Rainchecks

What is a rain check?
A rain check is a certificate that will allow you to purchase the item advertised at a later date for the sale price! In other words, it extends the sale for that particular item until the store restocks and you can purchase the item.

Ask for a substitution
If a store is out of stock of an advertised item, you would be surprised to learn that often if you ask, they will give you the advertised price on a different superior item! This happened last week when my local grocery store had Lysol Wipes on sale for $1.50. I had coupons for $1 off two Lysol wipes which would have made them $1 each if I had purchased two of them. They were out of stock, so I asked a manager if he would substitute Clorox wipes instead. He said, "Absolutely." This deal became even better because I had coupons for $1 off one Clorox wipe which made them only $.50 each!! By simply asking for a substitution and being prepared with my coupons, I was able to save even more money.

Obtaining a Rain Check
Generally rain checks are obtained at the customer service desk. Bring the ad to the desk with you and ask for a raincheck there. Different stores issue rain checks differently. Some put them on receipt paper while others hand write them on store cards. Often times if you ask the representative at the desk for a rain check, they will call to the back of the store to check and see if they have any more of the product in stock. Also, double check your rain checks once they are issued. Even the most experienced store employees will get confused from time to time. A good habit to get into is to cut out and staple the advertised price from the ad to the rain check so there are no questions later.