Why do you coupon?

[Purseval]

Ok,. . I have to ask. . .do you remember what it was? I clicked around on that sight. . .ewww! Found the dessert that was equivalent to 17 Twinkies, but couldn't find the bacon one.

Worst Starter

Chili's Awesome Blossom

2,710 calories
203 g fat
194 g carbs
6,360 mg sodium

It takes a special talent to turn a single oversized onion into the fat equivalent of 67 slices of bacon, but the line cooks at Chili's manage this horrific feat with the help of a thick batter, a calorie-loaded dipping sauce, and a vat of bubbling fat.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

I'm addicted to couponing....

Partly, it's the fun of finding the best sales, matching the best coupons, etc. It also saves me a lot of money on stuff I would have bought anyways. I wait until stuff will be pennies after coupons, and then buy a lot of it.

This past week, I bought 20 Colgate toothpastes for $1. If I'd had more coupons for it, I could have kept going. I'm never going to need 20 tubes of toothpaste, but I'll keep 3-4 tubes and send the rest to the food pantry. It was the same with Hamburger Helper - we don't eat it, but with coupons this week, it was 10 boxes for 50 cents. So for 2 bucks, I had 40 boxes to drop off at the food pantry. It may not be the most nutritious food ever, but it beats nothing to eat at all.

As to not being able to buy healthy or organic foods with coupons - it just depends on which coupons you have. I'll admit, the majority of food coupons are for processed stuff. But certainly not all of them are.

 

[richmond282]

Purseval, no offense, dude, but sometimes yer like a big old wet blanket. If somebody wants to drink 5000gms of sugar in their 'life water', that's their business. I do appreciate you sharing the info but most of us prolly know how to read if we're on the disboards. That Sobe stuff is no worse than the sugared pop, cereal and crap we grew up on and most of us are still addicted to.

Seriously. Why assume? I checked the label just to be sure. The Sobe Lifewater I purchased has 0 calories and 0 g sugar. Thanks for being so concerned about my health. I actually can't stand that sweet tea that tastes like syrup. Yuck!!

 

[danielephant]

I love love love love to coupon!!! It was so much easier last year when i was not pregnant/mommy of 2 lol my daughter and i were coupon buddies from the get go, i started the month after she was born, I have no idea what i saved the first year but i kept track last year and i saved 14,800 while this year i have saved 9,517 so far. So yeah i agree with you on being fun to see how much you can save/gather super fun!

Also i am a stay at home mommy so i feel like this is what i bring home by helping my hubby. While he is bringing home the bacon, i am waving a coupon for Oscar Meyar bacon lol

 

[hambirg]

Worst Starter

Chili's Awesome Blossom

2,710 calories
203 g fat
194 g carbs
6,360 mg sodium

It takes a special talent to turn a single oversized onion into the fat equivalent of 67 slices of bacon, but the line cooks at Chili's manage this horrific feat with the help of a thick batter, a calorie-loaded dipping sauce, and a vat of bubbling fat.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Ok,. . I have to ask. . .do you remember what it was? I clicked around on that sight. . .ewww! Found the dessert that was equivalent to 17 Twinkies, but couldn't find the bacon one. I was pretty happy to learn that most of my fast food choices were on the "eat this" side of the page. . .except my taco Bell Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco. Who knew?


ETA



Can I ask which one this was and is it still current? I need to stock up on meat, and I'm going to buy beer anyway.

There were rebates for Redhook, Heineken, Dos Equis, and Amstel that were all between $20-30, I don't rememeber which was what amount and I deposited the checks yesterday. I live in a state where the alcohol purchase is not required, so it is 100% bonus money to me.

 

[Beezle2]

We normally don't use coupons. We have in the past but found that they are usually for items we wouldn't buy anyway, the savings with coupons still don't match generics in price and the time spent didn't justify it. For instance the latest CVS ad had some razors marked down to about $3, a great deal if you buy $10 razors but not if you buy the cheapo 20-cent razors to begin with. >>>>>

I think my bikini line just broke out in an angry red rash at the thought of 20c razors

 

[ilovejack02]

We normally don't use coupons. We have in the past but found that they are usually for items we wouldn't buy anyway, the savings with coupons still don't match generics in price and the time spent didn't justify it. For instance the latest CVS ad had some razors marked down to about $3, a great deal if you buy $10 razors but not if you buy the cheapo 20-cent razors to begin with. >>>>>

I think my bikini line just broke out in an angry red rash at the thought of 20c razors

You aren't the only one

 

[beansmom]

my pits will join your bikini line. AND I'll expect a $3.29 check from Purse for the bandaids that i'll have to plaster all over my poor legs after a cheapie razor!

