I cheated myself yesterday out of $10 in grocery savings because I hadn't read the ad carefully enough.  The store was offering one of those "almost-too-good-to-be-true" deals.  It's not the store where I usually shop, but I couldn't pass this up.  To get the deal, I had to buy 10 boxes of Kellogg's cereal or Pop-Tarts (any combination) in certain types and sizes.  kelloggs I was careful when I chose the cereal, but by the time I moved over to the Pop-Tarts, I was only paying attention to picking everyone's favorite flavors.  I didn't realize that the ad said I had to buy the 12-piece box instead of the 8-piece box.  And that would have made it an even BETTER deal.  But like I said, I hadn't read the ad carefully.  I still got a GOOD deal, but it wasn't the FABULOUS deal I'd been hoping for.

Oh well--live and learn.  I figure that the least I can do is let you learn from my mistake.

"Fine print" isn't only important when you buy high-priced items like cars, furniture, insurance or appliances.  You can run into it on purchases of any size.  And it's really important to understand certain things before you shop (whether online or in the store).

  • Return policies.  Is there a restocking fee if you return an item?  Do you have to include the packaging?  Will you get your money back, or will you have to settle for a "store credit?"  Will you only get a replacement for the same item if you bring it back?  What's the time limit on returns?
  • Stacking policies.  I've mentioned this one before.  Look carefully for clues like cannot be combined with any other offer or Cannot be combined with other coupon codes. Not valid towards previous purchases. Do not enter a Promotional Code in your shopping cart or you may lose the discount.  Make sure that if there are multiple offers, you choose the one that serves you best!
  • Exclusions.  In the Coupon Time section here at Everybody Loves Coupons, we put all exclusions in italics.  Check carefully for those!  You'll find exclusions most often in sporting goods, office supplies and electronics--though these are by no means the only categories that have exclusions.
  • Promotional Codes.  We always put promotional codes in bold red print so you'll be sure not to miss them!  Make sure you read the special instructions that go along with them.  You don't want to miss out on a deal because you didn't enter the promo code just right.
  • Expiration Dates.  Deals are usually good for a limited time only.  Make sure you pay attention to when that time is up!

For more tips, check out our Top Online Shopping Tips article.  Have a great weekend, and I'll see you on Monday with the Weird Holidays and more!