New to Couponing: Part 2

Last week I did New to couponing: Part #1. We mentioned the most effective way to organize your coupons, and got your feet wet with shopping at Farm Fresh and CVS.

This week, we will do another begginers scenario at CVS for those of you that did not get the chance.  This week we will also go over the policies of Harris Teeter & Walgreens. Also, we are going to go over some coupon abbreviations, since I and many other bloggers use couponing shorthand.


1. COUPONING ABBREVIATIONS
SS-Smartsource insert found in your Sunday paper
RP-Redplum insert found in your mailbox
PG-Proctor and Gamble insert found in your Sunday paper (1st Sun of the month)
GM-General mills insert found in you Sunday paper
AY-All you magazine, a publication that can be purchased at Walmart and is stuffed full of coupons
OOP- Out of Pocket
ECB-Extra Care bucks, good for your NEXT purchase at CVS
RR- Register rewards, good for your next purchase at Walgreens
X-Expires
Cat-A catalina, a coupon that prints from $$ off your next purchase at specified grocery stores
DND5- Do not double, but is still barcoded to double and the cashier will have to stop it from double
DND9-This coupon will not double

2. Harris Teeter Couponing
Harris Teeter couponing for me has been the most hassle-free grocery store. 
-Any coupon .99 and below doubles up to 20 coupons per day
-Sign your vic card up at Harris Teeters website for E-Vic to get additional savings
-They do not have to double coupons that say DND5, but I have never even once seen them not
-Only 3 alike manufactures coupons per day (newspaper)
-Only 2 alike printables per day, per customer
-They OFTEN run Super doubles (double up to 1.98) and sometimes even TRIPLE (like this week) coupons

They used to not allow you to use your coupon on the "free" item, but they have changed this policy this week, so savings are going to be even better!

3. WALGREENS
Walgreens has a customer program where they issue what is called a Register Reward (RR). Their policy can be a little tricky to start with but is great once you get going. You do not need a shopping card to go to Walgreens.
-Each item they are issuing a RR for you can only get one of, but you can divide your transactions so you can get multiple ones
-You do not want to pay for the SAME item with the RR you just got, since the next will not print if you do.
-You must have an = amount of items as coupons
-You can stack (use 2 coupons on 1 item) a store coupon and a manufactures coupon together (but must get a filler item to get an = amount of coupons:items)

Example:

Transaction #1:
Get $5 in RR when you buy $20 worth of Huggies snug and dry diapers (before coupons) *NOTE* this is strictly an example
Buy 3 packs at $8 each
-Use (3) coupons for $3 off from Paper
-Use (3) coupons for $2 off from Store
Total before coupons: $24
Total after coupons: $9
Get Back: $5 RR

Transaction #2:
Get $5 RR when you buy gillete fusion proglide razor at $9.39
Get small filler item for .49
-Use $5 RR
-Use $4 off gillete proglide razor from PG 5/01

Final: .88
Get back: $5 RR

You could go on repeating these two transactions all day long and get many razors at .88 each and the diapers would end up being $4 for 3 packs and getting $5 back after doing both transactions back to back.

I know this does not make much sense just yet, but once you jump in and try after I matchup Sunday's ad, it will begin to make much more sense. Just remember, the key to couponing is to start small and make realistic expectations for your savings!