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Did you know you don’t have to be an expert or an extreme couponer to save up to 70% on grocery, household, and retail items? It’s true! You just need to know two things about the different types of coupons to save big.
First, you need to know the difference between the many types of coupons. And then you have to know which coupons you can combine together (we call it “stacking”) to get the biggest savings.
But before we get started, don’t forget to download the KCL app and select your favorite stores! We’ll notify you of all the best sales, coupons, and promo codes!
1. Clip manufacturer coupons from newspapers and weekly ads.
Manufacturer coupons are issued directly from — you guessed it — the product’s manufacturer.
Manufacturers reimburse stores for each coupon discount, so stores don’t lose money. Right now you can use one manufacturer coupon per item or product you’re buying — usually up to four in one transaction — although some stores are limiting it to two items and coupons per transaction.
Here’s where it gets tricky, though: there are a few different methods or types of manufacturer coupons, and you cannot stack those together on a single item.
For example, if you have a printable manufacturer coupon from Coupons.com for $3/1 Olay body wash and a $3/1 Olay body wash newspaper manufacturer coupon, you can’t stack them together for $6 off one Olay body wash. Why? Because they are actually the same coupon, just in a different form. The same goes for digital manufacturer coupons inside store apps like the Walgreens app.
For this example, you’d need to grab two Olay body washes and apply one coupon to each. It’s OK if you have one newspaper coupon and one printable — as long as you have two items!
What stacks with newspaper manufacturer coupons?
- Store coupons
- Catalinas
- Loyalty program discounts
- Rebate app offers like Ibotta and Checkout 51
What doesn’t stack with newspaper manufacturer coupons?
- Printable manufacturer coupons
- Digital manufacturer coupons — Load2Card or eCoupons
Related: Ways to Get Free Newspaper Coupons
2. Look for printable manufacturer coupons online and save.
Anything you use your printer for is considered a “printable coupon.” They can be a manufacturer or store coupon. Just look at the top of the coupon and you’ll see “Manufacturer’s Coupon” or “Store Coupon.”
When you download the KCL app, we’ll do the legwork of finding coupons that match up with store sales so all you have to do is print coupons and head to the store.
Be sure to sign your spouse up for an account, too, so you can print four coupons instead of two for each item. This makes buying a lot of items a great deal easier, especially if you’re stockpiling three to six months supply.
What stacks with printable manufacturer coupons?
- Store coupons
- Catalinas
- Loyalty program discounts
- Rebate app offers like Ibotta and Checkout 51
What doesn’t stack with printable manufacturer coupons?
- Newspaper manufacturer coupons
- Digital manufacturer coupons — Load2Card or eCoupons
Be sure to bookmark the KCL Coupons page for great savings.
TIP: Sometimes printable manufacturer coupons say “Redeem at Target” or “Redeem at Walmart” across the top. For the most part, you can ignore this since it’s just a suggestion about where to use the coupon. Unless it’s a store coupon and not a manufacturer coupon — then you’ll have to use it at the store listed.
Related: How to Coupon with Just a Smartphone (For Real)
3. Look for digital manufacturer coupons inside the stores’ app for $1 discounts.
This is the third form of manufacturer coupons, and it comes in a few forms. It might be a manufacturer coupon inside a store app — like a Target Circle dollar-off discount that’s actually a manufacturer coupon inside the Target app. Or it could be a Load2Card coupon inside the Walgreens app.
Rule of thumb: if it’s a dollar-off discount (not a percent-off), it’s generally a manufacturer coupon, but always read the fine print!
Most store apps house both store coupons and manufacturer coupons, so pay close attention and read the fine print when you’re accessing digital coupons at stores like Walgreens, Target, CVS, Kroger, and more.
Remember, since they’re actually manufacturer coupons, you can only use one per item.
What stacks with digital manufacturer coupons?
- Store coupons
- Catalinas
- Loyalty program discounts
- Rebate app offers like Ibotta and Checkout 51
What doesn’t stack with digital manufacturer coupons?
