20 November 2015

Pay for Rain Check Bargains and Never Miss Out


Rain checks are wonderful things, designed to let you buy things after a sale at the sale price. I always ask for a rain check when I can't get something on sale that I especially want. But sometimes when it comes time to redeem the rain check, you just don't have the money before it expires.

I don't like missing out on a great bargain, and I really don't like wasting a rain check so I pay for my rain check items when I get the rain check.

Last week Coles had 12 packs of Mission tortillas on half-price sale, $1.99 a pack. I like to make our tortillas, but at that price making them actually costs more in dollars and time. I went to three different Coles supermarkets during the week and couldn't find them anywhere. The last store had an empty spot for them. So, off to the service desk I went to get a rain check.

Which you'd think would be simple but it was quite a procedure. And then I had to beg to get rain checks for 12 packets (and then only after I'd explained I would have bought every packet on the shelf if they'd actually been on the shelf). In the end I was given two rain checks for six, with a two month expiry.

As soon as I walked in the door at home, I went straight to the kitchen, took out my slush fund envelope and put the $24 for the tortillas in it. Then I wrote the date, the amount and what it was for on the envelope and put the rain checks into the pocket in my purse so I have them on me when I'm shopping.

Now, when I'm in Coles and find the tortillas I can buy them with the rain check, knowing they are already paid for. After I buy them I'll reimburse my grocery budget with the money in the envelope.

It's simple really. You have the money to buy the item when it is on sale, so put that money away when you get the rain check - you are paying for your rain check items when you get the rain check. When you redeem the rain check you'll have the cash ready and waiting to pay for your bargains, your grocery budget will be safe and you won't have missed that great bargain.


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5 comments:

  1. Hi Cath, we just got a rain check from Coles the other day for 12 packets of vita britz they had on special for $2.39...but the rain-check expiry is only 30 days ..I'm wondering how you got 2 months.
    warm regards Sherrie from Simpleliving.

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  2. I also got one for the Lavazza coffee on special a couple of weeks ago. I go into the store this week and it's still not on the shelf. I asked the staff and they said they generally give it to you despite the expiry date if you explain that. They also said it's valid at any store which I didn't realise. Cath, do you freeze the tortillas? I bought only two packets.

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    Replies
    1. Tortillas generally have a long shelf life, there's not much in them to go off, but yes, I freeze them. They thaw quickly if you need them in a hurry, or overnight in the fridge. I stack them in a plastic box to protect them from being broken when they're frozen.

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  3. Brilliant! Such a basic idea but I never thought of it. I'm sitting on 2 rain checks for Land o lakes butter for 1.99 ea. Each rain check is for 10. Our butter has been sky high the last few months - 3.99 ea. so I don't want to miss this. Thanks for the tip.

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  4. I had the same issue at my favourite Coles but was able to get 11 packs at another local store. Who knew there would be such a run on tortillas?

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