About Food Lion

Headquartered in Salisbury, NC Food Lion approximately 1,300 supermarkets in 11 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states under the Food Lion, Harveys Supermarket, Bloom, Bottom Dollar Food, and Reid’s banners. .

What is their website and how do I find a store by me?

Website & Store Locator

Do I need a store card?

Yes, in order to take advantage of sale prices and special coupons delievered to your inbox you will need an MVP card. You can sign up in store (instant) or online– takes a few days to process.

What are FLIPS?

FLIPS - or Food Lion Internet Printables are weekly coupons delievered to your email. You must sign up for the Shopper’s Companion email to receive them.  FLIPS can not be combined with manufacturer’s coupons.

When does the sale ad run?

Sales begin on Wednesday and end on Tuesday evening at midnight.

Does Food Lion issue rainchecks?

Yes FL issue rainchecks.  They do not have limit to the amount they will write them for.

What type of coupons does Food Lion accept?

FL accepts manufacturer’s coupons, winetags, catalina’s, internet printables, hangtages and blinkies.  FL can be picky about IPs so my recommendation is to print them in color so they don’t think they are copied.

Does Food Lion double coupons?

No, unfortunately FL does not double coupons.

What’s the easiest way for a new couponer to get started?

The quickest and easiest way is to buy multiple copies of the paper every Sunday and save the inserts. Also ask friends, family members, neighbors or co-workers for extra copies.  Hit your local Starbucks, Panera Bread or wherever people like to read the Sunday paper and leave extra inserts laying around. Write the date on the outside of insert and save the entire thing. Why? Because if you clip only what you think you’ll need you’ll miss out on some great deals or freebies later on down the road.

Every Sunday paper you will generally find 2- 5 inserts (except major holidays, there are no coupons!). The main inserts every week are Red Plum (RP) and SmartSource (SS). Once to twice a month you will find a Proctor & Gamble insert (P&G) and ocassionaly a Unilever insert.

Check this site for weekly deals! Every week we will be posting the best deals for all the Charlotte area grocery stores. When you see a deal, pull out your inserts, clip the coupons you need and head to the stores!

Don’t be brand loyal - pretty much all toothpastes, deodorant, pasta, condiments, etc work the same or taste the same. A smart couponer knows to get maximum savings you buy what is free or on sale. There are very few things the Cheapskate Chicks are brand loyal to!

When there is a sale - stock up - also known as stockpiling. This is where multiple copies of inserts come in handy. If the deal is free or near free buy as much as your family can use before the item expires. It even pays to buy coupons! Our favorite sites for buying extra coupons include:

The Coupon Clippers
Ebay
The Coupon Master

Why buy coupons? Because different areas of the country get different values. This may make for a freebie or very cheap item during regular doubles or triples. For example Charlotte typically gets .40/1 Viva paper towel but other areas get a .85/1. Viva are $2.59 at HT so during triples they’d be .04 with the .85/1. Generally never pay more than 10% of the value for a coupon, EXCEPT for hot coupons like the .85/1 Viva- they might go for as much as 20 to 25% of face value. Also keep in the mind the Charlotte Observer is now $2 for a Sunday paper. Unless the paper has lots of coupons you need, it may be cheaper in the long run to buy 1-2 papers and then buy additional coupons when the sales ads come out that week.

To get the best deals every week you may have to shop more than 1 store. The Cheapskate Chicks love an excuse to go shopping so in general we shop the deals at 1-3 stores a week.

Where else can I find coupons?
Coupons are everywhere if you keep an eye out. Here are some of our favorite places to find coupons:

Internet Printables - most sites will allow 2 prints per computer
Coupons.com
Smartsource.com
Red Plum
Eat Better America
Betty Crocker
Pillsbury

Call or email manufacturer’s with a compliment - most of the time they will send coupons, you don’t even have to ask!

Inside product packages - check before you toss!

Tearpads - every time you see one of those cardboard displays in a store check it out. You may find a tearpad of coupons.

Blinkies - remember those annoying little black blinking boxes you see stuck on asile shelves? Those are referred to as blinkies. Grab a few and save them for future deals!

Hangtags - coupons you will find hanging off the neck of a product

Peelies - a coupon sticker stuck on a product. Some couponers believe it is OK to take them and use them on a future sale others believe you should only take them if you are buying that product right then and there. Do what is comfortable to you!

Catalinas - these print out at the register. People often leave them in grocery carts or toss them on the ground. Grab them!

Mambo Sprouts booklet - this is a great resource for organic coupons. The only place I have seen this booklet locally is Earthfare. They are usually laying out at the front of the store by customer service. Go in and grab a few!

