Couponing---more trouble than it's worth?

[It's A Happy Day]

Yes, the CVS thing looks like it would propably work out for me. How do you get started? Does it require a store card? I've checked the local ads, but don't see any instructions. Anyone give a brief overview? thx,


lori

Yes, you need a store card - you can get 1 at the register in store (ask the cashier) or you can apply online and you get the card in about a week. You might want to check this weeks deals to see if there is anything that would spark your interest to get started now vs. waiting a week for the card.

Your 1st 1 or 2 trips should be the most out of pocket (OOP) expense as you do not have any Extra Care Bucks (ECB's) to put into it. Check out the weekly thread: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1603808&page=3
I have put an abbreviation guide in the 1st post as well as some useful links. You can check on CVS.com for instructions as well. Basically, you purchase participating products and get back an ECB at the end of your receipt. Those ECB's are coupons (or money) worth whatever amount printed on them towards other merchandise - some exclusions apply like stamps, gift cards, prescriptions - but you can use them towards pretty much anything in the store.

For example this MONTH you can purchase the crest pro-health night products mouthwash/toothpaste for $3.29 each and you get back an ECB for $3.49 (I think the limit is 2) now you can purchase 1, pay the $3.29, and then you will get back an ECB for $3.29. Then you could do it again and use the ECB from transaction 1 towards transaction 2 and pay 0 out of pocket. OR you could purchase 2 in 1 transaction and you would get back 1 ECB for $6.58 and that is good towards your next transaction. Each sale item that generates an ECB will create a separate ECB vs. 1 big ECB but if you purchase multiples of the same item then you get 1 ECB for the total of those products (I hope that makes sense). So if you purchased candy that creates an ECB and shampoo that creates an ECB you would get 2 ECB's vs. 1 total amount. Nearly every item has a limit that you will get an ECB for - usually between 1 and 5. This limit means you can do that particular deal that many times and get back an ECB. You can purchase the product at the sale price as many times as you want but will only get x amount of ECB's back. Some people have multiple cards so they can get more deals but I don't recommend that until you get the hang of it. Now back to the toothpaste deal. It is already free after ECB. This past week I had a coupon in my paper for buy 1 get 1 free on any nighttime pro-health item. So I can purchase 2, use my mfg coupon, pay only $3.29 for 2 and get back $6.58 in ECB. I have now MADE $3.29 on that transaction. That is the fun with CVS! You can use coupons on all items and actually make more money to use on other household items or at least cut the cost way down.

Downfalls to the system:
ECB's expire in 30 days so if you don't use them you lose them
You have to use the total amount of the ECB's - you do not get back change from them.
If store is out of stock then you are out of luck. Generally you can not get a raincheck with the ECB attached to it. So if the item that is free after ECB is not on the shelf then you can't get a raincheck for it to use down the road.

 

[aclov]

I do use coupons but the bad thing for me is that sometimes I take it too serious. For example, I'll get mad at myself if I forget to use a coupon or if the cashier didn't scan it and I didn't catch it.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Like most have already posted, I don't use many coupons on junk foods or really all that much in the supermarket. My family and I eat healthfully and often that means items without coupons or paying more (we've also cut back on red meat so that has really helped). We've found store brands to be quite fine for many things and are typically less expensive than brand named foods even with a coupon. Supermarkets here do double coupons up to 99 cents, but "coincidentally" most of the coupons that appear in our local Sunday paper are buy 2 or 3 or 4 and save a $1, so they really don't double.

That being said, I being a smart shopper.

What I do is simply match up weekly circulars with coupons and try to buy enough of that thing to make it until the next sale. Sometimes the sales and coupons line up and I wind up getting the item(s) for free . . . or even more than free (as is often the case with CVS as others have so well written).

We easily save several thousand dollars a year on household products and food doing this. Just taking it one babystep deal at a time . I'm also a good shopper when it comes to clothes, services, school supplies, etc., but that's another story.

I don't believe in the paying someone to cut my coupons or tell me where to grocery shop (or pay for their "game") nor do I buy extra newspapers, buy a money guru's books, buy coupons from an on-line service, or even have someone give me coupons for free (but that would be great ).

 

[Cindy B]

I live in Chicago and I am not aware of any stores around the city and burbs that do double coupons....is this mainly done in the south?

I'm in NJ. Grocery stores in PA, NJ and I think DE double coupons. Some even triple coupon!

 

[Rootskate]

The stores here in Connecticut also double coupons up to .99 cents.

 

[MrsPete]

I'm in the "not worth the trouble" group. The coupons for which coupons are available tend to be rather high-priced in the first place. Which makes more sense: Buying a name-brand cereal that costs $3.50/box and gives you a .75 coupon or the store brand, which costs $1.50? Our stores don't double coupons. Sure, the coupon allows you to "save" .75, but you spend less with the store brand.

