Tales from the rebate front

Readers continue to weigh in on the pitfalls of mail-in rebates. The anti-rebate emails I receive far outnumber those singing their praises. Here’s a sampling.

Whatever becomes of a coupon?

You recently wrote about stores getting reimbursed by the manufacturer. As a long-time couponer, it's interesting to learn about couponing from the store and manufacturer's ends. I am very interested in how this reimbursement works. Do the stores hire people to submit coupons to each manufac…

Help! My groceries are shrinking!

Has this happened to you? You’re walking down an aisle at the supermarket and you pick up a product you’ve purchased many times before. Dish detergent, deodorant, a cake mix – it looks the same as it always has, but something just isn’t right.

Save money, no scissors required

Jill Cataldo saves hundreds by making the most of the common coupon. You can, too. Here’s how.

A walk on couponing’s wild side

Judging by my inbox, there are far more coupon complaints than coupon cheer from shoppers these days. I always aim to promote couponing best practices in my column, my blog and my couponing classes. It’s clear, though, that the ill-advised actions of a few shoppers have an outsized impact on…

Give and take in the grocery aisle

I receive a lot of testy email from readers reporting on coupon usage and shopping habits of fellow shoppers. One topic that continues to burn up my inbox involves people perceived to take more than “their share” of coupons.

How good is your good deal?

One of the questions I hear most often is, How do I know I’m getting the best price? Here’s my standard. Whether I buy a bottle of barbecue sauce or a winter coat, my goal is always to cut the price by half or more. While I love to get “crazy” deals (such as matching a $1 coupon to that barb…

Many unhappy returns

Oh, the woe of the shopper who must return a purchase. Most of the time it goes smoothly, but occasionally some of my readers hit snags when returning an item they decided they didn’t want or need.

Are all shoppers entitled to the same coupons?

Recently, we heard from readers who feel it’s unfair that manufacturers and retailers use electronic coupons. They argue that consumers without computers or smartphones are unfairly excluded from these discounts. This week, readers continue to weigh in on so-called coupon entitlement.

Couponers weigh in on ‘battle of the brands’

Last week, readers frustrated with the increasing number of low-value coupons shared their views. One said that if a coupon doesn’t make a large enough dent in the price of a national name-brand item, she doesn’t use it. She buys the retailer’s store brand instead. Will this emerging “boycot…

Readers rant: Are coupon values going down?

Last week, I featured an email from a reader who felt there weren’t enough coupons for fresh meat and produce. He also had a comment on coupons’ values:

Couponer asks 'Where's the beef?'

Dear Jill,

Couponer’s lament: ‘Extreme Couponing’ ruined everything

Dear Jill,

Readers ponder taxing coupon conundrum

Last week, I featured an assortment of emails from readers who shared some of their coupon frustrations. There’s more where that came from! Claudia has a question on coupons and sales tax.

Readers share coupon complaints

My readers continue to share many coupon tips, stories and complaints via email. Here’s a sampling of what has landed in my inbox lately. First, Rick offers a strategy for dealing with coupons that a cashier incorrectly refuses to honor at the register:

Is that 'free' sample really free?

Dear Jill,

E-asy does it: The E-coupon debate revisited

Recently, I shared an email from a reader who believes there is a conspiracy going on with electronic coupons. My reader feels that companies offering coupons online and via phone apps are deliberately excluding discounts from the people who need them the most. I offered some budget-friendly…