My beef with Kroger!

I've still really been into couponing. I keep my coupon inserts organized by date and I realized that I do not have time to keep a binder full of coupons labeled and organized by section in the store. Instead, I realized that I needed a faster method, something simple that would only take 30 - 40 minutes each week.

As I get ready to go, I visit www.southernsavers.com and search the Kroger list, check the items that are on sale, then look through my insert which Jenny Martin has conveniently labeled for me on her site, and print off the list. Then, I look through my stash of inserts and clip out the coupons.

As I do this, I total how much I will spend on each item. If I realize that my total is going to be more than what I want to spend, I simply cross it off the list. I also print off all items that could be free from that store, even if I do not use the item.

By doing this, I plan to keep a stash that I can give to those in need or to my poor brothers who are in college and have no money, etc. As I am going down the list, I circle any item that I need to print off the coupon from online, then after I have clipped, I print the ones offline. This part seems to take the most time. After this, I put all my coupons that I am going to use in an evelope and leave for the store. I do not worry about needing other coupons because I already know what I am going to buy and this approach helps me when I am tempted to buy something else NOT on the list.

MY BEEF WIH KROGER! I usually go to Kroger on St. Andrews Rd. I have been going to this store, instead of Walmart, for about 6-7 weeks. Every time I go, I get a raincheck for items they were out of. I have never faced an issue getting an item for a raincheck until this past week. I walked up to the Customer Service desk and I asked for a raincheck for Playtex gloves (which with my coupons would have been free; I wanted 4 of these). The girl, whose name was Perfect, said that she could not give me a raincheck for that. I asked why and she said that it was because it was not advertised in the sale paper. So I said, well, you are out of them, I am here to buy them, what are you going to do to satisfy your customer. At this point, the girl, whose name I might say again, was Perfect. She was all but perfect. She got a snippy attitude and totally was rude. I asked for the manager (trying NOT to cause a scene) and she went and talked to him. When she came back, she said not a word and then made out a raincheck for me. I was having to remind myself that I was a Christian and not to scream at her and in my anger not to sin. When she handed it to me, it said that I had to buy 10 of the Playtex gloves in order to get the sale price due to the Mega Event going on. I said that I did not need 10 of anything and then went to go talk to the manager myself, who was very kind and way more understanding. I told him, not to worry about the raincheck, but please talk to his employee because her attitude of service really was horrible. As we were walking out, Hart, who had been quietly observing this whole ordeal, said, "If they are going to treat you like that over a raincheck, then why don't we just go shop at Publix?"

Good Idea, Hart, I think I will!!!!!!!!!!!!