I was at a meeting recently that was about introducing people to couponing. In all the questions a few kept being brought up lovingly AND teasingly. Although people were trying to tease the girl doing the presentation (who was a newbie herself) I thought maybe some people really did want to know the answers to these questions. so I thought i could help answer that here instead of individually. Maybe some other people could find it helpful.
1.) Not all people go as crazy as the show on tv "extreme couponing".
Most people dont have 200 bottles of mustard or stockpile diapers if they dont have kids. Yes couponers also consider these people hoarders and often get upset because it means less of the items on shelves for others to buy & use. We do however stockpile items that we will use in the next 3-6 months and depending on the space and item even a years worth. You stockpile what you have space for. I built an extra pantry for my overflow, and added extra shelving for toiletries. see this
post here.
2.) You wont always get your grocery bill down to $6 if there is $500 in your cart...
those shows glorify and stock up on freebie coupons to get totals higher for dramatic effect. Remember store sales often get your total down 25% without even coupons and those $500 totals are retail priced not sale priced. I have seen a nearly $300 grocery bill come down to about $25 however i had tons of freebies and BOGO items in the order that day. usually I average about $20-65 a week on a retail value of $100-180. I eat lots of produce, eggs and meats which in my area dont seem to have coupons. But during the summer this total should go down due to my garden.
3.) Do couponers really buy things they wont ever use just because its free? YES!!!
I have a few answers to this. First if its free I buy them to give to other people or donate to shelters, or service men. I have always been one to give back so if I am shopping and its not costing me anything then it is a shame if i dont pick it up for someone else who will use it. Shelters and pantries ALWAYS need donations. I personally feel it would be irresponsible of me not to get it for someone who may not be able to afford it. AND If you understand how coupons work it also helps stimulate the economy because the store you bought it from sees higher sales and could even lower prices throughout the store due to increase in profits.
With that being said will i run out or make a special trip for a free item i wont use? It honestly depends on the item, if i know someone personally who will use it and how i feel. I HAVE passed up free items before to spend time with my family. :)
4.) Will you buy something you wont use because it is a "money maker"? YES. Almost always.
These are a high priority for me. Will i make a special trip? Most of the time; if its valuable enough. If I make $3 buying depends i will go to the store and buy depends... and I have on more then 1 occasion. If its only a $1 i will usually stop in during routine shopping or sometimes pass it up if i dont feel up to it. Thats a personal choice.
5.) Why should you buy "money maker" items even if you dont need them? I know for some this question may seem silly and obvious but i actually get it a lot. Its important to note that a money maker is an item that generates more rewards or rebates then it costs you to buy. For example if an item costs you $1 to buy but you get back $2 in rewards thats a $1 money maker.
Heres a quick example of why you should hop on these deals...
The other week at Walgreens splenda was on sale for $2.99
there was a $3 off coupon in the newspaper which means it was free. AWESOME. but it got better...
If you bought 2 of them you got a $3 reward.
Now whether you use splenda or not that meant you paid ZERO dollars and then they handed you $3 everytime you took 2 off the shelf...
If a store ad said "Stop by our store and we'll give you $11 worth of FREE products AND then give you a $3 voucher to spend." Would you do it? Does it really matter what it is thats free? What if it were a surprise grab bag?
Would you do it if it was $22 worth of free products and $6 free voucher?
What about $44 worth of Free stuff and $12 voucher? Do you get the idea.
This is a marketing strategy that works and has been around for years. Most people just dont think of a grocery/drugstore doing it....
A car dealer will offer free gift cards or even $50 cash for test driving a car, Time share companies give away $100 all the time just for looking at a place. I sat through many time share presentations with my parents and even a few with my husband just to get the money. Theres free money out there if you want it and you feel its worth your time.
So I bought 8 boxes of FREE splenda, spent $0 and received $12 free dollars to spend. I then turned around and spent my FREE $12 on items that i wanted.
Now of course my husband uses splenda but even if he didnt i bet for $12 free i could have found someone to use it.
In the end I came home with 8 boxes of splenda, 4 packages of maxi pads (another money maker), 10 packs of single serve butterfinger crunch candy (a free item), 4 packs of fixodent denture cleaners (a free item), 2 large bags of pretzels, 4 packs of instant popcorn, 2 packs of freeze pops, and 3 cans of tuna fish. AND i still have $8 left to spend another day on anything i wish... oh and remember i spent $0 out of pocket.
To me that was a great day. I have lots of stuff to donate to people who need it, i got some snacks for the kids and money i can use towards other things like diapers or ice cream.
I hope this Q&A helps answer some of your questions or concerns.. and i hope to add to it as i find more time.
Thanks Melissa
