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By now you have probably heard the term double coupons. But do you know exactly what that means? Doubled coupons is when one single coupon’s value is doubled at the register. For example, a 50c coupon would be doubled in value to $1 at the register, a 35c coupon would be doubled to 70c, a 20c coupon would be doubled to 40c and so on.
Not all stores double coupons. If you want to know if your local store doubles coupons, you can call their customer service, look on their website or check the bottom of the sales ad. They also might only double coupons on certain days of the week or might limit the number of coupons that will double in an order. Some stores even require you to have a special certificate to get double coupons.
Also some coupons will not double. You need to read the fine print on the coupon and see if it says “Do Not Double”. Also you can look at the barcode on the coupon. If the barcode starts with a 5, it will double. If it starts with a 9, it will not double.
Here in Birmingham, AL both Publix and Winn Dixie double coupons up to 50c (50c would become $1). Food Giant doubles up to $1 on Mondays only ($1 would become $2). Fred’s doubles up to 70c on Saturday (70c becomes $1.40) and select Piggly Wiggly stores also double coupons.
If you are new to Couponing, you might want to take a moment to read more in my Getting Started Couponing series.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you so much for the info. I recently started using coupons more and was confused about the double coupons. I called my local shop rite and asked them what their coupon policy is, but they weren’t able to explain to me why they double some coupons and why they don’t double others. I even wrote to Shop Rite and have not yet received a clear answer. So, I really appreciate writing about this :) you just made my day, lol
MJ
Woohoo! I absolutely love making people’s day!
I’m so jealous. No stores around me double coupons :( I think our Albertson’s did for about a month before christmas, but that was it. Now it’s only the ones down south!
Our stores don’t usually double, but they do run specials where every manufacturers coupon is worth $1. So if you have coupons that are $0.30 or $0.40 you actually make out better.
Thanks for the info. As far as I know stores in Florida don’t double coupons. Oh well just got to try to have a store coupon or sale and a manufacturers coupon at the same time.
My Publix doubles coupons up to $.50 even if the say Do Not Double
Our Meijer doubles most coupons, although not sure that they double the “do not double” ones. It was such a pleasant surprise!
I had no idea that you were in B’ham!!! I’m in Mobile. But our WD doesn’t double. :(
The Shaws by me doubles! You really have to plans your trips there, because the prices are higher on most items. So unless I have a coupon for a item I usually shop at another store.
In my part of New Hampshire, I think only Price Chopper doubles. (I’m not sure about Shaw’s.)They’re rather pricey, so I have to watch sales flyers carefully to see if an item is worth buying there. Like Ballpark hotdogs…they had a buy one get one free sale recently and I was able to use the $0.55 coupon which doubled to $1.10. Yay!!
I think it’s important to note that mostly only grocery stores double (it’s very unlikely others will, though sometimes Kmart does). Also, the reason a store chooses or doesn’t choose to double is based on their own profitability. They only get reimbursed for the printed amount, and they ‘eat’ the other half. So, yes, I agree that most of those that double here in western PA are more expensive than the others to start with. So, those of you that don’t have doubles, it may be a wash anyway.
I agree. In Houston, as far as I know, only Randall’s doubles. Kroger did as well until last month. Randall’s also happens to be one of the more expensive grocery stores (not counting specialty stores like Whole Foods, of course). But you can still get great deals there if you plan well. I will sometimes not go to Randall’s for weeks, and then go there multiple times a day for some hot deals.
Rainbow Foods in the Twin Cities doubles up to 5 coupons up to $1 on Wednesdays. Sometimes they run a special where you can double up to 10 coupons worth $1 on Saturdays. They did that for the month of April. You have to hand the cashier the coupons in the order you want them discounted. For example, if you had 5 – $1 coupons and 3 – $0.45 on a Wednesday, you would want to hand the cashier the $1 coupons on top so she doubles those instead of the $0.45 ones.
Our Dillons stores double coupons, but only so the coupon value doesn’t exceed $1.00 (i.e. a $0.55 coupon gets an extra $0.45 added to it.) Sometimes it depends on the cashier too, I usually hit the same store Friday mornings before work and if this particular cashier is working, she will even double my Do Not Double coupons.
I don’t think “Do Not Double” will stop most stores from doubling. I’ve never understood why manufacturers print that on coupons. Whether or not a store wants to double a coupon is the store’s business, not the manufacturer’s. I read on another blog awhile back that they write that on there so stores won’t try to get reimbursed for double the face value of the coupon, but that just sounds silly to me. Why would a store try to do that in the first place? Anyway …
Oh, I forgot to comment on how things are where I live. I’m in Houston, and until recently, Randall’s (Safeway) doubled up to $0.50 and tripled up to $0.39 (so you can actually do better with a $0.39 off coupon than a $0.50 off coupon there). Until last month, our Kroger had the same policy, but no more.
Thanks for all the info. I am just begnning some couponing. I went to Winn Dixie today and got a good deal on the Arm and Hammer clothes detrgent (BOGO) and I also had a $1.00 manufacturers coupon. However, when I got home I realized they didn’t double the coupon up to an additional $.50. Is that because it was a $1.00 coupon, and they will only double $.50 or less coupons?
I am curious to know the answer to this question! I am a beginner couponer and planning my first trip this week. I will be shopping WD they are the only local store (besides Fred’s) that does any kind of doubling. I am wondering if I have a $1 coupon, and since they only double up to $.50, would I get $1.50 off the item? or just the $1?
I have a question… I went to meijers last night and I had a coupon for .40/3 for biscuits and a .50/4 coupon for tortinos. The .40/3 coupon I think doubled twice making the biscuits .73 cents from a dollar and the .50/4 coupon doubled once making it double to a $1.00. I hope that someone can make since out of what I just wrote. I been couponing for a while but I’m not sure how the store comes up with how much it would double on a coupon of thoses types. If anyone can help me it woud make my day. I been rattling my brain all night trying to figure out how they do this. thank you so much.