I just read a comment from an Anonymous reader, and thought it was worth writing a post on:
Q: I'm new to couponing, but appreciate your blog. Sometime would you please explain how you can use more than one coupon on items. Do stores accept two coupons if they're from different sources? Can you use 2 if you "buy one, get one free" even though you're only "buying one?"
A: Some stores will allow you to use more than one coupon on a single item. This is often called "stacking." At these stores, you can combine a "Store Coupon" (usually offered in the store or on the store's website, and labeled "Store Coupon.") with a "Manufacturers Coupon" (labeled "Manufacturers Coupon" on the coupon). Some stores that allow you to do this are Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and Target. An example of doing this would be using a $1.00 off Huggies diapers store coupon and a $1.00 off Huggies diapers manufacturers coupon on the same pack of diapers to receive a total of $2.00 off of that one pack of diapers!
In regards to using two coupons on items that are "Buy One, Get One Free," it really depends on the store and the way that the items ring up at the cash register. Many times cash registers will charge full price for the first item and zero for the second item on "Buy One Get One Free" sales. If this is the case, they will most likely only allow you to use one coupon (on the item that was charged full price), and not two.
*You can see a copy of a letter that Moms By Heart received from Walgreens' Corporate Office here that states that you can use two coupons on a "Buy One, Get One Free" sale. If you do a lot of shopping at Walgreens, you may want to print a copy of this and have it with you if there is a question. It wouldn't hurt to contact the corporate offices of the stores that you frequent, to ask them what their policy is on this.*
However, some registers will ring up the two items that are "Buy One, Get One Free" as each being 50% off. If that is the case, you
might be allowed to use two $1.00 off coupons (or other coupons) - one off of each item.
Much of this is up to individual store policies, and their interpretation of the wording on the coupons. (Read more about this
here.)
A Thrifty Mom has this to say about this topic:
"First off, let me say a buy one get one free is a promo the stores does. It works great because it gets you to buy 2 products instead on 1. If you think about it, you are really just getting 2 items 50% off. If the store marketed it that way most people would only by 1 item. But when it is buy one get one free, you buy 2. They store is able to move more product this way. You can use 2 manufacturer coupon on 2 items 50% off item with no problem. But for some reason you will find trouble when you try to use the same 2 coupons on a buy one get one free sale. Some store are much more coupon friendly that others."
Here are three possible strategies from
Cool Savings to maximize your savings by "stacking" the "buy one, get one free" offers:
1) The register will charge full price for the first item and zero for the second item: In this case, if you had a "buy one, get one free" coupon the cashier may simply deduct the full price of the first item, and you would get both items free (100% savings for two items).
Example: $4 item is on sale "buy one, get one free." You buy 2 items (full price $8), one rings up at $4 and one rings up at zero. Your coupon takes off the $4 item, so the final charge is ZERO for $8.00 worth of items (100% savings).
2) The register will charge full price for the first item and zero for the second item: If the store has a policy against giving two free items, then you should purchase four of the items, with two of the items ringing up at full price and two ringing up at zero. Then the cashier would use your "buy one, get one free" coupon to deduct the full price of one item. Result: Buy one item, get three free or a 75% savings overall for four items.
Example: $4 item is on sale "buy one, get one free." You buy 4 items (full price $16), 2 ring up at $4 each and 2 ring up at zero (total $8.00). Your coupon takes off one $4 item, so the final charge is $4.00 for $16.00 worth of items (75% savings).
3) The register will charge half price for each item. In this case, when you present your "buy one, get one free" coupon the cashier will deduct the price of one item, and you will get two items at 75% off.
Example: $4 item is on sale "buy one, get one free." You buy 2 items that each ring up at $2 each. Your coupon takes off one $2 item, so the final charge is $2 for $8 worth of items (75% savings).
*Please let me know what your questions are. If you're wondering, probably other people are too, and I would love to try to help figure it out!:)
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