Coupon Rant

[HeatherB]

Money is tight this month so my husband suggested that I clip coupons to save some money. I spent ALOT of time clipping all these coupons, had them sectioned into little bags. (one for frozen stuff, one for health products and dog food, one for canned foods, etc... you get the idea). It took me a good couple of hours. I even downloaded some online and compared them, etc.

So, we pack up, go to the grocery store - coupons in tow, and hit the aisles.

WHAT A WASTE OF TIME! Seriously I was SO disappointed in the outcome. I left using only 3 coupons - and one I had found taped to the item I bought. (thank you coupon fairy!)

On average, I buy all "store brand" products. There are a few exceptions, but not many. I noticed that all the coupons I had still did not bring the cost of the items below the store brand stuff. How disheartening. I suppose if I only bought brand name stuff, it would greatly help, but I've actually become accustomed to the off brand stuff.

Does anyone here, who buys mainly off brand, have any success with coupon clipping or is this something that will only save me $4 a month?? I'm not sure if it's worth my time.

Here is a list of "branded" items I buys....
Dove chocolates (my weakness - walgreens has a special where you buy 2 bags for $4)
Dr. Pepper (but only if it below $3 a 12pack)
Pop-tarts (if there is a good deal)
Shredded cheeses (usually on sale Kraft)
Spray N Wash or Shout (whichever is cheaper)
That's about it.

Oh - and since I'm ranting... I need opinions on my conversation with my hubby the other day. We're at the store and I wanted to buy some clorox/lysol disinfecting wipes (had coupons for both and was going to get the cheaper one). He said there was no way that it's cheaper than just getting some spray and paper towels. I tend to disagree - because I can go through a lot of papertowels when cleaning the bathroom or kitchen. (he buys the cheap papertowels) I actually think it may be cheaper to buy the wipes. I may have to do a study on this. LOL

Okay, I'm done with my rant.... suggestions?..... comments?

[nazstar]

I clip coupons for some things but to be honest, I wasn't saving all that much for the time invested. PLUS, there is no where nearby that offers double coupon days (you can really clean up there). I went to the supermarket 2 days ago and shaved $26.00 off my bill by doing "buy one get one free" items. If it meant a different brand, I tried it. Turned out to be a pretty good deal! I didn't have to waste time clipping AND I saved a lot more than I normally do.

[One Half Full]

Coupons are generally for over-priced stuff anyway as far as I am concerned. Things like TV dinners and such with too much salt. I think you should use them if you get that Item anyway, but I think Coupon people are banking that you will buy something you don't normally get if you can get 20 cents off on it. I personally like the "bag" sales some stores run-- for instance all the meat that fits in the bag, you get 15% off on. I would just go to a store that gives decent discounts anyway. I wish they had Vegetable sales-- isn't it funny they don't have fresh vegetable coupons?

I think that buying what you can easily store in bulk is the best way to save. Things like rice, noodles, beans. (Believe me, when you are poor like me you tend to eat that sort of thing all the time).

[WantToBeDebtFre]

https://www.thegrocerygame.com

I love it. I've been using the site for just over a year. I save at least 50% on my groceries. You cut coupons but the site creates a list for you so you use your coupons with the best sales.

You have to pay to use the site but it's so worth it. They also have a trial period.

[FLBK7]

I only subscribe to the Sunday newspaper and go over the coupons on a regular basis. But I clip only those that I know I could use, and only those that are for more than $.75. It's not worth my time to clip for 25 or 50 cents.

I buy store brand whenever available, but sometimes there are great buy one get one free sales and I have a $1.00 coupon as well, so it's worth it to me. Recently my supermarket had a BOGOF sale on Dove chocolates for $2.99, and I had a $1.00 coupon. So I ended up paying 2 bucks for two bags of my favorite chocolates. Can't beat that.

I have a finicky cat so I clip coupons for his favorite food brand, and wait until it goes on sale to stock up. And finally, I occasionally use a coupon to try something new!

[teddy26]

I've heard of good things about the grocerygame.com too. I found couponmom.com (they show items on sale at the store as well as the "unadvertised" sale items)....helps when you make your list before you head to the store. Basically, what it boils down to to get the best deals.......scan items you use, clip those coupons, wait for the item to go on sale, our store doubles the coupon, so we are paying for $$ off the sale price. And if you have more than 1 coupon, you can get more while on sale an "stock" up. Obviously the catch is to just use the coupons for things you normally use and not just buy the item because you have a coupon. For example, I just purchased dishwasher detergent (expensive always) on sale, had a $2.50 coupon...our store "doubled up to a $1"......so $3.50 off the sale price....so only cost me $1.25 for something that is normally $6. You can also find printable coupons online too.

[ameliabedilia]

I think you should get the store brand of the shredded cheese. In my area it's cheaper than kraft even on sale 75% of the time.

Clipping coupons can be a real waste of time. The only time they are worth something is if you can find a store that does double coupons. Those are beginning to be hard to find.

Also, see if you have an Aldi in your city. It's kind of creepy, but their store brands taste great and are SO cheap.

