Ask The Readers: Do You Attempt Difficult Coupon Deals At HEB?

I received an interesting comment last night asking about a possible piggyback deal on the upcoming Scrubbing Bubbles yellow coupon at HEB.

For those who didn't read my weekly ad recap yesterday, we will have a yellow coupon in stores for a free bottle of Windex cleaner when you buy two canisters of Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaners.

And here's what my anonymous reader wrote about that deal:


"I am new to Texas and new to HEB. There is a coupon in this past Sunday's SS, 12/6, buy any Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel, get ONE Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaning Product free.  
Would you be able to use that coupon along with the yellow coupon for Buy two Scrubbing Bubbles Aerosol Bathroom Cleaners, get a free bottle of Windex with in-store coupon?"
For those that didn't receive the BOGO coupon, you can actually go here to print a copy.

That's a question with no single answer, since HEB allows managers to approve or deny coupon scenarios that aren't explicitly covered in the corporate coupon policy.

And while piggybacking is approved and allowed under the coupon policy, we rarely have scenarios where the item you are purchasing (in this case the Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaners) to trigger a free item would be paid for by using a manufacturer coupon.

I think that IF a manager would be inclined to approve a coupon deal combining both sets of coupons, it would have to look something like this:

  • Buy two Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gels (normally priced at $3.97 each), two Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaners (normally priced at $3.17 per can), and one bottle of Windex (normally priced at $3.12).
  • All five items will ring in for a pre-coupon total of $17.40.
  • Give your two BOGO coupons from the 12/6 Smartsource FIRST, then your yellow coupon for the free Windex.
  • All three coupons will knock your total down to $7.94 for all five items, or $1.59 apiece.
But to be perfectly honest, I rarely attempt coupon deals at HEB that aren't specifically covered in the corporate coupon policy.

The level of inconsistency from store to store, cashier to cashier, or manager to manager is just too great.  

I could see a deal like this really panicking some cashiers, while others would just push it through without comment -- but as a consumer, I don't want the anxiety of not knowing which situation I'll be in until I actually get to the register.

(And as a blogger, I'm even more leery -- I don't want to promote or share deals that the majority of readers might have trouble duplicating!)

But I'm super curious whether my reaction is the norm or not among HEB couponers.  

So I'm throwing this one out to the readers -- do you attempt difficult coupon deals at HEB, or do you stick to tried and true couponing techniques there?

And if you do try more complicated couponing, what's been your experience with cashiers and store managers?

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!


Comments

  1. I just had a strange deal I wasn't sure would work and at this point I don't want to do it again although the manager said it would be ok. I bought the buy two Everready 4 pack batteries for $4 deal and I had a .80 cents off manufacturer coupon for any 1 pack of batteries. I asked the manager if I could use the .80 cents coupon with the yellow instore buy 2/$4 and she told me yes. The machine beeped and said there were not enough items purchased. I told the cashier I already talked to the manager and she said I could use both coupons on the deal. I walked away not feeling very good about that because my name is on that reciept and my credit card number is on that reciept. If it really is something that shouldn't be done I think they could ask me about it later and put me on some kind of list for coupon fraud. I don't want that so I wouldn't try strange things like that unless I had the manager do the ringing for me instead of a cashier.

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  2. I'd say that in the scenario about the cleaners that it should fall within HEB's coupon policy on piggybacking because you'd be purchasing the qualifying item for both promotions. If I was purchasing this deal I would definitely hand over the manufacturer's coupon first (when I shop at HEB the coupon pile I hand over is always basket coupons, then manufacture, then yellow coupons). That seems to confuse the computer less. I've also noticed that when shopping at HEB these piggybacking deals are easier to do when being purchased with a larger order. As long as your coupons are then scanned in the right order the system will just take off the discounts and the cashiers don't try and over-analyze any really awesome deals.

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  3. I really don't think heb would have a problem with this. Seems obvious to me. The 2 cleaners are being purchased in order to get the windex ( check ). The bogo q is being used to obtain the gels via piggyback on the cleaners. (Check). Total of 5 products and total of 4 q's used (check). It seems like all systems are go... lol Maybe I just got used to doing "wierd/"difficult" scenarios. These are the most fun to do (now as an experienced couponer).
    Managers and cashiers at my heb are now pretty well versed in couponing as compared to 2 years ago! Good luck to all!

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