Rainbow Foods~
- Double 5 Coupons on Wednesday only
- Coupons that start with a 5 will double
- Must have $25 Retail ~watch coupons to double. If they don’t double, add on a Rainbow gift card
- NO expireds
- Can use store and manufacture coupon together
- Can usually ROLL catalina deals
- Sign up for gas card promo for BP gas
- Rainchecks expire in 2 weeks
- .05 credit for each of your own bag used
Rainbow Foods coupon policy HERE
Rainbow Foods is part of the Roundy Store system. Copps and Pick N Save tend to have the same items advertised. Copps ads go on a Thursday to Wednesday ad week, while Rainbow Foods and Pick N Save follow the Sunday to Saturday ads week. When talking about Roundy’s, I will just be using Rainbow Foods.
Rainbow Foods will double coupons right now on Wednesday, but there are a few rules that you have to follow.
Roundy’s Card
You will want to sign up for a Roundy’s Card (free) as there are a couple of benefits to having it. There are going to be many times that in order to do a deal, the ad will say that you can get the deal only if you use your Roundy’s card.
Another benefit is having your purchases go towards getting money off each gallon of gas. For each $50 you spend (sale / regular price), you get .05 off a gallon at participating BP gas stations. The .05 off a gallon is cumulative. Once you earn .05, that .05 will expire in 3 months.
It will tell you at the bottom of your receipt how much you have earned, how much money towards your next reward, and if you have any discounts that are going to expire in the month. My last trip I earned .20, but it also told me I had .10 that was expiring this month. I had .40 off a gallon for the month, but I never made it to the gas station for the month, so I am down to .30 off a gallon. You can’t go to the gas station and say you want to use only that .10 off. It is all or none.
You can get up to 20 gallons by using your discount on the gas. You are unable to have any of it carried over. So if I filled up with only 15 gallons of gas and use my .30 off discount, I lose the other 5 gallons at .30 off. I tend to have my daughter come with me and we fill up with 20 gallons between the two cars.
I have earned $2.20 off a gallon and with the max fill of 20 gallons or $44 off my bill! Just make sure you bring your card with you so they get the numbers off the back.
Double Days
On Wednesday or Saturday if your total is $25 or more before coupons, you will be able to double 5 of your coupons up to $1.00 Value. The 5 coupons will double like the following:
.25 will double to .50
.50 will double to $1.00
.75 will double to $1.50
$1.00 will double to $2.00
You will see it this way on your receipt:
.25
.25 double
.50
.50 double
If you have any other coupons above the 5, the registers will deduct just the face value of the coupon.
Of course there will always be a few exceptions to the rule above. If your products regular price is $1.25 and you have a .75/1 coupon, it won’t doubled to $1.50. It will take off .75 and then .50 will be the double amount.
Though, there is an exception to the rule to the above. If the products regular price is $1.50 and is on sale for $1.00 and you want to double the .75/1 coupon, it will double like this: .75 off and then it will take off another .75. Why the difference? The coupons will double up to the regular price of the item resulting in overage.
You will always want to give your cashier the higher valued coupons on top of the pile of coupons.
Breaking Up Orders
The best way to maximize this is by breaking up your orders into $25 amounts or getting your totals as close to $25 as possible.
Don’t be afraid to do a couple of orders at the same time when you check out. Do NOT go up to the register and hand things to the cashier until your total is $25. The cashiers and customers behind you want transactions to go quick and this is not a quick way.
When you go to the store, be sure to have a calculator with you and then keep a running total of your order. I also have on hand post it notes, paper clips and a pen.
I put one order on one side and the other order on the other side of the cart with a “path” in the middle. I have a friend who separates their orders by using the black plastic baskets and putting them in her cart.
As you add items to your cart, you put the price on the post it note and then of course you have the calculator to add it up. Paperclip your coupons together and place them on the side as you add items to your cart.
I don’t have a 100% laid out plan before I go to the store as many times there are items that are out of stock and then I am scrambling to think of another way to do it. So I go in with the list of items that I have coupons for and start to put items into my cart.
This doesn’t mean you can’t have a list. You should go into the store with an idea of what you are going to buy to make your $25. If you want 10 cereals at $2.50, 4 pizzas at $5, and Frozen rolls ($2.50), you are going to want to split it like this:
2 pizzas @ $5 (reg price $6.99)= $10
5 cereals @ $2.50 (reg price $3.29) = $12.50
1 Frozen rolls $2.50
= $25.00
-$4 (2 $1/1 pizza coupons)
-$4 (2 $1/2 cereal coupons)
-$2 (1 $1/1 Frozen Rolls)
= $15 out of pocket (You saved $10 in coupons)
*Many of you have found out that even if your total isn’t $25 before coupons that your coupons doubled. Rainbow Foods registers are set up to accept the retail as the threshold of the $25 in order to double the coupons. It will be up to your store if they fully enforce the $25 before coupons or not.
