Have you ever been in the checkout line and the person in front of you whips out a coupon and you think to yourself, “Now why the heck didn’t I think of that?” Fortunately I found a bunch of stores that will almost always have a coupon behind the counter if you simply ask. Here’s what I discovered along with what you need to know about each retailer to ensure you ALWAYS get a discount.

Michaels

Almost every time my wife shops at Michaels she does it with a coupon in her purse.

Typically good for 40% or 50% off any 1 item and occasionally good for 25% off your entire purchase.

On the rare occasion that she forgets to bring in a coupon, or doesn’t have one on her smartphone, she’ll politely ask the checkout clerk if they might have a coupon she can use.

I’d say 90% of the time they’ll open a drawer under the register and pull out a coupon and scan it. Bravo Michaels.

I know you have many loyal customers because you’re willing to do this for them.

See Also: Michaels Teacher Discount: A Really EASY Way to Save 15%

Joann Fabrics

Similar to Michaels, the craft and fabric store Joann is known for their great coupon offers.

If you don’t use a coupon at Joann’s you are clearly paying way too much.

If you forget to bring in a coupon be sure to ask any employee for one as they tend to hand them out freely.

Also, if you see one of their sales flyers laying around, and you will, just open them up and they almost always have coupons in the back.

Expect to find coupons good for 40% or 50% off any 1 regular-priced item and sometimes ever better.

Old Navy

I have witnessed it first-hand at Old Navy.

A shopper walks up to the checkout person with an armload of cargo shorts, signature polos and colorful tanks, plops them down, wipes the sweat from their brow, and asks the employee if there is a coupon available they can use.

Seriously, I’ve seen it happen. At this point the dealio usually ends with an employee pulling out a coupon from behind the counter to scan.

From conducting my own research with some of my savvy shopping friends, success with this method varies by store and employee but it is always worth a shot.

If you are shopping coupon-less at Old Navy you should give it a try or at the very least pull up the Old Navy Facebook page on your phone and check for a coupon.

They are constantly updating it with in-store offers.

See Also: 13 Old Navy Hacks That’ll Blow Your Mind & Help You Save

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Just a couple months ago I was in Dick’s Sporting Goods and was blown away with the great “coupon” customer service I received.

I’m fumbling through my pocket looking for my phone, I finally get it out, and am pulling up the app when the gal behind the counter says, “What was the coupon good for?” I tell her it’s a $5 off $25 or more coupon, and she says, “Oh, I can do better than that!”

At this point she reaches down and whips out a $10 off coupon and says we can use this.

As a coupon nerd I darn near jumped the counter and kissed her. Luckily I contained myself and choose to just thank her incessantly.

Moral of the story: Always shop with squirrely kids as store employees will feel sorry for you and give you great coupons.

But more importantly, when shopping at Dick’s Sporting Goods without a coupon, always ask the checkout employee if they have some coupon goodness up their sleeve.

I think you might be happily surprised with the result.

Kohl’s

Kohl’s is known for their great coupons, both online and in-store.

But what happens if you’re shopping in their store and you forget to bring in your Kohl’s coupon? You actually have a couple options.

The first is to look on your smartphone.

If the coupon was delivered to you via email and you can access your email via your phone then just bring it up and the cashier can simply scan your phone.

Your second option is to politely ask the cashier if they have any scratch-off coupons behind the counter that you might be able to take advantage of seeing that you left yours at home.

I think you’ll be amazed by how often this strategy will work as Kohl’s really does a great job helping consumers “get a deal”.

See Also: 6 Kohl’s Shopping Secrets That’ll Save You BIG Bucks

JCPenney

After the the big JCPenney coupon debacle years ago, when they decided they would stop using coupons and instead have an everyday low price which turned out to not be very low, the chain is trying to make a comeback.

Part of the JCPenney comeback is the reintroduction of coupons.

But what happens if you enter the store sans coupons?

Fear not my loyal JCP shopper, you can still save some money and it’s as simple as finding a weekly flyer as they almost always have a money saving coupon within.

Just look for them as you enter the store as well as near the checkout registers.

If you can’t spot a flyer, just politely ask an employee and 9 times out 10 they’ll hook you up.

Ask the Reader: What retailers do you always shop at with a coupon in hand? What happens if you forget your coupon, do you A) pay full price, B) run out of the store cussing at yourself for forgetting your coupon, or C) get creative and figure out how to save some money anyways.

By Kyle James

Photo Credit to Carol Pyles.

Have you seen the size of the burritos at Chipotle Grill? I’ve seen Kermit the Frog sitting on smaller logs.

Here is how my last trip to Chipotle went…(cue harp music) “Excuse me sir,” (shaking my shoulder) “We need this booth, I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave.“I abruptly wake up from my burrito induced comma, sit up from the booth I was laying in, wipe my face, and take what I have left of my pride out the door.

