Yesterday, I received the following comment in response to my June budget update:
So many other sites are all about “extreme couponing” and you seem to have a balance that fits my lifestyle.
I have actually been mulling over for some time now who I am as a couponer and what The Coupon Project is all about. If given the choice, I think you’ll find the majority of what I share falls more into the category of what I’d now like to coin “Common Sense Couponing” vs. “Extreme Couponing.” Here’s what I mean by that.
1. Not all deals are crazy, amazing, put-that-up-on-my-blog worthy. Do I know how to work a hot Albertsons promotion? Sure. Have I ever turned a profit buying stuff at Rite Aid? You bet. Are the majority of my trips like this? No. Do I care? No. Can I be done with the questions already? OK.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there are two kinds of shopping trips. The first are my stockpiling trips. These are the ones where I try to hone in on those freebies and cheapies. And incidentally, these are the ones I often feature on my site for inspiration. But guess what – I also have trips (such as one I had yesterday) where I used no coupons and just do my best finding deals (which I did!). These are called need-based trips. And sometimes, you can have stockpile items mixed in with stuff you need – see my picture above from a recent June trip.
2. Don’t be surprised if other bloggers are like me, too (even in secret). Sometimes readers mention that these other amazing bloggers only post amazing deals on their site. Guess what? I bet if you asked a majority of them would admit to the occasional splurge grocery trip or trip where their savings rate was only a meager 25% or less. Or maybe they coupon so they can enjoy eating out once a week or some other nicety. I just don’t want you thinking that there are people out there that get this 100% perfect all the time. We’re human.
3. It’s all about the budget. Did you know it’s entirely possible to save an average of 80% on your groceries yet STILL be over budget? If you do all the deals you can find, you can actually start spending more than you want. If given the choice, I’m going to focus on living within my budget vs. getting lots of great deals just because they’re there.
4. Getting items you want. Sure there have been hot deals on Hamburger Helper in recent months, but what if my family doesn’t eat Hamburger Helper? A lot of folks will say “donate it!” OK, I can do that. But what if I wasn’t planning on going to the store? This might come off as selfish or mean, but I think the purpose of couponing should be first and foremost to save YOUR family money on YOUR groceries. I have a limited amount of time to shop and coupon each week, so it’s important to me that those efforts are working first to help my family. Now I do go through my pantry regularly and donate items to our church. And pretty soon, I’ll be talking about working with local food banks. But what I don’t get is this obsession about getting every darn deal out there whether or not it serves any purpose in your family’s pantry. That, my friend, is the antithesis of frugality.
5. Understanding the importance of your time. This ties in with #4, and it’s something that’s become increasingly important to me. There are times, more frequently than not, where I have to stop and ask myself, “is this deal worth my time? My effort? My gas?” Recently there was a pretty hot deal on yogurt and fruit snacks at Albertsons. I let it ride after contemplation. I knew the fruit snacks would turn into binge items in my house and I’m pretty much the only one around here that actually starts and finishes an entire container of yogurt. So…not worth my time. Don’t be afraid to sit out a deal. Don’t be afraid to let a coupon – even a high value one – expire. YOU, my friend, are worth more than the deals you get.
I want to conclude with a confession. There are bloggers out there, and even readers out there, that can do this couponing a whole lot better than me. And I’m completely unafraid to admit this! What I will say is that having couponed for less than 2 years, we’ve effectively slashed our grocery budget in half and our pantry is stocked. I’ve slowly shifted my deal-getting tactics to a more manageable, common sense approach.
If you’ve been beating yourself up about getting every last deal or thinking you could never compete with the extreme couponers out there, stop. Remember that everyone’s cart and everyone’s approach will be different. I give you permission to coupon this way, and you should too.
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{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
Nicely said. Thank you for taking the pressure off with your honesty.
You’re welcome!! You know, I’ve run a bunch of races over the past decade – 5Ks, 10Ks, even marathons. I’ve never won a race. Never even come close. Then why do it? Because it’s fun, and it keeps me fit.
Couponing should be the same thing. I’ll never out-coupon the pros out there. But I do it because it works to save my family money. I enjoy couponing more when I worry less about how others are doing it.
Well Said Angela. I often tell people that you are not competing with anyone. So don’t compare what other people do with what works for your family.
I also wanted to add that when I first started I HAD to be extreme. There just wasn’t a choice in the matter. But now I have a stockpile that allows me to make better and less shopping trips.
And I think it would be beneficial to all people watching any blog to show that YES we do spend money. I don’t want to be known for extreme, but rather wise and prudent. And those Free Glucose Monitors aren’t really free you do have pay for the tax and every dollar adds up in the long run.
I would just hate for folks starting out to think they have to be sort of amazing at this. I still stand by the idea that a stockpile can be built gradually. I’d rather have someone just starting out make small steps than get overwhelmed and crash and burn and miss the bigger picture.