You can save a little here and there with coupons, but for the long-haul, the overall bottom line is less if you use these strategies:

1. Search out food sources other than the grocery store (by far, it's the most expensive place to shop). Look for food salvage stores, etc. I can always buy meat for $1/pound, french fries 10 pounds for $1, etc. And it's good quality stuff. Look into health food stores, ethnic food stores, and vegetable markets.

2. When you shop at the grocery store, compare prices -- usually the store brand is the better deal, but you'll find exceptions.

3. Watch your beverage costs. The average person's grocery bill is 30% beverages (more if alcohol's included), which wouldn't be so bad if those beverages weren't mostly empty calories! Except for milk, most beverages are non-nutritious.

4. Refuse to buy individually packaged items. Not only do canned sodas, individual bags of chips, and pudding cups cost significantly more, they are proportionally more wasteful because so much more packaging goes into the landfills.

Coupon exception: I sometimes use coupons for health and beauty items and cleaning items. More often I buy these things from Target's clearance aisles. I use only about half the recommended amount of cleaning product, which doesn't seem to affect the results and makes the bottle last longer. I never buy disposable cleaning products like Clorox wipes -- very wasteful.

 

[stinkerbell_&_Co]

I'm big on couponing and stock piling. I have 2 shelves downstairs filled with groceries that I get free or close to it. I have a big shopping trip every other week. My budget is 200.00, but I usually only spend 120.00 and save around 70 dollars in coupons....so 190.00 worth of food. That includes the stockpiling items (I won't need toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, paper towels, cat food, pudding, or mashed potatoes for the next year...lol).

So couponing is worth it for us without a doubt. I didn't like the grocery game, but I have friends who love it. I guess it just depends on your area.

 

[ZPT1022]

I think it's pretty clear there's no one size fits all response to the OP's question. Unquestionably alot has to do with where you live and what you eat.

Living in a metro area I get some really good coupons, plus Kroger & Publix double up to .50 so there are deals to be had. Publix has a Greenwise magazine that sometimes has coupons on organic products. I get lots of free stuff at CVS and Walgreens with the help of coupons.

I hate the time I have to spend clipping coupons, but I save too much not to do it.

It's really neat to hear all the different responses. I'm really intrigued by those who have said that they walk away with carts full of stuff for pennies on the dollar. Unfortunately it doesn't work out that well for us, but it's still really neat.

 

[ZPT1022]

I would be interested too.



For those who asked, DH and I use the Crystal salt deodorants.

How do you like them? Do you ever feel stinky? DH and I have both had allergic reactions to conventional deodorants recently, after years of using the same kind (Degree for me, Old Spice for him) I tried a sample of the Tom's that came with toothpaste that I bought, but it smelled like Fruit Loops, which was just too weird for me

 

[mickeyfan2]

How do you like them? Do you ever feel stinky? DH and I have both had allergic reactions to conventional deodorants recently, after years of using the same kind (Degree for me, Old Spice for him) I tried a sample of the Tom's that came with toothpaste that I bought, but it smelled like Fruit Loops, which was just too weird for me

They have no scent in them. They work great. If you ever smelled DH's pits, from a distance, you would know that this is the be deo he has ever used.

 

[Reflection]

I find the couopons are generally for things I don't buy or that you have to buy a set quantity (e.g., purchase three or four items to get 75 cents off) and I only have so much space. So, I don't bother with coupons unless it is an in-store coupon which I use right then. I give a big to those who are able to make coupons work for them. I read articles in magazines on how some folks can get their grocery bill (a full cart of groceries) down to a cents or a few dollars by using coupons.

 

[Reflection]

When people say coupons are for things they don't use, I always wonder what they do in place of toothpaste, deoderant and wash powder. ........

At the Target closest to me, I can always find a full-size toothpaste for under $1.00. I can always find deordorant on sale.I'm not brand-specific when it comes to laundry products--the $1.99 size of Sun liquid detergent cleans my laundry just fine. Target or the Giant grocery store nearest to me generally have the feminine hygiene products I prefer on sale.

 

[Reflection]

Ditto.

I used to be a diehard stockpiler and couponer, but I have cut back drastically. Sure, using coupons can save money yet it could cost in the long run, but I would rather invest in my health. I choose not to use coupons because I try to stay away from processed items, I try to eat certified organic items, and we eat mostly ethnic and natural foods.



I use Tom's toothpaste, deodorant made without aluminum, and detergent without dyes.

