Couponing

[brice1967]

I don't have a link for this.  Sorry if that breaks the rules, but I got the idea for this from another post here.  SM commented on the price of groceries...

There was a bit on HLN quite some time ago on "couponing".  It also got into how stores are out to move some different products and that coupons sometimes link products together.  "If you buy this for $20 bucks, you also get 1 of these for 1/2 off".  

The concept was like a budget.  Get only products you need and or use on a regular basis.  If you've never used paper towels or paper napkins, who cares what they cost and what goes with them.... Stick with the necessities, and only spend money on things you use..

They then went into a national grocery store chain with a fabricated list that resembled what a regular family of 4
might need to get through a 2 week span (traditional pay span).  She found a "buy one get one free" bag of chicken legs.  Normally it was like $6 per bag, so she got 2 bags for $6, plus she had a manufacturers coupon for 1 dollar off for this particular item.  In fact, each thing they got in the store had a similar situation.  If it wasn't on sale, she had a coupon.  If she didn't have a coupon, she bought the lowest priced item on the shelf, bypassing brand names.

She sent another person out with the same list of things to get, but told them to "shop" without concern to price.  They compared the prices at the end of the bit and the coupon lady saved something like $85 bucks over the "regular shopper".  They also compared "necessities".  

The moral of the story is, if you coupon, you need to be vigilant... buy only what you need and bring all of the coupons you can.  "Desperate times take desperate measures"... might have been the title of the bit.  That's what they closed with.

[brice1967]

Another thing this lady talked about is the people who are "addicted" to couponing.  She said that they go from store to store to try to get all of the best deals.  Some people will make 5-6 stops for groceries alone.... The idea was to think of the gas, the wear and tear on the vehicle, and YOUR TIME.

Apparently this woman teaches her philosophy.  Apparently one woman in particular got "carried away" with potential savings and would hit every store in town to get all of the best deals on everything.  At the end of the month, she was over budget....

Here locally, we have 2 major chains and one kind of a specialty grocery store.  All of them are within 1.5 miles of each other, and neither the wife of I fancy the specialty store.  My wife favors one of the chains and I favor the other.  Our pharmacy is at her store, because prices and service in that pharmacy is cheaper and better.  My store, groceries across the table are cheaper.  We often look at the weekly paper and compare their ads... its remarkable how much one can save at my store....

[specialmom]

Ha,  limiting trips to the grocery store or trying to avoid the oreos.  LOL

See, LOTS of common ground we have!!

[MrsPincince]

http://couponing.com/...

I found you a link before you get in trouble...

"'.  I also look for the 'specials' of the week at a store.  That helps me.  I try to limit how many times i go to the store so I am not tempted as I can be tempted by that end aisle stuff and oreos on sale.  "

Here something else we have in common...LOL

[specialmom]

Thanks Brice!  It is true, they place coupons to get new products going and sometimes things that aren't necessities to your weekly food plan end up on the list and in your cart.  Fine if you have money to spare but not so good when  you are on a strict budget (as I am currently on).  

I do use coupons and try not to cut out anything 'new'.  I also look for the 'specials' of the week at a store.  That helps me.  I try to limit how many times i go to the store so I am not tempted as I can be tempted by that end aisle stuff and oreos on sale.  

Thanks for posting and that is cool to hear how much one shopper with coupons saved verses one without coupons buying the same thing.  Coupons can work man!