Don’t blow your budget
The first few weeks people start couponing they may go overboard and try to chase every deal at every store. Our advice it to pick 1 or 2 stores, get to know the coupon lingo and their coupon policies and stock up on the good deal items and/or freebies that week plus your regular grocery shopping. This way you will slowly build a stockpile over the course of several months without blowing your budget. Remember the same deal always comes around again, sometimes better than the last time. So if you miss a deal don’t worry!

What items can I typically get for free to .50 here in Charlotte?
Between doubles everyday and triple coupons you’ll see these deals come up again and again at area grocery stores:

toothpaste
toothbrushes
dental floss
pasta/noodles
rice
boxed potatoes
instant potatoes
Duke’s Mayo
French’s yellow mustard, spicy or honey mustard
BBQ sauce
salsa
Kraft salad dressing
Daisy sour cream
single serve yogurts
microwave popcorn
hot sauce
relish/pickles
boxed side dishes
chicken broth
canned veggies
frozen veggies
shampoo & conditioner
hair spray, mousse or gel
deoderant
shave cream
panty liners
maxi pads
tampons
toilet cleaner
Windex/Glass Plus
Scrubbing Bubbles
all purpose cleaners - 409, Fantastik
sponges
paper towels
Quaker Old Fashion Oats
Eggo products
applesauce
candy bars
energy bars - Luna bars, Zone bars etc
gum
Excederin
soap - bar soap and liquid soap like SoftSoap
tuna
Muir Glen Tomatoes
Muir Glen Tomato Paste
Muir Glen Tomato Sauce
Old El Paso & Oretega refried beans, enchilada and taco sauce, taco/fajita seasoning
soup
Pillsbury cressent rolls/biscuits/cinnamon buns
brownie/cake/cookie mix
frosting
sugar
brown & confectioner’s sugar
tea bags
Smart Water/Life Water/Gatorade/Powerade
dish detergent
dish washing liquid
plastic baggies

Here are the deals this week at Lowes Foods. Don’t forget to sign up online for instasave savings that are automatically loaded onto your Lowes Foods card. These coupons are one time use unless otherwise stated and will not double. https://lowesfoods.instasave.com/login/

First page of the weekly flier has the following LF coupons good from May 27-June 2 which can be stacked with manufacturers coupons for fantastic savings:

$1.49lb for assorted pork chops all natural bone in 9count. Limit 2 w/coupon.

$1.49lb boneless frozen chicken breast or tenders House of Raeford bags 2.5lb or $3.27 each. Limit 2 with coupons.

$1.79lb Gwaltney smoked ham center slices. Limit 2 w/coupon.

$1.79 Lowes Foods sliced bacon 16 oz. Limit 4 with coupon.

$1.29 2lb yellow onions. Limit 6 with coupon.

$1.29 4lb bag russet potatoes. Limit 6 with coupon.

.79 medium white eggs Lowes Foods grade A dozen. Limit 2 with coupon.

.89 Lowes Foods American cheese singles 12oz. Limit 2 with coupon.

$1.79 Kelloggs cereal various includes frosted flakes, rice krispies, froot loops, honey smacks, corn pops, apple jacks. certain specified sizes. Limit 4 with coupon.

.79 Gatorade 32oz. Limit 4 with coupon.

.49 Carolina Pride hot dogs. all meat 12oz. Limit 6 with coupon.

3.99 Digiorno pizza selected sizes. Limit 2 with coupon

1.99 Ore-Ida potatoes selected sizes. Limit 4 with coupon.

.88 Lowes Foods vegetables selected frozen. Limit 4 with coupon.

.99 Better Valu sugar 4lb bag. Limit 2 with coupon.

2 for $5.00 Lowes Foods water 24 pk .5 liter bottles. Limit 2 with coupon.

Other deals:

$1.99lb country style pork ribs

$6.99 bag Perdue perfect portions boneless breast original or italian
.75 Perdue Perfect Portions Boneless Skinless Chicken breast any 5/17/09 RP.
$5.49 a bag

$2.50 each Carolina Pride cocktail franks
$1.50 Carolina Pride Smoked Sausage and/or Cocktail sausages any 2/22/09 SS and 4/19/09 SS
$3.50 for 2

$1.98 Lean Cuisine
$1.00/4 Any Lean Cuisine 5/3/09 SS
$6.92 for 4

$1.66 Eggo waffles selected
.75 Kellogg’s Eggo Frozen product 4/05/09 RP
Makes it .16 each

$2.00 Mrs T’s Pierogies
1.00 Mrs T’s Pierogies any 4/26/09 RPand 3/1/09 RP
$1.00 each

$1.66 Kellogg’s Pop Tarts
can’t find my exact coupon, I’m sure I used it, but I believe there is a $1.00/2 floating out there expires 5/31/09.

$2.00 Planters big nut bars
.75 Planters Big Nut Bars, Nabisco 100 pk Honey Maid Delight bars or Nabisco 100 calorie pack Chewy Granola bars, any box 4/19/09 SS
.50 each

Here are the deals this week at Bi-Lo, not that great of a week which is typical with their “Crazy 8 Sale”.  You really should be shopping the deals at Harris Teeter this week since they are tripling coupons this week anyways.

