I would be a perfect example of couponing done right. I do go through a box or two of pasta each week. But, I only eat Barilla PLUS pasta, as it is made with extra protein, fiber and Omega 3s and is low carb. It is a
healthy substitute for a high carb pasta. People who read the "high protein threads" know I am fanatical about pushing -- err, informing people about it.
Mainly so Barilla keeps making it for ME.
Since I go through a box a week. When it's on sale, it's 50¢ off. So I'll buy 12 boxes to tide me over to the next sale. That's saving $6 right there. Why in the world would I buy only one box on sale, then pay full price for something I am going to be getting again next week and the week after?
If I had coupons for each box, I could potentially save another 25¢ on each box. If I was in a store that doubled that 25¢ to 50¢, then I'd be saving $1.00 off of each box off of something I already eat or use.
To get free items, if an item is on sale for $1.00 and you have a 50¢ coupon for it, and the store doubles the values of coupons, then that coupon is now worth $1.00. So the item is free.
Always combine sales with a coupon when possible, for maximum savings.
As other people stated, many coupons are for unhealthy food products. But, there are also many health and beauty aid products (shampoos) and cleaners that there are coupons for. People need to stop being
brand loyal if they are going to be using coupons. Crest works just as well as Aquafresh toothpaste. Ajax works just as well as Comet. (Just not used in your mouth.
)
NO ONE SHOULD BE PAYING FULL PRICE FOR TOILET PAPER. They should always be buying it on sale combined with coupons. And if you can stockpile 50
free packages of toilet paper, more power to you!
Are you really
not going to be able to use up 50 packages of free toilet paper?
If you do not need 50 packages of toilet paper, donate them to the schools, to homeless shelters. There is wasteful couponing and responsibly sharing of the free abundance when available.
Someone asked what happens to the stores, the manufacturers actually reimburse retailers a certain amount for each coupon. Manufacturers give coupons away so that you will try & keep buying their products. They factor in the "loss" from couponers into their equation before they print a determined number up. It is also estimated that for every coupon that is redeemed, 30 are tossed away. So don't feel bad for using too many coupons.
For retailers,
usually, most people do not go in to just buy coupon items. They need fresh fruit, milk, perishables, too. The retailers would rather you buy those products at their store than elsewhere. If a sale brings you into
their store over the competition, then it's a win for them. It becomes a win-win-win for the manufacturers, retailers and shoppers involved.
Coupons aren't only at supermarkets:
There's
Rite Aid Free after Rebate. I get so many free shampoos, toothbrushes & toothpaste each month. I have five toothpaste tubes stockpiled.
Walgreens has just started having an Internet rebate program too.
CVS pharmacy also has a program. The DIS Budget Board has more info on that.
Also
Staples Easy Rebates has their own program. I have free Fuji & Kodak photo paper, printer paper, notebooks & office supplies to last me quite a while. (Non-perishables.)
A couple years ago, I got $335 in rebates from Hewlett Packard & Office Depot combined for my new HP laptop computer that I wouldn't have been able to get without the rebates combined with a sale at
Office Depot. From previous experience & experiences from people on various message boards, like
Fatwallet.com, we
know which companies will honor rebates & which ones won't. I love the power of the web!
The portable air conditioner I bought one summer, I bought at
Bed, Bath and Beyond. It was selling for $399. (It's not on their website, only in the stores.) I used a 20% off coupon, found in the Sunday sales inserts, and that knocked off $99, so it was $300.
The great thing about
Bed, Bath and Beyond is they have an unlimited return policy! No return by date. Be reasonable with that policy, but it's not like if the AC breaks down on the 31st day, you're out of luck by one day with a 30 day return policy - especially on a $300 item.
Also
Bed, Bath and Beyond's coupons really have no expiration date. Even though there is one listed, their real policy is they don't enforce it. They always ring them up.
Another time, I took my mom & DSis to BB&B. I was able to use 20% off coupons for
each of us, making separate purchases. We must have saved about $40 on that trip.
I LOVE Couponing!!!
There are many ways to get multiples of free coupons than buying them. Most supermarkets and newsstands throw out the surplus, unsold Sunday papers on Sunday nights or on Mondays. They only need to return the front page to be reimbursed by the newspaper company. They usually leave a big pile of the tossed out surplus in the garbage or the recycle bins. So the newspapers are
clean. Some people can make a deal with their supermarket or newsstand to please save them instead of tossing them. Or give them a couple dollars for their trouble.
A newsstand tosses out their papers near me, and I can pick up 12 inserts every Monday, if I remember. (That's more than enough for me, unless I am buying Barilla Plus pasta.
)
Other ways to get coupons is: many people leave their Sunday papers in Starbucks every Sunday morning after reading them. There is a Starbucks every several blocks in most areas. One can drive to 3 Starbucks and simply pick up several inserts within 20 minutes. Starbucks usually tosses all the extra newspapers. They don't care if someone takes them.
Many people go to work in offices where people bring in the Sunday paper to read, and then toss them into the clean recycle bins.
Some neighbors get the papers, and simply do not coupon. They can't be bothered. But, they
will save the coupon inserts each week if one has a good relationship and can simply ask them to save them. When there is a good sale on a product they do use, and you can get the product free, GIVE them a couple items in exchange for taking the time to save you the coupon inserts. That is a win for everyone.
Many local libraries have a box for people to share their unused coupons. People can donate their dog food coupons and take out the cat food ones.
There are couponing forums. Some people trade coupons for a small fee for the
services of saving and mailing coupons. Tidy Cat coupons are usually $1 off. It is the only litter my cat will use. If I can pay $1 to have 8 coupons sent to me, I am ahead by $7 (or $14 in a store that doubles coupons.)
Totally agree with you! 
)
It is a better choice for anyone who would still like to eat pasta, but not all the carbs. And it does NOT taste like boiled cardboard the way "whole wheat" pastas do. 
You do have to cook it a bit longer than regular pasta. 
People have to decide if they want to get the store manager involved to override and properly apply the second coupon. 
