Yesterday I decided to take advantage of super double coupons at Harris Teeter. For a few days each year the store doubles coupons up to $2.00. With a couple of $2.00 coupons in hand you can quickly save $4.00. I don’t subscribe to the newspaper anymore so I only receive coupons from the circular when my dad or mother-in-law choose to pass them along.
I actually like this model. I found myself clipping and sorting a bunch of coupons I never used and never having the patience to stop at three or four different stores with a two year old in tow. So I gave up couponing and didn’t give it another thought until I saw the sign at Harris Teeter the day before.
I was curious if any good deals existed and after a five minute search on the good old internet I found a bunch of items with printable coupons that made items free or close to free after coupon. I needed to stop into town the next day anyway, so I printed out fourteen coupons and went on my merry way.
I shopped for everything I needed and found the shelves well stocked when I got there. I had no problems grabbing each desired item and reached the checkout counter in record time. It helped that my son was munching on one of the free cookies you find in the store’s entryway.
When I reached the cashier I made certain to tell her that my son had eaten a banana shortly after entering the store and asked her to weigh the largest banana left in the bunch so I could pay for it. She actually laughed at the idea and told me it cost a whole 24 cents. “It doesn’t matter,” I told her, “I don’t like my karma to take a hit for things like that.”
The first coupon beeped and deducted money off my total, but the second one failed. She set it aside and ran a few more coupons through before the system complained again. Ten of the fourteen coupons succeeded so I wasn’t worried when she asked a store manager or assistant manager over for assistance.
As soon as the woman walked up to the counter she accused me of going to another Harris Teeter before shopping at this one. She asked in a very derogatory tone if I “tried to use my card earlier in the day or at another store.” She didn’t look me in the eyes when she asked this but just kept staring at the coupons.
I told her I knew the policy. That I had fewer than 20 coupons, (Harris Teeter only doubles the first 20), and that I did not visit any other stores that day. Even after the cashier informed her that the second coupon failed, but others after had succeeded the manager acted as though she didn’t believe her.
I’m not a fan of that accusatory tone. I know the manager wasn’t there when I offered to pay for a banana, but a girl who pays for a banana is not about to try to stiff the store over a few dollars worth of coupons. It put a sour taste in my mouth and reminded me why I gave up on the idea of couponing a few weeks ago.
It’s just not worth the hassle. The coupons don’t work. The store managers are nasty and I still paid over $50 for all of the other products that never have coupons like organic produce and free range chicken. I think this last experience officially ended my desire to coupon.