Couponing doesn't seem worth it, what am I missing?

[elcodfish]

I have read some articles about extreme couponing and I just don't think it would work for me, so what am I missing? It is just my husband and I, we do almost all our grocery shopping at Aldi and only buy a few name brand things at the larger supermarkets, like my Pantene shampoo and conditioner, deodorant and fresh meat. We go with my mom to Sam's club and save a lot on paper products and store up on them. Since switching stores we do save at least $50 a month. We don't get a newspaper, and I just think it would take a lot of time and patience to clip the coupons, organize them, and then wait for a sale to take advantage of the biggest savings. I there a website or a blog that would give me some more information? We both work full time and make good money, but we also want to retire early, so every little bit helps!

 

[suzieQ36]

I feel the same way. We shop at Aldi, which seems to save us plenty. I get a few name brand things at our local grocery store or Walmart. I do not get the newspaper. It just seems like it would take a lot of time to clip coupons, search for them on the web, organize them, etc.
Guess I need a class on the best/least time consuming way to find and use coupons!!

 

[sydneysmom]

I would say that the main thing you're missing is saving money. It does take patience and hard work but I believe that the savings we get is worth the time.
I get alot of coupons of the internet, so I'm not buying 10 newspapers.... then you shop the sales w/ your coupons to maximize the savings.

to give you an example, at CVS I've only spent $33.00 since January 1. I have saved a total of $ 280.00 and gotten back $ 36.00 in CVS extra care bucks for subsequent trips. So, wouldn't you say it's worth couponing ?

The most I've paid for dish detergent is 10cents a bottle, I've got about 15 bottles (not the small ones) of Excedrin that I've gotten for free. Toothpaste, about 10-12 tubes, all free. You just have to take a little time to wait for the sale then match your coupons. Once you have a "stash" of something, you won't have to shop for that item for quite a while. You'll see your shopping bill start to go down.

 

[CoP Luv]

If you look at the coupons and match the sales, you will make out ahead! I was at Sam's this weekend and got Swiffer Wet Sweepers (48 ct. for $12). The next day, there was a coupon for Buy 1 Get 1 Free and they were on sale at the store for $8.50 each. So I would get the same amount for $3.50 less. Buying in bulk for certain items only saves when things aren't on sale, or if you don't use coupons.

I was at Target before Christmas and saw that a box of Ritz crackers were on sale for $2. The Target brand was $1.79. I had a coupon for $1 off Ritz which made them $1 each box! A much better deal than the generic brand.

With coupons, you can get the name brand items for less than the generic. You just have to watch the sales, know how much things cost, and match the coupons with the sale items to save the most money.

 

[dismichelle]

I did it for a little while a couple of years ago, and it was alot of work. I've thought about doing it again, but am still not sure it would be worth it.

To those of you who do it, about how many hours would you say you spend each week on it.

 

[csharpwv]

You have to watch for double coupon offers, free product offers, and other things that increase the 'base' value of the coupon.

It is entirely possible for a family to save hundreds of dollars a month of coupons.

It does seem like a lot of work - but you have to think of coupons as currency that comes in your newspaper! Or online!

 

[leadfootlevi]

I use a website (creativecouponing.com) that is local to my area - she matches up the sale ads with the coupons (even adding links to the online coupons). It doesn't take long, and when I clip coupons from the paper I only clip what I need (I don't clip coupons for things I wouldn't normally buy). I don't use a lot of coupons and most of our grocery bill is for produce and meat, but for cereal, canned goods, granola bars, yogurt cups, toilet paper, etc we can usually save between 20% and 30% of our total bill. We do not shop at Sams/Costco because we don't have the room to stock up and there is not an Aldi near us yet (they are building one and I'm so excited to try it out).

 

[figment3258]

I shop mostly at our wal mart due to the low prices. I can save about 10$ a week in coupons I look at the name brand and the store brand and if i can get the name brand for less with the coupon than the store brand i buy it but other than that everything is store brand

 

[cglaura]

I think it depends on location too. I don't have an Aldi's or Costco, and Sam's or BJ Wholesale is over an hour away. The biggest bargain place we have is Walmart, and I do save alot there, but combine with coupons also.

So for supermarket savings around here it really makes sense to coupon.

I save at least $10 week at least with coupons/sale combos, so that is $520 in my pocket each year for doing almost nothing. That isn't even using any extreme methods..just checking a circular and checking my coupon box.

DD19 is only home about 1/3 the time now, so my grocery, pet & household goods budget is only about $125/month anymore. In the summer even less because I can get my fruit/veggie at the local stands.

 

[redandblue]

I don't find it is worth the time. If I was a SAHM and my kids were a little older and ate more I might consider it but, I work full time and have 2 toddlers who eat very little. It just isn't worth it for me to spend all this time clipping coupons and running to different stores after work or on the weekends with 2 little kids.

