Super-Couponing: My Store Does Not Double Coupons

Since I've started really using coupons combined with sales to help save money on stuff I was buying already, I've also started connecting with friends across the country who are of a like mind.

It's been pretty eye-opening; prices differ on staples across the country and stores can vary a lot in their coupon policies. So today I'm tackling a problem posed by some of my friends outside of my neck of the woods.

Q: My local store does not double the value of my coupons; how am I supposed to super-coupon when they won't even double?
A: First off, my deep sympathies. This question made me realize how very fortunate I am to have not one but three different grocers who will gladly double coupons every day! But I still believe there are good deals to be had, even for those stores who do not double a coupon.

Watch the Sales

Super-couponing is really about combining coupons with sales to get the most savings possible on any given item. While having a coupon that doubles is really icing on the cake, it is not necessary to achieve real savings on a grocery or household items bill. My first bit of advice to those who live within an area in which stores do not double coupons is this: watch for great sales on items and match up coupons with those sales.

Think Outside the Box

I've written a bit about this before in the past: not limiting yourself to grocery stores for food items can help your household save money. Drug stores often run sales on milk, eggs and other shelf staples like cereal, peanut butter and soup. These stores typically do not double coupons (even around my area!), so following a national site that details weekly deals at drug stores is a nice place to start saving.

In the same vein, smaller chain stores such as Family Dollar and Dollar General also carry a pretty wide variety of shelf groceries as well as some refrigerated and freezer items. I've found that if I need an item that is not on sale at my grocer and that I don't have a coupon for, I can almost always get a better price on the same item at one of these types of stores.

Stack As Able

As an added bonus to the generally lower prices at "dollar" stores, these stores often come out with coupons of their own that they will allow you to "stack" with a manufacturer coupon for double savings. Drug stores, too, will often let you do this with their own store coupons. Policies vary, so check them out before heading to the check out. With that being said, this is a nice way to nab some savings if your grocer doesn't double.

If your grocer doesn't double coupons, don't give up completely! You can still slash your food bills by using what coupons you can and combining them with sales and lower prices.

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