PETS
The "other" family members
The "other" family members
Ah yes, the animal companions, furry friends, "other" children. We all have little nick names we use to refer to those lovable creatures we bring into our homes. Did you know that the manufacturer's of pet food and supplies offer coupons for their products? Oh yeah, and they tend to be very high value coupons at that. Even better? Whenever a company comes out with a new product or want to try and jump start sales, they'll offer high-incentive rebates that will get you most, if not all, of your money back on the item.
Here are some ideas to keep in mind when shopping for your pets needs:
1. "Think outside the Pet Store."
I know, I know, you're going to tell me that pet stores run sales on pet items, so that's where the best deals are to be had, right? Um....not always. As a matter of fact, many supermarkets have at least 1-2 entire aisles dedicated to pet needs and will often run promotions and sales on pet items as a way to lure you into their establishment where they can entice you to spend the extra money you saved on other products they offer (like a 16 oz steak which they just "happen" to also be grilling bite-sized samples of at the same time you're shopping). Just recently, I was able to score 4 FREE boxes of the new Purina One Beyond cat food thanks to a high value coupon in my Sunday paper and a sale that Albertsons was running on the pet food. Don't have an Albertsons? Don't worry, sales tend to travel to all the stores eventually. After scoring my free cat food, I noticed that the following week Safeway ran a similar sale, and the week after that, the sale hit QFC/Kroger.
I tend to purchase wet cat food at drug stores (either Walgreens or Rite Aid) when they're running a program where I'll get a certain amount of money BACK if I buy x amount of the cat food. You've got to buy the cat food anyway, right? Why not use that purchase to earn you some store credit to buy a gallon of milk or some eggs?
(Last I checked, you couldn't buy a gallon of milk or diapers at the pet store.)
2. "Bigger is not always better."
A $2 off coupon will go much further towards the cost of a smaller bag of pet food than a larger bag of food. Most couponers either get multiple copies of the Sunday newspaper or have friends/family members donate their coupon inserts from their papers, so they will have more than one copy of the coupon. (By "copy", I don't mean making a photo copy of a coupon. That is coupon fraud. Don't. Do. It.) An example of why this is important happened to me last fall. Safeway had small bags of Iams dry cat food on sale for $1.99 with club card when you bought 4 or more. The larger bags (which equalled the same amount as 4 of the smaller bags) were $6.99. At first glance, the larger bag would be the better buy. However, I had 4 coupons that were for $2 off ANY Iams dry cat food. By using those 4 coupons, I was able to buy 4 of the smaller bags for FREE. In the end, I got the same amount of cat food, but only had to pay tax on it, whereas, had I used a coupon on the larger bag, I still would have paid $4.99.
3. "Men Offer Chocolates and Flowers, Manufacturers offer Rebates and FREE Products"
Recently, the company that manufactures the cat litter I prefer to use came out with a new "style" of their litter. To promote this new item, they are currently offering to refund the ENTIRE cost of one bag of their litter. I went to the store, purchased the bag they were advertising, and once I emptied the bag, I clipped the UPC and stuck it in an envelope I already had addressed and stamped along with the rebate form and off it went in the mail. Yep. Free litter.
Over the past year or so that I've been seriously doing this, I have noticed that most of the large companies that manufacture cat litter constantly have rebate programs going where they offer to refund you the entire cost of a bag of their litter. Why give away bags of litter? They want to woo you. Let them! These companies are hoping you'll get their litter since it's essentially free and then you - or your cat or both - will get hooked on their product and become a loyal customer till death do you part. (Plus, only about 5% of total rebates offered are ever redeemed.)
In addition, once you've submitted for several rebates, you'll often find that you suddenly start getting coupons in the mail for that company's products. We totally heart surprise coupons in the mail!
Here are some ideas to keep in mind when shopping for your pets needs:
1. "Think outside the Pet Store."
I know, I know, you're going to tell me that pet stores run sales on pet items, so that's where the best deals are to be had, right? Um....not always. As a matter of fact, many supermarkets have at least 1-2 entire aisles dedicated to pet needs and will often run promotions and sales on pet items as a way to lure you into their establishment where they can entice you to spend the extra money you saved on other products they offer (like a 16 oz steak which they just "happen" to also be grilling bite-sized samples of at the same time you're shopping). Just recently, I was able to score 4 FREE boxes of the new Purina One Beyond cat food thanks to a high value coupon in my Sunday paper and a sale that Albertsons was running on the pet food. Don't have an Albertsons? Don't worry, sales tend to travel to all the stores eventually. After scoring my free cat food, I noticed that the following week Safeway ran a similar sale, and the week after that, the sale hit QFC/Kroger.
