Coupon 101: Stacking Coupons?

I am loving the questions that I am getting on my "Help Me Help You iPod Nano Giveaway" post and between the questions you are submitting and the emails I have received, this is a "Hot Question".

So let me 'splain....(note:  you may want to check out my "Understanding Coupon Matchups Posts" first!

:: Stacking Store Coupons With Manufacturers Coupons

First, we need to talk about how to tell the difference between store coupons and manufacturer's coupons.  It is important for you to realize that not all coupons that appear in a weekly grocery/drug store circular are store coupons....and that just because there is a store logo on a coupon, it doesn't mean that it is a store coupon.

So how do you tell the difference?

There are two simple ways:

The easiest way to tell the difference is to look at the fine print of the coupon.  If there is no "Remit To" address (instructing the retailer where to send the coupon for reimbursement), then it IS a store coupon.

The barcode:  Look at the numbers under the bar code. Manufacturers coupons all start with either a 5 or a 9.  Rite Aid coupons start with the letters RA; Walgreens store coupons start with a whole bunch of  0's.  Different stores have their own systems, but in general, barcodes that start with a 5 or a 9 are reserved for manufacturers coupons (Note:  both Rite Aid and Walgreens coupons state that they are manufacturers coupons, but because they are coupons that can ONLY be redeemed at the respective stores, they ARE store coupons!).

Most stores that issue store coupons WILL allow you to stack a manufacturers coupon on top of it.  The important thing is being able to recognize the difference between a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon. At this time, I am unaware of any major drug or grocery store that will NOT allow you to stack a single store coupon with a single manufacturer's coupon (as a matter of policy....although I know that some local managers may have other ideas).

So now that you know the difference, how do you stack the coupons?

I have received many emails asking me how they can use "all those coupons" that I list in my weekly Grocery and Drug Store matchups.  The short answer?  You can't.

So why do I post "all those coupons" for each deal? It's very simple:  to give you options.  Let's look at a recent deal that I posted (from a Rite Aid deal):

Betty Crocker Cookie Mix, Frosting or Cake Mix, $2
Get a $2 +UP Reward when you buy 2
$0.40/1 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
$0.40/1 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
$0.75/2 Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix and Frosting 1/30/2011 SS Insert (exp 3/26/2011)
STACK WITH
$½ Betty Crocker Baking Item February Rite Aid Video Values
Final price: as low as 2 for $0.25 after coupons and +UPR

In this case, there are a few options for manufacturer's coupons that you can use.  Perhaps you already maxed out your prints for the Betty Crocker Cookie Mix coupon on 1 site or already used your insert coupon.  I am simply telling you about ALL of the available manufacturer's coupons available for the product.

But regardless of how many coupons I list above or below the "STACK WITH", you can still only use one of each type of coupon for each item.

When you understand how to stack store coupons with manufacturer's coupons, you can really increase your savings.

UP NEXT:  Stacking 2 manufacturers coupons on a single deal?  That is much harder to do and the store policies vary wildly on that.

Questions? Post them in the comments!