Internet Coupon
There are a few rules that you will have to know when using internet coupons at Rainbow Foods. Your coupons can be in black / white or color. They will NOT take printable Buy One Get One Free coupons or completely Free coupons. There are mixed reviews on if your store will take higher valued printable coupons. There is no rhyme or reason to if they will take them or not.
I have never heard them not taking a coupon that is from the newspaper. It can be free, BOGO, or money off coupon.
They will also not take a coupon on an item that is free according to their policy. For example… if noodles are on sale for BOGO, you can only use a coupon on the first one. If you have a $1.00/2 coupon for the item, it will go through.
DND Coupons
Rainbow Foods use to double any coupon even if it stated DND (do not double) as long as the register did it on its own. There are still a few Rainbow Foods stores that will still double these coupons…lucky you.
Most stores will NOT doubled DND coupons even though the registers will still double it if it is scanned.
To know if a coupon will double or not (if your store allows any coupon to double), look for a “5” at the beginning of the upc code at the bottom. If it is a “9”, it will NOT double.
Catalina Deals
Rainbow has just started to use a new phrase in their catalina deals that state that the deal has to be at or above AFTER coupons in order to get the catalina to work. There have been reports that it does work after coupons (total is below the amount stated) and others say that it has to be after coupons for the total. So I will always state in my match ups if the total has to be after coupons. It really screws up making the deal better because of the fact that you have to buy more and many times they won’t have the product in stock.
Catalina’s also can usually “roll”. This means that if you want to do the deal more than once and use the catalina to pay for the next one, you can.
Cub Foods or Walgreens Catalinas/ Register Rewards
You are more than likely wondering why I am putting this in Rainbow 101. I wanted to alert you that at many Rainbow Foods, you can use these (not expired). If you are unsure, ask at your customer service counter first.
Rain Checks
Rainbow Foods rainchecks last only 2 weeks. If the product isn’t in yet, go to the customer service counter to see if they can extend it.
Bag Credit
Bring in your own bags and get .05 for each bag that you use! A great way to save a little bit more money on your bill. It all adds up.
What did I forget? Questions?
Great article! Thanks! Just one thing, though. The Copp’s ads in the Green Bay, WI area run from Sunday to Saturday. They used to run from Thursday to Wednesday, but that was quite awhile ago.
Hmmm…I am wondering if there are other Copps that run the other way. Thanks Candi.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for the info! I live in the Milwaukee area and shop at Pick N Save and our ads run Thursday-Wednesday, although up in the Appleton area (about two hours away) they run Sunday-Saturday.
I started collecting box tops for education about a year ago, and whenever Pick N Save has their bonus box top promo I will have them check me out several times and earn up to 1000 Bonus Box Tops in a single week. I always go on Double Coupon Days and save a ton of money too!
My son has collected 8000 box tops in less than a year, and I saved so much money!
Lisa
Way to go Lisa! 8,000 BTFE is $800 for your son’s school! I’m sure your son’s school loves you shopping on those weeks.
Candi,
You are from Green Bay WI? I am from Appleton. Are you good at couponing? I could use a little extra help..lol
Sarah…please ask any questions and we will all help you.
Thanks for all the info. I have always been worried about seperating my orders. I was thinking maybe they tracked the 5 doubles on your card so if you used your card twice on Wednesday it wouldnt take another 5 Q to double. But from your great article I am assuming that you can do it as many time as you want. Is that right? Love your blog.
Tate..actually, they do track how many times you use your card. You are cut off at 7 transactions.
Very informative! I appreciate your explanation on how to use the coupons as I have had some issues in the past. Great job on your new website too.
I noticed as of a few weeks ago that if the current ad wasn’t my ad you directed us to it. Are they (Pick n Save) the same ads at all stores now?
Julie…your ad is a week behind my ad. You look at the ad that is a week before what I posted.
Do the Rainbow Foods in the Twin Cities/ Metro Area still double on Saturdays? I remember reading that they were going to discontinue the Saturday doubles, but not sure if they extended it again.
Thanks.
Yes, they extended it again.
Thanks.