BOGOs (Buy one get one free, each rings up half price)

Vlassic Pickles .89 each
.75 any jar Vlassic pickles (no insert info available)
free plus overage if your store allows

M and M’s at checkouts .40 each
B1G1 free M&M’s 5/17/09 blinkies found at Bi-Lo
.20 each or possibly free depending upon how your store rings up bogo sales w/bogo coupons.

Carolina Pride Sausage $1.75 each
$1.50/2 Carolina Pride Smoked Sausage 4/19/09 SS
$2 for 2

Other Deals:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.88lb

Boneless Pork Loin $1.88lb

Great Fish bag of Scallops 16oz $5.00

Great Fish Tilapia frozen bag $3.33 each

Coca-Cola 2lt various products .88c each

Vidalia Onions .88lb

Green Cabbage .44lb

Peaches .99lb

Fresh Express Premium Romaine or Green & Crisp Salads .88 each

Edys Fruit Bars or Eskimos Pie Frozen treats $2.50 each
$1 Edys Frozen Bars or Dibs 4/26/09 SS
$1.50 each

Heluva Cheese $2.00 each
.50 Heluva Good! Sour Cream, Dip or Cheese 5/17/09 SS
$1.00 each

Marie Callender’s Dinner Entrees or Pot Pies $2.00 each
1.00 Marie Callender’s Al Dente Frozen Entree any
$1.00 each

Hot Pockets or Paninis $1.88
$1/2 Hot Pockets 5/17/09 SS
$2.76 for 2

Margaret Holmes Vegetables .88
.35 Margaret Holmes product 5/10/09 RP
.18 each

Kashi Go-Lean Waffles $2.33
$1.50 Vocal Point home mailer
.83 each

Mueller’s Pasta .88 each
.55/2 any Mueller’s Pasta
.66 for 2 boxes

Vitamin Water .88 each
$1 Vitamin Water 10 4/05/09 SS
.50 any Vitamin Water tearpad at convenience stores
free

Bic Soleil Bella Razors $3.88
$3 Bic Soleil Razors 5/17/09 SS
.88 each

Red Baron Pizza $2.88
$1/2 Red Baron Pizza 3/29/09 RP
$4.66 for 2

Bi-Lo Double Coupon Policy with Bonus Card

• Coupons must be presented at time of checkout with your Bonus Card
• Double Coupon redemption applies only to manufacturer issued coupons. Bi-Lo store coupons are not doubled. Free coupons are excluded.
• Only one manufacturer coupon per item.
• Like items are limited to ten (10) coupons. Remaining coupons on like items will be honored at face value.
• Manufacturers coupons will be redeemed only before the expiration.
• Items must be purchased in sizes specified per coupon.
• The Double Coupon total must not exceed price of the item.
• Double Coupons do not apply to alcohol and tobacco products.
• Void where prohibited by law.

See your local Bi-Lo for more details and maximum coupon value

*New revised policy as of June 1st 2009*

Manufacturer Coupon Policy

Lowes Foods welcomes legitimate manufacturer coupons when the following requirements are met:

Coupons must be in date.
Coupons must match the item(s) purchased.
Coupons must be presented at the time of purchase.
To ensure product availability for all customers, we limit redemption to 4 coupons for 4 of the same item. For example, if you have five coupons for a specific cereal and have purchased five of the item, we will honor the coupon for up to four of the boxes of cereal.
All sales taxes are paid by the customer at the full retail value of the item.
Coupon value cannot exceed our retail price of the item; no cash back will be awarded.

Double Coupons

We will double up to 20 manufacturer coupons with a face value of $0.99 or less every day.
No minimum purchase is required.
Manufacturer coupons for FREE items or Buy One, Get One FREE items will not be doubled.
Any manufacturer coupon that states “Do not double” will not be doubled.
A doubled coupon will not be honored if the doubled amount exceeds the retail or sale price of the coupon item. No cash back will be awarded.

Other Coupon Promotions

From time to time, our manufacturer coupon promotionswill be enhanced. For example, we may offer our customers the opportunityto triple their coupons. Special promotional opportunities will be featured in our circular or on-line.

Internet Coupons

We gladly accept legitimate internet coupons. However, there has been a growing number of fraudulent internet coupons in the marketplace. We are committed to protecting our customers, manufacturers and our company against this illegal activity. Therefore, Lowes Foods will practice the following guidelines for internet coupons:

We will only accept printable internet coupons if they scan at checkout.
We will not honor FREE Product coupons printed from the Internet.
We will accept Buy One Get One FREE and other values that have a purchase requirement.
We will accept internet coupons that have an expiration date. If no expiration date is visible, we cannot accept the coupon.
Coupons will be rejected if they are distorted, altered or obvious duplicates. Coupons are non-transferrable, meaning they should not be photocopied or scanned and distributed to others.
Coupons have unique serial numbers printed on them and follow industry-standard format. Any presented coupon that does not follow standard format will not be accepted.
Internet coupon limits are the same as manufacturer and store coupons.

