a note on Albertsons Twice the Value coupons...

I was out-of-town for Memorial Day, so I couldn't get to Albertsons until last night. My Sunday paper was missing Twice the Value coupons (I'm calling them today to find out why), and so I went hoping for a spare set from the Customer Service counter.

  They were wiped out. I wasn't super surprised, as it was the final day to use them and I'm sure they were slammed for Memorial Day. But here's what I was shocked to discover from talking to the night manager: People were requesting up to 20 sets at a time.

  Whoa. I know people are feeling the crunch of a down economy, but this kind of extreme couponing (yes, 20 is extreme) won't end well. The manager said they felt a need to draw a line, and so they will now pre-stuff grocery bags with Twice the Value coupons throughout the week. This means, at least at my Albertsons store, there won't be any Twice the Value coupons at Customer Service.

  I can't speak for every Albertsons store, but I wanted to give you a heads-up. You should still find these inserts in your Sunday paper, and it can help to ask family, friends and neighbors for theirs (if they don't intend to use them, of course). 

  One more thing to note: I did place an order of Sweet Baby Ray's last week, but for some reason or other, it wasn't there last night. Maybe the warehouse was out, or maybe they had to refill the shelves from a crazy weekend... who knows! No big deal, though. That's what rain checks are for! You can ask the Customer Service clerk to fill one out for you. Here are a few tips for rain checks:

1) You can only request a rain check for items that are out of stock.
2) Rain checks are good for 30 days from the day they are written.
3) Ask the employee writing the rain check to be as specific as possible, including all the important details (sizes, quantities, promotional pricing, etc.)
4) Keep an ad for the corresponding rain check to refer to, just in case.

  This post isn't mean to discourage you, but rather encourage you that the little bumps along the way are just that: little. Even when a trip doesn't go as planned, like mine didn't, it's best to take it in stride. Smile and thank the employee for taking the time to write the rain checks. Keep calm and carry on!