Fabulous Tip!

I don't know why this hasn't occurred to me after all these years of bargain shopping and couponing. But last week one of the cashiers at Walgreen's put me on to a great tactical move to make it faster and less crazy during check out with multiple transactions. What is it, you are asking...why, it's paying with a store gift card. She explained to me that she had another coupon shopper, [are there other crazy hoarders out there doing 20 transactions a day at the local Walgreen's???] that buys a store gift card and loads it with a designated amount of money in the first transaction, and then that is how she pays for the subsequent transactions. I saw a glimmer of the idea when she explained that so me as I was digging for $5 in change over 20 transactions--but today I SAW the light!

**Sidenote to self...It's not like I mind using my debit card 30 times in as many minutes--but it causes anxiety in my better half to see the card just being swiped in a rather neurotic fashion. So with only one purchase on the card showing on the bank records...that log equals: "Oh...she's been to Walgreen's today..." Rather than: "What the h*ll took 30 different ways to pay for it?!?" It's not my fault...well. Maybe. I love him. But he doesn't get the whole separate transaction theory in the cause of saving money. He's says it's not logical. OK. But I didn't make up the store policy. I just go by it--so I can go buy it...if you know what I mean!

Anywhoo......I'm planning on buying 40 tubes of Mitchum deodorant this week--armed with $1 off coupons and great register rewards from last week. There is a $2 Register Reward for each transaction and I found that it is easier to buy a set of like items in a set of transactions at first, to accumulate the register rewards to use on the upcoming orders--rather than jockeying back and forth between different items to roll the register rewards. I decided to do that today and so I loaded a gift card with $50. And then I started my micro-splurges, one transaction at a time, swiping the gift card to pay for each purchase. No PINS, no confirmations of charge amounts--it was SO EASY!! Not only were the lights on--I was a deer in the headlights!! I have a NEW trick in my game plan of winners!!

I had numerous transactions that were 50 cents to a dollar. So swiping the gift became the answer to saving time, rather than digging for the loose change at the bottom of my purse. It was so tidy, effortless, and SmArT!! So to the savvy coupon shoppers out there that perfected their payment styles--my hat goes off to you for teaching this dog a new trick!

Tidbit: I went into the store today with $28 in previous register rewards. I went a little gangbusters on the Suave shampoo and deodorant, with a few Colgate toothpaste and Finish dishwasher tablets to boot...but I still have money on my card and now have $44 in register rewards to start knocking my next stock-up session down with. Oh. It's a rush, especially when it's stuff we use, need, and store. The donatables are great, too, but the day to day goods really add up when you have to pay full-price. So--get a gift card for YOU and sweet power-shoppin' to you!!