Monday, July 20, 2009

Food Lion 7/20

Had to make my daily Food Lion run. Today was the first time a cashier balked at me using the FLip on the pre-MVP price. I've never had that happen before. I talked her into doing it, but she was NOT happy about it! When my total came up $.27, she was shaking her head. I handed her my twenty seven cents and she said "Have a nice day" but she didn't really put any warmth into it. LOL. I think she was jealous.

1.54 lb sweet potatoes
1 box Duncan Hines cupcake mix
1.8 lb cherries
1 travel pack baby wipes
1 box Home360 aluminum foil
total food tax: $.04
total non-food tax: $.12

Total oop: $.27

Oddly, today the Home360 FLip for the Baby wipes beeped and said "Item not purchased" It did not do this the last three times I bought this item. She pushed it through, but only after scrutinizing the FLip and the pack of wipes for about three minutes.

11 comments:

  1. Which Food Lion do you shop at? I have shopped at the Food Lion in Franklin and always been disappointed. The sales never seem to be the same.

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  2. I live in Clarksville and shop at the one closest to me. I think it's strange that sales vary so widely within the same region. That happens to me all the time at Kroger stores. :(

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  3. I did get to food lion only to be disappointed, They would not let me use the $2 off $5 for the cherries. They said the cherries was not on sale but normal price? I think I got lied to.

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  4. What is the pre-MVP price?

    Thanks.

    Oh and I have been having trouble lately with Publix not taking my 10 off 50 until the end of my coupons. Do you have any wisdom on that or is it at the discretion of each Publix?

    Thanks
    Leisa

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  5. As far as I understand it, the way this works is ... the store has prices on all items that ar for anyone that walks in and just buys them.
    Once you become a MVP customer (get one of their loyalty cards) you are privy to the special prices that are generally the ones advertised. So "pre-MVP" price would be the regular price on the shelf tag. The MVP price is the sale price offered to those customers using their loyalty (MVP) card.

    The deal with the cherries is that they are $4.99 regular price (if you look in their weekly sale ad- ending today- it states "Cherries $1.99/lb" and in small print "without MVP card, $4.99/lb".)

    So... Yes, they are on sale- for MVP customers only. Because if you did not have a card, you would be charged $4.99/lb. I guess it is up to the store/cashier as to whether they will let you use the $2/$5 on the cherries based on their regular price. I always have them scan my groceries first, then my card so the regular prices show up on the receipt, with the MVP discounts coming off at the end after my card is scanned. I've not had a problem using the $2/$5 produce FLip like this until yesterday. So I guess just keep looking for friendly cashiers. I have lots of luck with the teenage males. The women always give me a hard time.

    Leisa- as far as Publix using the x/xx q's at the end of the order- I've not had that problem, but what I always do is hand over that coupon first and let them enter it. Then I hand the rest of the competitor q's and say "there's $10 in competitor q's, if you want to enter them all at once", then hand over the Publix ones, then the manu q's. That way it's obvious your total is over $50. If they still say something, I would point out that the store that released the competitor q (like Whole Foods or whomever) does not state on the coupon that it must be used after all other coupons. If they still balk, ask to speak to the Store Manager to get his/her help) if they continue to give you a hard time, it can't hurt to mention you'd be happy to take your coupons to that store and shop there in the future (but of course, be sweet as honey :) ).

    Good Luck!!

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  6. I went again today saved a ton and sent you a shout out on my blog! Its just so helpful to see all you get and what coupons you used, so Thanks!!

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  7. Thank you ;)

    I just had the shopping trip from **ll. I spent 40 minutes checking out and was moved mid transaction to the customer service desk where they inspected each item to ensure no overage was given. Then she realized I had not already paid, and she had to re ring everything, again and go through the Q's again... I kept looking at the managers door that suspiciously stayed closed the whole time. I also had all 3 kiddos in tow. Let's just say I left frazzled and spending 48.00, 20.00 more than I had anticipated. She said they would not take Q's if they allowed overage at all, not adjusting or anything... ughhhhh...

    Do you ever get to the register and the total will not be what you expect because of not taking a coupon? Do you walk away?

    Leisa

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  8. Cheap & Sweet- you're so welcome! I am glad I can help others save money too!

    Leisa- ugh! I am so sorry!! That has happened to me a few times, back in the beginning of my couponing. I shopped at a different Publix and this particular Publix, I spoke with the CS Manager and she didn't want to accept the $6 Pork coupon in conjunction with any other q's, and a bunch of other things- they marked down all my q's- even the mq's that are not supposed to be messed with. It was very frustrating, but I grinned and went with it, having them take off a bunch of items I was expecting overage on. As she went to mark one down, I'd say, ok, well, I'm not getting that. It left a bad taste in my mouth and I haven't been back to that Publix.

    There is another Publix about 15 minutes further away, and you know, I'm already driving 45 minutes, what's 15 more, so I started shopping there. There are a lot of people that have the "fly under the radar" technique. I am the opposite. I am of the opinion that if you get to know the cashiers and managers, and they get to know you, then they will know that you are an honest coupon shopper and trying to get good deals, but not trying to screw them over. So after a few good shopping trips, I asked to speak to the store manager. I told him that I was a couponer and how I really appreciated the excellent service I got there. We spoke at length about coupons, and he is so amazing! He told me he will not turn down a coupon. People choose to shop at his store over other stores because of their coupon policy, and he won't ever turn one away. (woohoo!) So I have name-dropped his name once when my regular cashiers weren't in, and there was a question or two, but I have a great relationship with them now, so no trouble.

    If you don't really have any other options as far as stores are concerned, you might send an email to CS, telling them about your experience and how you felt like they were treating you different because of your coupons. Also tell them that you KNOW their coupon policy is to alow one manufacturer and one store coupon per item and you did not have any more than that. You are aware that some of your coupons were more than the amount of the value of the item, but in the past, and at every other store you've ever shopped, when that happens, and you have other items, the extra just goes toward those items. I can see that they may adjust a Publix coupon down to the price of the item (expecially if it states "no overage given" or whatever it is on the coupon) but they shuold not be adjusting manufacturer coupons as it's against the "law" of the coupon. And they should not turn away a coupon if it's a legitimate coupon on an item that does not exclude the particular item. For example, When Kraft bbq sauce was bogo, it ended up being $.70/ea. There were coupons for $1 and $.75 that were available. They should take that coupon because it is for the item stated. And they should not adjust it because they will be reimbursed the full face value of the coupon.

    The problem is that Publix as a company does not have anything in their policy about overage. So it's up to each store whether they give it.

    But. That being said...they should not turn away a legit coupon for an item. And if you're stacking a Publix and manuq, they should adjust the publixq, not the manuq, down, if they are going to adjust anything.

    Sorry about your experience! I always have one or both of my kids with me and it is such a pita, so I feel your pain. I hope you have a better experience next time! It may bw worth finding a more coupon friendly store, but I'd try the customer service route first and see what happens.

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  9. I disagreed with a Publix that marked down my Publix Q's.

    Mfr. coupons are the same as cash...better really because they make an .08 profit on each coupon.

    Just because I'm paying for an item with a coupon instead of cash, they are still getting paid the same, and so I deserve the same value of the Publix Q's as someone paying cash does.

    Sorry you got a PITA cashier today Brandy. Maybe she'll find another job somewhere else soon.

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  10. I don't agree with them marking down the Publix q's either. But I can see how they would since they don't get reimbursed for them. (I am cursed with the ability to see every side of a scenario). . . I would argue it, but probably not as vehemently as if they were trying to reduce mq's. (besides that I am very non-confrontational and tend to blush when I get into a situation like that. Hub thinks it's funny. Darn the english-irish complexion!)

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  11. Although that is a very good point that the mq you are paying with is "money" (think of it as a promissory note) and therefore worth just as much as a dollar bill.

    An excellent point in fact. I may be changing my stance here.

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