It’s hard to make ends meet! Fortunately, you can multiply the buying power of your pennies by using coupon stacking. Careful coupon stacking can give you discounts like you won’t believe. You’ll even be able to get some products for free! Here’s how to do it.
Coupon stacking with manufacturer’s coupons only
The most challenging way to stack coupons is to use more than one manufacturer’s coupon on a single product. Most coupons are written to prevent using several of the same kinds of coupons to purchase a single product, but some stores will let you use several different manufacturer’s coupons, each with a different UPC, as long as they all apply to the same product. The coupons may also give different levels of discounts, or may require additional purchases.
This kind of coupon stacking is tricky to use. Read the fine print very carefully! Any hint of “cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon” will make that coupon void for your purposes.
The phrases “one per purchase” or “one per customer” may still allow manufacturer coupon stacking as long as the coupon UPCs are different, depending on store policy. The sticking point is whether the store considers all manufacturers’ coupons to count the same, or whether it will allow one of each kind. You will also probably be limited to using only one coupon of each type, regardless of the number of items you want to buy.
Make sure the coupon can be used where you live! This is especially important with Internet coupons, many of which are country-, province-, or state-specific. Watch out for exceptions, both location and in the type or size of product. Some manufacturer coupons cannot be used to purchase travel-sized containers.
You also have to find a store which will let you do it. This gets a lot messier. Most chain stores have head office policies against this kind of manufacturer coupon stacking, while a few chains allow individual stores to set their own policies.
Coupon stacking combining store coupons and manufacturer’s coupons
Manufacturer’s coupons are rung in differently at the cash register than store coupons. This means that in most stores, you can usually use both a manufacturer’s coupon and a store coupon for the same product.
Store coupons can be found in flyers, on the store’s website, in the store lobby, or even by the store checkout. Canadian Tire, which has a wide variety of hardware and sportsware and also sells gas, always has points (Canadian Tire money) multiplier coupons at their checkouts and customer service desks, which you can use immediately to buy gas and get up to 12x the usual amount of Canadian Tire money. A product coupon which is only valid in some stores is considered a store coupon, even when it involves a manufacturer partnership.
As always, read the fine print! Make sure the coupons are valid where you live. Watch out for “one coupon per purchase” or “one coupon per customer,” since these may limit the number of coupons you can use. Some stores will still let you use a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon even if both coupons say “cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon.” Others will not.
Products which are reaching their expiry date may have an attached store manager’s coupon. You can always use these on top of any other coupons. Don’t let the cashier tell you otherwise!
Sometimes the store will also have a coupon which gives a discount or extra loyalty points for a purchase. The coupon may require a minimum purchase. Some stores will let you stack these coupons with individual product coupons, and others will not.
Watch the cash register display when you are cashing in coupons, and make sure the cashier is ringing them in with the correct coupon code. Most chain stores have at least three different coupon codes, one each for manufacturer’s coupons, chain store coupons, and in-store coupons. The tax rules and how the discount is applied is different for each. It’s worthwhile learning the coupon codes for stores where you shop regularly and making sure the cashier rings them in correctly.
Combining coupon stacking with other deals
If one coupon is good and two are better, then imagine what you can do if you combine two coupons with other kinds of deals! Coupons can also be stacked with sales, store promotions, or rebates to get even better discounts. Add in the store’s loyalty program and a credit card which gives you a 1-2% “cash-back” rebate on all purchases, and you could even be getting a small rebate.
To get the best deals, save your coupons and wait for the sales. Last winter, Canada Dry ginger ale came with a $2 off coupon inside the 12-can carton for a same-size purchase. At that time, the regular price on that size of carton was upwards of $5, but a couple of months later, a local store had it on sale for $2.50.
Just watch out for coupon expiry dates once you start doing this kind of thing. The best coupons will do you no good if they expire before you use them.
Always use the store loyalty card during every purchase. Those points add up! Remember, you can’t get any points if you leave it at home. Stack your coupons during a store points promotion, and get even more bang for your buck.
One oddball deal is that a few stores give loyalty points for buying gift cards, even if they’re not theirs. One Canadian store chain gives points on buying its own gift cards, and also gives points on any purchases you make with them. These kinds of deals are extremely rare, but can be well worth it if you plan ahead. The extra points earned this way add up quickly.
Sometimes it’s also a good idea to go shopping in pairs. If a coupon or promotion is only one per customer, splitting up can give you two sets of deals. If one deal is good, two is even better!
Finally, it’s always a good idea to join an online savings discussion board which specializes in your local region, and find out what tricks others have worked out to save as much as possible. You’ll be amazed at some of their stories! Better yet, you’ll be able to make use of their strategies yourself.