Do you find yourself spending too much time saving money?

[EvilTofu]

I'm wondering how much time do you spend to save money per week?

I tried to limit it to just 2 hours a week on Fridays before I shop on Saturday mornings. But the truth is that my tracking app is telling me I spent 6 hours a week looking at Flip, Checkout 51, Zweet and so on... not counting the fact that I'm here!

Yesterday, I totally forgot to price match the McCain fries at Walmart. It's $1.28 lost (60% more!). I could probably go back to adjust it, or even return it. But that would cost me at least 20 minutes. Reminded myself that $3 an hour saving is like working under minimum wage. "Let it go, woman!" But I'm trying to make excuseS to go back this weekend. lol

Do you cap your time use in penny pinching?

[Escargo]

Lol true, but you will learn after a while what is worth searching on Flip.

[Ciel]

Good question, OP! I know I preview at least three grocery store flyers, plus CT and Shoppers on the SC site-so let's say 20min per week. Then community flyer bundle-say 30 minutes giving the desired flyers (grocery and otherwise) a thorough lookover AFTER I have removed the flyers I know our household won't use. If I forget to jot down the specials of interest while reviewing flyers, add15-20 minutes on Friday or Saturday when I take the flyers out again to double-check specials against needs.

>65-70min average per week!

I don't have any mobile devices or apps as yet.

[Nina1]

This is sort of a hobby for me. I enjoy it, teach when I can, share as much info as I can and give away almost all of it to family and friends during the year and especially at Christmas time. I make baskets that are full to overflowing to probably 10 different families and they give the baskets back in the new year for replenishing the following Christmas. At a recent girls night out we treated the ML bacon like an Oprah car giveaway! "Everyone gets a Bacon!" I do know that it can be time consuming and its true that it can take up a lot of your time if you aren't careful.

[super807]

I usually spend about 30 minutes on Sunday morning going through the flyers and making my grocery list. I usually shop at RCSS, so price match if needed.

If I think I want to do a real SDM shop, I might spend another 15-20 minutes looking through that flyer. But most weeks, it's just a cursory glance that takes a few minutes.

I don't use coupons much anymore. I do look at the inserts when they come, and if there are desirable to me coupons, will take the minute to cut it out. And I do check out the coupon board on the way in to RCSS. I check CO51 on Thursday mornings on the bus on the way to work, and star any interesting-to-me offers. Then when I go through flyers on Sunday, I check if anything from CO51 matches.

So for me, average of 35 minutes a week, with the odd week using about 45-50 minutes.

Oops, forgot about PC Plus app. Check that on bus on Friday mornings, with a glance on Sunday when checking flyers. So average maybe 35-40 minutes a week.

[FallenPixels]

I guess it depends what you would do with that time otherwise. If you are using it to earn money, then likely not. But if you would be watching TV for example, you aren't getting paid to do that either so may as well use it constructively to save money.
Part of the planning would always be done (for me at least) as I like to know what I am buying and meal plan around it. So I would always browse flyers.
I only use flip etc to save photos but even so, my app use for grocery stuff is only about an hour a week inc checking SDM coupons and PC plus a few times a week.

[samm07]

I probably do. But it's my hobby and as of right now I'm a stay at home mom. So I consider it my job too. So meh. I'd say an hour a day maybe 30 minutes I'm browsing on here. Checking brags, my apps on the days the update and cross referencing . Flyers etc. Then Tuesday is my only shop day usually (very occ. I'll go Friday morning if it's a great sale). I share a lot with family as well too.

I like to drink coffee and coupon/shop. It's what I do. So I'm ok with T how many hours a week I spend on it. Some people go to the gym.... I bake and coupon lmao.


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[coupon girl]

well I still love couponing (have for 30 years)-only not as many anymore -now I try to align up the checkout51 with flyer deals (worth it as its money back to me )
-I don't have any apps as I don't own a cell phone but I am very organized -when I first read the flyers I mark an x beside really good deals -then if I go out that week I already have one thing done for my price matching
-I would say maybe 2hours a week looking at flyers,brags on here ,making my list -but to me its well worth it I really enjoy this

[seylz_gurl]

I've never calculated the time I spend as usually I'm multitasking e.g. waiting for someone in the car, or talking on the phone. You are right it probably is waaayy more time then I think but I enjoy it and it makes me feel good to save here and there. I enjoy too going to garage sales and 2nd hand shops to reuse and recycle and discover small treasures. Guess sort of a hobby like someone mentioned. I do admit that clipping and keeping track of coupons can sometimes add frustration to my day but find that the electronic versions aren't as great as they started out to be or give you the flexibility of the paper ones.

[Frugalbigmama]

I enjoy it and don't think of it as wasting time at all. It's fun to me to save $ and get the best bang for my buck.

[French Lady]

I'm a thrift shop junkie. I do save a lot of money that way, and rarely have to buy new clothes, but I do spend a lot of time sorting the goodies from the junk.

[torontogal12]

If you're worried about the amount of time you spend, try multitasking if you have a cell phone. Go through Flip when you're waiting for a bus or sitting in a car. Try to do it on the days before the flyers change and the days the cashback apps do new offers. That's how I keep things in check.

I agree with FallenPixels, if you're just spending the time watching TV might as well do it because you're not actually taking time away from when you'd be earning money

[amira84]

I guess it depends what you would do with that time otherwise. If you are using it to earn money, then likely not. But if you would be watching TV for example, you aren't getting paid to do that either so may as well use it constructively to save money.
Part of the planning would always be done (for me at least) as I like to know what I am buying and meal plan around it. So I would always browse flyers.
I only use flip etc to save photos but even so, my app use for grocery stuff is only about an hour a week inc checking SDM coupons and PC plus a few times a week.

+1. This is exactly what I was going to say. It all depends on how you were going to spend that time in the end.
And also, for me, i love spending time on looking for deals, coupons and spending time on cashback apps, on SC, my loyalty programs apps (think sdm and pcplus. Lol) and things like that. I am proud to say that it's my hobby now and I don't see myself giving up couponing/reabtes for anything.

[Frugalbigmama]

+1. This is exactly what I was going to say. It all depends on how you were going to spend that time in the end.
And also, for me, i love spending time on looking for deals, coupons and spending time on cashback apps, on SC, my loyalty programs apps (think sdm and pcplus. Lol) and things like that. I am proud to say that it's my hobby now and I don't see myself giving up couponing/reabtes for anything.

I think for most of us as SC it is just a way of life! We received our sample box yesterday and DS helped me go through it He was impressed and said "That was a good haul" lol I have never heard him say that before haha! He thought it was going to be boring cleaners he said lol

[matty's mom]

When I "retired", I was 42 yrs old and had a 2 1/2 yrs old. With having DS later in life, it helped to put us in a place where we could afford my becoming a SAHM. DH makes money, and I keep it . Because I am at home, we will have a veggie garden and I will freeze/ can. I make all PJ's and any casual clothes for DS (tall and husky) that I can't buy easily, or I alter. I make for myself as well. I work our loyalty programs the best I can. I have even made furniture! (Wooden spool side table and a book shelf so far. Handy contractor hubby beside all the way.)

Like Fallen Pixels said, it is about being productive with your time vs money.

When I was working, I used to ask myself- "I have worked __ hours to buy that. Is it worth it?" I do the same even though I am at home. What time is this worth?