Each store has its own sale cycle, with almost all of them lasting a week. Knowing when they begin and end can be key to helping you maximize your savings. (I've even been known to go back one last time the day before a sale ends to stock up on an item that's a particularly good deal.)

-Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods and Food Lion put out their sale circulars in the Wednesday paper.

-Kroger puts its flier out on Sunday, though it often usually runs a smaller flier on Wednesday as well.

-The drug stores (Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid) all put their fliers in the Sunday paper.

-Target also runs its flier on Sundays.

-Kerr Drug runs its flier on Sundays as well, though Kerr doesn’t run an insert every Sunday.

-Wal-Mart often, though not always, runs a circular on Sunday.

Updated: July 10, 2008

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Coupons 101: Sale cycles