Calling all couponers:

I spent quite some time today looking for printable coupons for the items on my grocery list. I was quite pleased with some of my results. Just a couple of weeks ago, I used an Internet coupon at a nearby Super Wal-Mart. So, today, I blithely headed off to our local Wal-Mart Neighborhood Grocery Store, thinking they would honor the Internet coupons, too. Well, when I got up to the cashier, she said, "Are those Internet coupons, ma'am? We don't take them." I was buying some gifts on behalf of my father, which was a separate transaction, and I didn't say anything. Later, on the way home, I wished I had pointed out that the Super-Wal-Mart took an Internet coupon.

As it was, instead of saving money, I actually spent a little more than if I had bought Wal-Mart generics. I had chosen some name brand products specifically to get the coupon.

Has this happened to you? I read that if you go through the self check-out line and scan them yourself, you won't have any problem. However, because of buying the gift certificates for my dad, I needed to go through the line.

What's the trick for getting stores to take the Internet coupons? I really like Internet coupons over the ones you get in the paper, because you can find coupons for items you really want to buy and you don't have to offset the cost of the newspaper in coupon savings before the savings show up in your food budget.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth