The Value of a Raincheck

I've got two things to say:

1. ALWAYS ask for a raincheck if the item you want is not in stock.
2. NEVER throw away a raincheck.

That being said, let's take a look at the following scenario:

In January 2013 there was a sale on Clean & Clear Facial Wash. If you bought three at the sale price ($4.79), you'd receive $10.00 ExtraBucks. We were living in Hudson at the time (that's how far back this goes!), and my local CVS was out of the product. So I asked for a raincheck. That raincheck has been sitting in my accordion fold coupon holder for nearly a year and a half. 

But it emerged today!

I realized this afternoon that I had a $2.00 ExtraBucks that was about to expire. Though I didn't have a concrete plan before going to the store (which totally breaks my number one rule), I had been meaning to cash in on that Clean & Clear raincheck because I had recently printed out two coupons for $1.00/1 any Clean & Clear product. 

When I got into the store, I went straight for the Magic Coupon Machine. Out spit a dozen or so coupons, but one struck me: $4.00 off a $15.00 purchase of facial cleanser, moisturizer or acne product. Hmmm...

I wander over to the facial cleanser aisle and THERE! Bottles of BONUS Clean & Clear facial cleansers (each cleanser comes with a bonus moisturizer). I snagged three (one even had a $1.00/1 coupon stuck to it, so look for peelies!) and went for the register. I handed the cashier my raincheck which brought the product price from $7.29 to $4.79 each (a $2.50 savings). I then had him scan my three $1.00/1 coupons and asked if I could also use the $4.00/$15.00 store coupon. While my product didn't add up to $15.00 or more (it was at $14.37), it still went through! Combine that with my $2.00 ExtraBucks, and my total came to only $5.37 (a $21.87 value). PLUS, I got $10.00 ExtraBucks making this a $4.63 MONEY MAKER!

So. Don't ever throw out a raincheck. Better yet - don't forget to ask for a raincheck if the product you're looking for is out of stock. It may take a few extra minutes, but it's worth it. And in my case, it helped me snag an even better deal over a year later!