I had 7 separate transactions and the Roundy’s card would not be accepted after 5 transactions. Bummer because I use the gas discounts.
Barb…I think the registers are programmed differently at the stores. I was able to get 7 on one card the last time, but only 6 the week before. I have no idea…maybe it is a register’s mood for the day. LOL
I still don’t understand what catalina deals are. You stated above, “Rainbow has just started to use a new phrase in their catalina deals that state that the deal has to be at or above AFTER coupons in order to get the catalina to work.” What do you mean ‘the deal has to be at or above AFTER coupons’? I just don’t think I’m getting your phrasing.
Mary,
Sorry about that…let me explain. Rainbow or Cub has a catalina deal stating that if you buy $20 worth of P&G items, that you will get a $5 catalina (coupon at the register good on your next purchase). They have now started to put in their ad that you can only get the deal that is being offered (catalina) if you spend $20 after coupons.
Example: Buy 10 items at $2 each = $20 and you would get the $5 at the register
Buy $10 items at $2 each = $20 ,but you use 5 $1 coupons bringing your total to $15 = NO $5 catalina given because your cost of the product fell below the $20.
(I’m a newbie… FYI!)
I read the fine print at the bottom of this weeks rainbow ad, and it says in order to double 5 coupons total has to be 25$ AFTER coupons and B4 taxes. Does this differ from what I read here or am I not getting it? LOL!
Stephanie…the stores registers will double on the retail value of the items. Many of the stores just take your coupons and scan them. Though there are a few that are pretty strict about seeing $25 on the screen before they take your coupons to double.
Hey Karen, its krystal from rainbow. lol You are a great person and are awesome of putting all of this together!
Hopefully I’ll see you again soon.
Hi Krystal…thank you and your are welcome!
Let me see if I got it right:
For Double Day coupons
$25 retail value
5 coupons double
can add additional coupons but they will not double
How/who decides which 5 double?
Kristen… you have it right. You decide which ones double by putting the coupons with the highest value first. Though if they say DND, the cashiers will more than likely not double them. Remember only $1 and under coupons will double.
Plus on Saturday, you can double 10 coupons!
how do these people on extreme coupoming get 40 pastas free, free sauces. soda free, toothbruches free etc.in such a big amount purchased, it seems to me when i shop at pick and save they let me do one item per visit i have never done this before but with my fridge bare and the tooth past sample i have running out i am very intrested please help
Cheri…at their stores they don’t have limits. When I did the Kare11 piece I had to do 16 or 17 transactions in order for my coupons to double at Rainbow Foods (same as PNS).
You should be able to do one order and then bring it out to your car and come back in and do another one.
Plus, they got what was on sale at the time and you have to be in the right store at the right week to get the deals.
Just clarifying something you told her. Can I do two separate transactions so I can use 5 coupons on each that double or do I go outside and come back in for the second one like you mentioned above to Cheri.
Question…for coupons that you have that are over $1 – will those never double? or how do they handle those are they just good for the value of the coupon? It would be nice if they would at least add $1 on as this is the maximum you can get added on for a coupon that doubles. So, if you have a $2 off coupon, it would be nice if on double day it was worth $3.
I have only done 1 “extreme coupon” trip to the grocery store, I was thrilled when I saved $85!!!!
Only coupons $1 and under will double. The ones that are over $1.00 are just at face value.
Hi! So…Rainbows will accept a manufacture coupon along with their store coupon together….can I still use it on weds. and sats. and get it doubled and use rainbows coupon to get more savings?
Yes! Rainbow will double the manufacture coupon, but not a store coupon. I just gr this deal on a Saturday:
Hotdogs were on sale for 2 packages for $3. I used a $1/2 manufactures coupon which doubled. Then I used two .50 cents off store coupons (can’t double).
$3 (sale price for 2 packs) – $2 (doubled coupon) – $1 for store coupons = 2 packs of free hotdogs.
I’m preparing my lists for Wednesday at Pick N Save in Oshkosh-Koeller St. Last week I ran into an issue. EVERY other week I scan items until they reach the $25 minimum, then apply my coupons, then my roundys card. Last week however my coupons didn’t double and the not so friendly female store manager told me that I have to scan my roundys card, then my items, then my coupons in order for them to double. Luckily I was buying candy and soda for my employer so I had fillers so I could still complete my 5 orders, but it was a huge confusion to me. I just read your ’101′ about the store again, and I can’t find the answer. Can you clarify which way is correct?