 

[Beezle2]

Great!! Now we're all broke out and cranky!! Plus we need band-aids and if I'm cranky I'll be needing a drink...preferably a Grey Goose lemonade slushy. This is getting expensive

 

[NiftyJ88]

I agree with everything you wrote! I used to be the coupon queen and found that my cart was filled up with processed junk! There aren't a lot of coupons for whole foods (sweet potatoes, uncured meats, etc.). For the time saved not using coupons--I would just rather buy off-brands and be done with it! Again, I was huge into couponing for many years...

I haven't read the whole thread, and I agree to a certain extent. When I am food shopping, I don't save a ton of money because we do not purchase a lot of junk. However, with health and beauty items and cleaning supplies, I save a ton of money buying brand name. I am almost always PAID to take the items from the store. I have had a $25 gc from CVS since Christmas (a full 8 months ago). I still have $8 left on it and have saved over $2000 at CVS this year. I also sell some of the items that I am paid to take and donate hundreds of dollars worth of items every year.

For me, I coupon because otherwise, I could not afford brand name items. It allows me to stretch my budget so I can spend on luxuries like my horse, vacations, gymnastics for my daughter etc.

 

[delmar411]

I coupon because I can. And DH coupons because I taught him to. LOL And because there is nothing that makes him happier than coming home and telling me how he picked up $100 in 'free money' right off the shelf of the grocery store. (winetags for soda and pretzels..no alcohol purchase required here in IN, we get some for juice too which are always nice)

I buy soda. I will pay full price for soda. So any coupon for money off soda is money saved....so I can buy more soda!

And I don't care about sugar stats. I drink cherry diet coke or diet dr. pepper and on a bad sales week, diet pepsi or diet coke. That's it. I couldn't choke down sunkist as a kid and I wouldn't try to now.

Other things, if I'm buying it already or we need it and I can get it for free with a coupon then why not use a coupon? Wasting money is well a waste!

 

[figaromeetsmarie]

Anyone have any good shopping trips they want to share? I love hearing stories

I had a good grocery trip today! Pantry was looking empty and it needed to be replenished with some staples.
6 Success Rice
8 Newman's Own Natural Pasta Sauce
3 Natural Apple Juice
2 Cheese
8 Organic Tea's
3 Baked Beans
5 Phili Cream Cheese
6 Bottles of Wisk Detergent ($30 alone here after the sale price!)
2 Lactaid Milk
Brussel Sprouts
Organic Carrots
Pears
2 Breyers Ice Cream
Total Before coupons/sales $148.30
I paid $31.96 w/tax...and saved about 80%

 

[Beezle2]

I'll share

4 boxes triscuits
3 kraft cheeses
2 kraft american slices
2 lays chips
coffee
24 pack diet coke
3 bread
bananas
onions
lemons
broccoli
sweet corn
celery
apples
strawberries
taco bell kit
1 cream cheese
2 dozen eggs
1 soup

total before coupons and sales $89 after $42.23. since my budget is $100 a week I can put $58 in my Disney fund this week.

 

[apnep]

my pits will join your bikini line. AND I'll expect a $3.29 check from Purse for the bandaids that i'll have to plaster all over my poor legs after a cheapie razor!

Bwaaahahahahaa! These razor posts are killing me! But they are so true.

 

[neatokimmo]

my pits will join your bikini line. AND I'll expect a $3.29 check from Purse for the bandaids that i'll have to plaster all over my poor legs after a cheapie razor!

$3.29? This is the coupon thread! I bet someone can get them for free!

 

[beansmom]

$3.29? This is the coupon thread! I bet someone can get them for free!

no, no...Purseval doesn't use coupons...and he's the one instigating the 29cent razor revolution!!!

 

[ChristopherMarry]

I use coupons to save my time and money because these both things are very important in my life...

 

[JaymeC]

The point to couponing for us is to get what we need for the least possible cost. Lots of time, that doesn't include a coupon. To harken back to the razors, I use an old fashioned straight razor. A box of 100 blades last me more than a year and costs about $8 online. Plus it feeds my need to produce a bit less waste since I'm not throwing out plastic cartridges all the time

We don't buy what we won't use/need with coupons. It'd just be a waste. But I'm all for one of the good sales weeks where I can match up some things we need with coupons

 

[DawnM]

I go on sprees. I will coupon for a while and then get burnt out.

However, we are going through a spell where we have looked at our shelves and realized that much of the stuff on it we aren't going to eat. We just don't care for it. So, I am saving it for the Feb. food drive for scouts and won't do that again.

I went with the extreme coupon philosophy of "don't be brand loyal" but soon realized that we don't eat some brands or items. Noone wants it! :roll eyes:

And we typically do all of our shopping at Costco. I can still stick to my grocery budget ($600/mo including toiletries) and get a lot of organics and fresh foods. I don't buy many pre-made foods there, although I do buy their pizzas. I can make my own, but sometimes I just feel like popping it in the oven.

Dawn