I am so tired of people who say all coupons are for junk!

[mdrob214]

I am so tired of people who say all coupons are for junk!

Really, there are plenty that ARE. But, just this week I've used coupons for:

milk
eggs
bread
cheese
Greek yogurt
butter
olive oil
flour
sugar
peanut butter
razor blades
Zyrtec
Advil
Ziploc bags
foil
deodorant
shampoo
toothpaste
cat food
litter
bleach
cereal

I also bought some processed stuff which I used coupons on as well! No, I'm not perfect, I try to eat well but I enjoy treats, I'm on WW so that affects my shopping as well.

All of these items were items I would've purchased anyway, all were name brand, but that's because I am able to get name brands for cheaper than many generics (I shop at a Military Commissary, which helps). I don't buy 62 bottles of mustard because they're on sale, but I will buy one or two spares for the pantry if it's on sale and I have a coupon--as long as the expiration date is far away--because I will eventually use it.

The point I am trying to make--everyone who doesn't coupon says all you can get is junk and it simply isn't true. If you don't have the time or don't want to dedicate the time to couponing, then don't! But don't automatically assume the rest of us eat all crap.

Sorry, I just needed to vent!

 

[Leshaface]

I am so tired of people who say all coupons are for junk!

Really, there are plenty that ARE. But, just this week I've used coupons for:

milk
eggs
bread
cheese
Greek yogurt
butter
olive oil
flour
sugar
peanut butter
razor blades
Zyrtec
Advil
Ziploc bags
foil
deodorant
shampoo
toothpaste
cat food
litter
bleach
cereal

I also bought some processed stuff which I used coupons on as well! No, I'm not perfect, I try to eat well but I enjoy treats, I'm on WW so that affects my shopping as well.

All of these items were items I would've purchased anyway, all were name brand, but that's because I am able to get name brands for cheaper than many generics (I shop at a Military Commissary, which helps). I don't buy 62 bottles of mustard because they're on sale, but I will buy one or two spares for the pantry if it's on sale and I have a coupon--as long as the expiration date is far away--because I will eventually use it.

The point I am trying to make--everyone who doesn't coupon says all you can get is junk and it simply isn't true. If you don't have the time or don't want to dedicate the time to couponing, then don't! But don't automatically assume the rest of us eat all crap.

Sorry, I just needed to vent!

Wow! Where do you get the coupons for your milk, eggs, and butter? Would love to find coupons for these items!

Unfortunately for my area, all the coupons are for high in fat, boxed, processed foods which we don't eat. We do get quite a bit of coupons for oral hygiene products, makeup, body products, etc. But would love more 'food' products.

Would love to know about your dairy coupons!

 

[wvjules]

THe point is that there are no coupons for GOOD HEALTHY foods:

apples
bananas
fish
grapes
carrots
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
asparagus
green beans

FRESH foods not canned/boxed/processed foods.

Get it now?

 

[mdrob214]

I get milk coupons in the regular Sunday circular. Sometimes they are for Roberts brand--which I use at Target and get milk cheaper than Target brand. Some are for Land O Lakes brand and I use those to get even cheaper milk at the Commissary (already the cheapest of the regular prices in my area).
Egg coupons aren't as frequent, unless they are for Eggland's Best, but once in a while they come in the Sunday coupons, too.

Oh, and I am on a coupon train here on the budget board. I cut ALL coupons from the Sunday paper (I only buy 1), keep what I want, and send the others to my buddy. I also receive and envelope full of coupons from another buddy each week. I pull out any I want and forward the rest on down the train. It costs me about $1 a week to do this, but I get more than that from the coupon train, so it pays for itself and doesn't take much time.

I forgot to add to my list above: Butterball turkey. I had a coupon for any dinner meat and bought turkey breast tenders and ground turkey breast.

 

[RadioFanatic]

THe point is that there are no coupons for GOOD HEALTHY foods:

apples
bananas
fish
grapes
carrots
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
asparagus
green beans

FRESH foods not canned/boxed/processed foods.

