you all the information I can about the coupons that exist for that item.  This is critical to know so that if you see a coupon that you want you can trade or go to a clipping site and get what you need in time for the sale!!

  3. Jeni wants to know: Often I see a post that with a Publix sale and the various coupons offered that items can be gotten for free or just a few cents. Even matching the coupons I have to the coupons you list, I always end up paying more, the items are never free. Since I am matching the coupons to the ones listed, I don’t understand – why is my item more expensive than yours?

    4. There are a number of possible answers to this. First, prices of items – even sale prices – can vary greatly from region to region. It could be that your item starts out more expensive in your region than it does in mine, which means that you end up paying more no matter that we use the same coupons.
    It also makes a big difference if your store doubles coupons or not. Mine does, so any coupon .50¢ and under is worth twice as much off of my item than it will in a store that does not double. I try to note when the deal is valid for those that can double. 

  4. Monica wants to know: Maybe it’s just my imagination but it seems like my store really doesn’t like coupons – my customer service desk claims they never have booklets and the sales clerks/mangers that ring up my coupon purchases seem put out, like it’s some kind of inconvenience for them. What’s the deal?

    5. Each store’s policy on coupons can vary greatly, as can a store employee’s attitudes about coupons. If the store manager is very strict with customer service reps and cashiers about coupon practices – for whatever reason, be it a misunderstanding of proper coupon usage or a recent experience with fraudulent coupon users – they can come to think of coupons as a ‘bad’ thing that can potentially get them in trouble and pass that attitude on to you, the couponer. Publix has phenomenal customer service and strives to ensure that each customer is a happy customer.  While I have never worked in retail I can imagine how difficult it must be to deal with so many people and still maintain a smile!!  I haved watched a cashier get verbally abused and still manage to tell that customer to have a nice day!!  Keep in mind that everyone has bad days…if you get someone who may be having “one of those” days try a little honey or maybe see if there is another person that may be able to asssist you.
    Christy: I’ve come up against this attitude a number of times (more often in stores other than Publix), and I always try to be courteous about it. In the rare instance when I’m really treated rudely, I always make a point of telling a higher up – manager on duty, store manager, or even district manager or corporate headquarters – about it. Otherwise, I just make the effort to be the most by-the-book couponer that I can be, and hopefully my store will come to recognize that I’m not out to break any rules or ‘hurt’ them in any way.

  5. Jen wants to know: If a store refuses your coupon, is it considered poor etiquette to inform them that you would rather not purchase that item??

    6. I don’t think it is a bad thing at all! My shopping trips are planned and if something takes my plan go off course then I will do what I need to do to get back on track 😀

  6. Brian wants to know: Why doesn’t my store double coupons or accept competitor coupons? I live in south Florida where there are no more Winn Dixie or Albertsons. Why won’t my Publix take any other competitor coupons (i.e. Target/Wal Mart)?? They also won’t double coupons here – is there any way for them to offer that service?

    7. Michelle: The key here is the amount of competition in the area.  Here in Georgia there is a fair amount of competition and all the grocery stores compete for your business.  In Georgia Publix is one of several big chains, so they offer incentives such as double coupons, penny item deals, etc.  As far as competitor coupons–each store is allowed to determine who they consider a competitor.
    Christy: Which stores each Publix will accept as a ‘competitor’ is at the discretion of the store or district manager, so there’s not much you can do in this case. If you have another Publix nearby, you might call and see if they accept competitor coupons – I have a number of stores nearby and they all have different rules. Also, to the best of my knowledge, none of the Publix in Florida double coupons (mine won’t either); I think we’re just out of luck as far as doubles are concerned!

  7. Jenni wants to know: I’ve seen a blog where the blogger has many, many $5 off/$25 spent coupons from one store and used them all in one transaction to get $40 off the total. Is this typical? Can I use more than one $X/$XX competitor coupon in one transaction? What about multiples of the same coupon?

    8. Although each store can make their own rules as to what/how many coupons they will accept….in my experience, Publix will only accept one $X/$XX coupon per order.

  8. An anonymous reader wants to know: How do you get Publix to take coupons that will result in overage like the recent deal with the disposable razors? I can’t get my store to take them.

    9. Like many of the questions this week, this is one that depends on the individual store’s policy. If you are planning for an overage and the store doesn’t allow it, it can be very frustrating. It is best to know your store’s policy regarding overage before you head to the checkout line!! Stores are reimbursed for manufacturer coupons so you should get the full face value of the coupon. If the overage is the result of stacking a manufacturer coupon with a store coupon you will need to ask your store if they will allow the overage.

  9. Kimberly wants to know: I am getting so good at stockpiling cheap/free food and beauty/household supplies, that I don’t know when to stop! What general rules do you follow when stockpiling?

    10. Christy: For me, it depends on the type of item we’re talking about. If it’s a dry food item (that doesn’t require refrigeration or freezing) with a specific expiration date, I generally will only buy as much as I know we will definitely eat by the time it expires. If it needs refrigeration or freezing, I also have to worry about what I can fit in my fridge or deep freeze. For household and personal care items, I only buy about as much as we can use in 4 to 6 months – I just can’t reasonably store any more in the space that we have.
    I agree with Christy–I buy what I expect us to use before expiration.  Things that don’t expire (toilet paper, ziplocs, etc) I get as many as I can store in my stockpile room!!

  10. Rika wants to know: How do you organize your stock of coupons? Do you use a binder/plastic sleeve system, coupon clutch or do you just file the insert by date and cut coupons as needed? 

    11. Michelle:  After trying every method possible…I do a combination.  I file whole inserts by date in a filing cabinet and only cut them when I need them. I also have a big accordian file that I take with me when I shop.  Within the accordian file are groups of like coupons sorted by categories in zippered vinyl pouches.  I just randomly chose categories that worked for me.  I keep all my printables, tearpads and other loose coupons in my “binder”
    Christy: I’ve tried a number of different systems, but the one that works best for me is a binder/plastic sleeve system – I file everything in the binder and carry it all with me when I shop. I like being able to pull coupons right then and there if I find an unadvertised deal or something on clearance.

I hope our answers to these questions were helpful! Make sure you ‘tune in’ next week for even more Q&A with I Heart Publix. If you have a question you’d like to see answered, email me at contactiheartpublix@gmail.com.