Cosplayers are always on the lookout for getting quality materials for the lowest prices possible! Joann Fabric Stores tend to have cycles when it comes to releasing their coupons. The first thing you will want to do is sign up to receive coupons as you get unique codes *in addition* to the ones released on their website, so essentially you can use double the amount of coupons that Joann releases.
Huge savings from a single transaction!
First thing’s first!
Signing up online will give you the option to have coupons delivered to you via:
-
Mail (snail mail)
Now that you have signed up, you will receive new Joann coupons every week for use IN ADDITION to the ones listed on their site.
Joann coupons are often released and updated twice a week – usually on a Sunday and/or Wednesday.
The most common *USEFUL* coupons Joann releases are as follows:
-
30% off a regular-priced item
-
40% off a regular-priced item
-
50% off a regular-priced item
And if a good coupon cycle comes…. we get
60% off a regular-priced item
Sometimes you’ll also get a coupon that has a low % off total purchase (i.e. 20% off Total Purchase). Read into the fine print and you can sometimes stack this ON TOP of sale items. There was one called a “Friends and Family” discount where you could do this.
Very rarely — Maybe about once a month or so we get multiple ones for use. The list may sometimes look like this:
(Date: 8/20/2015)
Just look at HOW many %-off coupons were released!
Remember, if you sign up to receive coupons with them, you get to double these up!
Joann’s Coupon Policy
Before you go bargain hunting – This is pretty much understood but it’s good to know their detailed coupon policy *which is subject to change at any time at their discretion*
Taken from their website (as of 2015):
Q: How many coupons can be used during a store visit?
A: There are instances when Jo-Ann offers customers more than one (1) coupon that is valid during the same time period. The register system was designed to adhere to these requirements, so if the register accepts the use of two (2) or more coupons, it is likely that the coupons comply with these requirements. Customers generally may use more than one (1) coupon in a transaction with the following exceptions:
-
They cannot use two (2) identical coupons (i.e., coupons with the same barcode number) in one (1) transaction.
-
They cannot use two (2) or more transaction-level discounts in one (1) transaction.
-
They cannot apply two (2) coupons or discounts to the same item.
Q: Why is my coupon code not working?
A: If your coupon does not seem to be working, please check the following:
-
Did you type in the coupon promotion code exactly as it appears? Be sure to remove any extra spaces before or after the promotion code.
-
Has the coupon expired? Or, is the coupon not yet active?
-
Is the coupon able to be used on Joann.com® or is it valid in stores only? To determine this, please read the coupon details carefully.
-
Are you trying to use the coupon on an item which is excluded from coupon use? To determine if you can use a code on the item you are purchasing please review the coupon exclusion language, or review the product copy for an exclusion note. Please note that you can use only one coupon or promotion code per order on Joann.com®. Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores does not make coupons available on the Web site to print for use in stores.
-
Is the coupon valid for your shipping destination?
The Best Time to Shop
Yes, this matters! We understand that you might have some last-minute or instant gratification needs that cannot wait! However, it really pays to plan ahead of time and stock the smart way on your materials.
Do:
-
Check your emails, coupon app, and texts frequently for any additions to Joann coupons. They often release a “super coupon” RIGHT before their current cycle of coupons expires for the week. (i.e. They have 30% off coupons throughout the week, then the day before that cycle expires, a new “super coupon” is a 60% or 50% off regular priced item coupon)
-
Understand their coupon policies – here
-
Come prepared with a shopping list ahead of time. This will help you from buying things on impulse. Once you’re in the store you’ll forget what you were initially there for and go nuts as if you were in a candy store.
-
ALWAYS come to the store with competitor coupons in addition to the Joann ones. (Michaels, Hobby Lobby to name a few)
-
Research and price match (read their policy here) against other stores. Items have to be currently in stock, and the store you’re trying to match to MUST sell the item. Managers can also use discretion when price matching – so what works in one store may not work in another.
-
Amazon – Most of the time Joann will NOT price match
-
Walmart – Item has to be in stock
-
Target – Item has to be in stock
-
Michael’s – Item has to be in stock AND Joann will accept their coupon and follow the fine print terms from that store.
-
Hobby Lobby – Same policy as from Michael’s
-
-
Be considerate of other people in line if you come armed with a bunch of coupons and price matching intentions.
Don’t:
-
Get tempted to buy something on impulse if you “think” it might help you on a future project. Buy only as you need at the time for your CURRENT project. Trust us, it’s difficult, we sometimes do it, and you’ll be quick to realize that it adds up.
-
Buy something you don’t really need simply because you have a 50% or 60% off coupon on hand.
-
Be rude and hold up the line when you have long transactions to deal with (i.e. price matching)
Suggestions:
Based on personal experience, the best time to shop depends on what you need from the store.
-
If you need patterns (Butterick, Simplicity, McCall’s)- These sometimes go on sale fpr $1-2 each. If you’re looking for a pattern you REALLY want and / or you think it’s popular, go to Joann’s the FIRST DAY they go on sale, preferably in the morning the store opens for the day.
-
If you want to simply stock on patterns, then by all means go ONLY when Joann releases a pattern sale any day that it is valid. Remember that you cannot use coupons on patterns.
-
If you plan on purchasing a lot of stuff, larger, or more expensive items, usually the best time to go is the last day of the sale. By then Joann will have released their “super coupon(s)” RIGHT before their current cycle of coupons expires. Be sure to read their fine print.
Is it WORTH it?
When should you decide to use a 20, 30, 40, 50, or 60% off coupon? When should you use a $5 of a $30+ purchase, etc.?
Do some simple math:
If the coupon says $5 off $30+ purchase:
5 ÷ (purchase total) = percent off.
The larger the purchase total gets, the smaller % off it’s worth. So in essence, these types of $X off coupons are not worth it compared to the fixed % off coupons. It’s a Joann marketing tactic that you need to dig further into.
While we understand this means TOTAL purchase… if you use a 50% off coupon for every item you purchase in one transaction, you’re essentially saving HALF off your TOTAL purchase compared to these lousy figures!
Make your costume materials cheaper!
Here’s a tip for you: Do NOT just simply shove all your coupons at the register! You need to do the work for both yourself AND the cashier who will ring you up!
Below is an image of three items rung up. The first time was simply shoved with coupons without thinking about it. We – Joann staff and the customer – learned a valuable lesson (and a new friend!).
This is what I learned:
A competitor coupon (i.e. Hobby Lobby) can be discounted on the most expensive item in your transaction EVEN if the %-off is less than Joann’s. So always use your most %-off coupon on your most expensive item FIRST, then go down the list.
Imagine if you have a larger transaction with more items and you didn’t pair your coupons correctly. You can take the time to do this if there’s a line or right before you cash out your items.
Have more to add from your personal shopping experience at Joann? Let me know!
Happy Shopping!