Jennifer…I haven’t ever heard of something like that. Your coupons should be doubling with or without the card. There are times where I hand my card first before the cashier rings up anything and it works. Other times I have put in my card at the very end and my coupons have already doubled.
It doesn’t make any sense why your coupons didn’t double. It was the machines problem as I have had that happen to me while filming for Kare11. No one had a clue of why, so we just redid the order in the same way and the coupons doubled.
Thanks for the info. I will find out how it goes tonight and let you know
Sometimes when I do multiple transactions I forget to scan my card at the register, the PNS registers will not double the coupons until the card is entered. It must be how they’re set-up.
Savage Rainbow would not accept my Register Rewards.
I’m sorry. Each store can make up their own rules.
Hi Karen! This page has been wonderfully helpful. I just have a small question. When does the store look at the $25 retail purchase? Is it before or after the Roundy’s Card, because that would make a big difference with sale prices, clearance, etc?
The computers look at the retail price of $25 to double coupons. Each store can say that it has to say $25 on the register before they will double your coupons.
I have 2 stores that are less than 5 miles from my home, at the Copps store the register has to say $25 before any coupons are doubled. If you use store coupons, the total still has to be $25 before double coupons. I hope that makes sense. On the other side of town, PNS has an anything goes policy as long as it’s legal. Can you guess where I shop?
Thanks for the information. I live in West Bend, WI and I have been able to use My Walgreens Catalinas at our Pick N Save. Recently I have noticed the Wags Catalinas are now worded differently saying Redeemable Only at Walgreens. They used to Say Redeemable at Walgreens….Have you heard anything if they are taking those?
Just curious.. thanks
They have been taking all of mine.
This is indeed a ROCKSTAR explenation Thanki YOu!! BTW
Considering 3 of the items were big ticket meat items 1family pack of brats @7.99 (12 in a pk) and 2pks johnsonville chkn sausage 2@7.00 I kicked coupon A$$!
I Spent $35.11 @ rainbow on 34 items..I saved $44.36 I got 17 monopoly cards (I’m gonna win something
Will Rainbow accept a manufactures coupon from another grocery stores ad such as Festival or Cub? Here is an example of this week’s coupons. http://celebrate.festivalfoods.net/images/ff/2011-08-03/coupons.pdf
Many of them will accept other manufacturer coupons from other stores ads, though there are a select few that still say no.
Karen, what do you mean coupons that start with a five will double?
Any coupon that starts with a 5 at the beginning of a UPC will double whether it says DND on it or not. The register does it automatically and it will be up to the cashier to not double it.
So what if you have a coupon that doesn’t have DND and doesn’t have a five at the beginning of the UPC? Can you use those? Thanks your my hero!
If the very first number of the UPC starts with a 9, then it won’t double. If there aren’t any numbers, then this is a new venture. We have no idea what the first number is. Though most coupons will double.
Hello,
I am reading through this article & am confused about the “if it does not double , use a gift card” can you explain that to me please ??
Thank you so much for your help!
Veronica…if you thought your total should be above $25 and handed over the coupons and they don’t double…grab a gift card and put $5 or $10 on it. Your coupons should double then with your total being $25 or more.
How do you know what will go on sale to double or double double that week? Is there a site to tell me?
The only way I know if there is double double is when someone tells me that I trust. There is no site that will tell you what is going to be on sale the next week.
Oh wow thank you so much for all this information. I’ve been teaching myself how to do this for the past couple months and you just answered all of my questions that I couldn’t figure out on my own! Wish I had found this earlier…
Glad to help!
So if you have 10 of the same items, can you use 10 identical coupons for that item and have them doubled for Double dazed as well as use 4 other different coupons and have them doubled as well?
If you are buying 10 items that are all the same and you have 10 coupons to match those items, you can only double 5 of them. That is their limit. It doesn’t matter if they are the same coupon or all different coupons. They will only double 5 coupons.
My mother-in-law past away a few years ago and while we were cleaning out her house I came acrossed a large box with coupons that have no expiration date, can these be used even if they are very old? Some of these coupons the product don’t even look the same as they did in the past.
Yes, as long as there are no exp dates, you can still use these coupons. The cashiers may look at you funny when you try to use them. LOL
I have manufacturer coupon that came in the mail so it is not a internet coupon and it is for a free product with no purchase require. Does Rainbow accept these coupons?
Yes, they do.
How do you fill up two cars at BP to maximize your 20 gallon limit?
When I have filled up two cars in the past, I just let the cashier know before I move the car so they don’t think I am trying to steal. Then my husband pulls in behind me on the same pump.