Get it now?

I disagree. I often get coupons for Dole salad bags which I use a lot and just last week I had several coupons for $1 off produce when buy two boxes of kellogg's cereal - I bought raison bran. I also had coupons for free gallon of milk when buy two boxes. So for about $5, I got two boxes of raison bran, a gallon of milk and two pounds of apples.

And, I use the overage of coupons to pay for meat and produce. As I said in another thread, I paid $21 for a multitude of items that would have cost $171 total, but I also now have $21 in cats which I can use on anything which will pay for my produce and/or meat. YOu just have to be smart about it. And my store never doubles coupons except on RARE occasions (and only three at most a trip); and I can still do these deals.

 

[mdrob214]

THe point is that there are no coupons for GOOD HEALTHY foods:

apples
bananas
fish
grapes
carrots
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
asparagus
green beans

FRESH foods not canned/boxed/processed foods.

Get it now?

Wrong! I have gotten coupons for tomatoes, lettuce(not just those pre-packaged salad mixes), oranges/Cuties, and I use coupons for frozen vegetables all the time--they aren't as frequent or as high-dollar, but they ARE there! I don't buy frozen vegetables with sauces on them, although I will admit that the veggies without sauce are getting hard to find. And yes, I still buy a ton of produce, even when I don't have coupons.

 

[angierae]

THe point is that there are no coupons for GOOD HEALTHY foods:

apples
bananas
fish
grapes
carrots
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
asparagus
green beans

FRESH foods not canned/boxed/processed foods.

Get it now?

That's why you take the money you SAVED on the other stuff, and put it towards the fresh vegetables/fruits. Just because someone is couponing doesn't mean they aren't buying that stuff. I don't generally buy my produce at the grocery store - we have a fruit market type store and in the summer I buy at the farmer's market. So if you saw me at the grocery store you'd think I never buy fresh food - on the contrary, I buy organic, locally grown produce ELSEWHERE. I can afford to pay slightly more for this because I save money on the things I DO coupon.

 

[Leshaface]

I get milk coupons in the regular Sunday circular. Sometimes they are for Roberts brand--which I use at Target and get milk cheaper than Target brand. Some are for Land O Lakes brand and I use those to get even cheaper milk at the Commissary (already the cheapest of the regular prices in my area).
Egg coupons aren't as frequent, unless they are for Eggland's Best, but once in a while they come in the Sunday coupons, too.

Oh, and I am on a coupon train here on the budget board. I cut ALL coupons from the Sunday paper (I only buy 1), keep what I want, and send the others to my buddy. I also receive and envelope full of coupons from another buddy each week. I pull out any I want and forward the rest on down the train. It costs me about $1 a week to do this, but I get more than that from the coupon train, so it pays for itself and doesn't take much time.

I forgot to add to my list above: Butterball turkey. I had a coupon for any dinner meat and bought turkey breast tenders and ground turkey breast.

Thanks for the info!

P.S. Glad to see that you, A WOMAN, appreciate "The Princess Bride"...all my girlfriends are like ehhh, it's boring! They just don't know what's up! I love saying some of those quotes in your sig!

 

[mdrob214]

Oh, and I'm no extreme coupon lady. I go to the store with a list and buy what I want. Sometimes I buy stuff that's on sale that I don't need that week, but I'll use it before it goes bad, and I will buy off-list.
I don't do my 'big' grocery shopping every week--I go every 2-3 weeks for that and then pick up the produce, dairy and anything I forgot on the in-between trips. I find that the less often I shop, the less I spend.
My last trip was just this week. I saved $77 in coupons. That was only about 25% of my total bill (but I haven't been in 3 weeks). I have active, healthy teenagers and they eat. A lot!

 

[Belle0101]

Keep in mind that coupon distribution is regional too. Our local newspaper receives very minimal coupons and they are for "junk". A few towns over and that town's paper will have different coupons. Some of it depends on where the manufacturers want to drive up sales.

