Nov 8, 2007 5:45 pm US/Eastern
Cashing In On Drug Store Deals
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
Any shopper knows that coupons can help them save money, but one savvy mom explains how to turn coupons into cash – and actually make money at the drug store.
"Coupon Mom" Stephanie Nelson is so adept at tracking down deals that she's made it her mission to help other shoppers.
Her website, CouponMom.com, alerts shoppers about specific store and product discounts that are of interest to them – at no charge.
Shoppers can even sign up for her coupon and deal alert.
"You sign up and give me your email," Nelson explains. "If a coupon ever comes out for any of those items or if any of those items are on sale at any of the stores you tell me you shop at, you'll get an email from me saying, 'Congratulations... There's a coupon for tuna and it's this brand and it's this price.'"
Nelson says following a few simple shopping strategies can really pay off.
Strategy #1: Learn To Leverage Your Coupons
In addition to just clipping those coupons, Nelson says learning to leverage them will help consumers get the most bang for their buck.
For instance, if a particular brand of mascara is regularly-priced at $4.49, but the drug store has a special buy one-get one free offer on the product – shoppers will pay $2.25 for each one. With two $2 coupons, Nelson explains, "I can use two coupons and I end up paying 25-cents a piece."
As a result, consumers end up paying just $0.50 for both products that would normally have cost $8.98.
Strategy #2: If You Don't See What You Want, Ask
Ever get to the store hoping to stock up on a special sale item – only to find bare shelves? Nelson says don't assume those items are gone.
"Especially for these special promotional weekly items," she explains, "it's very common that they'll run out of the items. So first you want to ask if they have more in the back."
In some cases, simply asking pays off.
Strategy #3: Know The Store's Coupon Policy
Even if the store doesn't have any sale items on the shelf or in the stock room, it pays to know the drug store's policies when it comes to coupons.
In some cases, a store may offer a substitution or a rain check for another week.
If they're out of a sale item at CVS, for instance, customers will either get a rain check or the same deal on a product of equal or greater value. Either way, you can't lose if you ask. In some cases, you may even more!
Strategy #4: Combine Coupons With Store Loyalty Programs
Signing up for store loyalty programs can also result in big savings for shoppers – especially when combined with coupons.
CVS, for example, has an Extra Bucks Rewards card. For ever dollar a customer spends, they'll get 2% back in Extra Bucks or CVS coupons that can be used like cash in the store.
By adding in special in-store deals and newspaper coupons, shoppers could actually get more than just money off; they could get money in their pockets!
On a recent shopping trip to the drug store, Nelson explains, "We paid $17 and we got $31, so that's our profit… We got all that free and we made money!"
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