 

[bettymae1121]

It isn't always worth it. A lot depends on where you are in the country (some regions don't double coupons or stores don't take internet coupons) and how you eat. DH and I eat mainly non-processed organic foods, and there aren't many coupons for those kind of items. Between that and the fact that stores in my area don't double coupons, I found that it just wasn't worth the trouble.

For us, we shop mainy at Trader Joes (also owned by the same company that owns Aldi's!) and get pretty decent prices on organic and natural items. We also shop at Costco and Meijers to suppliment what we can't get at TJ's (also Costco has the best price on organic ground beef). Yes I do spend more than we could if we didn't insist on organic, but for our family, it's what's right for us. We'll save money in other areas instead.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I have said that here previously, but since Dh is back in the Army Reserves, and I can use the Commissary, my couponing has gotten much better. They give out stacks of coupons almost every time we go in and they have them scattered around hanging from the shelves. This past weekend, I saved $25 in coupons alone, not mentioning how much less expensive groceries to those that have the priviledge.

Our local Sunday paper sucks as far as coupons go, but sometimes they have good ones. I will pick up an Atlanta paper when we are up that way, because they have really good coupons.

Suzanne

 

[sissy_ib]

The people who save the most money are buying the most. I live by myself so I don't need as much food or other things a family of 4 would need. I would save little so I don't use coupons unless they are already on the product I am buying and I don't buy things I don't need or really want just to stock up. Buying 10 bottles of detergent on sale is great if you have children and do laundry everyday, but I have two-three loads a week! 10 large bottles of detergent would last me years! And large amounts of food would go bad before I could eat it all. So it just depends on your situation.

 

[elcodfish]

I think if I had a bigger family it would help, but with 2 people, it seems like a lot of work. I think a huge money saver is meat at Sam's Club, but they are in huge portions that is too much for two people, so I either freeze it or split it with my sister. Just by buying the "off" products at Aldi, I am paying half for some things, and they even had plum tomatoes last week for .99 for 8. We also tried their frozen lasagna rolls, it was $4.99 for 12 rolls, and it was 2 meals for my husband and I, all I added was the $1.19 jar of sauce. It was $4 for dinner, including salad, which seemed cheap to me!

 

[java]

Our Aldi is slim pickings. But I do shop there twice a month. Spending about $30 a trip to stock up on a few things(eggs being super cheap this week means a trip)

But coupons are really helping me. I do mostly online and match sales. For example last week I had a coupon for $1 off 2 yogurt parfaits. My store had them on sale for $.75 so I paid .50 for 2.

I have been saving on average 50% with sales plus coupons. So it isn't all couponing- the sales help. This week shoprite had combos of items to buy to get coupons. My DH bought 8 browniemix and cake mix and 4 grands biscuits. Walked out with saving $25 off future shopping coupons and only spent $18.
At first it took time but now it's like second nature for me. But we are a family of 6.

 

[KigerKat]

You have to remember that extreme couponing is waaaayyy different that being a savvy shopper with coupons. The extreme couponers they feature on TV are addicted to buying stuff they will probably never use in bulk, and stockpiling it throughout their house. Sure, they may find a way to buy 40 boxes of cereal for $10, but how the heck are they going to eat all that cereal before it gets stale or goes bad?

I use a website (creativecouponing.com) that is local to my area - she matches up the sale ads with the coupons (even adding links to the online coupons). It doesn't take long, and when I clip coupons from the paper I only clip what I need (I don't clip coupons for things I wouldn't normally buy).

This is probably the best thing to do. Find a regional site that will feature stores you shop at the most. For me in the Southeast, its SouthernSavers.com. She goes through the ads for all the major grocery chains here and matches up the coupons for you. And if it is a printable coupon, she will provide a link for you to print. She also has a page about how to coupon for beginners. She will also point out if something is or is not a good deal at a store and point out where you can get it for less somewhere else.

I spend about 15 minutes clipping and filing my coupons and about 15 minutes creating my grocery list. Granted, it is just DH and I and I'm just a full time student, but even if I did have a full time job and a house full of kids, I think the savings are definitely worth 30 minutes each week.

I shop mostly at our wal mart due to the low prices. I can save about 10$ a week in coupons I look at the name brand and the store brand and if i can get the name brand for less with the coupon than the store brand i buy it but other than that everything is store brand

I've found that Wal-Mart is not the best place to get the best prices with coupons. True grocery stores often double (and sometimes triple) coupon values and many will also accept competitor's coupons, which Wal-Mart does not. And their "everyday low prices" aren't always the case and, in my opinion, those "low prices" don't justify the lost savings from not doubling coupons or accept competitor coupons.

If you always shop at Aldi and buy generic brands, then you won't see a difference with coupons, because you won't be able to use them. Couponing does require you to buy name brands. But the trick is to match the coupon when the product is on sale to maximize your savings. Even better if the store is running a "buy so many and get extra $$ off your entire order" - I love sales like that! I remember once I had printed off a bunch of coupons for $.50 off Green Giant Fresh Steamers, and they were on sale at Kroger for about $1.79 each and then if I bought 10 participating items I would get another $5 my total. I ended up getting about 6 of them for $.29 each - can't buy it at Aldi or Wal-Mart for that price.

