Catalina Questions

[spork]

When tracking savings or figuring out how much you spent on an item, do you count your OYNO catalina's on the item/transaction that generated the cat or count it when you redeem it on a later transaction?

Seems I get all excited that I got something practically free because it generated an OYNO cat, but then I can't get excited and count it again when I use it, lol.

[carisal]

I always have counted mine when they are earned.

Whatever works for you is fine, as long as you don't double count them :)

IE, I did the Huggies deal today at walgreens, I paid 15 OOP and got a $10 RR in return each time, so I look at it as costing me $5 each time for the 3 packs of diapers, because I earned the RRs from buying Huggies, not what I'm going to spend them on next week (walgreens diapers - 2/$9).

When I buy the Walgreens diapers next week, I'll look at those as costing me 4.50 in RRs each (20 packs *4.50 = $90 - 9*10 RRs= -$90RRs)

[daisydog215]

I count them toward my savings when I redeem them, and count rebates when I receive/deposit them.

[shannonpa]

For me, it is really about what I spend OOP, so I count them when I use them.

[spork]

Thank you all. Since I think I'm going to track savings in a spreadsheet, I'll probably deduct when I redeem and see how that works -- so that my spreadsheet matches my receipts. I can see the logic either way. I just need to commit :-)

[spork]

For me, it is really about what I spend OOP, so I count them when I use them.

that makes sense. i also was tracking prices on some of my most-used products so I can get a better idea of best price/deal, which is when I went all iffy on which way to go.

[bluechicken]

I count them when they are redeemed as some don't get redeemed so I didn't 'save' that money after all.

[TheWoman]

It doesn't matter how you figure it as long as you are consistent.

I don't do it either way. When I earn then I count it as turning real money into OYNO coupons and then when I spend them I count it as using my OYNO. That is because OYNOs are not as good as cash. They expire and don't give change back, and often at wags I need to add fillers, so I often end up buying some stuff that I wouldn't have bought otherwise. OTOH, if you count them when you spend them it looks like you just paid $30 for 10 tubes of toothpaste and then got $30 worth of groceries free, which doesn't seem quite right when you already have 100 tubes of toothpaste in the closet. It drives me crazy when my husband uses one of my OYNO and then claims his purchases were free. No, they cost an OYNO. My method works for me, but if I were trying to track my spending/savings in a spreadsheet it would cause real headaches.

What really makes me crazy is when someone posts a scenerio like this:

Buy x,y, and z for $10
use $8 OYNO from a previous purchase.
Total = $2. Get a $10 OYNO.
$8 PROFIT!!!

[gettinrevvin2007]

I don't count them like that, so much as profit, but...
If I buy x,y, and z for $10, use the $8 OYNO from a previous purchase, and paid out $2. I would just say 'my oops was $2.'

bluechicken: as some OYNOs don't get redeemed.

I used to have this problem, as part of my 'learning curve', but have definitely gotten better at it. Even if I can't keep the OYNO 'rolling' any more, I can at least spend it on something useful, so I don't lose my 'investment'. (like on potatoes, milk, toilet paper, etc.)

[spork]

Buy x,y, and z for $10
use $8 OYNO from a previous purchase.
Total = $2. Get a $10 OYNO.
$8 PROFIT!!!

Yes! see that example doesn't make sense to me. You can't count them on both ends. It makes sense to me that the OYNO's would count towards reducing my OOP, though. But more in the same way that rewards or rebates would.

I think I have the potential to be seriously ECB-challenged when I get into CVSing. ::gah::

[MrsPinecone]

Always, always, always when they are redeemed. ECBs and RRs can get lost, expire, etc, and then any savings is negated.

I see people counting them when they earn them all the time, and then they also count them as savings on the order in which they are redeemed. It can't be counted twice.

I can't STAND when people say "FREE whatever" in the title of a thread, and then I read it to find that it's free after you earn ECBs or RRs, but have to pay XXX out of pocket. Makes me absolutely insane.