I tend to purchase wet cat food at drug stores (either Walgreens or Rite Aid) when they're running a program where I'll get a certain amount of money BACK if I buy x amount of the cat food. You've got to buy the cat food anyway, right? Why not use that purchase to earn you some store credit to buy a gallon of milk or some eggs?
(Last I checked, you couldn't buy a gallon of milk or diapers at the pet store.)
2. "Bigger is not always better."
A $2 off coupon will go much further towards the cost of a smaller bag of pet food than a larger bag of food. Most couponers either get multiple copies of the Sunday newspaper or have friends/family members donate their coupon inserts from their papers, so they will have more than one copy of the coupon. (By "copy", I don't mean making a photo copy of a coupon. That is coupon fraud. Don't. Do. It.) An example of why this is important happened to me last fall. Safeway had small bags of Iams dry cat food on sale for $1.99 with club card when you bought 4 or more. The larger bags (which equalled the same amount as 4 of the smaller bags) were $6.99. At first glance, the larger bag would be the better buy. However, I had 4 coupons that were for $2 off ANY Iams dry cat food. By using those 4 coupons, I was able to buy 4 of the smaller bags for FREE. In the end, I got the same amount of cat food, but only had to pay tax on it, whereas, had I used a coupon on the larger bag, I still would have paid $4.99.
3. "Men Offer Chocolates and Flowers, Manufacturers offer Rebates and FREE Products"
Recently, the company that manufactures the cat litter I prefer to use came out with a new "style" of their litter. To promote this new item, they are currently offering to refund the ENTIRE cost of one bag of their litter. I went to the store, purchased the bag they were advertising, and once I emptied the bag, I clipped the UPC and stuck it in an envelope I already had addressed and stamped along with the rebate form and off it went in the mail. Yep. Free litter.
Over the past year or so that I've been seriously doing this, I have noticed that most of the large companies that manufacture cat litter constantly have rebate programs going where they offer to refund you the entire cost of a bag of their litter. Why give away bags of litter? They want to woo you. Let them! These companies are hoping you'll get their litter since it's essentially free and then you - or your cat or both - will get hooked on their product and become a loyal customer till death do you part. (Plus, only about 5% of total rebates offered are ever redeemed.)
In addition, once you've submitted for several rebates, you'll often find that you suddenly start getting coupons in the mail for that company's products. We totally heart surprise coupons in the mail!
Put a photo of something here.
4. "Sometimes Pets Need To Be Pampered"
Okay, I admit it. While I'm completely NOT brand loyal when it comes to my food, one of my cats IS brand loyal. Fortunately, the amount of money I save on my groceries and household items enables me to afford the specialty brand of food that he is so fond of. This food I DO buy at the pet store, and when it's on sale, I stock UP. Check the loyalty program benefits of any pet stores in your area. Many of them offer additional discounts when you use their store card (these should always be free to sign up) and they usually offer some kind of "frequent buyer" discount. For example, at Petco, when I buy 10 bags of cat food, the 11th is free.
This is where practicality comes into play when couponing for your pets. I don't care if you can get 500 bags of x brand cat food totally free...if Fluffy throws up every time she eats x brand cat food, this is NOT a good buy for you (unless you just love cleaning your carpets at 2 am). By couponing seriously for your other grocery and household needs, you should be able to save enough to afford even the most expensive pet food out there.
Okay, I admit it. While I'm completely NOT brand loyal when it comes to my food, one of my cats IS brand loyal. Fortunately, the amount of money I save on my groceries and household items enables me to afford the specialty brand of food that he is so fond of. This food I DO buy at the pet store, and when it's on sale, I stock UP. Check the loyalty program benefits of any pet stores in your area. Many of them offer additional discounts when you use their store card (these should always be free to sign up) and they usually offer some kind of "frequent buyer" discount. For example, at Petco, when I buy 10 bags of cat food, the 11th is free.
This is where practicality comes into play when couponing for your pets. I don't care if you can get 500 bags of x brand cat food totally free...if Fluffy throws up every time she eats x brand cat food, this is NOT a good buy for you (unless you just love cleaning your carpets at 2 am). By couponing seriously for your other grocery and household needs, you should be able to save enough to afford even the most expensive pet food out there.
Graham. My darling, picky eater. Every family has one, right?
Wisp says, "Mommy coupons so she can buy me lots of toys!"