[BKcrazy]

Well...I was really spoiled by the dollar store that I was near in another state. They even had produce and name brand items. So, I could get tons of stuff that I would eat and pay under $40. That store isn't in the state I'm in now. I too spent time clipping coupons, and got lucky with some. I also kept a running tab on a calculator and found out that I was a bit more on the calculator than the register. This was good! I saved a total of $12.60, but it's going to be trial and error for me here because I'm not used to some of the stores here and which is the cheapest. What I got lucky with was there were advertised savings for some of the items I had coupons for, so something I wanted but normally would not get was now worth the price. My sister uses a website called e-mealz. You can plan out an entire menu for a week. And it will show how to save money too. Here's the link. http://www.e-mealz.com/intro.htm I plan to try it out myself. You buy the ingredients for the week, and it seems that you pay $15 every three months for their menus. They even have healthy meals that are low carb. Maybe the $15 is worth it? My sis loves it!

[emoney]

This is the system that works for me:
1. many items I an not brand loyal, so any brand of olive oil is OK.
2. Next I go thru the paper and clip for the various product types that are avaiable.

As you practice this skill the time going thru the paper can be done in minutes. Then when my supply runs low are the couponds dates are getting close if hit the stores.
I can honesly say I enjoy getting the hot deals and not being a sap and paying the top prices like I used to do.
regards,
emoney

[JollyGG]

I don't do cupons but I do look at the store flyers for store sales for the week. Then I plan my menu around what is on sale. For example if pork chops are on Sale for cheap we will have probably two meals with pork chops that week and buy another couple for the freezer.

[nazstar]

I am on a mommy chatroom and there is someone on there that is an employee of the grocerygame. She's always talking about it but I thought it was some sort of scam and never checked it out. Yes, there is a free trial membership but then you have to pay. You have to choose at least one store that you wnat coupons for and it was $10 every 8 weeks to get those coupons. Makes me wonder how much you are really saving. I would have to save $10 in coupons every 8 weeks on things I would be buying ANYWAY in order to break even. If I'm buying crap I don't need, it's no sense.

I remember other people saying they were stocking up on all sorts of stuff. One woman used a crap load of coupons at a CVS and stocked up on trial sizes of things. Then she drove to the supermarket 2 towns over for triple coupon day and saved $80. Then she got a bunch of coupons for a Walgreens or something and got $150 worth of vitamins for $2. I dunno. Sounds like a lot of work and the results sound a little too good to be true.

[WantToBeDebtFre]

I am on a mommy chatroom and there is someone on there that is an employee of the grocerygame. She's always talking about it but I thought it was some sort of scam and never checked it out. Yes, there is a free trial membership but then you have to pay. You have to choose at least one store that you wnat coupons for and it was $10 every 8 weeks to get those coupons. Makes me wonder how much you are really saving. I would have to save $10 in coupons every 8 weeks on things I would be buying ANYWAY in order to break even. If I'm buying crap I don't need, it's no sense.

I remember other people saying they were stocking up on all sorts of stuff. One woman used a crap load of coupons at a CVS and stocked up on trial sizes of things. Then she drove to the supermarket 2 towns over for triple coupon day and saved $80. Then she got a bunch of coupons for a Walgreens or something and got $150 worth of vitamins for $2. I dunno. Sounds like a lot of work and the results sound a little too good to be true.

It is not a scam, trust me. I don't work for them and have been using thegrocerygame.com for over a year. I shop at 2 stores = Meijer and Kroger. Kroger doubles coupons up to $1 and Meijer 50cents where I live. It's true you do stock up on stuff but I would never stock up on something I'm never going to use. You still have to use common sense. Today I shopped at Kroger with my list from the website (and some other things I needed for a recipe I'm making tomorrow). Anyway, my bill came up to $125 and I saved $129. I stocked up on diapers and razors today along with other food items. I can scan in my receipt if you all want to see the huge list of stuff I got.

I don't think the website would work for everyone. If your stores don't double coupons you won't save as much or if you're only into using one brand and not others you might not like it. I just deduct the $15 I use for the site every 2 months from my grocery money and I am saving A LOT more money than that.

[Cassiopeia]

I looooooooooooooove my coupons! I am one who does cut out all the coupons from the Sunday paper, and grab them out of magazines when I see them. However, I use them wisely....I NEVER buy anything I would not normally buy, just because I have a coupon. I don't feel it is a waste of time at all. It's not unusual for me to save $10-$15+ on a big grocery trip. Plus I combine coupons with sales, and that's really a savings.

I used to do a lot of refunding many years ago but I don't find that as popular anymore. It used to be so easy to send in five proof-of-purchases and get $2 back in the mail, for instance. One year I kept a notebook and had well over $100 from refunds, and that is, of course, minus the postage. Those days are gone.

[rrockinggramma]

I shop at Kroger and Meijer also. Kroger has their plus card discounts as well as a lot of bogo items. And Meijer, though more expensive, has its own website with coupons as well.

[mgmadara]

I used to do a lot of refunding many years ago but I don't find that as popular anymore. It used to be so easy to send in five proof-of-purchases and get $2 back in the mail, for instance. One year I kept a notebook and had well over $100 from refunds, and that is, of course, minus the postage. Those days are gone.

This brings back memories. My mom did a lot of refunding when I was a kid. This was probably 25 years ago, but she saved all her refunding money and all the coupon money for a year and was able to pay for a week's vacation for our family of 4 at the beach.