If you have any questions on the standard format of internet coupons, you can verify at www.printcoupons.com.

Store Coupons

In order to redeem store coupons, a Lowes Foods rewards card must be used.
Store coupons must be in date.
All limits and purchase requirements must be followed.

Competitor’s Coupons

We gladly accept local supermarket or supercenter competitor’s circular or direct mail coupons for dollars off the entire order. (examples include Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Bi-Lo, Kroger, Super Target, Super K-Mart, Wal-mart)
We will not accept any competitor coupons for specific items. For example, we will not accept a competitor’s coupon for $1.00 off of an individual item.
Purchase requirements must be met.
Coupon must be in-date.
We will not accept any type of internet coupons from any other retailers.
We will not accept any type of competitor coupons from drug stores or club stores.
We will accept Catalina Check-out Manufacturer coupons from competitors as long as they are in date, all purchase requirements are met, and they scan.

• Do you have a Lowes Foods store in my area?
  Click on our Store LocatorWhat is Scan Right Guarantee?
  If any item scans for a higher price different than the shelf tag, you receive one of that item FREE excluding beer and wine.What is 200% Freshness Guarantee?
  We are passionate about the quality and freshness of the products we sell. We show respect for the foods we offer by handling them with proper sanitation and safety techniques. All the food we sell is backed by the Lowes Foods 200% Freshness Guarantee: It’s always fresh or we replace the item AND refund your money. Why doesn’t Lowes Foods have the same products in all stores?
  Our stores are not all the same size, so some stores are able to carry more products than others. We have also found that shoppers in different areas have different needs and wants. Our ads reflect those differences and are designed to accommodate the preferences of our customers.

  How do I request that my Lowes Foods location carry a new product?
  You can speak to any member of management at the store or call our customer care center at 1.888.537.8646.

  Why is one of my favorite items no longer available at my store?
  We do all we can to accommodate our customer’s product needs. However we are limited by store shelf space and product availability. Our stores are limited to approximately 35,000 items. With more than hundreds of thousands of items available to grocery stores, it is a difficult task to find the right mix.

  If an item you have purchased is no longer on the shelf, the reason may be due to slow movement, discontinuation by the manufacture, temporary out of stock or moved to another area of the store. Whatever the reason, ask a member of our store team and they will assist you. Often a similar product is available and once tried, becomes a new favorite for our customers.

  What if an advertised item is not in stock when I shop?
  We make every effort to ensure all products are in stock at all times. Periodically, sale items will be out of stock during your shopping trip. If that is ever the case, ask a member of our customer service staff for a rain check. We will honor the sale price the next time you are in the store. An exception to this is any alcohol item. Altering the price of alcoholic beverages from the price that is established on the day it is sold is an ALE violation.

  Lowes Rewards

  What is Lowes Rewards?
  Lowes Rewards is the most valuable loyalty grocery program in our marketplace. Sign up is easy. You can enroll online or at any Lowes Foods location. You will begin earning valuable greenpoints upon enrollment. For every qualifying $1 you spend at Lowes Foods, you will receive 10 greenpoints. Greenpoints can be spent in our stores for free product every day. In addition to earning greenpoints you are automatically enrolled to receive special offers and incentives.What can I buy with my greenpoints at Lowes Foods?
  You can purchase many products for free by spending your points at Lowes Foods. We have a customer-friendly Rewards Page that is updated quarterly to offer you many choices.What do I do if I lose my Lowes Rewards card?
  You can either contact our Customer Care Center at 1.888.537.8646 or visit any Lowes Foods store. A new card will be issued and your account will be merged.How do I know how many greenpoints I have in my account?
  Each time you shop with Lowes Foods, your register receipt will outline all point activity and reflect your most current balance or you can visit www.greenpoints.com. If you prefer to speak to someone directly, call 1.800.435.5674.How do I donate greenpoints to a local charity?
  Log on to www.greenpoints.com, click on redeem greenpoints, give greenpoints. Then just transfer the number of points you would like to donate to your favorite charity.

  Does Lowes Foods reward customers for reusing bags?
  We reward our customers with 50 Greenpoints for every bag they bring into our stores that is used to bag their current grocery purchase. This includes Lowes Foods paper bags, Lowes Foods plastic bags and canvas bags. This is one way we show our commitment to improving the environment and involving our customers in every community to partner with us. We do not issue Greenpoints for paper or plastic bags from other retailers

Started getting those coupons organized! A hot deal will appear soon, so stay tuned.