This is a guest post from Ashley at My Confessions As A First Time Mom:
Like pretty much any mom out there I’m always looking for ways to save money wherever I can. I clip coupons, bargain shop, and enjoy signing up online for free samples. Who doesn’t love going to the mailbox and finding a miniature cereal sample in there! It’s a thrill right? Ok well maybe I’m just that much of a dork. Anyhow- One of my favorite ways to save money (and in this economy, save a little gas too!) is to take full advantage of Walmart’s price matching policy.
I love it. It’s far more flexible and customer friendly than any other store’s policy I’ve seen thus far. I’ll admit I was skeptical at first. After all what bargain shopping mama hasn’t grown attached to the weekend scramble to seven different stores? It’s even more fun if you have a few toddlers in tow. Ten extra points for those of you who have “Two Under Two.” After a few trips of weekend scramble I had had enough. I wanted a better way. I started to research price matching policies. After reading through several I quickly realized Walmart’s policy is the best. Why you ask? One simple reason- Walmart will match the prices associated with advertised club member cards/preferred shopper cards. This is gold!
My first week I did the scramble one last time. I went around and signed up for any preferred shopper program I could find in town. This was an essential step in saving the most money I could through price matching. The 2nd week I gathered up my precious Sunday paper and sat down to work. I circled the products I wanted to buy making sure to choose the lowest price in town. (Walmart will only match prices within your local market) I took extra care to remember Walmart will not match BOGO products, Buy one item get a different item free, or percentage off sales. They also don’t honor double or triple coupon ads, or any ad that is misprinted. (So, no $1 box of diapers ok?) After about 45 minutes I had my circled sales set and off to Walmart I went.
My first trip I felt sort of silly walking around with what felt like a million flyers in my hand. Hmmm… Was Easy Mac cheaper at store A or store B? Hang on, let me look. But I eventually got into a groove. I knew where things were, and I was organized. I knew which products were on sale and which ones I had coupons for. I made it to the register! I let the cashier know that I had some price matching items and she knew exactly what to do. I showed her my flyers and the respective items and watched my grocery total decrease. It’s such a good feeling. After coupons and price matching I saved a total of $35 dollars on my first week. I save even more now that I am in the groove of it. It’s such a powerful tool in saving on a grocery bill.
The best part of price matching has to be the extra time I have to do other things. I don’t have to run around town anymore. I can also pick up anything else I need because Walmart is awesome like that. I save some gas, and I can usually convice my hubby to watch the baby because he knows I’m only going to one store. Sometimes I like to pretend it took longer than it did so I can stop and get a coffee on the way home. We’ll let that one be our little secret though!
In short, Walmart’s Price Matching is a great idea. If you haven’t tried it out yet I highly recommend it. Try it for a week, see how much you save. My guess would be you’ll be back to do it again.
Thanks Ashley! This is really great information! I love how you encourage moms that they can “get in a groove.” I’ve recently started price matching and I am trying to learn all the rules. I recently found out that if the brand name is not specified on an ad, this is a good thing. Just go get that exact size item in a brand available at WalMart and they will match the price. Are you challenged to try price matching at WalMart? If you already do, how much do you save each week on groceries?
30 Jun 09
Thank you so much for the chance to do this guest post. It was tons of fun. Let me know if you need another guest poster any time!
30 Jun 09
Great post!! Thanks for sharing! =)
30 Jun 09
It is so nice that you have such a cooperative Walmart
I think my Walmart would fall to the ground if I tried something like this. Most of the associates in my store don’t even know their own coupon policy 
30 Jun 09
I’ve had limited luck with price matching at my Walmart. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Same thing with the coupon policy. A lot seems to depend upon the cashier and, if needed, the manager. I’ve regularly had to point out that even though the picture on a coupon shows two items the word “any” in the wording means that I really can use the coupon for the item I bought. The policy on whether internet coupons can be used seems to change weekly as well.
Overall, most of the time, I still shop at multiple stores, especially since the grocery stores near me double and triple coupons every day.
