Coupon Fiction

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Okay I started using coupons this Sunday. Huge huge mistake. I went and only bought stuff I didn't use. Like what you say? Well I bought 2 haagen-daz and 2 drumstick packs for $6. Sure great deal, but my DH was pissed. Why?

Because I bought ice cream. I also bought M&Ms for $2.49 for 2 huge bags, but it's candy. What else? I bought a can of oust air freshner for 79 cents. Great deal from $3.79 but I don't need it and I've never bought it before.

I also bought daisy razors 10 pack for $2.99 but I didn't need it. I also bought fructise shampoo for $1.99 but I didn't need it. I bought a colgate toothpaste, listerine for "free" although I had to pay for it to CVS bonus bucks next month. Same with vaseline hand lotion I paid $2.99 for a huge bottle

Yep so I spent way more than I would have without coupons. I have this horrible mentality of I'm spending more money to save money. Along with this I pissed off DH because I bought junk and crap.

I thought I was going to save a ton of money. Like all these people who feed a family of 5 for $250. Yet where's my savings? Instead I bought more stuff.

[fairy74]

Sorry about your experience. Coupons only work when you use them for things you really buy and use. Even if something is a good deal, it's only a good deal if you personally use it. The best way to do it is to coordinate the grocery ads and what's on sale, with the coupons (some stores even point out when there is an extra coupon on a sale item)

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

Okay I started using coupons this Sunday. Huge huge mistake. I went and only bought stuff I didn't use.

I bought a can of oust air freshner for 79 cents. Great deal from $3.79 but I don't need it and I've never bought it before.

I also bought daisy razors 10 pack for $2.99 but I didn't need it. I also bought fructise shampoo for $1.99 but I didn't need it.

I'm not understanding why you would go and buy items that you don't need or use.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

It was the coupons. They are brainwashing. I wanted to see if I could live on $20-30/week like some people. Or those families of 5 who live on $250/month. I was trying to be super frugal.

They say they get most things for free and that they are able to live on very little. They stock up with coupons when things are free or a deal.

I don't know why I did what I did. It was the coupons. Thinking I can store the razors, the air freshner, the shampoo.

I posted this on WIR, where they talk about couponing and are die-hards. Most people told me that's how it work and I should stock up more on non-perishables.

I don't know I'm still feeling the guilt over buying junk.

[frugalmomof1]

Definately one of the traps of using coupons. As fairy74 said...."Coupons only work when you use them for things you really buy and use". I think a lot of people have a mindset that if they use coupons they are saving money, regardless of whether or not they use the item.

I used to use coupons all the time, but find that overall I save a lot more by shopping at PriceRite (doesn't accept coupons) and buying store brands. I still use coupons for brand name items that I regularly buy, or if a sale matched with a coupon will save me more than a store brand.

[JanH]

Don't beat yourself up too much. It was your first try at it. You learned something! I am finding out that I need to only keep or print out coupons that are of things that I will use. Otherwise I have too many to find what I DO need or am tempted to buy something that I don't. I'm still at the learning stage.....

[tinapbeana]

the only coupons i'll keep are the ones for things i already have. sounds like it makes no sense, right? well, i pretty much buy the same thigns all the time. 29 and already set in my ways if i come across a coupon for mine or DHs deoderant, or our shampoo, or the cat food/litter i grab it up. even coupons for cat treats, b/c i always keep them on hand. for food, though, they don't make many coupons for organic store brand beans or flea market produce... if they don't work for you, then don't feel pressured to use them. and if you don't want to eat processed food to be able to use them, then of course don't do that either. i don't...

[jodi]

Don't beat yourself up about it - I fell into the same trap when I first started. I think to save that much money, you have to be really flexible about what you buy. I am not - I almost talked myself into buying Van De Kamp fishsticks today (2/$4, $1 coupon off 2), but then I had to take a step back and ask myself if I would have bought them otherwise - and the answer was no. Buying cheap food that's no good for you is worse for me than buying more expensive food where you get more nutrition for your money. I try to only collect coupons I will use, so that I'm not tempted to fall into the coupon trap myself. Been there, done that!
(I've still got two bags of Malt O Meal cereal in the trunk of my car because they were free with a coupon - nevermind that I don't eat cereal anymore! What good is it if you are not going to use it?)

[cschin4]

I think "stockpiling" is a sure fire way to spend way too much on stuff you will never use. If you need it buy it, otherwise, skip the "bargin".

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by jodi

I've still got two bags of Malt O Meal cereal in the trunk of my car because they were free with a coupon - nevermind that I don't eat cereal anymore! What good is it if you are not going to use it?

When I can get food stuff free with coupon, I get it and put it aside for the food drive at our temple. For example, Wegman's had a coupon for a free can of store brand tuna. I won't touch the stuff, but it is perfect for a donation so I got it.

[crabbypatty]

I've really backed off on my couponing lately. I'm at a point now where I think I'll trade for coupons if there is an excellent sale, otherwise I probably won't bother at all.

For example, in the fall you could get All S&M for $1 a bottle, (closeout sale at WM, using a $1 coupon) way less than any generic and I like it. I bought a lot after getting extra coupons. I have the space, I'll always need laundry detergent, and this was a fabulous price.

But unless deals that like that roll around, I don't see myself actively couponing.

[pearlieq]

Originally Posted by crabbypatty

All S&M

There's a special detergent for that?

/sorry, couldn't resist.


I totally understand the OP's situation and I've caught myself doing the same, which is just one of the many reasons I don't use coupons anymore.

At least you recognized it! If you don't think you're ever going to use some of your purchases maybe you could donate them to a food pantry or shelter.

