Questions from Readers…What is Coupon Stacking?

Q. I’ve been enjoying your blog for a few months now, but am trying to get to the bottom of this “coupon stacking” thing you talk about so often. I am assuming that means that you use multiple coupons for a single product? I’m just wondering how that works when most coupons say that they cannot be combined with any other offer/coupon. Do you just use them anyways and disregard the rules?

A. Most coupons do indeed contain the words “no other coupon may be used with this coupon.” So in order words, if you are about to purchase a box of Cheerios and you have two $1 manufacturer’s coupons, you may not use both coupons towards the purchase of one box of cereal. You may only use one manufacturer’s coupon. However, let’s say you’re at Publix and you also have a $1 Cheerios coupon that is issued by Publix (store coupons are often available in store ads, flyers, monthly magazines, by subscribing to their website etc. You can recognize that they are store coupons because they do not have a barcode and may only be used at that store). You may stack the $1 Publix coupon with the $1 manufacturer’s coupon in order to get $2 off one box of cereal. Combine that with a sale, and you’re sure to get a really inexpensive box of cereal!

Some store coupons state limits, but sometimes your local store manager may permit you to purchase in excess of the limit. This is common at Walgreens. Walgreens usually stipulates limits on their items, but many stores will allow you to exceed the limit with no questions asked. I contacted the corporate offices of Walgreens to get a copy of their coupon policy, only to be told that it is up to the discretion of each local store manager.

If in doubt, ask your store manager. Although most stores allow stacking, some do not. Some have limits, some do not. This may sound rather complicated up front, but once you establish the rules for each of your local stores, you’re well on your way to saving big on products you buy every day!

Questions from Readers... What Can I Freeze?

Last month, I got a bunch of free sour cream from Publix and had the same question. My assumption is that the texture of previously frozen sour cream may not be that great, so it might be more suitable in a cake recipe rather than on a baked potato, but I guess I’ll find out soon enough… (update: nope - sour cream or any cream in general doesnt store well. It comes out gritty!)

Check out the USDA site. It has some pretty decent information on what can be frozen, for how long, safety, quality, freshness, etc. It's a good site to bookmark so you can refer back to it when you're considering stockpiling items.

Questions from Readers... Where Can I Get Coupons for Parent's Choice Formula?

Parents Choice Formula is Walmart's generic version of Isomil Advance and ProSobee LIPIL. You can call PBM Nutritionals at 1-800-272-5095 once every 30 days (note it on your calendar) and they will mail you a $3 coupon. The coupons generally take 4-6 weeks to arrive, and even if you have not received a coupon from your first call, you can call to request your next coupon.

Don't forget to pick up your free sample at the Parent's Choice website. It's a 4.3oz bag of powder, good enough for a one-day supply.

Questions from readers…Aren’t you sacrificing healthy eating for junk food when you use coupons?

Not at all. That being said, “healthy” is a relative term and it means different things to different people. For example, some people don’t eat meat because they consider it unhealthy. Others see lean meat as a healthy protein. Some stock a wide range of traditional fruits and vegetables at home, while others opt for organic produce. Then there are those of us who diligently try to buy organic and then to save time, we cook those same organic foods on carcinogenic aluminum foil or we nuke the food in the microwave. Go figure.

That being said, I’m often able to combine coupons and sales to get free or low cost organic, natural and healthy items. If you click look at all the free stuff I got in May (June 3rd post) you’ll notice that I combined coupons and sales to get, among other things, free organic yogurt, whole grain pasta and natural cereals. Today, the penny item at Publix was organic oatmeal, and last week it was Greenwise natural toilet paper. So it’s not just about mac n’ cheese, hotdogs and candy. It’s entirely possible to get amazing deals on healthy food. I rarely pay full price for organic milk. Sure, there isn’t an abundance of coupons for fresh produce, but perhaps by saving on other items, you’ll have more money to spend on your favorite healthy produce!

The following manufacturers are currently offering coupons on their sites. Keep in mind that some sites will allow you to print coupons several times. Hitting the back button also helps. Also, just because you print coupons today and reach your maximum printable limit, it doesn’t mean that you can’t go in a few weeks from now and print more (or that you can’t use an alternate computer to print more). I recommend that you sign up for newsletters at your favorite sites so you’re the first to know about special promotions and coupons.

Stonyfield Farm – Coupons for yogurt, milk, smoothies, ice cream
Horizon Organic - $1 off coupons for various dairy
Organic Valley – Coupons for milk, cheese, butter
Mambo Sprouts - Booklet with miscellaneous natural and organic product coupons
Earths Best - Coupons for baby food
Arrowhead Mills – if you send in 3-5 UPCs, they’ll send you either $15 or $25 of OXO kitchen tools
Rosetto - $1 coupon off pasta
Earthbound Farms – coupons for misc. products (7/13 update - I registered on their site for free info. and received two Earthbound Farm coupons for 75c and $1 off lettuce and six 55c coupons for Horizon Organic products.
8th Continent Soy - $1 off coupon for soymilk
Seventh Generation – coupons for diapers, wipes, laundry, cleaning, dishwashing products
Knudsen Juice - $1 off coupon for juice boxes
The Healing Garden – misc. coupons for moisturizer
Organic Prairie – coupons for steak, hotdogs, deli meat, other
Coleman Naturals – coupons for meat
Misc. products – dairy, skincare, gourmet, homeopathic coupons

As you can see, organic merchants offer a variety of coupons on their websites. I’ll continue to post new sites for coupons as I hear about them. If you know of any that aren't listed here, let me know!