How to get the most for your moola @ Harris Teeter

Harris Teeter offers AMAZING customer service.  That is why I shop there- oh and because I can walk out of the store paying pennies on the dollar for items my family needs or wants.  In addition, it allows me to stock up on items that I can donate to a food pantry or a needy family.  So here are my tips for saving the most moola at Harris Teeter.  Many of these tips can be used anywhere though!

 Find coupons EVERYWHERE. 

Search online (www.coupons.com, www.redplum.com).  Many times coupons are available on the manufacturers website and facebook pages.  Just google “PRODUCT, printable coupon”.  If you find a pdf file uploaded on some no-name website, it is probably not legit.  I’d skip it.  Also, look around you when shopping.  There might be free recipe books with coupons, the “blinkies” (smart source usually) on the aisles (although many times these start with a “9” and will not double) and tear pads.  Even if you don’t use them today, you might next week!

PLEASE be kind to others.  Don’t take the entire tearpad or all the books.  Take 3 or 4 and leave the rest.

  Research before going to the store. 

I have 3 children and it is impossible for me to stand in an aisle and calculate a final price for a box of macaroni with them.  I have found it is the best to go to www.harristeeter.com and use their online shopping tool to calculate the price of items at home.  Even if your nearest store doesn't offer express shopping, choose another one close by.  The prices should be the same, or just a few pennies different.  I have a spreadsheet that I use to double or triple the coupons for me and gives me a final price.  That way I don’t have to do any math in my head!  PLUS I print it out and it is my shopping list!

 Be flexible. 

You might have to rearrange your lists or take something off or add something on (it’s on clearance + you have a coupon?  Grab it!)  For example, today the store I visited was out of something on my list.  I simply grabbed another item that would be free after my coupon.  Try to maximize your coupon use.  If they allow 20 coupons, try to use all 20.  These deals are only a week long and coupons expire fast!  Stocking up on non-perishables is an easy way to save money to spend on other items; like meat!

 Don’t buy it if you don’t want to!

I checked out today and bought 6 Vitamin Waters.  The $1 coupon off 2 did not double.  I was disappointed (all 6 should have been free).  Instead of simply paying the $3, I asked for the items to be removed from my order.  They returned my coupons to me.  Later I went back and realized that if I bought the 32 oz. water instead (the coupon was good for $1 off 2 small or $1 off 1 large) that it WOULD double and I got the $1.99 water for free!  Don’t ever feel that just because it has already been scanned that you can’t decide you don’t want it.

 Be nice to the cashier and he/she will be nice to you.

Super Doubles and Triples are CRAZY weeks for Harris Teeter cashiers.  In addition, Thursdays are senior days at HT.  Trust me, the cashiers are tired!  On a normal week, they are busy but on a Super double or triple week- it is exhausting!  Be nice to them.  Smile and they will probably smile back.  Say Thank you and Please.  Don’t expect them to be masters of the coupon game.  Don’t expect them to know exactly why your coupon isn’t working.  Simply remove the item and take the coupon back.  You can always go again later or another day.  Make friends with the cashiers and they will be kind to you. They even point out when I have the wrong item or if I can get a better deal doing something else. 

 It might be too good to be true.

Just because something is on sale doesn’t mean it is a good buy.  Know your prices.  A good example is a current deal at Harris Teeter.  Similac ready to use formula is on sale for $4.19.  There is a $3 off Similac formula at www.similac.com.  $1.19 is a good deal.  BUT there is a better deal.  It is about $3.50 at Walmart.  So, for about 50 cents you get a jug of ready to use formula.  I’m not saying you need to run out to every store to price shop- but if you go to Walmart usually anyway it’s a better deal to hold off until you get there.  Now, if you don’t ever go into Walmart, then buy it at Harris Teeter.  $1.19 is still a really good price.

 Know your store’s policies and rules and DON’T try to break them.

Harris Teeter has rules for coupons.  Follow them. Don’t try to get around it.  I’ve heard of shoppers knowingly use a coupon for whitestrips for diapers- simply because the coupon will go through.  That’s just WRONG.  It is stealing from the store and from the manufacturer.  We WANT them both to make their moola.  When they make moola, they give us coupons!  We want coupons.  SO use the coupon for the RIGHT product in the RIGHT way. 

Here is Harris Teeter’s coupon policy: http://www.harristeeter.com/promotions/online_coupons/coupon_policy.aspx

Tips:  B1G1 free: You can only use 1 coupon on both items BUT each one rings up half price.  So just buy 1 item and use the coupon (unless it is a $/2 and then you need to buy both)

 If they are out, get a rain check.

If they are out of an advertised item you can get a rain check.  They NEVER expire.  A good example- several Super Doubles ago they had Mystic Pizzas 3/$9 (or $3 each).  I had a $1.50 off coupon that would double to make the item free.  They were ALWAYS out.  I got a rain check.  The next super doubles, the coupon was still in-date but they were STILL out.  I about gave up.  UNTIL today.  They had them!  I used the rain check and the still in-date coupons and got them for free!  So, hold onto those rain checks.  I keep an envelope of them.

So here is the beginning of some of my favorite couponing tips.  I hope that they help you save lots and lots of moola!