I am curious how many people here use coupons. I have watched Extreme Couponers and have heard crazy awesome stories about people who are able to save hundreds or thousands. Some moms especially do couponing so that they don't have to work. I find that to be crazy. If I am home with the kids, I'd rather focus on them, not spend hours creating coupon books. I have used coupons occasionally. I will flip through them and if it's a product I know I buy often, I will clip it out. I usually save by purchasing the sale items each week. I spend 20 minutes max looking through the flyers each week and I buy based on sales and what I need. I also often buy store brand because I think it's almost always the same quality. What are your thoughts on this?
I prefer to buy things when they are on sale to using coupons. I don't often see coupons anyhow and they are usually for junk food type products anyhow. I have yet to see a coupon for broccoli for example. I do agree that if I see a coupon for something I routinely buy that I will hold onto it but I rarely would ever remember to use it unless it is on my next shopping list. I tend to put general items on my shopping list and will pick up the brand that the store has on sale that week as I am not partial to any particular brands for most things.
Much like yourself, I'll use coupons when I see something that I know I'll be buying soon, but in the UK we don't really get coupons the same way you do in the US, so it's not quite as easy for me. But, it'll be like, every now and then I'll have a 20p off voucher on a specific kind of butter, if I buy this other thing. I'll use it if I remember, but otherwise I'll just see which is the cheapest kind,you know?
That's a great point. I buy a lot of produce (especially in the summer) at a local farmer's market. It's not only cheaper than the high prices at the grocery store, but I'm also supporting local farmers. Coupons do seem to be mostly junk food items! Great post.
Our local newspaper comes with a b*load of coupons---which is how they convinced me to subscribe (at first, but then I saw that I can only REALLY USE like-1% of the coupons they stuff in there). The coupons I like best are the ones fast-food places give out. I like those, because I WALK everywhere; it's helpful when I can go up to the counter--still a little out of breath--and kinda 'Here ... For Here ... (SUPER-SIZED!) I did a little 'research' on coupons ('Excuse-for-research, Google be thy name ...'), & found out that using coupons actually supports employment & industry ... the cashier counts the coupons as cash, and they get sent to a clearing-house where humans re-verify them & send them on to the manufacturers who send the grocers their refunds (or however grown-ups do money ). Knowing that, I'll even buy a product if it's MORE-EXPENSIVE than a store-brand of the same product (which the stores often put next to the name-brands in order to serve true price-shoppers) ... if it's got a COUPON! I'm not sure if 'we Americans' just "get" coupons---here (in Oklahoma City, state of Oklahoma) there are the coupons printed & given with theLog In and another few 'coupon-newsletters' and sometimes some fast-food places will have them or you'll find them in 'magazines' you read (you know, those glossy newsletters ) ).
Well, that's what I mean mythman. The best we can really get is when we're actually shopping, and when you check out at say, a self check out at Tesco or Sainsburies, which I just realise you guys might not know...anyway, if you self check out you might get one or two coupons, but we don't really have coupons in the paper, or even coupon newsletters as far as I am aware.
I tried this just recently, started out by buying a Sunday paper which cost $2.50 now. It had been so long since I bought one, the price had gone up since it used to be $1.00. Ok, so I go to the "store-coupon" sections, and went through them all. First of all, I am single, so I had reservations on whether or not a single person could save money. I am also a stickler about brands I buy, I find I can skimp on some items (price-wise, brand-wise) but other things I just won't. For example, hair-conditioner, which for my hair, the only one that works is Pantene, the only one I have ever found that works, I should say. So I found 6 coupons, and I decided to take them with me to grocery-shop. I think I save barely $2.00, but then I had paid $2.50 for the paper. I think all in all, I could save if I would regularly search out coupons, and realize now I can get them online as well. I was happy to find this site so I can browse to find coupons I can try on my next trip to town. My roomies save a lot of money, and she has encouraged me to "not" give up Thank you for the topic, Denise
Since I'm in the UK, I rarely get coupons, only when I shop at certain places, and even then they're not the best of deals really. It's like, oh hey if you buy this thing, you'll get two pence off. But you can only use one type of this coupon for every purchase. And usually I'm buying the cheaper stuff anyway, so it doesn't really work out the best for me.
I for one am not even sure what kinds of stores those are, but it reminds me that some places (fast-food, grocery stores) will give a type of coupon on the 'receipt' (or whatever you call 'the little slip of paper listing items-purchased & amounts-paid ). These coupons are usually either 'spend more than so-much and get a discount' or 'fill out a survey online, write-in a little pass-code the site gives you & get a FREE something-or-other next time you visit!' Reminds me that occasionally you can find coupons in the packaging for products you have bought. Just keep an eye out.
Yes. I always use coupons, and shop for "On-sale" items. I have a lot of responsibility in my life, a lot of expenses, and a lot of people depending on me. I have to be frugal whenever i shop. I found that shopping online is the best way to do this. Not only is there better sales online, but there are more coupons Which can only equal more savings. I rarely shop in physical stores anymore.
I think the OP was asking Which one do you like better? (if not Which one would you choose if you had to use only that and never the other?) And if she's not asking that, I am now; Hunt for sales (& never use coupons again), or hunt for coupons (and always pay full-price otherwise)?
Yes I use coupons. They save me a lot of money and enable me to have something more. They help me maximize my shopping, and so they are very practical to avail and use. Sometimes, you can get them for free and sometimes you have to buy them. Of course, when they are free, there's no reason why they should not be used. But even when you buy them, they still cost a lot cheaper than your possible savings with them. Who would not want his money to be saved, some of it? If you have the opportunity to save it and did not grab it, it is as if you threw your money out for nothing. Using coupons is another way of making the most out of your money.
No not really on sales because normally we get to find stuff in an appropriate price when they are on sale and that is the way for us that works because finally it has that level of outcome but yeah when something is out of range for you and you get a good amount of discount on it then it feels great lol
