Rainchecks: Are they important? Tips for finding HOT items!

The other day, my friend Kristin, from Couponing to Disney and I were talking about rainchecks. I cannot believe how many people in my coupon classes do not realize that you can get rainchecks at most of your local stores when they are out of an item that you are looking for. To me, there is nothing more frustrating than driving to a store to find that they are out of an item. But luckily most stores offer rain checks. A rain check is a written certificate that enables you to get the item at the sale price when it is back in stock. Plus you can use coupons in conjunction with a rain check!

In order to claim a rain chec at your local stores, you will need to go to the service desk and request one. Let them know which item is out of stock and how many you had planned to buy (always make sure it’s a normal amount. They won’t write you a rain check to get 100 deodorants). At my Publix, they also limit a rain check to 10 of a particular item. Then the next time you are in the store, present your rain check before the items are rang up to the cashier. They will adjust the item down to the sale price. Then you can use your coupons.

Please note that most rain checks expire within 30 days. I also suggest that you keep a copy of the ad from the week your rain check was issued. That way if your cashier has any trouble figuring out the rain check, she will have the ad to reference. Did you know that CVS will honor your rain check and its coupons even if the coupons are expired. For example, when I got a raincheck for razors back in February, I did not turn the raincheck and February coupons in until April and still scored the deals! In addition, CVS rainchecks will include any Extra Care Bucks that they are offering at the time!

Here is another helpful tip: If you call a local store to see if they have an item in stock. The best thing that you can do is ask, how many of that item they have.

DO NOT SAY: Do you have anymore Dove deodorant that was on sale this week?

* Its real easy for them to say NO, or to say YES and you make the trip there and they have non

BEST THING TO SAY: Yes, I was calling to see how many of XXXX you have in stock.
* This makes them actually have to look!