What is the best way to take advantage of a Buy 1 Get 1 (B1G1) sale with a Buy 2 Get 1 (B2G1) coupon?

The way to handle a B2G1 coupon for a B1G1 sale depends on where you shop. Our Fairhope Publix store considers the B1G1 sales as half off. Each B1G1 sale product is rung up as half off. If you were shopping at Winn-Dixie (a true B1G1 sale) the first product is rung up as full price and the second rung up as $0 (free).

We will explain both methods of how to handle this deal depending on how your store treats a B1G1 sale. We will also show you how to use additional $x off coupons to get the best deal possible.

Using the example of the upcoming Publix B1G1 sale on Peter Pan Peanut butter, we will use a price of B1G1 $3 to make this easier to understand.

Peter Pan B1G1 $3
-B2G1 coupon

Publix B1G1 (1/2 off) With One B2G1 Coupon
Buy 3 Peter Pan B1G1 $3 ($1.50 each)
-B2G1 coupon
Final Price: $1 each

Details: $1.50 x 3 = $4.50 – $1.50 (B2G1 coupon) = $3 or $1 each

Winn-Dixie B1G1 (Full Price + $0) With One B2G1 Coupon
Buy 4 Peter Pan B1G1 $3 ($1.50 each)
-B2G1 coupon
Final Price: $.75 each

Details: $3 x 4 = $12 – $6 (free) = $6 – $3 (B2G1 coupon) = $3 or $.75 each

As you can see the better deal is at Winn-Dixie, with the true B1G1 sale. See below for an example of how to use the additional $1/2 coupon found in the All You magazine. Typically you can only use one manufacture coupon per item, this is stated on the coupon and in the store policy.

Publix B1G1 (1/2 off) With One B2G1 & $1/2 Coupon
Buy 3 Peter Pan B1G1 $3 ($1.50 each)
-B2G1 coupon
-$1/2 December & January All You
Final Price: $.67 each

Details: $1.50 x 3 = $4.50 – $1.50 (B2G1 coupon) = $3 -$1 (coupon) = $2 or $.67 each

Winn-Dixie B1G1 (Full Price + $0) With One B2G1 & $1/2 Coupon
Buy 4 Peter Pan B1G1 $3 ($1.50 each)
-B2G1 coupon
-$1/2 December & January All You
Final Price: $.50

Details: $3 x 4 = $12 – $6 (free) = $6 – $3 (B2G1 coupon) -$1 (coupon) = $2 or $.50 each

Again, the better deal is the purchase of 4 items from Winn-Dixie’s B1G1 sale. If you are shopping at a store like our Publix store (1/2 off)  B1G1 sale, purchase 3 products to get the best deal for the B2G1 coupon. If you are at Winn-Dixie store (full price + $0), purchase 4 products.

Some stores may not allow you to use coupons on free items, if this is the case just remember what Mamo says. Step back, “be nice no matter what”, ask to speak to the manager, or email corporate when you get home. Worse case go to another store to do your shopping. We all have options, they may not be as convenient as we would like, but we have options.

We not only pick our stores to shop but we also pick our cashiers. We look for the same cashiers for each store that we go into.  We want someone that knows the rules to not only keep us in check but also find someone that will not have some absurd personal notions of how coupons should work.  Most of us have run into those cashiers that have the absurd notion that the photograph on the coupon is what the coupon is for, or those that claim that a blinkie machine coupon is a store coupon and not a manufacture coupon. Most of us have run into these issues  and more. Just remember you do have a choice on where to spend your money and “always be nice no matter what”.

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This entry was posted by Frances on Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 at 9:05 am and is filed under Frugal Fairhope Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.