For electronics, DVDs and such, I tend to price match things at Best Buy (if I can’t get them cheaper online or can’t wait for shipping). With the exception of Black Friday/Thanksgiving weekend sales, I’ve never had a problem price matching there. And with their rewards program, I get a little something back as well. It’s not much, but it’s something.
30 Jun 09
What about meat sales? I have done some price matching but always been hesitant to try the big meat sales on the front of the grocery ads.
Anyone had any luck with this?
30 Jun 09
What do you mean by: “One simple reason- Walmart will match the prices associated with advertised club member cards/preferred shopper cards.”
I’m not sure I know what your talking about…Do I need to sign up for something to get price matches?
30 Jun 09
Hi Becky! Thanks for asking your question!
I think Ashley means that they will honor the special prices the other stores promote that say “with club card.” (I think she’s also putting a little emphasis on the fact that at WalMart, you don’t need any type of card to get them to price match those deals.)
30 Jun 09
Ashley, thanks for your great piece on spreading the word on price matching! It’s so easy and saves so much time running store to store.
I’m a frequent price-matcher at my local Wal-Mart and only one time, I’ve run into a very unhelpful store associate who wasn’t familiar with their own coupon policy. (I wanted to use a printed manu. online coupon) I left the store with such frustration that I immediately went home, printed a copy of their store coupon policy from their very own website and now carry the print out in my coupon organizer. As of yet, I’ve not had to resort to pulling it from my stash, but it’s nice to have the reinforcement handy. Sure would have been handy the day I really needed it!
30 Jun 09
Thank you so much for this post. I have never really looked into what price matching was. I always have kids in tow and prefer to shop at one store!
Thanks.
30 Jun 09
This is awesome! I really don’t like to shop at most Walmart stores, but sometimes it’s a necessity. It’s good to know that on those weeks when I have to go there, I can make it my only stop!
01 Jul 09
i price match as much as i can too…and it does save!! the only other thing i have run into that i didn’t see listed, was that they don’t match prices that have an asterick by them…. the asterick in the ad usually means, that the price is that low because of getting one free, or something like that… so walmart won’t honor those prices either. but otherwise, it will save you money!
02 Jul 09
My Walmart has told me that they will not honor other competitors ads if the sale is for an item that is marked “10 for $10″ (simple math clearly $1 for 1 item) even if I get 10 of that item.
In all the price matching I have found other stores to have better deals since they will double coupons and then that makes it a better (or even free) deal. Where coupons at WalMart are face value (no doubling).
07 Jul 09
My WalMart will price match $10 for $10 or 4 for $5 deals.
If you ever get a cashier who does not know the policy well, you can always politely ask her to check with a manager for you.
19 Jul 09
Here are 2 more “secret” Walmart policies.
1. $3 off or free. If the shelf price is less than the ringup price at checkout, then you get $3 off the price, or if the price is less than $3 you get the item free. They hate to give this to you because the store and dept. mgr are evaluated in part by the accuracy of the ringup prices. But if you ask for the district mgr tel #, they will just give you the item, rather than give you the number.
2. 200% guarantee. If the produce is spoiled, you get double your money back. This also applies to deli items.
25 Aug 09
The other day, I was at Walmart with my ad in hand for my price match…
Guess what?? They told me I was not within the 20 mile radius of the competetors pricing for them to honor the price match.
Can you believe that????
19 Oct 09
Anytime you have an issue that needs to be taken up with the store manager, you can find their manager information posted at the Service/Customer Desk area. And if it is not there, you need to insist on having it provided in writing. Nothing works better than the written complaint that is also courtesy copied to the home office in good ol Arkanas.
11 Dec 10
I have a question, will Walmart price match a Kroger product. I found a Kroger sugar product that costs $1.99 at Fry’s and the same size package of sugar at Walmart but Walmart’s brand is $2.44. Will Walmart price match it or not?
22 Jan 11
Thanks!
27 May 11
WalMart DOES honor BOGO…
This is the Corporate policy for Price Matches:
http://walmartstores.com/10563.aspx
Hope this helps everyone.
15 Jun 11
If you have a complaint about WalMart, please go to their online website http://www.walmart.com . I am sorry I am not able to help you with any complaints, I get tickled at how many people write me!