I know it’s terribly disappointing to go to the store and find the shelf empty of that one thing you really really wanted (or needed to make your deal work out right).
And there is no replacement for that product, but RAIN CHECKS are a couponer’s friend.
Rain Checks are basically a promise from the store to honor the current sale price after the sale ends for everyone else.
Stores each have different policies but almost all will allow you to combine a current (unexpired) coupon when you redeem the raincheck.
In fact, sometimes a raincheck can make a BETTER deal than the one you were originally after. For example-once I used a Buy 1 Get 1 Free raincheck on Sorrento Cheese Sticks at Harris Teeter. They are normally $4.99 each. I had $3/2 coupons I wanted to use then that would make them each about $1 each. I was disappointed but got rainchecks.
That week was Super Doubles and they were now on sale for $2.99. My rainchecks allowed me to get (2) Cheese sticks for $2.99 and my $3/2 coupon gave me both for free! I was able to get (6) FREE packages of string cheese!
Now, it is true that during coupon events (like the Current Harris Teeter and Lowe’s Foods Super Doubles) that they raincheck doesn’t give you the “doubled” amount but hold onto that raincheck- the shelves may be refilled during Super Doubles week and you can still get it PLUS you will have the raincheck to use later.
Then the next time Super Doubles rolls around, or another super deal, you will have that raincheck and no one else will be looking for that McCormick Vanilla (or at least ALOT less than who have been looking this week!)
One way to make it easier to get a raincheck at customer service is use your camera phone to snap a picture of the sales tag of the items they are out of. This will show the size, variety and sale price.
Harris Teeter’s rainchecks NEVER expire and can be used at any Harris Teeter. Lowe’s Foods rainchecks expire in 30 days. Food Lion raincheck policy is not written or available online but my local stores do not have an expiration date.
Do you have any raincheck tips?
I used to work at Food Lion and their rain checks never expire. I still have one for Turkey Hill lemonade when it was $10/10 and I’ve had it for a few months.
I usually go to Harris Teeter on the first and last day of a good sale or coupon event and look for products that are out of stock just so I can get a rain check to save for later. When the next coupon event rolls around, I have my own sale and usually get a better deal.
With the BOGO coupons, HT usually rings one full price and the other half price. Which sucks, when I want to use two coupons and they tell me I can’t. Is this the correct policy? I have the Davidson Eggs rain check, which would be free if they were rung up at 50%, but with only one coupon used they come out to be 3.79-3(.75)=1.54 for two.
You can use a coupon for each item you buy- even with B2G3 deals you can actually use 5 coupons. I would talk to your customer service and ask them to clarify this with their corp. office.
I picked up a BOGO rain check on dog food at Harris Teeter. I waited to buy them on sale and use the rain check. I was told I had to use the rain checks with the dog food at full price. She even re-added the $5 per bag sale price that the register had taken off on the bottom as an additional charge. Has anyone else had this happen?
Some stores will do that 🙁