Can you save TOO much at Giant Eagle?

[Saving_Grace]

I am fairly new to couponing, but thanks so much to all of YOU, I am getting pretty good at this!

Last night, I went on a GE run. My soup coupons aren't in yet, but I still had frees for dog food, Frank's hot sauce, I did the Betty Crocker deal and used a few other pretty good coupons. After using my $8 Heinz ketchup cat, my total was $2 and change. My savings after sales and coupons was 98%. The machine actually shut down and called for an assistant. My savings was too high! :shrug7: Fortunately, she overrode it without giving me heat, but is this something I should be careful of? I figured you 'experts' would know. :wink7:

Thanks so much!

[manders13]

never heard of that before, i've had 100% a few times and nothing freaky like that happend!

[neekyme]

Were you on a SCO? Those could be programmed to call someone over - but I know I've done tons of Zero balance transactions (100% savings) and it just sets off the bell for me to 'pay' the attendant....they know that I'm a crazy coupon lady though - so they just laugh and process my 0.00 receipts for me.

I've noticed that some of the newer cashiers have less authority also - I think. But it seems like they need keys for stuff I know other cashiers could just push through...Like manual coupons.

I went through a regular checkout yesterday and saved 99% (93$ down to 79c) and nothing happened, other than the cashier and the lady behind me praising me for knowing how to shop LOL

[jen276here]

Was this at the SCO or the reg cashier? I've had the SCO need assistance after too many high value Q's, but I've saved 98-99% and not had issues. Once I saved 106% and not needed additional assistance (I was using a cat to pay for my items and the cat covered the tax which all toll equalled 106% savings)

[Saving_Grace]

And here I was being proud of my 98% savings! I should have known that you guys would have set new heights for me to rise to!

Yes, I was in a self serve checkout. The GE nearest to me is on the edge of a fancy neighborhood. I don't think I've ever seen anyone else there with a coupon even! So, when I go to the regular checkout I tend to get cashiers who question every coupon and people behind me (paying waaaay to much for their orders!) who are rolling their eyes.

Shew, I'm just glad to know that I can keep the savings going. When I started a couple months ago, I was hoping to save enough in my grocery budget to buy the fancy flavored creamers again. Now, I am amazed at what food I can get and actually spend the same amount of money!

Now, off to the Giant Eagle because I saw those Pumpkin Betty Crocker cookie pouches by the door when I was leaving and I need another new cookie pan for the holidays!

[pittsburgh24]

I am fairly new to couponing, but thanks so much to all of YOU, I am getting pretty good at this!

Last night, I went on a GE run. My soup coupons aren't in yet, but I still had frees for dog food, Frank's hot sauce, I did the Betty Crocker deal and used a few other pretty good coupons. After using my $8 Heinz ketchup cat, my total was $2 and change. My savings after sales and coupons was 98%. The machine actually shut down and called for an assistant. My savings was too high! :shrug7: Fortunately, she overrode it without giving me heat, but is this something I should be careful of? I figured you 'experts' would know. :wink7:

Thanks so much!

If you were at the regular cashier - if they key in too many frees, they sometimes need a key to override the system.

If at the sco, it always calls for assistance when you use a $2 or larger q or use more than 2 like q's.

[DrPrimo]

I have had savings over 100% before when they have pushed through coupons instead of reducing it to the price of the item. Only once have they given me "change" when that has happened though!

[momto8kiddos]

This happens to me all the time. Don't be concerned about it. As long as you've followed all the "rules" and are using valid coupons, you have nothing to fear. It's just one of the things we have to get used to when we get so much free stuff.

[flaminicecube]

Don't know where Saving Grace is from, but in my neck of the woods (Boardman), the SCO will stop accepting coupons when A)the total savings is greater than 30% and/or B)you use a $2 cpn. I've seen the screen enough to read it quickly before they push a button to bypass it. Even the cashiers won't know what to do if my total hits 0 and I usually buy enough stuff so I'm always coming out with at least $1 to pay.

[Weinergirl]

That is awesome! Saving Grace, where are you from? Congrats on your great shopping trip!

[Saving_Grace]

I'm from the Columbus area. I can't stand the yucky stares, but on the plus side I found the pumpkin cake mixes and my GE still has the cookie sheets. The only three cookie sheets missing seem to be the three i've bought. LOL.

Thanks for the encouragement! It means so much to not be alone in my frugality.

I am getting better at grabbing the food deals. Next, I need to figure out the HBA deals. Low on toothbrushes and shampoo!

[petergabrielfan]

I am getting better at grabbing the food deals. Next, I need to figure out the HBA deals. Low on toothbrushes and shampoo!
If you have Rite Aid in your neck of the woods, stop by the RA forum. You'll never pay for toiletries again!

Walgreens is good too, but I like the RA SCR program because it actually gives rebates in the form of a check instead of a coupon like Wags.

[FunnyFace]

Low on toothbrushes and shampoo!

You will totally not have a toothbrush need for a long time as soon as GE runs their Colgate/Palmolive promotion. You will literally make money buying toothbrushes. Until then, Sarah is right and those drugstores including CVS is the way to shop for Health and Beauty items.

[TerryTerrific]

POS (Point Of Sale) and SCO (Self Check Out) machines are engineered so that they can be fine tuned by the store, in terms of checks-n-balances.

When the register beeps and the light blinks that means the progress will halt until a cashier comes over, sees what is going on, and approves it with their card / blessing, etc.

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Lately, I have noticed that after one high value ($2.00+) coupon is scanned at a SCO, the remaining high value coupons will beep, requiring CI (Cashier Intervention).

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

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At the SCO, I have also experienced scanning a Giant Eagle coupon (usally a snail mailed coupon) that does not allow any other coupons to be scanned after it.

O-u-c-h!

The best thing to do in that thar situation is to scan that puppy last.

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Terence in Brook Park, oHIo

[Weinergirl]

I'm from the Columbus area.

Cool, a Columbus Giant Eagle neighbor! I'm also from Columbus and usually shop at the Kingsdale, 5th Ave., or Sawmill Giant Eagles.

[Stacy517]

I use SCO all the time at my store. They already know me so the cashier on duty there just comes over and scans all my coupons for me. I hate going to the regular cashiers because the always mess up my coupons.

[Shannon T]

I use SCO all the time at my store. They already know me so the cashier on duty there just comes over and scans all my coupons for me. I hate going to the regular cashiers because the always mess up my coupons.


I do the same thing. Scan all my q's that I know wont beep & then as soon as one gives me a problem and a cashier comes over to fix I politely ask if they will scan the rest of my Qs so there will not be any more problems!:biggrin: The best way so far! & quickest!

[ang0614]

Glad to see some other fellow Columbus shoppers. I shop at the Kingsdale store mostly and occasionally at the Clintonville store.

[Saving_Grace]

Well, it looks like we have Columbus cornered! I was shopping at Dublin and Sawmill B.C. (Before Couponing!), but now I am shopping at New Albany and Gahanna. Looks like we won't be swiping each other's Wilton pans!

THANK YOU for the tips on the HBA deals. I have squeezed the last drop out of my shampoo and my conditioner ran out a while back. I did try CVS a couple times but I am a little intimdated by all the deals on that board! And, CVS is nice but they never seem to have the ECB items.

Hmmmm, Rite Aid sounds like a good thing. But let's keep hoping for that Colgate/Palmolive deal!

Thanks all!