Coupon Q & A

I have some great questions coming in! Keep them coming.

Reader's Question:
I have always cut coupons, but they haven't really ever paid off for me to make that much of a difference. I have one question. With the coupons in the Sunday's paper (Red Plum, Proctor and Gamble, etc.) can I use more than one coupon for the exact same item? For example, can I use 2 Bounty paper towel coupons for the exact same item or do I have to buy 2 items and use 2 different coupons?

Answer:
One manufacturer coupon(like the ones from the paper) per item...But you can stack coupons at some stores. Stacking is simply using one manufacturer coupon and one store coupon on one item.
Stacking stores: For instance at Target, say you were buying 1 roll of paper towels, you could use one Bounty manufacturer coupon and one Target coupon for that one roll of Bounty paper towels (if a Target coupon was available).
I shop Publix only for groceries because of their stacking policy. They will let you stack one manufacturer coupon and one store(or competitor) coupon. The Fairhope Publix will take Target, CVS, Walgreens, RiteAid as competitor store coupons. One manufacturer and one store coupon per item.
Stacking is also allowed at CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens--but only one manufacturer and their store coupons only.
Publix is the only one that will accept other stores' coupons.
1 manufacturer coupon-1 store coupon-1 item
Make sense?
Coupons can pay off big time if you buy the right stuff! You just have to understand the basics.

Reader's Question:
If I am clipping a coupon that says it is a “Manufacturer’s Coupon”, can that be redeemed at any grocery store or drug store that has that product?

Answer:
Most all stores will accept a clipped manufacturer coupon(from the newspaper, magazine).
The only time that you may run into a problem is with an internet printed manufacturer coupon. Some stores will only accept manufacturer coupons(off the internet) that are printed in color. A small handful of stores will not accept internet printable coupons. You can check the local store policies here. It never hurts to ask.

Reader's Question:
From what I can learn from you web site Publix seems to have the greater savings potential if you just worked with one store. Or is this just one component of a larger picture?

Answer:
You can not beat the stacking coupon policy at the Publix store in Fairhope. I stick the sale items and B1G1s and load up every week for very, very little. I call it strategic couponing--buying what is on sale using coupons.
I only shop a handful of stores. Some folks think that I drive from store to store all day--not the case.
I shop: Publix, Target, Walgreens, CVS and (just recently)Rite Aid. I get my bread at the bread outlet on Moffett Rd. That's it.:)
Please keep the questions coming. You are going in the right direction.

Reader Question:
What is B1G1?

Answer:
Buy one, get one. For a list of coupon terminology go here.