[cicy33]

Originally Posted by LivingAlmostLarge

It was the coupons. They are brainwashing. I wanted to see if I could live on $20-30/week like some people. Or those families of 5 who live on $250/month. I was trying to be super frugal.

They say they get most things for free and that they are able to live on very little. They stock up with coupons when things are free or a deal.

I don't know why I did what I did. It was the coupons. Thinking I can store the razors, the air freshner, the shampoo.

I posted this on WIR, where they talk about couponing and are die-hards. Most people told me that's how it work and I should stock up more on non-perishables.

I don't know I'm still feeling the guilt over buying junk.

While I agree don't beat yourself up, you had to learn the hard way. But, I have to say you cannot blame coupons cuz you bought something that you didn't even use! And "Brainwashing" I am sorry but I laughed out loud when I read that. Coupons are just like anything else in life. You make the choice how to spend your money. I am actually the opposite of you. If the coupons won't give it to me almost free I have a really hard time buying things. I have to remind myself that it is okay to buy food! Coupons are a great thing. If you are buying what you really normally use. I do buy iced tea and mustard in quantity cuz I get if free and I know that I will use the 20 boxes of tea in the next few months. but I don't use coupons excessively on things that are perishable and rarely used. Now, I do sometimes use coupons so that I can buy things that I normally don't but the coupon makes it affordable, but it is still something that I would use if I could afford it, so it becomes a treat. Only buy things that are worth your time coupon or not. Coupons are a great tool but they are a tool, not a free ticket to buy anything you want. Used properly they can really save alot of money. Keep in mind that using coupons to the degree of saving the amount like feeding a family of 5 for $250 a month takes serious work. You have to look, cut, sort, file, etc. but for someone like me it is worth it. I hate spending too much on food.

[threebeansalad]

Coupons are like Kenny Rogers song 'The Gambler':

"You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run....."

I use coupons, but I'm a holder. Most of what I clip, I won't end up using (the coupons that is), but when the sale is right, I have my coupons ready to swoop in for a great deal. Oftentimes, the grocery store sales are NOT in sync with that week's coupons.

I don't even bother clipping for stuff we won't use, like air fresheners or kids' fruit snacks. The exception is for stuff we don't need but I know I can get for free and donate. Currently we have about 5 tubes of toothpaste (all free with coupons), so we don't need toothpaste, but I'll continue to clip for toothpaste if I can get it free since I know our food bank will take it.

[markio26]

i have not used coupons at all this year... haven't done any cvs, wag deals. i think i still have too much stockpiled already from past deals... i passed up a rite aid deal, the other day, already had 5 pond cold creams in stockpile...the only thing we used to use alot of coupons on in the past was for cereal.. i can find cheerios on sale for $1.50 a box without a coupon, the newspaper was costing us $1.50 on sunday, each week.. don't buy it anymore..... i have less stress since i made these new habits....

[story3girl]

Originally Posted by threebeansalad

Coupons are like Kenny Rogers song 'The Gambler':

"You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run....."

This is exactly as I feel. When I first started couponing, I did what the original poster did; I bought stuff just because it was "such a good deal." I still do this occasionally, but my "such a good deal" threshhold is usually 25 cents or less; I can donate these things if I don't find uses for them.

Mostly, though, I try to gather several coupons for the few things to which I am still brand loyal (dh has allergies to a lot of soaps and detergents) and to things which we will use and which I know go on very good sales regularly. The rest I send off in a train or an RAOK envelope.

And sometimes I end up throwing coupons away anyway. Even if I have a coupon for the soap we use, I won't buy it unless the soap goes on loss leader sale. I have enough of a stockpile now that I never need to pay more than 50 cents for a box of cereal or 10 cents per roll in a pack of toilet paper.

I haven't paid actual money for shampoo or toothpaste in years.

The savings with coupons come from patience, and from recognizing that it's not how much you're saving that matters but how much you're spending.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I've used coupons for two weeks now. It's still hard to not spend what you probably shouldn't be spending.

But I'm getting better foodwise and I'm probably stopping soon with too many non-perishables. But at least I'm trying.

[poundwise]

We realize a good bit of savings each month using coupons. I'd say that some months we save as much as $50, while others, perhaps as little as $15. We have a simple, focused approach to it and don't go 'all out' with couponing by any means. It certainly can be useful.

IMO - Some people just don't try hard enough, or make excuses that it doesn't work for them, while others try too hard and end spending up lots of time and effort or even more money, to try to win some sort of personal coupon game.

[Saving in So Cal]

Believe it or not, I've been couponing since I was a teenager (I use to think coupons were like real money) and only recently stopped buying things simply because they were cheap with a coupon. For instance, with coupons and a sale, I routinely could find boxed pasta dinners for .25 to .50. How could anyone pass that up? The trouble is that my husband hates them and, of course, they are usually loaded with sodium and other arguably bad things.

Mary Hunt, a financial guru, says that the most expensive food is the food you throw away. For me, that applied to a lot of things I got for free or near free with coupons. Once I developed a master pantry list, I realized that most of things I need/use regularly are things for which coupons are rare. Consequently, couponing is no longer a big part of my grocery saving strategy. Now, I rely more heavily on store brands and store sales. That being said, I still find coupons to be good for toiletries, cleaning supplies, diapers, some canned goods, dry pastas, and cereal. (We tend to be pretty brand loyal for many of these things.) For our family of 3, I aim to spend no more than $75 a week for food and sundries. Even with my reduced level of couponing, I am able to make it most weeks.

[Ima saver]

I am like most of you, I do not use coupons a lot. And I never buy anything with a coupon that is not something we use all the time. I do try and stock up on things when they are on sale. My best example is diet sprite. We drink a lot of it, so I love to stockpile it when I can get 4-12 packs for $10.