Grocery Store Jewel No Longer Accepting Expired Coupons
Posted on April 13, 2009 by Her and tagged coupons
Tonight I stopped by our local Jewel grocery store and was surprised to see a posted notice that "Effective May, 2009, Jewel will no longer accept expired coupons." Coupons have long been a major part of our strategy to reduce household expenses, and we have always used expired coupons (with the permission of the customer service personnel). I completely understand that the stores need to be able to redeem the coupons they receive, and this new policy will allow them to be reimbursed for all the coupons that accept. Still, I can't help but feel a little sad.
It is common for coupons and sales to run in cycles, so that the current coupons are not valid during big sales. We have always strategized and saved the coupons until the items went on sale, then combined the discounts. It's a shame that families will no longer be able to use this strategy to cut costs, just when many households have lost their income or savings.
Is your local grocery store still accepting expired coupons?
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AL | Apr 14, 2009
This may be an unpopular opinion, but why would you expect a store to take an expired coupon? Expired means it's unusable. I would feel rather dishonest if I tried to get a store to honour an expired deal.
Him | Apr 15, 2009 | Reply to AL
It's not like we were trying to sneak them through. We were told by the manager of the store that expired coupons were OK to use.
Nothing shady there.
Our grocery stores have never taken expired coupons (at least not in the last 20 years!) so that's not a problem for me. I can still pair coupons with sales to get very inexpensive products. 2 of my favorite blogs help me do this:
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
http://www.thethriftymama.com/
Wow, we have never had grocery stores in this area take expired coupons, though most do double coupons up to $0.50.
The one that still bums me out is how many (most) Bed Bath & Beyond stopped taking expired coupons, conveniently right after their main competition (Linens & Things) went out of business.
Louise | Apr 15, 2009
I have family members in the Navy who used to be stationed in Japan. We sent them our expired coupons, because they could use them at the Commissary and the NeX (Navy Exchange). If I recall correctly, they would accept coupons up to 6 months past the expiration date.
I agree with AL; why should stores accept expired coupons at all?
Perhaps this is a regional thing? No grocery store that I've ever been to has accepted expired coupons, though I'm up in Canada.
dicity | May 1, 2009
Oh, ha ha ha. Our stores wouldn't take a coupon at 1 minute after midnight after it "expired." Also live in LOND. You were lucky. No Jewel here, but I've heard good things about bargains.
D-lo | Jun 12, 2009
Just photoshop the coupon and change the date.
Those things aren't printed on security paper or anything.
Grocery Store clerks aren't the most sophisticated forgery spotters in the world either.
No store that I know of around here has ever accepted an expired coupon. That would just be bad for their business.
Sometimes these storeowners are going thru tough times as well. Their not the big money makers. I think its fine when it comes out of the goods makers product, but the store shouldn't pick up the tab for their program.
It seems kinda dishonest to me too using expired coupons. Like your trying to get one over on them.
Coupons have been our little insurance policy for keeping our grocery bill down. And, I have to admit that my wife has tried to sneak them through. But, they usually take them so maybe the policy is they take expired coupons. She's never ahd to courage to ask. I hope your experience isn't a trend that leads all chains to discontinue taking them!
Jerry
BD | Apr 14, 2009
Where are these stores that I read about on PF blogs that give 50 cents credit for bringing your own bag, accept expired coupons, double or triple them for you, and combine the discounts with the mail-in refund that means you get all your personal care products free? Here in Silicon Valley my choices are Safeway, Trader Joe's, or "boutique" stores like Whole Foods or Lunardi's.
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