Am I the only couponer that still pays money??

[veebee]

Well, you are saving on the other things you use, so you can splurge on your Dior.

[Durham Couponer]

Sorry I'm heading toward the end of the overnight shift and I'm beginning to ramble like a crazy person! *facepalm*

There's nothing quite like posting at the end of an overnight shift. Except trying to do a complicated coupon shop a couple of hours later when the stores open

[shmeelady]

I always pay something...ALWAYS..lol. As long I get some savings I am happy.
I don't even have a stockpile....but I don't really need one.
for shame...I know. Don't look at me differently! lol

Lol @ this.
When I first started couponing I though 'omg the cool thing is to have a stockpile' so I built it up to max capacity, but realized it just wasn't working for me. Maybe if I had a few kids it would be different, but I was giving away more than I was using because I had so much!! Over the past year my stock has become virtually non existent and I like it that way. I do one larger coupon shop a moth (depending on sales) and as a rule of thumb I never have more than a month supply of "food" items on hand.

I still have Rubbermaid bins full of shampoos, soaps and toothpastes though. It's going to take some time to clear those out. LOL.


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[Durham Couponer]

A lot of stockpile products just don't last. Someone mentioned up-thread about sanitary napkins unsticking, I think (otherwise I have no idea where that thought came from! overnight shift speaking). I found that fabric softener doesn't last. You really have to learn what your household consumes vs expiry dates.

I find that I'm happy if I've saved 40% on groceries I would have bought anyway. Pre made salads are popular, ground meats, fresh veggies and fruits for lunch, bread & sandwich fixings. There isn't always a coupon available but most of the time- not always- price matching is an option. Dehydrating stockpile items helps (veggies), and the occasional pasta sale like the .13 Barilla at Sobeys waAAAAY back makes meals affordable. The rest of the stuff- shampoo, paper items, deodorant, makeup- you have to set your own expectations of what you can afford to spend and what you need. Any savings is good, and if you can plan ahead by stockpiling a little or meal planning around sales, you've saved already.

[Stephanya]

Well, you are saving on the other things you use, so you can splurge on your Dior.

Hahaha I don't even ever pay full price on that either! Woot!
You guys are all so cool. It's like "the zen art of couponing" in here. :D

[Minou]

I really used coupons a lot when my kids were babies -- formula, diapers, and wipes. Because of my diaper stockpile (boxes and bags I bought at amazing prices), I haven't had to shop for diapers in ages, and my youngest will soon be out of them.

Other than that, I haven't been using coupons all that often for the last year. I just am not going to save enough on the few packaged items we buy by chasing down every coupon. I do pay really close attention to sales, though, and definitely try to maximize on Optimum points. I like some of their store brand products, and they often go on great sales. I especially look for great deals on gifts (I like doing little surprises at times, and this makes it affordable). While I don't usually try to "save" money on gifts, I can find some pretty fabulous birthday and Christmas gifts for family members by spending my regular dollar limit.

[Midnightly]

and the trouble with a stockpile.. is you gotta find places to hide it all i've had to get creative my freezer is stuffed to exploding (and i've even stuffed my inlaws freezer) and i'm missing out on great deals because i don't have the space.. (i fight the urge to keep buying.. my hubby shakes his head and says "your poor car" for how much i haul around and avoid carrying up)

[torontogal12]

I think your stockpile needs no additions lol. Time to live off it and save a bunch of $ by not spending

and the trouble with a stockpile.. is you gotta find places to hide it all i've had to get creative my freezer is stuffed to exploding (and i've even stuffed my inlaws freezer) and i'm missing out on great deals because i don't have the space.. (i fight the urge to keep buying.. my hubby shakes his head and says "your poor car" for how much i haul around and avoid carrying up)

[Midnightly]

I think your stockpile needs no additions lol. Time to live off it and save a bunch of $ by not spending

ahh but it's soo hard to pass up 25c juice boxes (those sales don't come around often.. they are usually a beginning of the school year sale) or my lovely wonderful facial scrub.. it's a little here little there.. all a balancing act

[nadiabreckon]

I don't use many coupons when we shop either, but I do what I can. I also believe that I'm saving money by not driving around town all the time, hoping to find the good deals everybody is talking about! Gas is expensive, and no matter what people say, time is money! I could be spending an hour at the gym staying fit rather than driving 20min to a store, 20min looking around and 20min back home. Just my 2 cents...

[hollyquaiscer]

Any savings at all using a coupon is still a savings. Sometimes I can save 70 or 80% and other times I'm lucky if I save 5%. It all depends on what you are purchasing that week. Are you stocking up on a great value item? Or did you need lots of dairy and protiens? Don't believe everything you read, as far as the states go, I'm there often for 5 or 6 months at a time and I can tell you that ALL, the new coupons there are coming out with the wording LIMIT ONE COUPON PER PERSON PER DAY, and a lot of the stores are sticking to that. So unless these people spend $50 in gas to drive all over the city to get that deal, then don't count their time and gas, the item isn't really free, is it.

My advice to you hon, purchase only what your family uses, use coupons when you can, purchase sale items and you will be saving.

[Stephanya]

1 per person per DAY!? THE HORROR! I've finally found an amazing Canadian coupon clipping company. If they tried to take that away from me I would start a riot!

[minisaver]

On the topic of American Couponing:

Video: The Truth About Extreme Couponing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yNf6w4hRFg

This video is a news report on counterfeit coupons in the states. I'm not saying all people who get stuff for free OOP are frauds, of course, but this might be why there are so many people aren't paying anything at all in brag forums.

[r0c0upons]

i love this thread!!

haha i guess i missed it ....last month :D

[Midnightly]

can tell you that ALL, the new coupons there are coming out with the wording LIMIT ONE COUPON PER PERSON PER DAY, and a lot of the stores are sticking to that. So unless these people spend $50 in gas to drive all over the city to get that deal, then don't count their time and gas, the item isn't really free, is it.

is it bad that i'm glad to see that!.. us up here in Canada have had to deal with this kind of wording for awhile, and have had battles to use coupons.. and it's become harder because of extreme couponing shows in the states.. it's nice to finally see the crack downs happening down south and not just up north