- Newspaper manufacturer coupons
- Printable coupons
Learn how to coupon at Target and how to coupon at Walgreens.
4. Use store coupons found in the store app.
Plan to use one store coupon per item, just like with a manufacturer coupon. Look for store coupons in printable or digital form (from a store website or app) or in paper form through their weekly flyers.
Some store coupons are straightforward dollar-off just like a manufacturer coupon ($1 off Open Nature products), but some are a percentage-off like a Target Circle discount (20% off your bed and bath purchase).
Here are a few stores that offer store coupons:
- CVS
- Dollar General
- Family Dollar
- Kroger (at the discretion of individual stores)
- Kohl’s
- Petco
- Petsmart
- Rite Aid
- Safeway
- Albertsons
- Staples
- Target (no weekly ads)
- Walgreens
- Whole Foods
What stacks with store coupons?
- Loyalty program discounts
- Manufacturer coupon Catalinas
- Rebate app offers like Ibotta and Checkout 51
- Newspaper manufacturer coupons or printable coupons or digital manufacturer coupons (only one per item)
What doesn’t stack with store coupons?
- Exact same paper store coupons
- Store coupon Catalinas
TIP: When it comes to printable coupons found directly from the website, you may find they expire the day after you print them. You gotta plan ahead before you print, but also make sure not to wait too long. They usually change weekly.
Related: Are Paper Coupons Going Away For Good?
5. Use Catalinas to maximize your discounts and save on your purchases.
Have you ever seen the long and narrow receipt-like coupons that spit out after you complete your purchase? Those are called Catalinas. Sometimes they are store coupons, including dollar-off-your-total-purchase, and other times they’re manufacturer coupons for specific products.
Regular coupon rules apply to manufacturer coupon Catalinas — you can only use one per item. But if it’s a store Catalina or a dollar-off-your-total-purchase Catalina, you can stack it with a manufacturer coupon at most stores.
Some major stores that offer Catalina coupons are Kroger, Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Safeway, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Harris Teeter. This is also the coupon you’re most likely to throw away because it looks like an advertisement. But don’t toss it!
What stacks with Catalinas?
- Opposite types of coupons — Store coupon Catalinas stack with manufacturer coupons and vice versa.
- Loyalty program discounts
- Rebate app offers like Ibotta and Checkout 51
What doesn’t stack with Catalinas?
- Same-type coupons don’t stack — Manufacturer coupon Catalinas don’t stack with newspaper coupons, and store coupon Catalinas don’t stack with other store coupons.
Also, note that Catalinas can’t be rolled. This means if you are earning one in a transaction, you cannot pay with one because it won’t print.
TIP: When using dollar-off-total-purchase store Catalinas, remember, you have to reach that dollar amount after all coupons and discounts have been applied. For example, for a $5/20 at Walgreens, you have to make sure your total is over $20 before tax and after you use all of your coupons and discounts.
Related: Essential Catalina Knowledge to Help You Maximize Your Savings
6. Join store loyalty programs and earn points for future savings on your purchases.
Most stores, like Target, offer a loyalty program where you can earn points, or “store cash” to redeem on future purchases. (Target’s is Target Circle). The first order of business once you decide to be a smart shopper is to join loyalty programs at all the stores you currently shop.
Drugstores like Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid are must-joins in order to save money couponing. Also, join retail store programs at stores like Kohl’s where you can earn “store cash” to spend on future purchases.
Drugstore rewards promotions:
For all of these, you can earn points that add up to future savings. Promotions are similar in nature and look like “Buy 2, get $5 in Register Rewards/ExtraBucks/Bonus Cash.” Or look for promotions like “Spend $20, get $10 in RR/EB/BC.”
Also, there are product-specific rewards that are basically manufacturer coupons. These look like “$0.50 off Charmin bath tissue.”
What stacks with store loyalty promotions?
- Manufacturer coupons — Only for rewards that are not item-specific. For example, you can stack a manufacturer coupon with a “$5 off your next purchase” reward.
