Seeing Red

I went to Target today.

Need I say more?

Sorry about the pic, my camera battery died after I took this first shot and realized the flash was off. Just another "sigh moment" in a long day full of them. Let's go shopping and then I'll revisit my Target experience. I'm chugging a Smirnoff as I type so if I start to not make sense, you'll know why.

First stop - CVS

• Dawn Renewal Dish Soap $0.97, used $1 coupon (home mailer from Home Made Simple, adjusted down to $0.97) = FREE
• 3 Wheat Thins $1 each, used three $1 coupons = FREE *Would have printed four of these coupons but my computer had a brain fart and wouldn't print another
• Amp Energy Drinks $4.99, will submit for $5 Heineken NBPR rebate on energy drinks = FREE
• Honey Nut Cheerios Twin Pack $7.99, got back $4 EB (Limit at least 2) = $3.99
• Bertolli pasta sauce $3.69
• Heinz Ketchup $1.50
• Used $5 off $20 CRT for food purchases, $3 EB and $9.99 EB, total was $0.50

Then, off to Rite Aid. Did these two transactions at one of my usual stores that's usually really well stocked. I found the Pantene on an end cap, not with the other shampoo. The Gain was also on an end cap.

• 6 Pantene Restoratives Beautiful Lengths Sham/Cond $4 each, used six $2 coupons (8/29 P&G) and got back $2 UP Reward for each, so $12 total = FREE *Could have used $1 off $10 Wellness coupon for haircare, but I forgot
• Tampax Tampons (20 ct) $2.99, used $1 coupon (8/29 P&G) and will get back $1 (SCR #4) = $0.99
• Used $5 off $25 coupon and four $1 UP Rewards, total was $6.01, overall profit $2.99

Then I bought:

• Bufferin (130 ct) $6.99, used $3 coupon (7/11 SS) and will get back $6 (SCR #2) = $2.01 profit
• 5 Gain Dish Liquids $0.89 each, used five $1 coupons (8/29 P&G) = $0.55 profit *The store had tons but I saved five more coupons for the second store I was going to. Of course that store only had one bottle, figures!
• Pantene Restoratives Beautiful Lengths Sham/Cond $4, used $2 coupon (8/29 P&G) and got back $2 UP Reward = FREE
• Nivea for Men Body Wash $3, used $1 coupon (7/25 or 8/29 RP) and got back $2 UP Reward = FREE
• Poland Spring 24 pack $3.99, got back $1 UP Reward = $2.99
• 2 Doritos $2 each, used $1 off 2 tearpad coupon and got back $1 UP Reward = $2 or $1 each *Will use these plus the water for a $8 Budweiser NBPR rebate
• Used $5 off $25 coupon and four $2 UP Rewards, total was $1.88, overall profit $2.12

Then at the second store, I bought:

• Gain Dish Liquids $0.89, used $1 coupon (8/29 P&G) = $0.11 profit
• 2 Pantene Restoratives Beautiful Lengths Sham/Cond $4 each, used two $2 coupons (8/29 P&G) and got back two $2 UP Rewards = FREE
• Nivea for Men Body Wash $3, used $1 coupon (7/25 or 8/29 RP) and got back $2 UP Reward = FREE
• Boudreaux's Butt Paste (4 oz) $3.99, used $1 coupon (8/29 SS) and $3 RA coupon = FREE/$0.01 profit
• Tampax Tampons (20 ct) $2.99, used $1 coupon (8/29 P&G) and will get back $1 (SCR #4) = $0.99
• Poland Spring 24 pack $3.99, got back $1 UP Reward = $2.99
• 2 Doritos $2 each, used $1 off 2 tearpad coupon and got back $1 UP Reward = $2 or $1 each *Will use these plus the water for a $8 Budweiser NBPR rebate
• Used $5 off $25 coupon and two $1 UP Rewards, total was $8.19, overall profit $0.81 (not counting the $8 rebate, I'll have to buy $2.01 more to qualify)

The cashier scanned all my coupons except for my $5/$25 and then hands it back to me and says - you can save this for another time, your total is only $13. SIGH I asked her to review the coupon policy on this issue. I've had such issues at this store and I ended up calling the 1-800 number regarding this and other coupon issues. They straightened everything out and I'd been having no troubles there since that incident. The cashier ended up speaking to a manager who confirmed it was ok to use the coupon. I said thanks and mentioned that they could just scan the $5/$25 coupon and it would go through. As I'm saying this, the manager voids the entire order. SIGH

I had to pull out the Poland Spring out from the bottom of the miniature cart, all the while trying not to knock over the dude waiting behind me and also standing way too close. Then after she scanned the water and I was trying to put it back, it slipped off and moved the cart away about a foot or so. It took me a couple tries, but I got that sucker in there (I swear, I only dipped into the Smirnoff AFTER I got home). The rest of the transaction went smoothly and the manager stayed around to make sure. She mentioned that her manager had been telling everyone incorrect information about coupons and that someone had called Corporate and set her straight. I looked her dead in the eye and said, "yup, that was me" and smiled. HA! She said, "oh no, it was a guy" so I guess someone else complained too. She was very nice and inquired if I'd reached the 10% savings level yet since she sees me there so often. Truth be told, I don't shop at this particular store very often so I was surprised she remembered me.

Now, I should have called it a night after this pleasant experience and just gone home. But I had to pass a Target on my way and I wanted to pick up some travel size Tides using the $1 coupon from last Sunday's P&G. Can you guess how this all played out? I bet you can! I picked up ten and a bag of chips. I scouted out the cashiers and purposely selected a young guy. The coupon beeped, so he called over a manager who I've seen before and is the biggest coupon-hater. She starts saying how I can't use the coupon because I'm not buying the Tide pictured on the coupon, because its not good on travel sizes and because I can't buy ten of them. Come on. She called her manager, who also said no dice.

I asked for the 1-800 number so I could call Customer Service and she said she'd call instead. She then goes back to her aisle to finish checking out customers, so I pick up my stuff and coupons and go over to Customer Service, asking for the 1-800 # again. By then, the woman has come over and calls CS herself. They told her that the coupon is fine to use on this item (hoorah!) but to check if it will scan properly (boo!). If you've shopped at Target before, you know that half the coupons you use beep at the register and say "Item not found" or whatever. Its a glitch in their system and the cashiers will usually just override it. I mentioned to her that this happens all the time and she said - I've never seen that come up on the register before. Oh please! I left the store thoroughly pissed off and without buying anything.

There is just something about Target that gets under my skin sometimes. I think its because there aren't as many around. If I have an issue at CVS or Rite Aid or Walgreens, I can just go to another store. Or I can call Customer Service and they'll straighten the store out. But Target doesn't have any consistent policies and leaves so much up to each store manager's discretion that you never know what you'll be permitted to do and what you won't. Its so frustrating. And half the stuff they say doesn't even make sense. The woman from today once gave me a hard time about buying clearanced items with coupons, saying I needed to leave some on the shelf for other customers. Its CLEARANCED! Does she not know what that means? The store is trying to get rid of it! They don't care if one person comes in and clears it all out (which I didn't do by the way) or if 15 people come in and each buy one item. So short-sighted.

Anyway, thank you for listening to me rant. I'm off to finish my Smirnoff and collapse in bed. Since my expedition at Target took so long, I didn't have time to get my ShopRite shopping in tonight. So I have that to do tomorrow, along with getting a haircut (yuck), getting my oil changed (double yuck), going to the bank, going to the library and going to the post office. Fun, fun, fun! :)