For example - say that Eggland's Best wants to encourage sales in San Antionio but not in Houston. Sales there are good and they don't need to offer incentives. Which is what a coupon really is, an incentive from the manufacturer to entice you to buy the product. One way is to distribute coupons in the San Antonio region but not the Houston region.

The San Antonio resident will say they get good coupons. The Houston resident will argue that all get is junk coupons.


ETA: Not every part of the country carries the same name brands either. We don't have Roberts brand here. It was years before I knew what Turkey Hill was. Only a few stores near here carry it and then just minimally.

On overage, using the overage from one product to put towards another product. Regional too. NONE of our stores allow that. Every single store will adjust the coupon down.

So where you live affects how you can coupon. For some it's much easier and more beneficial. For others, like my area, not so good.

 

[LovableGluttons]

THe point is that there are no coupons for GOOD HEALTHY foods:

apples
bananas
fish
grapes
carrots
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
asparagus
green beans

FRESH foods not canned/boxed/processed foods.

Get it now?

Wine tags. I find loads of wine tags here in Florida that do not require alcohol purchase and are good on my total purchase or even specify produce, seafood, meat, dairy, and more.

Or, if you are a commissary shopper, you use enough coupons for overage and purchase your fresh items that way. That's how I usually do it.

Get it now?

 

[mdrob214]

Thanks for the info!

P.S. Glad to see that you, A WOMAN, appreciate "The Princess Bride"...all my girlfriends are like ehhh, it's boring! They just don't know what's up! I love saying some of those quotes in your sig!

I The Princess Bride! I had to force my husband to watch it--same with my son. They both thought it was a "Princess" movie Now they quote it all the time.

 

[Diegosmom]

THe point is that there are no coupons for GOOD HEALTHY foods:

apples
bananas
fish
grapes
carrots
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
asparagus
green beans

FRESH foods not canned/boxed/processed foods.

Get it now?

This is NOT true. I have gotten coupons for this stuff. I get Food Lion coupons for $2/$5 produce purchase and target often does a produce coupon. sometimes it is just for broccoli other times it is for any produce. Also just got a coupon for $1 off any produce when you buy any 2 kellogs cereal. I buy the special K which I think is decent for you.

Also so people use coupons and use overage to pay for other stuff like your produce.

Example there was a coupon out there for $5/2 revlon products. Target was selling nail files for $1.47 so 2 would be 2.94 that leaves 2.06 overage to go toward your fruit.

Or you can use a target coupon and a manuf. coupon on the same item. Item is $2.50 you have a $2 manu. and a $1 target. You now have .50 overage to go toward your fruit. Doesnt always work out but sometimes it does.

Oh and I have often gotten $2 off any beef, or chicken or fish or turkey (these are all different coupon) or $2 off produce or $2 off at the deli, $2 off cheese.

Don't say that these coupon arent around. They are maybe you just have never seen it or looked hard enough.

To OP I totally hear you. It drives me crazy when people talk like that. I will say my honest coupon use got me thru diapers and formula for next to nothing. (Ie once I started couponing I didnt pay for formula and only a few times I have to pay about $2 a pack for diapers...)

 

[GinnyEmma]

No milk, fruit, unprocessed meat or veggie coupons here. Coupon all you want. I will continue to think they are for junk. Except Greek yogurt and then if you are not talking about yopkait which doesn't promise active cultures.

We use electric razors, reusable plastic containers, a bunch of drugs, Litter. Etc. Most of your lists junk. Bleach is cheaper at aldis.

 

[ilovejack02]

THe point is that there are no coupons for GOOD HEALTHY foods:

apples
bananas
fish
grapes
carrots
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
asparagus
green beans

FRESH foods not canned/boxed/processed foods.

Get it now?

I beg to differ , I used coupons on apples today . Got 2 lbs for .71 . I have a coupon waiting to be used buy two boxes of Special K get 1 lb free of fruit, also I always use coupons to buy cuties and have two waiting to be used. . Sure there are ya just have to look, also different areas have different coupons. . I also use coupons at Whole foods all the time too.

