28,29 and 30 down in my Quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010
I have learned recently that all new experiences are not necessarily pleasant ones. However all will be learning experiences. My experience yesterday was embarrassing, somewhat humiliating and all together humbling. But I did learn a thing or two.
A few 'new' experiences ago I mentioned I clipped coupons for the first time. My mom never clipped coupons, she didn't do the 'green stamps' books either, though I remember I tried that once, you know you got little green or yellow stamps and you licked them and put them in a book and then you had a catalogue and you could trade your books in for the item. I wonder when they discontinued those....well anyway....
Yesterday afternoon after a productive day with clients, taking an executed contract to the title company for a buyer, working out a repair amendment for a seller, completing a walk through on a new construction for another client etc. I was feeling quite proud of myself ... I was productive and "in control" of my businss and my life...or so I thought. (Boy how quickly the mighty fall.) I was ready to take all of the coupons I clipped and go save myself a bunch of money.
I pulled out my coupons, which i had put in envelopes, dairy products, pet products, refrigerator goods etc (I thought I was so organized) and got the cart and made my way through the aisles getting only items on my coupons. One of the first warning sides should have been that on my coupons it said "with card". I figured I needed some kind of card so I asked a worker. She said to go to the pharmacy and get the card. Okay, no problem. I went to the pharmacy said I wanted one of the cards the coupons refer to, she took my information and then asked me for $20. Oh...I had to pay for this card. Well I knew I was going to save so much money I figured it was worth it. I calmly took out my credit card and handed it over and she gave me the temporary card assuring me that I could use it today.
I continued my shopping and I tell you my heart was beating fast. I had to tell myself of course this was legal, everyone does it all of the time. I had printed coupons off the internet (like I was told in the articles) and I hoped I wouldn't be embarrassed by the cashier telling me that these were fake or for some reason they didn't take the ones you printed yourself. (I suddenly remembered the article saying you had to have a certain printer quality...did I have the right type printer? This couponing was kind of stressful.)
Well here goes, after a LONG time shopping I was ready to check out. I waited until there was no on at the checkout aisle, in part as a courtesy to others behind me...and in part because I didn't want to be embarrassed if my coupons didn't work.
As I was putting the items on the register my heart was pounding, I was kind of excited and I asked the cashier if people used coupons a lot and she assured me she has a lot of regulars that do. I explained (for what reason I do not know as I'm sure she didn't care) that this was my first time with coupons. (Is there such a thing as a first time coupon virgin????).
Well then as I was looking forward to the total to see how much I saved (keeping in mind on the tv show she bought over $100 of groceries for 25 cents)...my grand total was...drum roll please...................... $317!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By this time there was someone behind me in line and after I picked up my jaw from the floor I apologized and asked the cashier if she could show me the discounts. I pointed out that it had been a mistake as all of these vitamins were buy one, get one free and all of these.....before I could continue she pointed out that many of the vitamins I picked out were the wrong brand. "But I have the coupon and the card." (I felt like pointing out that I just paid $20 for "this card" the coupons were referring to" thank God I wasn't nasty)...she looked at the coupon and said "That's a CVS coupon, we don't have the card". Now they tell me. Here I was referring to 'a card' and pointing to it on the coupon in my hand to three different people, none of which mentioned (as I'm sure they didn't register it either they didn't do it to be mean or anyting...) that it wasn't a Walgreen coupon.
I am now feeling sick to my stomach. I had totally screwed this up. Now my first reaction was to just say.."Okay, sorry about that." take my cart and run out of the store as quickly as I could. But $317!!!! The whole point of this was to save money not spend more. So I began apologizing to everyone and asked if I could return some of the products. I had to be 20 shades of red and wishing I never heard the word coupon before.
Long story short, the manager had to come up, void out the ticket and then she personally walked me back to the vitamin aisle (which admittedly was the most expensive items) and started pointing the products marked "BUY ONE GET ONE FREE". Sure enough they were very clearly marked. I was so busy readin my coupons for the brand that it never occurred to me to look at the signs on the flipping shelves. I felt she was being a bit patronizing but at this point my pride was in shambles and all I could do was keep rambling about how this was my first time with coupons, I'm sooo sorry, can't believe I screwed this up ...you get the picture. She left and I began going through my basket and started switching the vitamins out.
By the time I finished with vitamin switch out I was defeated. I knew I had an entire basket of products that were on sale at CVS not here but I didn't care any more. I just wanted to go home. So i went back to the checkout. As I came forward the manager stepped forward and directed me to the cosmetic aisle to check out (as if they couldn't trust me in the regular aisle again), she sent a young woman over and she started ringing me up again.... I went into that store feeling 6 ft tall (as I'm only 5'2" that was a stretch) and I stood at the counter for the second time feeling about 2" tall.
But finally it was over. My bill came down alot, and I did save over $125, but I used that up in buying multiples of products that I didn't need. Such as 2 bottles of hellman (at CVS they were going to be 2 for price of one and I had a coupon), while here I simply bought 2 bottles of mayonaise (that I only use at Christmas what was I thinking...well i was thinking I could keep it in my pantry...as it was such a good deal...only now it wasn't and I still bought it..only with three bottles of Ragu (yes it was 3 for x amount plus a couplon)...I did however buy White Castles hamburgers with a coupon!!! Coming from the Midwest I love the little sliders.
So what were my new experiences?
28) I saved over $125 by using coupons! (good thing)
29) I had the guts to actually ask a cashier to void my entire shopping basket of products they rang up and then rering it after my exchanges. (bad thing...but they were nice. They thought I was an idiot perhaps, but they didn't say it.)
30) I learned that Walgreens does not accept CVS coupons. (DUH)...but they do accept the coupons you print from online. I will expand this and assume that most stores will not accept competitors coupons. Trust me this will NOT happen again.
What did I do when I got home... I had my daughter put away the groceries and I ate the White Castles...
I think I will try again with the coupons one more time...but I need to lick my wounds a bit first.
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