Everyone has their favorite go-to store and mine is Tom Thumb. I shopped at Von’s in Las Vegas for 7 years before moving to Dallas and I immediately gravitated to Von’s sister store, Tom Thumb. I’ve heard many people say they won’t shop there because it’s too expensive. What they’re missing is that they don’t know HOW to shop the store. Each supermarket chain has its own coupon policies and I’ll break the basics down for you and hope to simplify the process. Here are some basic Tom Thumb coupon policies, hints, and tips to make the most out of your Tom Thumb shopping trip.
* I always swing by the gifts in the floral section. I have found some treasures there for 75% off – it’s kind of a forgotten area of the store!
* Don’t leave the store without checking the non-refrigerated, refrigerated, dairy, meat and frozen clearance areas. These are in their own separate areas of the store. Find out where your local store has their clearance areas set up and hit them each time you go in! Make it part of your routine. I always find a great selection of meats at around 10:30 am at my store – usually starts at 30% off and gets higher as the day goes by. For best selection, though, shop early in the day for meats.
* Tom Thumb has some fantastic coupon booklets. I still dream about the booklet they came out with around Thanksgiving of last year – FULL of manufacturer and store coupons. Check the area by the circulars when you walk in – another place to look for coupon booklets is in the plastic holders on the frozen food doors.
* Tom Thumb has many Friday-Monday deals so be sure to check your ads!
* Tom Thumb will have store circulars not only in the Wednesday distribution, but a separate one in the Sunday paper (different coupons). Don’t miss it!
* If you’re looking to buy a newly released movie, check out deals they will offer during the first week of release. It might be something like “Buy Shrek, get Orville Redenbacher popcorn, Capri Sun, a Package of Oreos FREE. ” Once again, you’ll find those specials in your ad if you look closely. Read the WHOLE ad – you’ll be surprised at how much you’re missing.
Coupon Policy (Dallas Ft. Worth Metro Area)
As of June 26, 2011, all Tom Thumb supermarkets will triple up to $0.39 and double up to $0.50. Anything over $0.50 is deducted at face value.
* Doubling of coupons only applies to the FIRST coupon of the same item.
Scenario:
You have $0.50/1 Pure Protein Bar and they are on sale for $1.00 each. Let’s say you have 5 coupons to use. Your first will be doubled, making that protein bar free, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th coupon will be deducted at face value ($0.50).
First Bar $0.50/1 (doubled) = FREE
Second Bar $0.50/1 (face value) = $0.50
Third Bar $0.50/1 (face value) = $0.50
Fourth Bar $0.50/1 (face value) = $0.50
Fifth Bar $0.50/1 (face value) = $0.50
TOTAL for 5 bars = $2.00
If you know your cashier and he/she is willing to do 5 separate transactions, go for it. I’ve done this before, with 2-3 items and only when the cashier was agreeable and there was no one in line behind me!
* If a coupon take the price of an item below zero, only the actual amount of the item will be deducted. No overages.
* No coupons applied towards a free product.
Scenario:
Buy One Get One Free Bulls eye Barbeque Sauce ($1.99 each)
You can use ONE manufacturers coupon on the purchase.
Let’s say you have a $0.50/1 coupon; after doubling the coupon you’ll pay $0.99 for both.
* Coupons must have an expiration date
* If Tom Thumb decides to refuse a coupon, they reserve the right to do so.
*Purchase thresholds will be calculated AFTER club card savings but BEFORE manufacturer coupons. For example, if a sale price requires that you make a purchase of $10, if your total is $11, after club card savings the total drops to $10.25 and you use a coupon for $1.00/1, even though you are paying less than $10.00, you were above $10 after club card savings. That’s the important part. (there are some threshold exclusion – I.e, prescriptions, beer, wine, alcohol, fluid dairy items such as milk, stamps, money orders, gift cards, sales taxes, etc)
* Internet printed coupons MUST be scannable
* “Free Product” internet printed manufacturer coupons not accepted
* Important one: If you have loaded internet/digital coupons to your card, you WILL NOT be able to use both a paper manufacturer coupon AND a digital coupon that has been loaded to your card. The digital coupon will automatically apply when savings card is entered.
Scenario:
Kix Cereal on sale for $1.99
Previously loaded a digital coupon for $0.55/1 to your shopper card
Present a paper coupon in store for $0.50/1 (which would double to $1.00)
You will not be able to redeem the paper coupon, even though your savings would be greater. Your options are to remove the electronic coupons from your account before you leave the house to shop, or not use your shopper card which may also mean not getting the sale price! Check your loaded digital coupons before leaving on a shopping trip – if you know you have paper coupons for a certain product, REMOVE them!
Yes, you might walk in to Tom Thumb and experience sticker shock on non-sale items, but you don’t have to buy those. (I don’t!) You’ll get some amazing deals simply by reading the ads, clipping coupons, and buying the items on sale that week. Save on your meats by shopping the meat clearance section early in the day, take advantage of store coupons in the circular stacked with a manufacturer coupons, and you’ll leave Tom Thumb saving an average of 50-60% on a regular basis!
Useful Tom Thumb Links:
Did you miss the beginning of our Extreme Couponing 101 Series if so check out these articles:
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