As you can probably determine, I am a huge fan of Chipotle Grill. Any place that allows you to get a healthy meal with generous servings for $10-$14 is A-OK in my book.

But today I have some tips to really maximize your value at Chipotle’s and get the most food for your buck. If you’re like me and have a serious appetite, you’ll want to pay really close attention.

1. Be a Half and Halfer

My favorite Chipotle tip to get a burrito the size of your head is to simply ask for “half and half” of something.

It could be half chicken, half steak. Half pinto beans, half black beans. Or half brown rice, half white rice.

Why you ask? Well, in my experience when you ask for “half and half” the server tends to be generous on measuring a half serving and you end up with a burrito that can feed a family of four or one starving college student.

See Also: 4 Chipotle Menu Hacks: Score a 86% Bigger Burrito for Free

2. Go for the Burrito Bowl, Baby

Another way to maximize your value at Chipotle is to have the Burrito Bowl be your go-to order.

Load up your bowl with all your favorite toppings, ask for half and half of stuff, ask for a little extra of stuff (see the tip below) and before you know it your bowl will look more like a burrito sinkhole rather than your standard bowl.

Seriously, they are huge and can easily feed two average adults for under $15.

3. Be Polite and Ask for Extra

Chipotle’s has a strict no-no policy on adding extra meat for free and I totally get that.

But if you’re polite and friendly most servers, in my experience, are happy to add some extra rice, beans, veggies, cheese, or sour cream to your burrito, taco, or burrito bowl.

The best way to do this is to wait until they add something then politely ask for a little extra.

Another free tip: If you’re on a date don’t ask for extra onions. Or extra beans for that matter. Yeah, on second thought, don’t take a date to Chipotle Grill.

4. The Two Burrito Challenge

Only the brave (and hungry) should attempt this tip. I have only seen this accomplished once by a dude in front of me at Chipotle.

In my eyes, he’s the Chipotle king and I bow down to him still even though I have no idea who he is.

He was able to get enough toppings added to his burrito (for free) that the employee could not wrap it into one burrito so she had to use a second tortilla to enclose it all.

He then went to his seat with a fork and made two smaller burritos (still huge) and proceeded to eat them both.

All I could do was eyeball him from across the restaurant with nothing but complete admiration.

See Also: Chipotle Secret Menu: You Can Thank Me Later…It’s Delicious

5. Look for Gift Card Promotions

Keep a watchful eye out for special promotions on Chipotle gift cards.

On occasion they’ll offer a free burrito with the purchase of a $25 or more gift card. I tend to see this deal around the holidays.

Also, every Halloween they’ll offer a burrito for only $3 if you come in sporting a costume.

6. Ask for a Tortilla on the Side

When you order your burrito bowl, ask for the tortilla on the side (they should give it to you for free or cheap) – then eat half your burrito bowl and then make a burrito out of the rest.

If you were able to add a free extra or 2 (rice, veggies, or beans) your burrito should be a meal unto itself and make for great leftovers.

Ask the Reader: Do you get your “grub on” at Chipotle often? If so, do you have any tips to add? Similar to their burrito bowl, I look forward to getting stuffed by your comments.

By Kyle James

Photo by Mike Mozart

Some stores make it a total pain in the butt to return stuff. Some make it so easy you want to only shop with them in the future. You’d think more stores would take notice of just how important a customer-friendly return policy is, especially in terms of repeat customers and more importantly, satisfied customers. I did some research and came up with the eight best return policies in the known universe.

1. Amazon

I would be kidding myself if I didn’t add Amazon’s return policy to this listicle.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Amazon gives you 30 days from your delivery date to make a return.
• In most cases, they’ll pay the return shipping charges especially if you say the reason for the return has to do with an error in the product description.
• Also, if you’re only past the 30 days by a few days, Amazon will still accept your return. Just start a live chat and apologize that you’re a little late on the return and they’ll typically let you make the return.
• You can also take your return to your local Whole Foods or Kohl’s and they’ll process your return for you, no box needed in most cases.

This return policy applies to all online shoppers, not just those that pay for a Prime membership.

2. Costco Wholesale

For a long time Costco had the single greatest return policy to ever exist.

But like any really good thing, it got abused by some shoppers so they had to dial it back. But it’s still REALLY good.

Here is the skinny:

• 90 day return policy on electronics. No questions asked. This use to be unlimited days but people would bring back their HDTV a year after buying it, say it was broken, and upgrade it to the newest model.
• All other consumer goods: 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. This means if you buy a Keurig coffee maker and it breaks down 14 months after you bought it (and it will), you can bring it back into Costco for a full refund. I know because I did this exact thing.
• Do you need the original receipt? No, because all purchases are tracked on your account membership.

Membership refund tip: Also, if you’re unsatisfied with your annual membership for any reason you can get a full refund at any time.

