A rain what?

See a gaping hole in the shelf where the "can you believe this deal?" item should be? March yourself over to request a raincheck from a cashier or the customer service desk.

What are rainchecks, you may ask? Wondering what Tightwad is going on about now? Rainchecks guarantee the same sale price, on a paper receipt that can be used anytime - even when the sale is over. Most grocery stores offer rainchecks for sale items that are out of stock (unless an advertised sale states that "quantities are limited" or perhaps the item is "not available at all locations").

Tips for using rainchecks:

1. Get sneaky. Wait until the end of a sale week to get your raincheck when stock runs low.

2. Ask how many of the out-of-stock item you can request on one raincheck. You can buy as many items up to the amount you asked for. Or not.

3. Ensure that the store employee writes the correct sale price on the raincheck.

4. Check to see if there is an expiration date so that you use it before it expires.

5. Max out your savings with combining rainchecks with coupons.