I also use natural cleansers or at least less toxic one's. I use vinegar and alcohol more than I use bleach. I also make my own solutions with baking soda for cleaning bathrooms, over cleaner, and also my own Febreeze type solution. I also make my own toiletries, like skin cleansers and some makeup. I have a book collection on making natural products which are better health and financial-wise. They are safer, cheaper alternatives than store bought.

If you want to learn more about couponing, be sure to visit mycoupons.com and couponmom.com.

Do you mind sharing the recipe for the Febreeze-like solution you use?

 

[travelbug]

I live in Chicago and I am not aware of any stores around the city and burbs that do double coupons....is this mainly done in the south?

I live in suburban Detroit and the grocery stores here double coupons up to 50 cent ones.

I'm of the "definitely worth my time" mindset. I do very, very well with coupons by coupling them with already good sale prices. I can usually beat the store brand prices hands down by matching sale items with coupons that double. If not, and I really need something, then I buy the store brand. I find plenty of coupons to use that are not for junky processed foods, though I've been known to occasionally use the ones for semi-junky stuff. I often get things for free and donate surplus items to my church's food pantry.

Like others have mentioned, there are things that I haven't paid a penny for in years. For me, that includes toothpaste, deodorant, ketchup, mustard, relish, syrup, rice, liquid hand soap, toilet bowl cleanser, etc.

Savings potential clearly varies from area to area, according to who has stores that will double coupons and who gets a good variety of coupons in their newspaper inserts. Fortunately, I'm in a good area for this and it has saved me a bundle over the years.

 

[Pigeon]

We don't eat much processed food at all as I consider most of it to be unhealthy, and our grocery stores don't double coupons. I buy mostly store brand items, which are usually less expensive than the name brand less any coupon. I do look through the Sunday coupons and clip the occasional one for something we use, but I generally only have two or three coupons for any shopping trip.

I shop carefully and stock up on good sales, so my grocery spending isn't too bad.

 

[AngieWin]

DO you know if that is regular Target or just Super Target? Regular Target does have a few things that my kids like for snacks, like Fruitabu. Yum!

Both have organic(Target usually doesnt have produce though), but Supertarget carries tons more items on everything grocery, so they do have more.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It hasn't worked for us at all...mostly due to what we buy. We do happen upon coupons every once and a while but not able to get the deals other folks get b/c we don't buy a lot of what they print coupons for.

On a finance site I visit--there is a couple with 2 kids. They have couponing and stockpiling down to an art form. They only allocate $25 per week for groceries and frequently have change left over b/c they have a stockpile built. I'm floored at their ability to do that...But I am just not able to do that (no doubling coupons here). Plus I just don't eat the way they do (not that there is anything wrong with that ) or the way most folks do when they coupon.


As for toothpaste--I have stockpile remaining from a previous effort and restocked in my attempt to be coupon queen once again. My toothpaste was free or near free.

For deoderant--I have a bunch on hand anyway and don't plan on opening a deoderant shop, so I really don't bother to stock any more of it.

I wanted aluminum free--but that is what gives deoderant its anti-perspirant property. I tried some of the natural stuff...and it just didn't work for me.


For shampoo/conditioner--I found the clearance bin at publix and stocked up on some huge bottles of Pantene for a dollar a piece. Sure a coupon would have been cool...but that is still a steal!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

When people say coupons are for things they don't use, I always wonder what they do in place of toothpaste, deoderant and wash powder.

I use free and clear liquids for my laundry soap. Up until recently it was just All...now I notice all the brands have it at our publix. I recently just switched to publix brand.

I use vinegar, borax, and baking soda to clean when "I" clean.

The cleaning service uses whatever they use when "they" clean.

I have a stockpile of toothpaste and deoderant...and when it runs low--I am not about to invest in a bunch of newsprint to try and save a few pennies. If I see it B1G1--that is good enough for me.

 

[the Fidge]

Yes, I know about the Sunday paper coupons. I get it from my MIL. She recently gave us a months worth of coupon circulars and I found maybe 10 coupons that I might possibly use. I ended up using a few before the others expired. So I am not adverse to using coupons, I'm just not finding the incredible savings that couponers proclaim.
I mainly buy store brands, and preferrably on sale. One week the savings was $52.00. The clerk had to get the manager to approve it, as the amount was so high.
I'm curious where you shop, as you are also from this area? What specific grocery stores?

lori

HI Loir I shop at Weis Mr Z's and SHur Save markets. In some things geneeric is great but I have learned a neat thing that if the item is onslae and I have a coupon its much cheaper at times than the Generic!

I just check both circulars and see what items I need off my list and then see if I have a coupon and where it is on sale. I pass both grocers so its never out of the way!

I also like getting the certificates for $ from SHur Save and Mr Z gives percentages as well as rebates online. I also have acquired some dishes, never have enough pyrex stuff. SO win win for me!

Good luck