 

[wvjules]

That's why you take the money you SAVED on the other stuff, and put it towards the fresh vegetables/fruits. Just because someone is couponing doesn't mean they aren't buying that stuff. I don't generally buy my produce at the grocery store - we have a fruit market type store and in the summer I buy at the farmer's market. So if you saw me at the grocery store you'd think I never buy fresh food - on the contrary, I buy organic, locally grown produce ELSEWHERE. I can afford to pay slightly more for this because I save money on the things I DO coupon.

But that's not what the OP said. She said that coupons weren't just for junk. Not that she used the money she saved to buy good stuff.

I have never gotten or seen a coupon for fresh produce. They have been on sale, but in my circulars I have never seen a coupon for them.

 

[mdrob214]

Keep in mind that coupon distribution is regional too. Our local newspaper receives very minimal coupons and they are for "junk". A few towns over and that town's paper will have different coupons. Some of it depends on where the manufacturers want to drive up sales.

For example - say that Eggland's Best wants to encourage sales in San Antionio but not in Houston. Sales there are good and they don't need to offer incentives. Which is what a coupon really is, an incentive from the manufacturer to entice you to buy the product. One way is to distribute coupons in the San Antonio region but not the Houston region.

The San Antonio resident will say they get good coupons. The Houston resident will argue that all get is junk coupons.

You are correct that the inserts are regional. I live in a 'suburb' and our coupons here are different than the ones in the city itself. And we're only a few miles apart! But surely there are SOME good coupons in your inserts? Every now and again? I know they aren't all good--I've seen plenty of junk in mine as well--but I just don't like when someone dismisses what I do/eat simply because it doesn't work for them. Don't knock it til you try it! so you won't save $50. But maybe you'll save $5 and be able to buy yourself a coffee at Starbucks or something! Not that I do that, or anything. Or maybe you'll save $5 a week and put that away and you'd have enough after a year to spend on a Character Breakfast or some such extravagance? It's worth it!

 

[mdrob214]

But that's not what the OP said. She said that coupons weren't just for junk. Not that she used the money she saved to buy good stuff.

I have never gotten or seen a coupon for fresh produce. They have been on sale, but in my circulars I have never seen a coupon for them.

I said not ALL coupons are for junk. That's it!

 

[marmalade]

I disagree. I often get coupons for Dole salad bags which I use a lot and just last week I had several coupons for $1 off produce when buy two boxes of kellogg's cereal - I bought raison bran. I also had coupons for free gallon of milk when buy two boxes. So for about $5, I got two boxes of raison bran, a gallon of milk and two pounds of apples.

And, I use the overage of coupons to pay for meat and produce. As I said in another thread, I paid $21 for a multitude of items that would have cost $171 total, but I also now have $21 in cats which I can use on anything which will pay for my produce and/or meat. YOu just have to be smart about it. And my store never doubles coupons except on RARE occasions (and only three at most a trip); and I can still do these deals.

You pay for your meat/produce with cats?

 

[mdrob214]

No milk, fruit, unprocessed meat or veggie coupons here. Coupon all you want. I will continue to think they are for junk. Except Greek yogurt and then if you are not talking about yopkait which doesn't promise active cultures.

We use electric razors, reusable plastic containers, a bunch of drugs, Litter. Etc. Most of your lists junk. Bleach is cheaper at aldis.

Yoplait Greek yogurt is horrible! Tastes so bad(I tried it--with a FREE coupon!) I buy Oikos or Chobani, usually, because that's what my stores carry. It's getting easier to find, though.

How is my list junk? You don't buy butter, sugar, eggs, flour? Deodorant??
And it all depends on the stores you shop--bleach is cheaper for me at the Commissary and with a coupon. I know not everyone can use the Commissary, of course.

The list I gave was only for the items on which I used coupons, not my entire grocery order.