What is it about coupons?
People are so funny. I don't know what it is about coupons that makes people react so much. I don't personally use coupons that much. Maybe one a month. I know that it can save a lot of money and if you have the time and enjoy doing it then I say go for it but I personally don't have the time to mess with it. I prefer to save other ways buy shopping at Aldi's and using sales. We spend about $250 on groceries a month for 5 of us so I don't think that's too bad. I could get it lower by gardening and such but I don't have time right now so I am satisfied with what we are doing.
We ran an article from a lady who used coupons to give help to others who like to use them. Wow, the response was crazy!!
I got people who were mad at me because I don't use them and I "loose out on so many savings" and then I had people who are mad because we ran story about someone using them and "they are just poisoning their family's with unhealthy food".
I don't know why people have to get in a uproar over coupons! If you want to use them, go for it, if you don't, then don't use them! It's not that big of a deal.
Here are a few of the nicer comments and questions. If you have some ideas to help our readers please post, I would love to hear your tips!
Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com
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Where does Debra get her coupons? How does she keep them organized and use them before they expire? I would love to pick her brain.
I love getting your newsletter. I am really determined to save and live on a dime. Thanks for helping me with my new way of life.
Have a blessed day!
Lora C. :-)
********
It must be nice to have stores that double or triple coupons. In the small town I live in there is a Brookshire and a WalMart. Neither one of them double coupons. With only those two stores you pay full price for everything. The nearest stores that run good sales and double coupons is 56 miles away making it impossible to shop anywhere other than the two stores in my town. I am trying to feed 2 aadults, 2 teenagers, and 2 younger children on one salary. Can you offer any suggestions? Almost all our money is going for food and gas for the car. Thanks , TW
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Hi Tawra,
This is in regard to the coupon lady from Wichita. I have been living/espousing the frugal life since my children were babies in the 1980's. I have had lots of experience testing saving by using coupons vs. saving by cooking from scratch, gardening, not using coupons, etc. I always lived in areas where there is a store that double coupons and has weekly "lost leaders". Here are some conclusions on her letter.
I don't doubt that she can save & stockpile, but I feel that when we shop with coupons like that, there is a tendancy to purchase more unnecessary & unhealthy food, which in the long run is detrimental to our lifestyle. I do watch (when it isn't farmer's market or gardening season) weekly lost leaders on fruit & vegetables to be able to get the highest quality nourishment for my family for the lowest price (our King Sooper--a Kroger affiliate--often runs 10/$10 on potatoes, onions, etc.--so, for example, I can get 5 lb. bags of potatoes for @ one bag for $1.00--and you don't have to buy 10 bags!) but don't spend a lot of time on other coupons.
I truly feel that over the years, I have saved more, spent less time shopping/cutting coupons and nourished my family better having NOT been dedicated to coupon cutting. I fed a family of 5, a dog, a cat (along with various other fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits...) on $35.00 week from about 1985 to 1995--that included paper, cleaning/laundry & personal hygiene products (shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, etc.).
I don't know what that would project into today's figures...but I think it should be reasonable still. I never went above $50/wk. even when my kids were in high school...my last graduated high school in 2001(2 of our 3 were boys with huge appetites--a lot of time they had friends over to eat!). Of course, we ate more than "Just Beans"! Bravo to you for your books...I love them, and even though it is just me & my husband at home now...I still cook the same way(neither one of us has any health problems at all...no cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, arthritis & I credit much of that to healthy living, healthy eating, exercising our bodies --God has truly blessed us in our journey!) . Hope you appreciate the input...Have a blessed day in the Lord! Vicki T.
********
From: Yvonne
Hi Tawra, I'm curious, do many other LOAD
subscribers use coupons or use lots of pre-made,
brand name, preserved type foods? I like the
idea of the coupon person benefitting from the
discounts on meats (those are always expensive
and I'm sure lots of us try to stretch it as far
as we can). But I'm wondering if the use of
Procter & Gamble, Pillsbury, etc. for family
menus isn't nutritious...your frugal recipes and
such don't cost a lot and are quite nutritious.
I haven't needed to break out coupons and we eat
well! Thanks for reading this and all the work
you put into creating such an informative and
well done publication. Yvonne :)
We ran an article from a lady who used coupons to give help to others who like to use them. Wow, the response was crazy!!
I got people who were mad at me because I don't use them and I "loose out on so many savings" and then I had people who are mad because we ran story about someone using them and "they are just poisoning their family's with unhealthy food".
I don't know why people have to get in a uproar over coupons! If you want to use them, go for it, if you don't, then don't use them! It's not that big of a deal.
Here are a few of the nicer comments and questions. If you have some ideas to help our readers please post, I would love to hear your tips!
Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com
********
Where does Debra get her coupons? How does she keep them organized and use them before they expire? I would love to pick her brain.
I love getting your newsletter. I am really determined to save and live on a dime. Thanks for helping me with my new way of life.
Have a blessed day!
Lora C. :-)
********
It must be nice to have stores that double or triple coupons. In the small town I live in there is a Brookshire and a WalMart. Neither one of them double coupons. With only those two stores you pay full price for everything. The nearest stores that run good sales and double coupons is 56 miles away making it impossible to shop anywhere other than the two stores in my town. I am trying to feed 2 aadults, 2 teenagers, and 2 younger children on one salary. Can you offer any suggestions? Almost all our money is going for food and gas for the car. Thanks , TW
********
Hi Tawra,
This is in regard to the coupon lady from Wichita. I have been living/espousing the frugal life since my children were babies in the 1980's. I have had lots of experience testing saving by using coupons vs. saving by cooking from scratch, gardening, not using coupons, etc. I always lived in areas where there is a store that double coupons and has weekly "lost leaders". Here are some conclusions on her letter.
