Tips On A Smooth Checkout

[David]

I live in Glen, Mississippi - a tiny dot on the map in the northeast
corner of the state. I shop at Publix in Florence, Alabama, which is
about an hour away, but it's definitely worth the drive.

Yesterday I went to Publix and saved 70% - the cash register had run out
of tape and didn't print the bottom of my receipt and I didn't realize
it until I was already in the car but I spent $108 plus tax and saved
just over $250. As par for the course, I used 100+ coupons.

I was talking to the cashier and asked her if she hated couponers and
she said, "Not when they're like you!" I asked her what she meant and
she said when couponers are organized it makes her job so much easier.

I wanted to share what I do to try to make the lives of the cashiers
easier and make my trips less stressful:

1. If I'm getting any item free because of a coupon (such as the
flat bread this week) then that's the last things I let them scan and I
give them those coupons first - so they don't have to hunt for a price.
I do the same thing for any items with a rain check.

2. After I give them the free coupons then I hand them the store
coupons, then competitor and the manufacturer coupons last. My
particular store doesn't accept any competitor coupons now, but when
they did that was always the second group.

3. I only shop early in the mornings when the store is not
crowded because I generally buy a lot of products and use many, many
coupons. A long line and grumpy customers is not what I want to leave
the cashier with.

4. I refuse to argue over a coupon. If, for some reason, the
cashier rejects one or two I usually let it go. I may put the
particular item back but for the most part I just take a deep breath and
smile and say, “Ok.”

5. I used to take a binder full of coupons with me and I would
spend half my time flipping through the binder but I no longer do that.
I still have my binder but it’s not what I use to shop at Publix.
Currently I use the list of what’s on sale from I Heart Publix and the
day before my trip I clip whatever coupons for products I am going to
buy. I paperclip the like coupons together and organize them in a small
box in the same order as the store. I only buy items if they’re on sale
and if I have a coupon so my coupon box becomes my shopping list. When
I put an item in the cart I transfer those coupons to one of three
envelopes – that are labeled either Publix, competitor or manufacturer.

6. As I am transferring the coupons to their envelopes I check
the dates and also to be sure I am buying the right items in the correct
quantities.

I honestly don’t remember the last time I had a coupon rejected at
Publix and I use well over 100 on each trip. The transactions also do
not take as long as one would think because I do try to be organized
when I go. Anyway, hope this helps and have fun! Couponing is the most
fun I’ve ever had saving money!