Why did you start couponing???

[Smilesaver]

I started couponing after I found out I had an illness that will not allow me to work or work when I can (which is not much) I had to figure out a way to make ends meet and a small income. A girl I worked with did it and she showed me this site and I just kept reading and reading how to get coupons/stacking etc. So here I am

[frankienitka]

Found out I was about to loose my job back in december 2010. One income family. DH and I sat down, looked at our bills and what we could cut so we could still survive on unemployement. Realized then that we were spendind around $200.00 per week for a family of 4 on food and household goods. I was couponning a bit before but that pushed me to see what I could do to cut it down. When I saw 15% saving on the first month and a little stash starting to form, I was hooked.

[princesskimmi]

The first coupons I ever used were for diapers since they are so expensive - then I found out there were coupons for so many things I use each and every day and decided to look into it further and I was shocked to find how much money I could save. Then after being a small time couponer I got a job in a Supermarket and was astonished at how few coupons people use I would ring in peoples groceries and in my head I would say I have a coupon for that and that and that and then I started to say it out loud to the customers - "Did you know you could save $2 if you had this or that coupon" Crazy enough I actually started to keep certain coupons in my pockets to share with the people coming through my til.

Now I'm addicted to coupons and rarely buy something without one. I go to swap meetings and spend every "naptime" on this site! LOVE IT!!!!!

[maliha44]

I started couponing because I was using the occasional $1 off coupon for milk, and thought that there has be a better way to get coupons. So I found smartcanucks, and for 4 months I just read the threads and posts but wasn't a member. Then in November 2010 I finally decided to join and more than a year later, I've realized it was one of the best decisions I've ever made!

[aussie]

Love reading everyone's stories!
Well back home there are no coupons, and when I was bored I used to look online for freebies and samples.... After living in Canada for a few months I was bored, and decided to google freebies, and I found this site! and then it kinda snowballed from there!

[Panthea]

I have couponed off an on my whole life. My Grandmother couponed, my father couponed, and I did too, but I found the way my father taught me did not really save me all that much and at times sales or no name products were cheaper. Well times got really tough suddenly when it was a choice this year between food or heat. I started looking back into ways to save money on everything. I started using coupons with sales as I found them and one day at the Food Basics one of the girls says "Oh you must watch that couponing show!" I frowned and asked "WHAT show?" let's just say that spurred me to look it up and start super couponing even more then I once had. That led to me finding this site and the rest as they say is History!! Now I coupon on sales and have heat and food and am able to make small donations to the food bank instead of having to rely on them to help feed my family. I love my coupon binder and I would not give up how I shop now.

[Darth Penguin]

I'm another person who's couponed on and off for years.

Back in UK I used store-points, similar to Metro et Moi,to help save money.

I re-started couponing about this time last year when a friend suggested a few other web-sites. I lurked here for a whole 10 mins before registaring in May.

[iggysbabysitter]

I came from a large family with a tight budget, and when I got married money was still very tight. I've always shopped the sales and stayed clear of processed foods/low value foods and had something of a stockpile to work with. But when I moved to Ont I decided not to go back to work (my kids are young and we had so many problems with sitters in the past) and raise some of my own food, can as much as I could.
Well, money got so tight I was going to have to look for work to do when hubby is home, and then I saw "the show". I started gathering coupons, became a part of SC and really paid attention. It's almost been 1 year, my stockpile has more than tripled, I give freely to charity and friends, and I've saved well over $200 in just the past week (sales + coupons on $300 worth of groceries). I have no idea how much I saved last year, but it was a lot.
I can now stay home with the kids and am saving up to buy a farm in the summer.

[Shwa Girl]

I can now stay home with the kids and am saving up to buy a farm in the summer.

Congrats on getting a farm.


We didn't start couponing, really- we started looking at ways to stretch our money. In 2009, my CEO told us to find ways to cut costs. We thought that meant layoffs were coming. Instead, when soneome left, went on sick leave, or went on mat leave, we did'nt hire -- just did more with less people. We learned good strategies from SC and shopped sales -- with or without coupons, learned when the best time was to buy things (No Frills $1 sale, Walmart anniversary sale, the old SPC VIP card) and made a game of seeing if we could spend less and save more.

