Why did you start couponing???

Why did you start couponing..did a family member teach you, wanted to save money?...tell your story on why you started couponing!

My mom was having her 3rd baby, and one day i started looking for free things for the baby (diapers, bottles etc.) soon after i was getting goroceries, makeup etc. for etheir free or very cheap!....and as you should know the rest is history!

I started couponing because I had left my last job (was not safe to work there) and after my EI ran out and was unable to find a job I seen extreme couponing and was thinking, maybe I can save money with coupons, and to be honest I looked into it and did not have the expectations of saving thousands off one bill, and I don't now but I save enough that it made a huge impact to my family :) Love the question bye the way I did not think I would be the first to answer though, was looking forward to hearing other peoples story

I saw a TV show that was about super markets and how the get us to buy. For example they make us go past the meat multiple times, milk is always in the far back corner so you have to walk past everything to get there, higher priced brands are at eye level. The guy they were interviewing said that people were very poor shoppers and generally getting worse.

I always thought I was a good shopper but I vowed to get better. In my first year of couponing I saved $2219. This year I am looking at ways to preserve my food so I throw out less like dehydrating and vacuum sealing.

I want to have enough to give my kids a great life and every little bit I can saves helps me to do that.

I moved out and wanted to save on things, then I realized most of the food wasn't what I wanted and ended up throwing out a bunch, I bus so when I shop for HABA items it's for the next 1-2 months, no stockpiling. I stay because I like the community :)

I started after watching TLC's Extreme Couponing. *listens as some SCers' groan* lol

I was curious if Canada had the same options so I started searching google. Found this site and joined. Got into for freebies and coupons, but lost interest after a bit.

It wasn't until almost a year later that I came back and really started to give my full attention to couponing. Times were tougher so I wanted to give it another try. This time I'm definitely hooked.

I also saw the show.... *hides*

Saw it when my DD was 6 months and was shocked on how much $$$ i could save with coupons and sales on baby stuff.

I started as I had an inkling that my job would be coming to an end. Since my SO & I worked at the same place but completely different jobs etc, I knew that I needed to do something to help us prepare.

Luckily, both of us received some severance as we had been there so long, and after a month (no EI received due to waiting period) my SO found a job.

He finished 3 months before my end date, so I worked up until Dec 31st. Now I'm the one taking a much needed 'mental health' break. I used to be a single Mom of 4 with almost no breaks for recharging time; I never even took vacation time as I would let the money build up for the year, and cash it out at Christmas for gifts for the kids.

Couponing allowed me to stockpile so many things that I would have had to add to my weekly groceries, now I only ever pick up shampoo, paper towels, laundry soap, soap, toilet paper etc if there is a really good deal & I have coupons rather than having to buy them because we'll run out if I don't.

I would have never been able to consider this break on EI if I had never started couponing; I know that I would be stressed all the time otherwise.

I knew of this site long before I began couponing. Was doing alot of lurking and browsing. then when hubby lost his job in fall of 09 I knew i had to do something. I finally joined about 6 months later. I started off with a small collection, it didnt take long. i would love it if my kids would catch up. maybe someday. for now i share my great deals etc with family and friends.

I started couponing because I want to pay off my mortgage faster and save money for my retirement. Every little penny helps! I have used coupons sporadically in the past but I never thought I would obtain a 3" binder full :surprised:. Thanks to this site I have been able to double my monthly mortgage payments and hopefully have my mortgage paid off in 5 years.

about 5 years ago i saw a couple of american talk shows on tv where they were talking about using coupons to save on groceries. the rest is history :)

I started shortly after I moved out on my own for the first time. I was scared about having enough, paying the rent, etc. So I did a lot of research on different ways to save money. I use coupons regularly, but they are just one of many tools that I use to save money. I find that it's usually cheaper and healthier to make things from scratch than to buy processed foods with a coupon.

I was working 5 jobs, and burning myself out, when I finally decided that my health was more important, and I cut back to the 2 jobs that paid the most. I had a few days here and then when I didn't work, so I started searching the net to find ways to save money. I found this site. On my "off" days I read the posts on this and other sites, and decided to try out some of the deals and coupons that I found. Next thing you know, I'm hooked! I've saved so much money with couponing and buying more carefully that I've been able to quit one job and go down to working only three days a week. My husband has a good job, and our kids are grown up, out of university, and have homes and families of their own. But now I have 4 grandchildren to think of too. Travel is my passion, but it takes money too! We're also going on a big trip at the end of March. I also share my savings with my family. Now life is a lot better thanks in part to my fellow SCers.

I didn't realize you could use coupons on sale items so I always thought it better to just shop sales. One day my son gave me a coupon and and he must have seen the tv show and told me about it. Then I found this site and I'm loving it.

I have done couponing off and on for a few years but now that I have moved in with my SO, and we became a blended family, I am more serious about saving money. Found this site and joined, and so far, I am enjoying the site a lot!

In the spring of 2011, I was facing the fact that at the end of September I would have no more mat leave benefits coming in but had no daycare lined up (I am in Quebec). Since my DH has a good job, we do not depend on my income. But I want to contribute to the household as much as I could. I was watching an Extreme Couponing episode and thought: "I wonder what I could do here in Canada"? Researched the internet and found this site. At first the savings weren't that big, but then I got hooked before I knew it. I keep my savings from coupons in a separate savings account and have watched it grow.

It really amazes me that we can get so much for free or really cheap. It is also amazing how the small amounts (50 cents, $1, $2) add up to thousands in savings. I also love the fact that we don't have to run to the store because we ran out of tp or soap or shampoo or toothpaste.