Walmart price matching--a few simple tips to make it easier!

QUESTION: I went to Walmart to price match I printed off the tips of the week and the meal planner to take with me. I got to the check out and it was a complete mess they wanted to see all the ads, I was wondering if this is normal it sounds like you don't take the ads with you have you or others had this problem? Do you have any ideas to make this easier?

ANSWER: I have been doing this for well over a year and I have had them ask me only two times for the ads (usually on meat). I have noticed that as long as you do a few easy tips, your shopping will be a lot easier.

*Go when the lines are not busy and without children if possible (early morning or late at night).
*I always shop on the same day and generally go to the same cashier (if you can do that). I have found one or two cashiers that are fast and know what they are doing and now that they recognize me it makes things a lot easier. Also, be friendly and smile…if you are pleasant you will have the cashiers melting in your hands and do what ever you want them to ;)
*Ask the cashier before you begin ringing up your items if they know how to do price matching. Many employees are new and haven’t been trained properly and it makes it take MUCH longer and can be a headache.
*Find a Walmart that is cooperative with price matching. I have heard that the Jordan Landing Walmart and the American Fork Walmarts are VERY difficult and strict with a lot of things, and sometimes won't price match at all. If that is the case, go to the one on 90th South or Riverton. There are plenty of Walmarts in the valley ;) If you are only shopping every week to two weeks, it won’t be a big deal to drive a little farther for your grocery shopping.
*Tell the people behind you that you are price matching and that it will take awhile so that you don’t have other shoppers breathing down your neck getting frustrated that you are taking too long.
*Bring the ads and have them showing in your purse so they know you have them and that you are not just making up prices.
*Put all of the items that you are NOT price matching on the scanner first so that they can ring those in quickly and then you will be ready with the other items to price match all at one time.
*I don’t do this (only because I have the prices memorized), but people say it works great---bring a stack of post-it notes and when you put an item in your cart, quickly write the price and the store that you are price matching the item from. This way, as you are putting your groceries up on the scanner they can begin scanning and not have to wait for you to find how much it is on the list and which store it is from.
*One of the main tricks is to make sure you look like you know what you are doing. The cashiers get frustrated when the customer is slow, taking too long, or acting like they don’t know what they are doing.
*On the weekly grocery list I highlight the items I need for my weeks groceries in different colors to make my shopping easier. I highlight the produce items I need in green, canned or boxed goods in yellow and other items in pink. This way, if I am checking out and I have an avocado (for example) and I need to know the price I am matching, it is easy to scan my list through the green produce items and find the avocado price and what store it is from.
*Try to have identical items to price match when available. They will match the Sam’s Choice brand for other stores’ name brand items that are on sale. Each Walmart has a different rule on which meats they will price match (i.e.-some will price match Tyson chicken for any boneless/skinless chicken breast on sale, others won’t). Find out what each stores’ policy is before you shop…or, just try it and see what they do.)

Either way, once you get the hang of shopping at Walmart and price matching, it will be a breeze and when you leave knowing how much money you have saved, it will be even better!

P.S.--When it is case lot time, like it is now, I would go to that particular store to make sure you can get as many of each item as you are wanting. Walmart doesn't stock their shelves very well, so it would only take one or two price matchers to wipe their shelves clean. Save the headache and just go to the store having the case lot.