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For a long time (at least the few months I’ve been couponing any way), I’ve downplayed the value of doing Double Coupon Wednesdays at Rainbow Foods.  Rainbow is the only store in the Twin Cities that consistently does double coupons.  But it is only on Wednesdays.  And you have to spend at least $25.  And you can only double five coupons.  It sounded like too much work for too little benefit.

But, the more I’ve been reading about using coupons (and the better I’ve been getting about finding higher-value coupons), the more I realized it might be worthwhile.  After all, wouldn’t it be better to save up to an extra $5 without spending any additional money? I also have learned that customers may do more than one $25 transaction in order to double more than five coupons…though I think if I tried this at my regular Rainbow at the times I often find myself shopping when it is really crowded with long check out lines, I might incur the wrath of both the cashier and the annoyed customers behind me!

I’ve wanted to give this a try for several weeks, but this was the first week when it was both practical for me to go to the grocery store on a Wednesday and the sales at Rainbow matched up with some of the items I needed. It worked out especially well because I was able to go in the evening (our Rainbow is really quiet at night, hence less waiting in line and easier shopping in general), and Madeline was at Grandma’s house so I only had to take the boys.  They are pretty easy to shop with…Madeline on the other hand talks incessantly and it makes it difficult to look for the right products to get the good deals.

I’d consider my first attempt to be a moderate success. I did find five $1/off coupons to use.  One resulted in a stellar deal — free peanuts.  Three were moderate deals — frozen sweet potato fries for a little over a buck (I’ll use them as a dinner side dish for next week), and two 4-pks of yogurt for $0.60.  The last of my five doubled coupons resulted in a great deal on a “treat” — $0.50 for a box of Oreo Cakesters.  Not something we “need” at all but a treat is nice every now and then, right?

Overall it was a pretty good shopping trip.  I finally managed to “save” more than I “spent” — in other words, the total I paid out-of-pocket was a couple bucks less than what the receipt said I saved when store sale prices, store coupons, and manufacturers coupons (regular and double) were taken into account.

I’d like to try this again on a week when there are some better deals to be had.  I don’t think I can realistically plan to do double coupons every week at Rainbow.  Wednesday shopping doesn’t always work with my schedule.  If this trip would have been during the day with all three kids it would have been a lot more difficult, and that is how I shop most of the time.

I think I might also have to hit more than one store more often in order to both get the double coupon deals at Rainbow and also come out ahead on our groceries overall. On the items I buy regularly, my best “overall deal” is often not at Rainbow.  Being able to double more than one transaction’s worth of coupons might change that, but I’m not sure I am bold enough to try it if the lines are long!

Finally, I think if I do double coupons more often at Rainbow I’ll have to watch out that I don’t add in too many “extras” and treats.  I am usually pretty good about only buying things I need even when things I don’t “need” are a good deal.  But when double coupons can bring the price of junk food to a few cents or a buck, the temptation is much greater!  Even if it’s a good deal, junk food needs to be a tiny part of what I buy at the grocery store each week!

For Further reading:  I’ve really been enjoying the blog “Dollars in the Pocket.”  It’s a local “deal blog,” and the author posts grocery lists for several stores each week including Cub, Rainbow and Target. These lists match up sales with coupons and other deals so you can see where the best grocery deals are each week in the Twin Cities.