Coupon Queen: Readers share super savings strategies

When I was first learning to coupon, I found that being able to share deals and success stories with friends often became teachable moments.

There are often ways to use coupons that are completely in compliance with the coupon’s terms and the retailers’ policies, yet might not have been ways you might have thought of.

Here are some readers’ stories you may enjoy and glean some new tips from.

“Dear Jill,

I learned something about my supermarket recently. Their Buy One Get One Free sales aren’t quite BOGOs at all. Instead, they make each item half price during a BOGO sale.

So, here is the deal I found. They had car air fresheners on sale for $3, Buy One Get One Free.

I had one $1 electronic coupon loaded in my store’s app, but there was only one. Instead of buying two, I bought one.

One single car freshener rang up for $1.50, and then my ecoupon took $1 off to make it 50 cents.

I like stocking up as much as anybody else, but when you only have one coupon, this is a good way to handle a BOGO if your store allows it.

Ely P.

This is a great tip if your store indeed splits Buy One Get One Free sales into two, separately priced items.

Many stores do not, so read your store’s policy (typically found on their website) to see how Buy One Get One Free sales are structured.

If your store makes one item full-price, and the second item $0 in a Buy One Get One Free sale, you may find this next tip handy:

“Dear Jill,

Here is a neat way to save big money on BOGOs.

A friend showed me a neat way to buy two and pay nothing but tax. The secret is to have a Buy One Get One Free coupon for the same items that are on sale.

Here is the deal I did. A brand of cleaning sprays were on sale for $3.99, Buy One Get One Free. I had a coupon for the same exact sprays that was also Buy One Get One Free.

When the cashier scanned my coupon, it took $3.99 total off, and both sprays were free.

I was so excited! I am not quite sure how this even works, but I will watch for sales like these from now on!

Why does this happen with two BOGOs?

Georgeann E.”

This is definitely an interesting occurrence.

When all of the “coupon stars” align, so to speak, you can indeed take home two for the price of none! Here’s why a deal like this works.

The first cleaning spray has a price of $3.99. The second cleaner’s price is $0, as it is the free item in the Buy One Get One FREE sale.

Next, the shopper presents a coupon for Buy One Cleaning Spray, Get One Free.

When this coupon is scanned, it prompts the cashier to enter the price of one of the items to make it free. Notice that only one of the items in this example actually has a price – the first one, which is $3.99.

When the cashier enters the price of the first cleaner into the register, attaching it to the Buy One Get One Free coupon, the coupon makes this first item free.

The second cleaner is already free with the store’s sale, and this makes two free! You will pay sales tax in states that charge it, but aside from that, these items will be free.

Your store’s coupon and sale policy is one of the best tools you can utilize to find out how your store handles Buy One Get One free sales and coupons, as well as other coupon-related promotional information.

For example, a coupon policy will also state whether your store doubles coupon values or not, or whether the store accepts competitor coupons.

Visit your store’s website to view its coupon policy, or ask to see a copy of it at the service counter.