Do you recognize the letters in this alphabet?
It seems counter-intuitive that stores and manufacturers would offer products for free or dirt cheap. Don’t they lose money on those deals? Well…yes and no. They’re willing to suffer a short-term loss for what they hope will be a long-term gain: your loyalty and your precious buying power.
Stores offer what are called “loss leaders” each week. These are items priced super low to get you in the door. They’re hoping that once you’re in the store you’ll do all your shopping there, including buying full-priced (and sometimes overpriced!) items along with those loss leaders. The profit they make on the other items more than covers the loss on those few freebies or cheapies, and they’ve started to get you into the habit of shopping at their store.
Manufacturers have a similar tactic. They’ll offer coupons and promotions on products, especially new ones, in hopes that they can get you hooked. Once it becomes a staple in your home, they count on you being willing to pay full-price for it. Then they make up their losses.
Your family probably has some brand-name favorites. I’ve been a Jif girl since my first PB&J, and it’s still my preference (although I’ll still pick up other brands if they’re a great deal to use in cookies or other recipes). Only Hershey’s syrup will top my ice cream (although I’ll usually take any ice cream that’s on sale!) And to me, there’s no point in buying off-brand “Chocolate Sandwich Cookies,” if I’m getting store-bought cookies, they’ll be Oreos.
With that in mind, smart couponers will be aware of the game the stores and brands are playing, and we’ll work it to our advantage. Loss leaders are pretty easy to spot in the ads, and we highlight them each week in our store matchups. If there’s a coupon to go with them, even better–that’s the time to stock up!
When Shopping on a Shoestring budget, it helps to not get too attached to brands. We can take jump on deals for our favorites when they come along, but having the flexibility to bounce between brands helps us get the best deals week-to-week. If you can use coupons from several different brands, you’ll increase savings that way too. Watch the weekly ads, and you’ll notice that at Giant Eagle there’s usually either Coke or Pepsi products on sale each week. Same goes for Coffeemate/International Delight coffee creamers, Yoplait/Dannon yogurt, Nabisco/Keebler cookies and crackers, Huggies/Pampers diapers, Kellogg’s/General Mills cereals, and many other brand pairings.
It’s OK to have some favorites, but the more flexibility you give yourself, the more savings you’ll find. You might be surprised by trying another brand too–I’ve found several products that were surprisingly good when I gave them a chance…with a coupon, of course!
Your turn–What brands are you loyal to? Have you ever tried a new brand and been pleasantly surprised? Which products are best for switching between brands? Join the discussion in the comments or on Facebook.
