Remember when extreme couponing was all the rage? There were even reality shows based on extreme couponing for a while. Walmart has implemented some new couponing policies to make it harder for Missouri's extreme couponers and even those shoppers who liberally try to save a few bucks by clipping coupons.

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According to Coupons In the News, sometime this fall Walmart updated its coupon policy, which takes them from "One of the coupon-friendliest retailers" to having similar policies to other grocery stores and retail stores like Target.

So what's changing?

No More Overages

Walmart was one of the few stores that would honor the full value of a coupon, regardless of the item's price. So if you're coupon was worth more than the product, you'd get cash back or get the difference applied to your total purchase.

Their new policy, according to Coupons In The News, states that the store does not give cash back, nor will overages apply to the remaining items in the transaction if the value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of an item.

That said, the store has rolled out some type of Walmart Cash deal on it's app, where if you purchase a certain type of item you can get some kind of store credit back. I'm not that familiar with it, but I've earned a buck or two from it myself just doing some grocery shopping on the app.

Coupon Limits

Walmart has now put limits on the use of identical coupons, limiting it to four identical coupons per household per day. If you try to use more than four identical coupons Walmart's registers just won't accept them.

No More Manual Overrides at the Register

This is what Coupons In The News calls Walmart's most "controversial and consequential change." The register now determines whether a coupon is valid, and local store managers and checkers can't override it.

In other words, if a coupon isn't in Walmart's master file, it can be rejected by the register and there is nothing store management can do to accept it. Even if the coupon is a valid coupon and good for use.

Walmart Cash

Walmart Cash, according to the retailer, is promotional currency Walmart customers can get through manufacturer offers sourced by Ibotta. Walmart Cash isn't cash either, they're promotional credits that have no other value than to be redeemed at Walmart in connection with future purchases in-store or online. If you're looking for more information on Walmart Cash you can check out the store's website here.

For those of us who don't use a lot of coupons to bring down the cost of a grocery trip, there probably isn't that big a downside to Walmart's new coupon policy. For those in Missouri who clip coupons regularly, or over time, learned some tricks watching those extreme coupon shows, it might impact how much you're paying at the store. As for Walmart Cash, it doesn't seem that hard to use, but I hesitate to venture a guess on whether it actually will save you money, or reward you for shopping at Walmart.