I love coupons.
I collect them. I cut them out - placing restaurant and Bed Bath and Beyond coupons in my car in a designated coupon organizer since those trips are usually unplanned. I have another organizer, a BINDER, for the grocery store that color coordinates the coupons to sections of the store. My wallet has its own designated coupon area for coupons for stores like Gap, Old Navy, Hobby Lobby and Gymboree. And my desk drawer has a designated spot for coupons for stores I do not visit regularly but "just in case".
But I don't use coupons.
That is not to say that I don't try. Hard. I read the fine print, sure I know exactly what I'm doing and inevitably the coupon expired the day before, that particular item was excluded but I read it wrong, I am under the limit of the minimum purchase to use the coupon or, and this happened recently, I was a day too early for the sale.
Well, don't send me a coupon for NEXT week. Thanks Kohls.
It's especially fun when you're rolling through the grocery check out with at least $150 in groceries and a very large, very obvious coupon BINDER lying on top of the cart's baby seat and the cashier raises an eyebrow and says, Got any coupons?
Nope!
I used to take it personally, once calling Keith in tears of frustration at trying to be a good consumer and somehow getting shorted in the coupon department every, single, time. One of my New Year's resolutions is to master the coupon, to harness its power and make it WORK FOR ME, I know, I'm deep. That's right coupon, this year I own you.
So I have started reading this blog to teach myself the art of couponing. In case you choose not to follow the link I will give you short excerpt of one of her coupon deals and how she goes about figuring it out: (go to her Monday, Jan 7th entry about CVS and be in complete awe at how she got $30 worth of groceries for $1.16)
Money Saving Mom's CVS Deal
Buy 1 Sambucol ($12.99)
2 Robitussin cough syrups ($4.29 each but on sale B1G1)
1 Colgate toothbrush or toothpaste ($2.99 or $2.49 each - varies by region)
Use $4/$20 CVS coupon. If your CVS still allows you to stack $/$$ then add in the $2/$10 and the $3/$15 for even more savings.
2 $3/1 Robitussin coupons 1 $0.75/
1 Colgate coupon (from Sunday's insert or there are also coupons on Colgate.com)
Spend $9.52 plus taxGet $12 in ECBs back. Then, send in for the Sambucol rebate and get another $12.99 back!
Remember that the rebate is only one per household, but the limit on buying Sambucols and getting $10 ECBs back is 5 per card.
Huh? Is she speaking English? I feel like I'm in college French class again,wondering how I ended up there despite three years of high school French. I'm in awe of her couponing skills and while I don't have the brain capacity to go to this level, I'm trying to up my game a tad.
Like maybe actually USING a coupon in the manner it was intended. Or trying to remember what the regular price of the peanut butter I have purchased for the last four years actually IS so I know if the sale price is a good one.
Anyone got some good coupon pointers for me?
Anyone?
8 comments:
I suck at coupons as well. I think it's just a big scam anyway. And actually, if you read this, coupons are actually out to get you and to make your butt bigger.
http://www.dailytidings.com/2007/1117/stories/1117_abby.php
I definitely think that the reason we have a hard time with grocery coupons is that we tend to shop more in the outer aisles and they never give you coupons for veggies!
I've always wondered how I end up with some of those computer-given coupon choices!
I am bad about coupons as well.
I did wait this week and go shopping during the coupon "time period" at Costco this week. I used 7 coupons. Pretty good.
Kroger sends me coupons based on what I buy with my Kroger plus card.
Some are useful, some are not.
It just depends. Most coupons are worthless to us because as the jada2929 said, they usually are for junk. (not to say that we don't have some junk, but most of our shopping is done in the outer aisles too).
Plus we don't get the "paper" version of the newspaper, so we don't get those coupons either.
Next time you come for a visit, i could see if Margaret would do a crash course seminar on the art of couponing. No one I know uses coupons/sales more religiously than she does. Yours appeared to be a lot more organized though so you might have an edge there :) I shop a lot at Aldi and they don't take coupons. I was too early to use my JCPenney coupon( by a day) after I spent a long time looking for something to use it on. Annoying! Then I never got back there til it was expired. Oh well
I think that kids took up my "couponing" space in my brain. I also have coupons (not so neatly organized) in my purse, drawer, car, etc. I remember to use them occasionally.
Typically this is how it goes:
Before entering store, check purse and make sure coupon is there...most often it is sitting at home on the counter so I "don't forget it"...if I do have it, I put it in a "safe place" so I remember to use it at check out...if I do remember it at the check out (which is not often), I usually have to frantically look through my purse while making sure the baby doesn't jump out of the cart...the entire contents of my purse spill onto the ground....I search my pockets...and finally give up...when I get out to the car (after spilling the contents of my purse to look for my keys)...I find the coupon sitting on the passenger seat where I forgot to put it in that "safe place"...
Sorry- no suggestions here : )
Okay - so I'm not the only one!
Yes, tell Margaret that I need some expertise. I don't think I want to get to THAT level - I like to still choose where I eat, vs. not letting a coupon dictate that :)
But help, that I could use. I just need some pointers.
I've read the books and websites, and even TRIED to follow what they recommended and ended up spending WAY more than I needed to!!! I know a guy who can do it really well - he's retired and spends his time doing this to help others. If you ever figure it out and can put it in language that is understandable, let me know!
It's impossible to get those deal, when you have three kids. If you really want to spend all your days, looking at store sales ads & matching your coupons up the the sales ads, going to 4 different stores to by only specific products, then you will be able to get your groceries for really cheap. But most of us can't spend all our time doing that.
My best advice is to write your grocery list, go through your coupons, set aside the ones that are on your list. Shop and ONLY buy what is on your list. Try to limit your grocery shopping to once a week or twice a month. That cuts down drastically on impulse buys. That is where the grocery stores get you!
I am reading a great book called The Cheapest Family in America (http://www.homeeconomiser.com/)...they had some great advice on cutting down on your grocery bills. They advise to keep those shopping trips to twice a month & sticking to your list, stocking up on sale items & using coupons when things are on sale, going to a couple stores with the best sales etc.
Good luck. If you just set aside one day a week, to write you list, go through your coupons and go shopping CHILDLESS, then you can do it! I can't coupon with children!
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