[billig]

I count them for what they were earned on AFTER they were redeemed.
Example:
Buying 4 bottles of shampoo at $5 each = $20, use four $1/1 coupons = $16OOP or $4 per bottle. Whether or not I use an OYNO to pay for that $16 OOP doesn't reflect in this purchase.
After redeeming the $20 OYNO/ECB/etc that was generated on those bottles (by purchasing something else), then the bottles were a MM of $1 each.

I actually write on the bottom of most things what I paid for them...just a reminder when I get around to using that product. And it's extra nice now because I've basically quit couponing and I appreciate my stash even more now.

[uummm]

Always, always, always when they are redeemed. ECBs and RRs can get lost, expire, etc, and then any savings is negated.

I see people counting them when they earn them all the time, and then they also count them as savings on the order in which they are redeemed. It can't be counted twice.

I can't STAND when people say "FREE whatever" in the title of a thread, and then I read it to find that it's free after you earn ECBs or RRs, but have to pay XXX out of pocket. Makes me absolutely insane.
:BigHand:

TO ME OOP means WHAT I PAID, so if I had to PAY any money it was my oop. And when someone heads a post with FREE and then they post that they used a R/C or ECB or RR that I don't have then it really isn't FREE. Then the Post that claims it's free then you read into it, "if you have the MIR" well hello! Still had to pay MONEY FROM MY POCKET. And things happen with MIRs, denied, forgotten, lost in the mail...Free after Coupon is different, chances are better we got the coupon .

I count mine when I use them since I actually keep track my MONEY SPENT. Having a piece of paper that isn't money is worth nothing until it is redeemed.

[spork]

You all have helped alot. It is totally about OOP and what I'm handing to the cashier on that transaction.

I earned $12 in OYNO's yesterday. But overall, my oop/percentage savings on that trip was not all that great. I came home and looked at my OOP thus far for the month and can see that I am overbudget. Instead of rolling all OYNO's over into another deal to stockpile, I may have to put some of those OYNOs towards my total bill on things we need next week. If I had counted the OYNO's on this trip when they were earned, my total oop picture would've been inaccurate.

[TheWoman]

Yes! see that example doesn't make sense to me. You can't count them on both ends. It makes sense to me that the OYNO's would count towards reducing my OOP, though. But more in the same way that rewards or rebates would.

I think I have the potential to be seriously ECB-challenged when I get into CVSing. ::gah::

That is why it makes me crazy, but I see it every so often here.

[mybabysmomma]

Can someone explain how to roll catalinas or other coupons to get lots of freebies or point me in the right direction if there is another thread dedicated to this topic?

Thanks!

[Cin42382]

You will need to find out about each individual deal. Some catalinas "roll", while some do not.

[mybabysmomma]

Oh, ok. Thanks :)

[tmsmalley]

Here's the idea-

You buy 4 bags of Starbucks coffee. For each one you get a $1.50 off on your next order. You take those 4/$1.50 cats and go buy 4 more bags of Starbucks and get 4 more cats. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Sometimes however, if you redeem a cat it cancels issuing a new cat (doesn't roll). Sometimes you can take your cat from your Starbucks coffee and then buy Dole pineapple and get a cat from that and keep switching between the two... So it really depends on what you're doing and how that specific promotion works.

Hope this helps!
Tess

[mybabysmomma]

OH, I get it now...thats pretty easy. I guess I was overthinking it. THanks. Repped ya!

[Threnjen]

It's very store dependent, and as Cindi said, even deal dependent. There are some places though where it NEVER works to roll a cat into the same product (unless there is a glitch which they usually hurry to fix). For example at Walgreen's you cannot use a Register Reward for another product from the same company that produces a Register Reward. The new one simply won't print out. Like if I got a Colgate RR last week from buying toothpaste, I can't use that RR to buy a Colgate toothbrush this week that is supposed to produce a RR. And of course, I couldn't have used the RR last week to buy another toothpaste and get another RR.

Just as a random tip it's a great idea to write on your Cat what company it was from, if that information isn't on there, just so you don't forget.