One thing I have learned is that products tend to go on sale in 6 week cycles. This means that if you kids really like Rice Krispies and it's on sale this week, it probably won't be on sale again for another 6 weeks. You'll want to buy enough to last your household 6 weeks, and then re-stock again when it goes back on sale. Knowing your food manufacturers is a good point, as well. Rice Krispies is a Post Cereal, and Post generally alternates with General Mills. So, maybe buy enough Post cereal to last 3 weeks and then stock up on General Mills for 3 weeks until Post goes back on sale if your family can get cereal burn-out.

Being a good, smart couponer is a great tool if you are trying to live on a budget. It may take a little longer than 30 minutes a week for anyone starting out, but after a few weeks you will get your routine down and it will take you less and less time each week.

 

[Nayan]

I coupon, but nowhere near any of the extreme types. I check my paper and online and only clip/print what I actually use. For instance, last Sunday there were quite a few coupons, but I only clipped three. We don't eat a lot of processed/canned foods, we don't eat biscuits or bake and serve rolls or cinnamon buns nor do we eat the 'bagged' meals (you know the frozen skillet dinners). So really there wasn't much use for any of them. You rarely find coupons for fresh fruit, veggies or meat unless you buy something else to go with it (like a coupon for free bagged salad if you buy two salad dressings) and usually the thing attached to the coupon we won't use. So while many folks do save tons using coupons, look at what they're buying and how much then decide if it's really worth it to you.

 

[leight]

I've definitely been saving. I match coupons to buyone get one free sales. I'm in FL and there is no double couponing so 'extreme couponing' won't happen. But I use Aldi for certain produce and items that I like, and I stock up on items that I will use. I do spend a lot of time stopping at certain stores for items but it's become a hobby of mine so I don't mind as long as it is on my way to or from work or when I'm on my way to the same area of a store- I won't make a special trip with gas prices being where they are. I won't buy an item on sale in bulk until Iknow that my family likes it-but I've been able to introduce some new brands really cheap thru couponing and can interchange them when I was completely brand loyal before. I've cut my household budget from $750 a month (all household products, paper goods, food and pet supplies) down to about $450.

Last week my publix shopping was $46 and I saved $92- that was really good. On average I spend $50 at publix and save that same amount. I shop walmart for certain things and target for others and will shop other supermarkets for sales but Publix is my main - simply because they are the only one to have Boar's head products and Dh is a driver and he has a sandwich every day- dd13 won't buy the school lunch and I take a few sandwiches here or there.

 

[Pigeon]

Whether or not you'd save depends on what you buy but also where you live. Where I am stores do not double or triple coupons. Once in a great while one store will double two coupons, but only if you have a coupon for your coupons.

Occasionally I'll use a coupon matched to a sale item and it's cheaper than buying the house brand, but normally, it's just not. I don't buy a lot of heavily processed stuff, like frozen meals, shelf stable meals, drink mixes,etc. which is what most coupons are for. I also don't buy stuff like air fresheners and unnecessary cleaning products.

I do shop at CVS for ECB deals, which combined with coupons for toiletries, can make them very inexpensive.

I do much better shopping at Aldis and stocking up on staples every so often, and filling in with in season produce, loss leaders and house brands at the regular grocery store. I can see that if you had your coupons doubled or tripled, it might tip the balance.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I think if I had a bigger family it would help, but with 2 people, it seems like a lot of work. I think a huge money saver is meat at Sam's Club, but they are in huge portions that is too much for two people, so I either freeze it or split it with my sister. Just by buying the "off" products at Aldi, I am paying half for some things, and they even had plum tomatoes last week for .99 for 8. We also tried their frozen lasagna rolls, it was $4.99 for 12 rolls, and it was 2 meals for my husband and I, all I added was the $1.19 jar of sauce. It was $4 for dinner, including salad, which seemed cheap to me!

We are a family of 2 as well. I love my sam's membership for gas and meat alone. I shop for meat maybe every 2 months when I stock up at sam's. We also buy our water and snacks there and some seasonal items. We do freeze bag everything in smaller portions with the meat. One of the giant chicken breasts is enough for one meal for us and the same with the steak.

As for the coupons, I'm a big couponer. To me coupons are money. I use them on things we would normally purchase like cleaning products, hygiene items, dry goods and some canned goods as well. If I'm going to be buying it anyways, I might as well use the coupons.

I don't line up things on sale papers and only go to two stores max. I'm not a CVS person and I make my meal plans by what we want and have in the house and seldom by what's on sale anywhere. I average about 50 dollars a month savings in coupons alone. I see that as real money that I have saved and can be used elsewhere. I budget so much per month and when I come in under budget the extras are deposited into another account.