Save it for a rainy day

The Teeter ran out of Tide before you could get there to pick it up? Don't fret go to Customer Service and get a rain check.

Rain checks are awesome for so many reasons. Rain checks allow you to purchase the item at some point in the future, possibly months after it was on sale, for the sale price. One of my favorite things to do with rain checks, especially with Harris Teeter, is save them until they have triples. Let's take the Tide for example. Let's say HT has it on sale for $4.99 and you have a .50 coupon or several. They ran out before you get there so you go to CS and get a rain check. I usually always get a quantity of 4 for my rain checks (I'll explain later). You don't have to pay anything upfront (the rain checks are free). Now let's say you had 2 coupons for Tide, I usually paperclip them to my rain check and save them in my Harris Teeter folder for use later. Now suppose you run into Dear Aunt Gertrude that gives you 2 more coupons for Tide (aren't you glad you got the quantity of 4). Then let's say Harris Teeter announces triples a couple of weeks later. You now take your rain check, your .50 coupons, and your Tide to the register where you now get it for 3.49 ea, instead of the 3.99 you would have gotten it for before. I have gotten several things for free that I would have paid for if I hadn't gotten the rain check.

Another reason rain checks are so great is it allows you to delay getting something you might not want to store right now. Let's say paper towels are on sale for really cheap, but you have 20 rolls and your husband is threatening to throw the next package you bring home away. Get a rain check so you can wait to purchase that item when you have more space.

Another reason you can get rain checks is if you don't have a coupon for something at the time it's on sale but you now there will be one soon. I recently did this with Cheer laundry detergent. HT had it on sale, I did not have a coupon, but I know Proctor and Gamble will come out with one soon and HT happened to be out of Cheer, so it worked out perfectly. I have a rain check for 4 and now all I need is a Cheer coupon. You can also email the company and ask for coupons for a particular item, or try trading on one of the trading forums at HCW for a coupon.

Just because you get the quantity of 4, does not mean you have to buy 4. I have bought 1 with a rain check that had 4. But once you redeem the rain check you don't get one for the difference.

To my knowledge rain checks do not expire. I have used some that are six months old before with no problem. I probably wouldn't hold onto one for over a year though.

Most all grocery stores have rain checks, in fact I have some for every store, so I can't think of one, except maybe Aldi that doesn't issue them. The ad will state if a rain check is unavailable for the item, sometimes blow out rock bottom deals will state "No rain checks" given.

BTW The best day to catch a grocery store out of something is Tuesday evening as that is the last day for grocery store sales.

Let me know your rain check tips!

See you at the sales!

Melissa