- Store coupons or promo codes — If they’re different types. For example, ExtraBucks would stack with a CVS store coupon. They would also stack with a manufacturer coupon for deeper savings.
- Rebate apps like Ibotta and Checkout 51 — Not everything may be stackable.
- Kohl’s Cash stacks with other Kohl’s Cash — You can use multiple coupons in one transaction.
What doesn’t stack with store loyalty promotions?
- Store cash that states “manufacturer coupon” — These would be product-specific like “$0.50 off Charmin.” You can’t stack these with another Charmin coupon.
- Exact promotions at drugstores — You can’t use two ExtraBucks coupons together in one transaction, for example.
TIP: Create your own freebies by using your store cash and store rewards to buy same-priced items. I’ve scored free peanut butter, free hair accessories, and more this way because I might have $5 in ExtraBucks that I can spend on a jar of peanut butter and some barrettes on sale at CVS.
Related: Stores That Changed Their Coupon Policies During Coronavirus
7. Use rebate apps to get cash back on your purchases and save big.
We call Ibotta, Checkout 51, and Fetch Rewards “rebate apps” since you don’t take any action until after you’ve checked out at the store. Lucky for us, they stack with almost everything.
Meaning — if you can find a rebate that both Ibotta and Checkout 51 offer at the same time, you could possibly redeem both and also redeem your receipt through Fetch Rewards.
For Ibotta and Checkout51, you’ll unlock or select the product you want to buy and redeem an offer like “$0.50 cash back when you buy Yoplait yogurt.” Then, depending on which store you’re shopping, you’ll either take a picture of your receipt to submit it or scan the receipt QR code at the bottom. Once it’s complete and you’ve reached $20, you can cash out via PayPal.
For Fetch Rewards just take a picture of any receipt to earn points that translate into gift cards to stores like Amazon and Target.
What stacks with rebate app offers?
- Rebate apps like TopCashback, Fetch Rewards, Ibotta, Checkout 51, and/or SavingStar.
- Everything else.
What doesn’t stack with rebate app offers?
- Checkout 51 and SavingStar offers cannot be stacked on a product — You will get the redemption for one but not the other. I know because I tried to stack them.
TIP: To get instant Ibotta rebates on your qualified Target purchases, you need to pay for your items through the Target Circle app by linking the app to your bank cards. When you join Ibotta get a welcome $20 bonus. Use KCL’s referral link or code GETKRAZY when you sign up.
Related: Your Ultimate Guide to Rebate Apps
8. Buy discounted gift cards to earn cash back rewards and more than 6% savings.
While I might not call this a “coupon,” it’s worth mentioning because it’s an additional way to save money on items you’re using your coupons to buy.
People sell unwanted gift cards to third-party sites like Raise and Gift Card Granny. These third-party sites turn around and sell them at a discounted price to smarty-pants shoppers like you.
Which means you end up getting a discount on the face value of the card. For example, you might be able to find a $103.80 Rite Aid gift card for $97.57. That’s 6.3% savings right away.
Plus, you can often find e-gift cards, which means you can manage it all from your mobile phone. Note that it can take up to 24 hours for these to arrive in your inbox, so plan accordingly when using gift card hacks to save.
Look for gift cards to coupon-friendly stores like these:
What stacks with discounted gift cards?
- Everything!
What doesn’t stack with discounted gift cards?
- Nothing — everything stacks!
Learn more about stacking coupons in The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Couponing, and download the free Krazy Coupon Lady app for ways to save with digital offers during COVID-19 and beyond.
Don’t Scroll Up! Here Are The Related Links:
Ways to Get Free Newspaper Coupons
Are Paper Coupons Going Away For Good?
Essential Catalina Knowledge to Help You Maximize Your Savings
Stores That Changed Their Coupon Policies During Coronavirus
Your Ultimate Guide to Rebate Apps
UP NEXT: Everything You Need to Know About the New Fetch Rewards App
