Couponing 101: Stacking Coupons

  Now I am sure you have heard the term "Stacking" and are probably wondering what that means. Or, maybe you are wondering how do people save so much money with coupons, when coupons only take about .50 cents to $1 off a $3 item? They must be using more then 1 coupon for the item right? Well, if you thought this, you would be both right and wrong. 

You can use 2 coupons on 1 item (at certain stores, check up on your store's coupon policy to be sure) when you stack a store coupon and a manufacture coupon together. So say you have a $1 off Target coupon for Colgate Total toothpaste, and you have a $1 off manufacture coupon for Colgate total toothpaste. you can use those together on that 1 item to maximize your savings! Thats $2 off your Colgate Total toothpaste! 

You can not use 2 manufacture coupons, or 2 store coupons together on one single item. However, there is one, and only one exception. Say you go to Walgreens and from a previous purchase you recieved a $2 Registar Reward. This is Walgreen's idea of a Catalina. You can use that Registar Reward with a manufacture coupon as long as the registar reward and the coupon does not exceede the number of items you have, and as long as it does not exceede the total. 

At grocery stores like Albertsons, you do not have to worry about a catalina and a manufacture coupon exceeding the number of items you have, this is a Walgreens only restriction. And how do you get around it? Use Fillers.

A Filler is a small priced item you can add to your transaction to even out the number of manufacture coupons and the number of items. My walgreens has many fillers around the front registar including .10 cent snack size candies like the ones you will get for halloween! These are great for fillers, as they dont add too much to the overal total.