Coupon Fiction

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Ima saver I wait till 12 packs are $1.99. We loaded up on about 30 12 packs when it was. Yeah, huge money, problem is DH takes a coke or can everyday with his bagged lunch. Huge savings.

[shelbylovesmelby]

We don't use coupons to often as typically the generics & items we buy @ aldi's are always cheaper to national brands even with a coupon.

We also don't have a grocery store that doubles coupons either. Ok well we have one but they only let you use 5 coupons, only on WED, and you must spend over $25 before sales & disc. Not worth it to me, cause I only buy stuff & Pick'n Save if I can't get it @ Aldi's or Wally World.

[ferdinand]

Every time I think a coupon is a deal, I find that the generic product is still cheaper. We try and prepare most of our meals, and they don't have many coupons on raw foods.

[story3girl]

I forgot what a difference doubling makes. You're right, if my coupons didn't double, there would be few things I would find at stockpile-worthy prices - probably just the drugstore rebates and deals on health and beauty products.

I get a lot of coupons for bagged salads, frozen vegetables, and yogurts, and lately I have been writing to companies to get coupons for a lot of organic labels - generally they are good about sending them because it's just too expensive for them to put coupons in the newspapers. I still do buy pizza rolls and toaster streudels when they're free (sheepish look), but I'm trying very much to get away from that and to focus on the things that will improve our health instead of diminishing it.

One thing a very wise couponer once told me that changed my take on couponing is that every week's newspaper has maybe 3-4 coupons you'll actually want. They way people feed families on almost nothing is by getting multiple copies of those 3 coupons and giving/throwing away the rest.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Except a lot of food is prepackaged or frozen food. Anyway though besides that without the doubling I've been learning I have to be extra careful and not buy stuff I wouldn't buy normally.

[Aleta]

The generic are generally lowered priced. If the name brand goes on sale, that's when I use the coupons because the generic brands are no longer the most reasonable. I also like to watch the flyers around February and March because they do alot of foods that are ingredients of Italian cooking and that's the time to stock up, such as tomato paste, tomatos, different types of pasta.

I also check on the lower shelves of the market because your more reasonable goods are down there. Anything eye level will cost you more. Sometimes, they will have a sale for instance relish an 8 oz for .99 cents. If you look below, there will be a 16 oz for $1.50 or a 32 oz for $1.99, yet there sale is for the 8 oz size. You really need the time and a calculator to check the various products on the shelves.

[shelbylovesmelby]

I also check on the lower shelves of the market because your more reasonable goods are down there. Anything eye level will cost you more. Sometimes, they will have a sale for instance relish an 8 oz for .99 cents. If you look below, there will be a 16 oz for $1.50 or a 32 oz for $1.99, yet there sale is for the 8 oz size. You really need the time and a calculator to check the various products on the shelves.

That's actually a known marketing strategy & companies are constantly fighting for that shelf space that's at eye level.

Ever notice how the most expensive kids cereals ect are @ kid height?

Heck I refuse to take my oldest to the regular chain store cause all the marketing to kids. She see's tons of Dora, Cars, Pooh splattered on all sorts of pkgs & will nag & grabs thing because of the pics on the box. Just cause it's cartoon shaped or depicted on the box doesn't make it taste any better or healthier for ya. But if Big Bird says it's good by being on the box we have to have it!

[Aleta]

Shelbylovesmelby: I never thought about the eye level thing for the kids. I'll check that out next time I'm in the store. I guess the kids in the grocery carts can't really read, but they know the advertisements from the TV. I'll have to tell my ddil about that. That is interesting.

[Elgin526]

I don't use coupons a whole lot myself, although I've been trying to use them more lately. They don't double around here, and I also buy a lot of store brands. The name brands I do use I never seem to find coupons for! So I tend to just watch for sales and stock up. I just spent a small fortune stocking up on Campbells soup (store brand just doesn't taste the same!) because I cook with it a lot and around here it NEVER goes on sale. So I bough what I figure is at least three months worth! Thank goodness I have the room to store it!

What I really love is when Costco sends out their coupon packs, I often find deals on a lot of items I use. I once saved over $40 with Costco coupons once, and it was all for items I normally use!

But I'm going to try and look harder for coupons to use in the grocery store, every little bit helps, afterall!

[Aleta]

Something that I look for is the coupons that give you free stuff. Recently, the Sunday paper had coupons for free cat food and the bag if I had purchased it would have been $4.59. I like the BOGO free and then I use a coupon for the one and it saves alot there. I use my coupon money for my challenge money as well. It does add up more than you know. For the free stuff, I had that coupon in as well.

[GoodBuyGirl]

Joining a coupon trading group can help you find the coupons for products you normally buy. I sometimes will trade my coupons that I won't use for postage stamps. There have been a lot of Free pet food coupons lately which are worthless to me but people with pets couldn't get enough of them so I was able to get quite a few postage stamps for something I would have just thrown away.
You are always in control of what you buy. If you have coupons for things you don't use throw them away or trade them for coupons for something you actually use.

[klbb90]

Don't beat yourself up, its a live and learn world. Only kick yourself if you keep repeating the mistake. I only use coupons on products I will use. That said I try to time my purchase for when the product is on sale somewhere and then take the add to WM and have them match the price. That way I don't have to travel to lots of stores to get the price combined with the coupon. WM will match grocery stores, pharmacy stores, petfood stores, and any store in a 30 mile radius with an advertisement. If you truly want to get 5 people for 250 a month combine the pantry principle with a price book. Over time you will get there.