There are ways to still get a good deal with Macy's and Kohl's discount cards but it takes a lot of work, perseverance and a magnifying glass to do it. I also sometimes have better luck searching the internet coupon sites to find the best coupon to use for each store. And you have to be aware that some brands never qualify for the store discount coupons, but I found out from reading shopper blogs that this may have more to do with the brand than the retailer. Some brands are very proprietary about letting retailers offer discounts and when and if they do is up to them. They may let the retailers offer discounts only a couple of times a year. The trick is to find out when and even with a sale price they might still not qualify for a coupon discount. I still see "no exclusions" on some coupons but it's getting rarer.