A Thrifty Mom

This is a post KC Penny Pinchin Mama did and asked if I would like to share it with my readers. I thought it had to great info  about Target and Walmart….thanks for passing it along.

I received an email from reader, Dawn recently, and here is what she said:

When I tried to price match at Walmart yesterday the cashier told me that they will no longer price match items from the Price Chopper ad if the ad states that the price is “with Chopper Shopper card”. She said the policy changed 30 days ago or so. Have you heard about this? She wasn’t very friendly and I didn’t really press the issue (it was 5 pm on a Friday evening). This isn’t my normal shopping time but I only need a couple of items. Anyway, I didn’t end up buying the items and was a bit frustrated. I know Target’s policy says that they don’t have to match items that require a store card. Just thought I would see what you know, if anything. Thanks again for everything you do. 

Dawn actually contacted the manager of the store where she shops and was told that they DO price match and this clerk was in error. So now she knows that she should do the next time.

Never be afraid to speak to a manager when it comes to price matching. Sometimes, the clerks are not 100% sure of what they should or should not do. Right now, in Kansas City, you can find 3 stores who price match: Walmart, Kansas City and Price Chopper.

Walgreens is currently doing some testing in local markets, but it does not appear Kansas City is one of those areas.

Before you can price match, you need to know the basics, which apply to all stores:

Continue reading Price matching

One of our readers, who also works at a drug store sent us a perspective on the other side of the counter. Since Sarah is sick this week I thought I would take control of things this week.;)
I think that couponing is great and I save a TON of money every month, plus I am able to stock up on things will they are on sale.  I work at a local drug store and there are a few coupon ladies that are GREEDY and ruin it for the rest of us who don’t go over board.  We try to order enough items so that everyone who wants the product can take advantage of the coupons, company benefit coupons (changed program name to protect the writer) and the great deals on sales.  But there are a few that think they need ALL of the items and then when we run out are upset.

Here are a few examples:

1) A lady came in and put all the Vaseline Infusion lotion in here cart; she cleared the shelf.  I am guessing she had 10-12 of them in there.  She then finds one of the employees and asks if we have anymore.  This employee tells her no.  The customer’s comment “well, my mom wanted some” and she was really upset we didn’t have more.  I guess I look at it that she should have taken a couple for her, a couple for her mom and left the rest for other customers who may want them.  She was so greedy she could not even share the 10-12 she had with her mom.  I mean, really, how many lotions do your REALLY need at one time.

2) A lady bought several of the Robisussin to go 2 packs.  She came back a couple days later and wanted more but we were out.  She said “my mom didn’t get any”  I guess I look at these two examples as why can’t she not be GREEDY and give a couple to her mom.

3) The other night we had a lady come in and purchased some things.  Among them was Crest toothpaste.  She used a coupon and company benefit coupon but because she used a P & G company benefit coupon it did not spit out another company benefit coupon.  Then she gets mad at us saying we did it wrong.  We tried explaining to her why it did not give her a second company benefit coupon.  She gets in a huff and leaves.

It is getting so out of control that our manager is now limiting customers to two unless we have a huge quantity of them.  She is also limiting to two transactions per customer so that people like the ones mentioned above will not take all of the product and leave nothing for other customers.  This is more so when we are really busy, compared to a Sunday night when the store is pretty quiet.

Please pass on these points:

1) Don’t get mad at the employee if your company benefit coupon does not print out because you used too many manufacture coupons or a company benefit coupon from the company you already used a company benefit coupon.  We do not make up these rules, the manufactures do.

2)  Don’t be greedy in the amount of items you get.  Other customers want to take advantage of the company benefit coupons and free stuff too.  Although we order plenty of items to satisfy everyone, if one person takes them all we cannot satisfy only one person.

3)  On freight day do NOT ask the employees to go through all the totes for the products you want or hoover over us while we are putting out the merchandise.  We have literally hundreds of products to put out and only one day to do so.  You can wait, just like everyone else, for the items to be put on the shelf.  Sorry if you miss the items you want, now you know how everyone else feels when you take everything and no one else gets any.

4) Be organized when you come in.  When you are up at the register it is NOT the time to go through your coupons, deciding which items need to be purchased in which transaction and making us return something, only to ring it up again because it did not print out the company benefit coupons you were expecting.

I am sorry this sounds so harsh, but maybe if you let these couponers know then they will think twice about how they act.  I can literally tell you hundreds of stories that happen everyday in retail and the way these people treat us, the majority of them are NOT nice.  Many of our couponers do subscribe to your website, as I have asked them where they go for their information.

Thank you

It’s Matt again. I really think it is important to remember to always be – Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.
For those younger moms or guys who didn’t go into scouting… that’s the Boy Scout Law. And since I’m an Eagle scout I think I can post it.
If a cashier likes you and you follow the Scout Law then they will do things that go beyond just being a cashier. We get alot of questions like how did you get that, or why are they so nice to you. Well it’s because Sarah follows the above Law. Then cashiers, and store managers will go out of their way for you too.