Do you use coupon's

[I'm going to win]

Today I clipped my first coupon. I 1:hope to remember to use it. 2:need to reprogram my head to think using it is not a bad thing. I think I'll go to the store early or late so I don't have the glares from the people behind me.

[PRICEPLUS]

All the time now!

[sparkysgirl]

i went to target last night clipped coupons from target.com (the 1.00 off any market pantry item. I bought salsa's and cheeses for 2/1.00 taco shells for .29
i bought 10 of everything!! I plan on going back today and getting more! we really go through that stuff..
with coupons and rebates I only spent 750.00 for the year on groceries a year ago. that was with one on formula and 2 in diapers... i will never understand people that don't use them!

[Broken Arrow]

I'm starting to, though I need to do it more often.

To keep things simple for this beginner, I only collect ones I am fairly certain I will use.

[fairy74]

Yes, but not as much as I should. I sometimes forget and they expire, than I send them to the overseas army bases. I should use them more.

[pretty cheap jewelry]

Are you kidding?? If it doesn't have a coupon I practically don't buy it!

Keep a small clear envelope with them in the car or your purse. Use them for restaurants, food, gifts, mall, you name it.

Yesterday for example:
$5 off purchase of $15 at CVS Drugstore (for dental floss, lip balm, shampoo, etc.)
20% off purchase at Bed Bath Beyond (for spare blanket for christmas visitors)
1 Free Bread at the bread outlet (buy one get one free)

A small sample of what's in my purse:
$2 off purchase of anything at Payless Shoes (w/$10 purchase)
15% off anything at JCPenney (for completing the customer survey)
$1.50 off Dogbone (to put under my tree for the dog from Santa, this will be DOUBLED by the grocery store)
Several local restaurant deals, buy one get one 1/2 meals

Get over it!

[Ima saver]

I use them and I never notice anyone staring! But I only buy what I usually buy. I don't buy it just cause it has a coupon. I take the savings from coupons and put it in my challenge money.

[genmed]

All the time -- on anything we regularly buy in groceries/nongroceries. Recently I have also started timing purchases (if I can put them off) around -10% or -15% coupons from Barnes and Nobles (school books) or Lowe's (home repair/paint/improvement).

[rob62521]

I'm with Ima -- I don't buy something just because I have a coupon. I do clip them and figure if I don't use them, at least I had the chance to. I only clip the ones for things I would normally buy. I always feel a little bit successful when I can hit a good sale and use a coupon. We just came from the grocery store a little while ago and I saved about $8 with coupons. I figure that's $8 I didn't spend!

[Duchesse]

I use coupons as much as I can but I find that the manufacturers are very stingywith them. Especially Lactaid. The ones that you download online are not accepted by many stores. Sometimes from three different flyers I can only use one or two. The magazines are sparse as well. Once in a while I can find a few at the supermarket in those automatic feeders, that's usually General Mills cereals. Once I received some for Hebrew National Hot Dogs, I must admit I over did it, and guess what? Those hot dogs didn't go on sale again anywhere until those coupons expired

[Bookie]

Most of my coupon use falls into the casual/coincidental realm, by which I mean I chance on a coupon for something I was planning of purchasing anyway. That coupon I will try to use. Otherwise, I get more reliable savings from store ads and specials than I do from coupons.


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[lrjohnson]

Almost never.

I buy a lot of items used. I buy mostly generic or whatever's cheapest household products. Many of the foods I eat come from the bulk bins. I am not in the least brand loyal. I eat few convenience foods. When I've looked at coupons I rarely see stuff I buy.

I might be able to spend less using coupons, but I think using coupons are a skill, and I really, really don't enjoy dealing with them, and would rather work to acquire other skills. I know they are fabulous for some people, but I prefer to save in other ways. I average less than $100 a month on grcoereis, and I eat pretty darn wll.

[Ima saver]

We get coupons for 10% off at Home Depot 4 or 5 times a year. That is when we stock up on things for the next spec house. I use those catalina things too. I just got some for $4 off of prilosec, which my husband has to take every day.
This is the first year I have been on the challenge, and I am amazed to see how much I can save and add to the challenge money using coupons and of course, the store cards.

[PrincessPerky]

beer coupons, those we tend to use, no not to buy beer, that hasn't happened in ages. but to advertise beer they put out a cupon booklet, for things like chips or beef, or pop, and those we use all the time now (never looked till flash told us too, and now we look all the time)

I use coupons for things I already use and some things I would like to try. I have saved some serious money couponing! I would like to find these beer coupons of which I've seen spoken of but have had no luck so far!

[shepav]

I hardly ever use coupons for food, mostly because it's never stuff I typically buy. I make nearly everything from scratch, and that stuff never seems to have a coupon!! I do use it for regular things that I buy - if I have a coupon to the store for whatever reason and I need something, I will use it. Otherwise, hardly ever.

[sparkysgirl]

check out your beer/wine aisle. that is where you will find your meat /cheese winetags

[crazyBMB]

I love my coupons. My DH seems to enjoy the savings.

[frugalmomof1]

I used to use a lot more coupons than I do now. PriceRite opened in my area and they don't accept coupons...their prices are better on most things than Stop & Shop with sales and coupons.
I still glance through the flyers and clip coupons for what I will use, and items that I PriceRite does not carry.

[disneysteve]

Not nearly as much as we used to. Much of what we buy is either store brand or fresh (non-processed) stuff, so no coupons available. The hidden problem with coupons, which is discussed in "The Tightwad Gazette" is that coupons are generally for expensive national brands. Even with a coupon, the store brand is often cheaper.

What we will use is store-specific coupons. For example, Wegman's has had a coupon book with 4 coupons each week for 7 weeks. The coupons are for 2 free items and 2 discounts (like $1.00 of at the deli). We've gotten most of the free items and used a few of the other discounts.