I don't doubt that she can save & stockpile, but I feel that when we shop with coupons like that, there is a tendancy to purchase more unnecessary & unhealthy food, which in the long run is detrimental to our lifestyle. I do watch (when it isn't farmer's market or gardening season) weekly lost leaders on fruit & vegetables to be able to get the highest quality nourishment for my family for the lowest price (our King Sooper--a Kroger affiliate--often runs 10/$10 on potatoes, onions, etc.--so, for example, I can get 5 lb. bags of potatoes for @ one bag for $1.00--and you don't have to buy 10 bags!) but don't spend a lot of time on other coupons.
I truly feel that over the years, I have saved more, spent less time shopping/cutting coupons and nourished my family better having NOT been dedicated to coupon cutting. I fed a family of 5, a dog, a cat (along with various other fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits...) on $35.00 week from about 1985 to 1995--that included paper, cleaning/laundry & personal hygiene products (shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, etc.).
I don't know what that would project into today's figures...but I think it should be reasonable still. I never went above $50/wk. even when my kids were in high school...my last graduated high school in 2001(2 of our 3 were boys with huge appetites--a lot of time they had friends over to eat!). Of course, we ate more than "Just Beans"! Bravo to you for your books...I love them, and even though it is just me & my husband at home now...I still cook the same way(neither one of us has any health problems at all...no cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, arthritis & I credit much of that to healthy living, healthy eating, exercising our bodies --God has truly blessed us in our journey!) . Hope you appreciate the input...Have a blessed day in the Lord! Vicki T.
********
From: Yvonne
Hi Tawra, I'm curious, do many other LOAD
subscribers use coupons or use lots of pre-made,
brand name, preserved type foods? I like the
idea of the coupon person benefitting from the
discounts on meats (those are always expensive
and I'm sure lots of us try to stretch it as far
as we can). But I'm wondering if the use of
Procter & Gamble, Pillsbury, etc. for family
menus isn't nutritious...your frugal recipes and
such don't cost a lot and are quite nutritious.
I haven't needed to break out coupons and we eat
well! Thanks for reading this and all the work
you put into creating such an informative and
well done publication. Yvonne :)
posted by Tawra Jean at 1:48 PM
10 Comments:
if you know an overseas military person, send them your expired coupons. The on-post commissaries can use expired coupons for up to 6 months past their date.
Just an FYI.
Also I use coupons on loss leaders and stuff I KNOW I am going to buy. But I am careful.
The way I handle the coupon issue is: I always check them out and if there are any I can use I clip them and use them. It's as simple as that. I don't use very many but it helps. We don't have double coupons either.
In the third paragraph of your post, you have some grammatical errors. "Loose" should be "lose" and "family's" should be "families". Good Bless You.
Sorry, I type as a think not what's proper most of the time. :-)
Tawra
I am a retired English teacher, Tawra; I should not have corrected you. Your website is ingenious and my hat is off to you!
I hardly ever use coupons, not b/c I don't want to, but b/c I just forget that I have them. And I live in Canada, where I have never even heard of a store that doubles or triples coupons, so I don't think they even exist up here.
Double coupons are not offered in the Pacific NW, either, so I'm firmly in the camp of "occasionally, if it's something I will really use" and usually the type of thing there is no generic equivalent - hair color, a certain type of mouthwash recommended by the dentist, etc. Otherwise I can usually do better with a store brand or regional equivalent.
Christy
I use coupons regualrly and for those who think you only get unhealthy foods or spend more using them because you buy things you don't need, don't know me. I don't buy anything I don't need on sale or otherwise and my husband and I may not be the most extreme healthy eaters in the world, but we try really hard simply because we feel better when we do. I do buy store brand if it is cheaper, but I have also found things I buy anyway that I can use a coupon with and match with a sale price. I have gotten toothbrushes and shampoos for free you can't tell me you don't need these. Sure it takes time, but I am on a very limited budget and I know what I used to spend before I used coupons regularly. I cook most things from scratch only getting prepackaged stuff if I get a great deal and then I leave that for the occasional babysitter to make so she isn't taking time away from watching my kids to make a meal. I'm not some crazy lady who thinks you have to use coupons, but I know for me it is working and made me a better steward of the money God gives us.
I also use coupons a great deal. For me it is a hobby. There is a thrill in checking out with a buggy full and paying change. Besides food, you can get most toiletries, cleaning items, dog & cat food, and even baby items for free! I stock up on the free baby items and save them for showers. Since we do not have cats, I take all free cat food to church and give it to families who could use it.
As far as the organization, I have a 3 ring notebook with dividers in it labeled with categories (medicine, frozen, dairy, canned foods, ...) Behind each divider are the sleeves that hold baseball cards. This is where I keep the coupons. You can see at a glance what you have and the expiration dates. It does take some time, but like I said, this is just about my only hobby.
The double & triple sales are wonderful, but there are several things that work out great at Wal-Mart, even without price matching.
Thanks for letting me share,
Susan
Out of the Nest & Beyond
Tawra, I wish I could see your shopping list! I also live in Wichita, and have a family of 5 (6 in the summer when my stepson comes and stays with us), and even though I've been able to whittle down my bill, I can't seem to stay under $125/week. Compared to my mom (who feeds three), I'm doing excellent. But, still, money is tight for us and I'd like to get even lower. I did do coupons for a while, but I no longer have the time. It was fun, mostly.
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