Rain checks on a rainy day

It's raining today, a gentle downpour that is (thankfully!) washing pollen away.

When it comes to shopping, a rain check doesn't have much to do with the weather. But it is a great way to take advantage of a good sale after the fact.

A rain check is a voucher that allows you to receive the sale price for an item after a promotion has ended. Retailers usually give them if an item on sale is out of stock. Just ask a cashier or the customer service attendant to write you one.

I love rain checks. I consider them my own personal sale, redeemable when it's most convenient for me.

My advice to you: Always ask for a rain check, even if you plan on checking the store again during the week of the sale to see if the store has restocked. A few months ago, Harris Teeter had chicken breasts on sale buy one, get two free (each package rang up a third of the regular price). It was a popular sale; the first time I went by the store, it was sold out. I got a rain check.

The next time I popped in they had restocked, and I bought enough chicken to stock my freezer for a while. My supply is about to run out, but I still have the rain check from my first trip to the store. Since I have it, I'll be able to restock my freezer at that rock-bottom price.

Be sure you check to see if a store's rain check has an expiration date. Locally, I know Lowe's Food's rain checks are only good for 30 days. But other stores -- like Harris Teeter, Food Lion and CVS -- don't have expiration dates on their rain checks.

Loving it for less,
Lanita