It seems that people think that grandmas are those who usually get rain checks on items that are not in stock. I'm here to tell you that this is NOT the caes! These are a great tool at your disposal -- and they are free.
What is a rain check? It is a voucher given to the customer to promise that they can get the same price on an out-of-stock item at a later date.
Can you get them anywhere? Most stores offer rain checks, you just have to inquire at checkout or possibly at customer service.
Can you get them if the offer includes rewards such as Extra Care Bucks or Register Rewards? It really depends on the store/manager. CVS has a code beneath every ECB offer in their sales flyer. They simply note the code on your rain check so that the ECB will generate when you redeem it. Then you can shop as usual and your ECB will print as usual.
If you shop at Walgreens, you can get them for the price of the item. Some stores (very few of these) will issue a rain check for the amount after the Register Reward. If the item was for $3 and the RR is for $1, the raincheck will be for $2. The reason is that a RR is from the Catalina company and can't be printed once the offer lapses.
Do they expire? This depends upon the store. CVS rain checks never expire. Walgreens' rain checks are good for 30 days. Some stores' are good for only ten days.
Is a store required to give you a rain check? No, they do not have to. There are some offers that speicifically state within the ad that a raincheck is not available.
Is there a trick to redeeming them? Yes. When you get to the checkout, make sure you hand the item and the raincheck to the clerk together before other items are run up -- or hold onto them until the very end. Since they have to do manual overrides, this helps them make their job easier.
Are you required to redeem the raincheck at the same store it was given to you? You should. However, if you have another chain store a short distance from the store where you normally shop, you should be able to redeem it there as well.
So now that you know about rain checks, hopefully it help when you walk into a store that has cleared shelves