See Also: These 9 Stores Will Often Refund You and Let You Keep Your Return

3. Kohl’s

The Kohl’s return policy still deserves to be mentioned, even if it’s not as good as it used to be.

But it’s still pretty dang awesome:

• You get 90 days to make a return. Not as good as it used (180 days) to be but I guess that’ll work.
• Don’t have the receipt? You can still make an even exchange, take a merchandise credit or get a corporate refund.
• The only negative with their policy is they now require you to pay return shipping charges when making a return via the mail.

How about a gift receipt only? You’ll score merchandise credit good for anything in the store.

See Also: All 37 VERY Popular Retailers That Offer Extended Holiday Returns

4. L.L. Bean

Have you ever heard of a clothing store saying that they’ll take back any item, at any time, if you’re not completely satisfied with the quality of the item? Well, thanks to the L.L.Bean Guaranteed to Last program, you have now.

• Update: In recent years, they have changed their lifetime policy to 1 year return from date of purchase. Apparently too many shoppers were abusing their “lifetime” policy.
• After 1 year, L.L.Bean will still consider letting you return the item if the reason for the return has to with poor craftsmanship or defective materials.
• Their 1-year policy even extends to user error and abuse. If you are extremely hard on a pair of chinos and they rip, call them up and they’ll replace them saying, “Our chinos don’t rip, a new pair is in the mail.”

Pretty amazing policy that was first instituted back in the 1960’s.

5. Macy’s

The Macy’s return policy is also excellent and has a nice wrinkle for online purchases.

Here is how it works:

• Have the original receipt? They’ll take it back within 30 days and give you a full refund in the original form of payment. Doesn’t matter how long ago you made the purchase.
• Lost the receipt? Not a problem, they’ll bend over backwards to try and find your purchase info by accessing your account, gift registry, or by using a customer return label. If they can find it, you’ll get a full refund.
• If they can’t find proof of purchase, you’ll still get store credit for the item’s lowest selling price within the last 180 days. Not to shabby.

When shopping at Macys.com, if your product arrives and has been damaged during delivery, you can take it to any Macy’s location and they’ll not only refund the purchase price but any shipping costs that you incurred.

6. Nordstrom

Nordstrom prides themselves in their excellent customer service and you often pay for it through higher prices.

But nonetheless, their return policy is hard to beat:

• Free returns, with no time-frame, either via mail or in-store. Pretty cool that they let you return your items via the mail for no extra charge. Really makes it risk-free when shopping from the Nordstrom website.
• Be aware that Nordstrom now tracks all returns and will ban you if you take advantage of their policy.

Even makes sense to buy a couple different sizes knowing that you can return the ones that don’t fit for free.

See Also: 45+ Stores That  Offering FREE Shipping on Christmas Shopping (NO Minimum)

7. REI

REI has the famous “100% Satisfaction Guaranteed” policy which essentially let’s you “try out” their products risk free.

Here is how it works:

• REI Co-op members get exactly 1-year from date of purchase to return any product for any reason for a full refund or exchange, no questions asked.
• Non-members still get a liberal 90 day return policy.
• The only exception to this policy is outdoor electronics which must be returned within 90 days of purchase.
• You can return or exchange any product to one of their retail locations, regardless of whether you bought it online or by phone through their product catalog.

REI-Outlet items are handled a little bit differently as you only have 30 days to request a full refund or product exchange.

8. Target

The return policy at Target is pretty bodacious as well.

Here is what you need to know:

• Target offers a fairly liberal 90-day return window. The following items have a shorter 30-day return policy: netbooks, laptops, eReaders, tablets, cameras, camcorders, digital audio players, GPS systems, video game hardware, personal DVD players, and no-contract cell phones.
• Almost all online purchases can be returned to a Target store.
• All Target.com purchases can be returned online for free by using their online return center.
• Interesting note on Christmas gift purchases. For items purchased between 11/1 – 12/25, the refund period does not begin until 12/26.
• Also, Target’s in-house kid’s clothing brand, Cat & Jack, has an even better return policy that allow for returns up to 365 days after purchase.

If you are returning an item without a receipt they have the ability to look up your purchase in their computer system and issue you store credit.

9. Zappos

Zappos revolutionized the online return policy years ago and it has since become their trademark.

Here’s how it works:

• Not only will they ship your order for free, but they’ll allow you to mail it back for free if you are not satisfied for ANY reason.
• You have exactly 365 days to return your item. Product must be in the same condition you received it and in the original packaging.
• They also give you the option of doing a free exchange if you need a different size.

Order some shoes and apparel, try them on at home, and ship back what you don’t want for NO extra cost.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever used any of these return policies to your advantage? Tell me all about it. Also, am I missing any good store return policies? Let me know and I’ll be sure to add it to this list.

Happy savings.

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Jori Samonen.