Two Frugal Chicks

When I tell people that I am a couponer, they sometimes give me that “deer in the headlight” look.  So, I thought I’d clear up a few of the misconceptions about couponing:

1.  Coupons are only for junk food or for products I wouldn’t buy.  I think this may be the most common misconception.  While there are coupons out there for junk food, the majority are not.  The beauty of it is you get to pick and chose what is right for your own family.  Just because you can get Fruity Pebbles for free doesn’t mean you have to.  I only use coupons for products we already use or for products I’d like to try.  There are coupons being offered for organic products all the time.  Plus, there are tons of coupons for everyday items like toothpaste, deodorant, laundry detergent, hair products, etc., etc.

2.  Couponing is too time consuming.  I will admit that when you first start couponing it can be a time vampire.  Once you find your groove and start learning the lingo and become familiar with your store and the cashiers, it goes much smoother.  ORGANIZATION IS KEY!  You must have everything clipped and know exactly what it is you are going after.  What I do is look at my favorite couponing blogs to see what the deals are.  I also open a Word document in another window.  Then I cut out of the blogs only the items I am interested in and paste them in to my Word doc.  I print my list, gather and clip coupons then head out.

3.  It’s a waste of gas.  That all depends on how much you are saving.  I wouldn’t drive five miles to save a dollar.  But I will drive 10 miles to save $50.  I don’t run around chasing every store’s best deals.  I generally choose the store that has the most/best deals for the things I want.  I also try to kill two birds with one stone by going to stores that are close to each other.  Where I live, Albertsons is not convenient for me, but there happens to be a Rite Aid right next door.  So if I choose to go after Albertsons deals, I also make sure I check out the deals for Rite Aid as well.

4.  Coupons expire too quickly. Coupons have varying expiration dates.  Generally the higher value the coupon, the quicker they expire.  Most coupons last for weeks, sometimes months.  Coupons also tend to expire towards the end of the month.  There is always plenty of time to use coupons before they expire.

5.  Couponers are hoarders.  The Extreme Couponers show has given some people that idea.  As with most anything in life, there are always a few fanatics, but they are by far the minority.  Most of us shop just for our families or donate their excess to their local food banks.  I only buy what my family can use up within a few months.  Most products are on schedules where they go on sale about every three months.

Couponing is like a game, where you get to win every time!.