Couponing Tip Day 20: How To Read a Sales Ad!

Day 1: Coupon Inserts 101
Day 2: Printable Coupons
Day 3: eCoupons
Day 4: Coupon Clipping Services
Day 5: More Ways to Find Coupons
Day 6: How to Organize Your Coupons
Day 7: How to Quickly and Easily Clip Your Coupons
Day 8: How to Purge Expired Coupons
Day 9: Know Your Coupons {What does the fine print mean?}
Day 10: Coupon Rules & Tips Every Couponer Needs To Know
Day 11: Know Your Store's Coupon Policies!
Day 12: Know Coupon Lingo & Abbreviations
Day 13: Stacking Coupons
Day 14: Save Money With Coupons, Know When To Shop
Day 15: Get Organized With a Plan, Before You Hit The Store!
Day 16: Don't Be Brand Loyal
Day 17: Stockpiling Part 1 (What is it?)
Day 18: Stockpiling Tips Part 2
Day 19: Understanding Sales Cycles
Day 20: How to Read a Sales Ad



Sales ads are an important tool when saving money. The key is knowing what to buy and when to buy it. The sales ad lets you know what is on sale each week in the store, and how long the sale will last. Most stores display their store's add as you walk in the door, and usually are not hard to find.

*For Cincinnati area readers -In the Cincinnati area, there is also a company called, The Door Store, that delivers sales ads right to your front door each week.  Call 513-731-1200 to request a Door Store to be delivered to your door. It contains weekly ads for Kroger, Meijer, Remke- Biggs, and sometimes other stores (Ad's vary by location).

You can also view a store's ad by viewing it online. To find your store's online ad, you can usually find it by going directly to the store's website.

Here are a few tips that will help you to Understand Sales Ads a little better!

Sales Ad Dates
Sale ad dates or "run dates" are crucial. These are the dates that the sale prices and promotions are valid and effective. While stores vary their start and end dates, they typically (in my region) start on Sunday and end on the following Saturday. Except for Kroger in my area, which starts on Monday, and ends on the following Sunday.

Why does it matter?
If I write a shopping list for Meijer on Friday, and cut all of my coupons, and then I don't get to the store until Sunday, then guess what? Everything I planned to purchase from the ad that I used on Friday is no longer on sale! Sunday starts the new sale ad cycle, and the new sale prices!

Good Sale Prices vs. Ad Placements
This is a very important principal to grasp! Just because an item is on the front page of a store's ad doesn't mean that it's a good deal, or a rock bottom price! To save the most money, you must know the best prices on the items you purchase.

How do I know the Best Prices?
The best way to know what is the Best Price or a Rock-Bottom price of an item, is to create and use a Price Book or Price List. Then you can easily check your book, or list. Then you will know if it is truly a good deal or just an ad placement!

{Later on in the series we will talk about How To Make a Price Book or Price List.}


Do you have any tips for reading a store sale ad? Share them with us in the comments section below. I Love to hear your tips and tricks!




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