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Types of Coupons & Stacking

There are two different types of coupons
  • Manufacturer Coupons
  • Store Coupons

Manufacturer Coupons
Manufacturer coupons are provided by the manufacturer of the product (e.g. Proctor & Gamble, General Mills) and can be used wherever that product is sold and coupons accepted. Manufacturer coupons are most commonly found in newspaper inserts or on-line (called internet printables or ip's).


To identify a manufacturer coupon look for these tell-tale signs
  •  "Manufacturer coupon" printed (usually near the expiration date)
  • Coupon has a double divided bar code (number usually starts with a 5 or 9)
  • Coupon will include a remit address for the store to redeem them for reimbursement
Store Coupons
Store coupons are provided by the store (e.g. Target, Rite Aid) to be used only at their store. Store coupons can be found in weekly ads, mailings, and some even at their on-line website (such as Target).


To identify a store coupon look for these tell-tale signs:
  • "Store's Name" will be printed on coupon (e.g. Target, CVS)
  • Coupon has a shorter single set bar code (number usually starts with a 0 or 1)
  • May or may not also say "Store Coupon" in addition to store name

Stacking Coupons

The wicked cool thing about having two different types of coupons is ...stacking them! Stacking coupons means that you use both a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon on the same item. This makes the deal even better by making your cost lower! 

Example:
Target has Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Towelettes or Skin Renew Brush gel cleanser on sale for $4.49

Use $2/1 Garnier skin care Target store coupon
Plus, stack with the $2/1 manufacturer coupon found in the 10/10 or 12/5 RP
Final cost only $0.49!

In my area I am allowed to "stack" coupons at Market Basket, Shaw's, Target, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. You can check at the Customer Service desk at the stores where you shop to see if they allow stacking.

A Note about Mobile Coupons...

Mobile coupons are great because there is NO clipping required and since there is no printing it helps make that ink stretch even further! They typically fall into either the store or manufacuter coupon catergory, but we are seeing more apps that will allow you to "double dip" such as the Target Cartwheel app and/or the SavingStar program. Just make sure to read your fine print and stay up to date on your stores coupon policy.