* What are Catalinas?

This has been a week where I have referred to “Catalinas” in several of my posts and I was asked the question “What is a Catalina?”  It’s a great question, especially if you are new to couponing!  So let me give you the basics of Catalinas and my tips for using them!

What are Catalinas?
Catalinas are long “bonus” coupons that print out from a machine that sits on or near the register.  They are sometimes money off coupons for various products or are good for an amount off your next order.  Sometimes they are advertised and other times they are based on specific purchases made.  Purchases must be made in a single transaction in order to qualify for that particular Catalina.

So now that you know what they are and how you get them, here’s my tip:  look at them and use them!

Here’s the Catalinas I have gotten lately from my California Pizza Kitchen pizzas purchases.  These are for a specific dollar amount off your next shopping trip.  They are not product specific, so they can be used for anything purchased in the store as long as it is the amount of the Catalina or higher. Catalinas, like coupons cannot be used to pay tax.

These are mostly item specific Catalina coupons.  And a lot of them!  Some days I feel like I hit the jackpot from the Catalina machine!  This batch even had a couple coupons for FREE items!  These are all manufacturers coupons, but meant to only be used at Safeway.

My tips for using Catalinas:

• Check what they are for.  Some Catalinas are a dollar off amount that you can use towards ANY purchase at the store, while others are like regular coupons, a specific amount off a certain product.

• Look to see if they are a manufacturer coupon or a store coupon.  If it is a store coupon then remember that you can stack it with a manufacturer coupon!  It will say manufacturer coupon at the top by the expiration date.

• Make sure to note the expiration date.  These vary a lot from coupon to coupon, so some of them expire quickly and some will give you a long time to use them.  Especially on the free stuff- don’t let them go to waste!

• Keep them somewhere you’ll remember to use them.  I keep all my Safeway Catalinas in my accordian file with my weekly shopping list for Safeway.  That way I see them regularly and know what I have in there to use.