If there is a coupon that we need, we use it. But, we don't buy something because we have a coupon.

[Pennywise]

I started when I was a kid and would go shopping with my Dad at the now defunct Woodward's - in their food section. Back then, you paid your bill first. Then you presented your coupons and they would give you the money back for them. Dad wasn't a coupon cutter himself, but I do recall that he let me keep the money for any coupons I found for whatever he was buying. After that, I was always cutting coupons from the newspapers and flyers (I don't recall there being tear pads back then). So I guess I started 'cause it was as lucrative as it could get for a kid who didn't get an allowance! Thanks Pop's!

[bargain_hunter_lola]

I lurked for MONTHS before joined. lol. Found the site by googling for baby freebies after my first baby was born.

At first I didn't think there was a reason to join since I could read all the info but after missing some great coupons, I decided to join and give trading a try. Sooooo glad I did! lol. Totally worth joining SC, not just to take part in trading/trains but to meet and/or chat with all the wonderful SC'ers!

[Minou]

The cost of formula drove me to couponing. I received the regular new-mom coupons for formula, and once I had used those few coupons up, I needed to figure out how to get more! I also found diaper coupons really handy and started to stockpile diapers when I found a good price.

After that, I started to look at the things we regularly use and see if I could really pay attention to coupons and sales cycles for those things. I don't necessarily chase every deal, but I try to make what we do spend count!

[ashokia]

I watched, "The Show That Shall Not Be NamedTM" and I was fascinated by these crazy people but I didn't really seriously think about couponing until I got pregnant. I knew I was going to be losing half a pay check for at least a year and I wanted to cut costs however I could.

I originally only looked for baby coupons, but soon realized during my lurking here on SC that there were coupons for pretty much everything!

Eventually I decided to stop lurking and made a post and boy am I glad I did. I've gained so much more from SC than just coupons! I've made wonderful friends who've helped me through all the ups and downs of being a new mom with nothing but time on her hands.

(I ♥ you lola and sheets for adopting me when I first arrived!)

[sweet sparrow]

I've always used coupons that I've found, but didn't know how accessible they were!

I used to be a member of another site where I first heard the whispers of the world of SC. Finally, I used Swagbucks to search for a particular deal and it led me here. It seemed to be the right time and place because I was looking for ways to try to help my parents save money. They had experienced a devastating house fire and lost everything. I couldn't imagine losing all that you had during your senior years.

My mom would call me with the next round of bad news; my dad had lost his prized violin, or their new place was fit to be condemned. I would tell her that I found a new coupon for toilet paper and something I would ordinarily think was common or not that big a deal impressed her. It was a small distraction, but I could see that it brightened her mood. She was so sad in those days that it was nice to see her old self again, even if it was for a few minutes.

In the weeks and months to follow, I tried to look for more coupons so I could tell her more stories about saving. That summer was the summer of dish detergent. After airing out her clothes for months, washing them in every laundry detergent imaginable, I read that you could use dish detergent to tackle the oils left by the smoke from the fire. She tried it and said it worked! I started couponing for every dish soap I could find!

Personally, while this was happening for my mom, the freebies started coming in and that piqued my interest. Then there was the revelation that I could use coupons to grow my existing stockpile (ooo!), and finally, experiencing the world of trading. As the icing on the cake, I can sometimes even impress my mom, who used to bargain the prices down at Zellers, sew designer clothes I'd pay "obscene" (over $10) amounts for, and cooked for a living to know the best prices on food.

It's been almost a year and I've met some of the loveliest people. It's been too fun to turn back and now I can share stories and savings with my family!

[$stretcher]

I was always careful with money, a saver and mild coupon user, watching sales and thinking buying 4 jars of peanut butter was stocking up , lol, bought 18 last week. But when winter boredom(and depression) set in last year I found sc, which fueled me to really expolde my couponing.

Ironically we have a 6 figure income, but it's all a game to me, to win one over on 'the man', and to live frugally so I can have the option of retiring at 55. I'm competive and this is fun for me, my hobby.

I also am a closet couponer and very few people know of my addiction...it's great to have a place to share, thanks guys!!