Coupons 101: Lowes InstaSave

Lowes has put up a new batch of InstaSave offers, and I thought I'd take the opportunity to write a Coupons 101 post about the program. (For future reference, you can find all such posts in the Coupons 101 section of this page on the left-hand side.)

InstaSave is an electronic coupon program. If you already have a Lowes Foods loyalty card, all you need to do is go to this Web site and create an online account. You will need to enter some information, including an e-mail address and the number from your Lowes card. Once you've set up an account, you can then log into your account and "load" electronic coupons onto your card. You will get an e-mail notification each month when new offers are issued.

So, for instance, this month, there's an electronic coupon for $1 off when you buy Prilosec OTC. I would log into my account, select that coupon and load it onto my card. Then I would go to the store and purchase Prilosec OTC. When I make the purchase and swipe my Lowes card at the checkout, the coupon amount will automatically be deducted from my total. It is my understanding that you cannot combine this discount with the use of a paper coupon, but sometimes that's a situation in which your mileage may vary depending on the store, the cashier and the manager on duty.