The best thing to do is to go to the store forums and bookmark all of your stores, and then research there any time there is a Catalina deal. The information there is very specific and should be what you are looking for. Like I can tell you "oh the Safeway Living Well catalina rolls" but that information is not very useful to you if you don't have Safeway :)

[mybabysmomma]

Great info! Thanks a bunch:smile77:

[Whypaymore2]

I recently got a $4 off OYNO catalina through the Kraft Cheese promotion when you buy 5 products. I am confused. Can I use this same catalina continuously on my visits to the store until its expiration date or can I only use it one visit? In other words, will the cashier take it from me or will I get it back and be able to reuse it at a later time til its expiration date?

[wookin]

It's a one time use, just like any other coupon.

[Whypaymore2]

Thanks, wookin!

[nunu]

Would someone please explain all about catilinas? I know its the machine that some stores have that gives out coupons, but I read about people working deals and rolling cat coupons, and don't know how to find out what the deals are, what items are included, etc etc. Is there a basic tutorial somewhere on the site?

[isis]

Check the individual store forums that are in your area, usually there is a separate sticky for current catalina deals. At Walgreens, their catalinas are called Register Rewards (or RR for short) and those don't normally roll. If by chance they do roll, someone will make a post with the info.

[bugface711]

Hi nunu,

I did reply to you in shaws, so hopefully that helps a bit. Just keep reading in that forum and asking questions. we'll help you get going on this first catalina promo if you are ready to jump in!

[nunu]

Hi Kristen,

Thank you for answering, I know it may seem like I am impatient, but its actually that I'm so eager! I've gotten a taste of CVSing over the last few weeks, and now i have the bug! I'm going to go read your reply in shaws right now.

[cpnmaniac44]

Hi Kristen,

Thank you for answering, I know it may seem like I am impatient, but its actually that I'm so eager! I've gotten a taste of CVSing over the last few weeks, and now i have the bug! I'm going to go read your reply in shaws right now.

I'm not aware of catalinas at any stores but grocers around here. CVS has extra care bucks.
You might have success trying to follow the trail of catalinas, but I just take what they give me unless I hear of a deal on here.
ex: Harris Teeter was having triples. There was a sale on Kellogg's cereal and I had coupons. I got two boxes and then when I looked on the Harris Teeter forum people were talking about free milk. It seems if you bought 3 boxes of Kellogg's cereal you'd get a catalina for a free gallon of milk. I bought 3 boxes twice and each time I got a free gallon of milk. It did not work the 3rd time and I never found out why. Some people got alot more than 2 free gallons of milk. :poke: Watch the boards!
The triples can bring out the deals you might not hear about otherwise.

Bi-Lo had some catalinas a few months ago, offering free potato chips, air freshener, and a couple other of their store brand items. Every time I'd use a catalina to get a free bag of chips, it would give me another coupon just like it. That too ended after a few tries. I got maybe 4-5 of of each the free Bi-Lo store brand items.

[diyod]

Well, I've been working on adding to my wonderful binder full of coupons and reading some posts here and there while I clip them out. Yay for learning!

I understand what Catalinas are, but how do you guys know what to buy to get them in advance? I see some threads telling about the Catalinas, but how did they know about it before they got them? Is there a site you can go to and find out what will be coming soon to a Catalina near you (like the one that posts what will be coming up in the inserts)? Or do you just have to be lucky, or wait until someone else finds out about it first?

I would love to add more to my binder, so I'm just wondering how I can get more like the Catalinas.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

<3diyod

[tmsmalley]

Sometimes catalina deals are listed in store ads or on shelf tags at your store. Sometimes it is trial and error. One prints then you back up and try to figure out what in your basket triggered it. When someone works it out, then we all know. And catalina deals definitely vary by grocery store. If Albertsons has a $1 cat when you buy 4 cans of Alpo, that does not mean that Safeway has one.

Check the forum for the stores that you usually shop at. Chances are someone has a list of current cats going on there.

Tess