That being said, there are easy strategies for saving money on your groceries until your stockpile is in full force. I should probably revisit what some of those are soon!
Thanks, Amber.
Thank you for saying this. I am a charter member of a local couponing bulletin board group, and have all but quit participating in it because of the way it has evolved into one-up-manship. There are people on the site who will literally drive all around the county trying to get free/cheap products that would cost less than the gas spent in driving there. I’m a fan of free stuff, but as you have indicated, time is expensive too.
I wonder if some of the people who super-coupon thrive on the thrill of the hunt and conquest, especially when most people have had to cut back on so many “extras”?
I’m sure you are right on that one. When I first started, it was all about getting every deal and getting the best deal I could. Over time though I recognized I was missing the bigger picture. Did I really need a free blood glucose monitor when I don’t have diabetes?
Love that running analogy. Helped me bring it into focus. I’ve been feeling so guilty for not couponing like I once was and being undisciplined in my budget. Now getting back on track with our budget and going to enjoy my deals like I enjoy my running. Thanks!
Very well said, couldn’t agree more. I’ll admit that in the beginning I would go to the store to get freebies we wouldn’t even use because they were “free”. But when I started adding in my time to plan the trip, clip the coupons and go get the items they were no longer free. They were costing me time and energy which is very precious to me. I also had some guilt that my little blog wasn’t as good as some of the major ones out there because I wasn’t posting every single deal and doing 20 posts a day. You know what I realized? That if only one person ever read my blog I still enjoyed the though of helping someone get that deal and when I get overwhelmed I may not even post for a whole weekend!
Glad to know there are others out there who don’t consider couponing a contest with winners and losers. Lets face it, if you use 1 coupon per trip or 100 you still saved money and that makes us all winners right?!
As for not being the biggest, best coupon blogs out there? We still have a voice to contribute and I won’t quit just because someone else gets more traffic per day. That’s silly.
I’m glad you’ve come to some of the same conclusions! As for me, I’m off to not find deals, but to take my kids to the library and to spend some time cleaning house.
Thanks for commenting.
Angela – We are so much alike when it comes to couponing. When it comes to writing, not so much! I could never had said everything you said here as perfect as you did. Love it! I agree with everything you have said here.
I honestly, have not been to Walgreens in MONTHS!!! I can’t keep up with all the Register Rewards, it is just TOO MUCH work for me. I like quick easy trips that I don’t have to go to a store several times a week to get my money’s worth.
Thanks so much for sharing, I am sure there are lots more people that feel the same way.
Walgreens? I don’t even remember what the inside of a Walgreens looks like!
I totally agree. Once you do it for awhile you find your balance. You know what you will use and what is really a good deal. I feel good if I can save more than I spend. I don’t do 30 transactions, I just do one. I basically hit Albertons and Rite Aid once per week and then Fred Meyer if I need anything else. I don’t buy stuff I would never buy normally and I am trying to cut down on the “junky” food that is always cheap. I try to reflect this attitude on my blog too. Thanks for keeping it in check .
Well said!
Thank you for the reality check/encouraging word. When I first started couponing, I really struggled because I couldn’t keep up! I felt like I was totally failing. Now that I’ve been doing this for almost a year, I know all these things to be true, but I didn’t know that then. I hope that new-to-couponing folks read this!
I hope folks have been noting the fair amount of bargain bloggers that have been affirming what I’ve said here….I hope everyone finds this encouraging that you don’t have to do all the deals all the time. Be sure to check some of them out, too.
Thanks for everyone that’s chimed in so far.
Amen.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts. I was having some similar thoughts recently. I had a really hard time letting stuff go and would kick myself if I missed a great deal. I felt like I had to track all the best stock-up prices and stay on top of a million details at all times. Then something hit me . . .
My son’s birthday and out of town guests. I felt like all of April was sucked out of my life but guess what? I missed some deals and we survived. We also coasted on stockpiles for several weeks with only little trips out for milk and eggs. That’s when I realized what it was all about.
I learned that a stockpile price is what I think a good price is based on how quickly my family can consume something and how healthful it is (if it’s food). It isn’t what someone else says it should be although I do appreciate your little tips like “not a stockpile price in my opinion.” Like you, I found that stockpiling fruit snacks is not in my best interest and I refuse to buy things we won’t use (well, unless it’s something a friend will use) just to get a deal.
I will admit one thing though . . . I have driven out of my way to get a freebie we didn’t NEED just because I was looking for a deal “fix” as I call it. Sometimes I just want something for free and oddly enough, my 2 year old son LOVES going to the stores so occasionally on a rainy afternoon when we’ve got some time to kill before Daddy gets home and I can’t think of a better way to use our time, we head out for a deal. For him it’s as fun as a playground, for me it’s warmer, dryer and more fun to get free stuff.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and opening up the discussion.
Julie…”recreational couponing” is sometimes a fun, free outing. I’ve done this too!! I think there’s a difference doing it as an occasional fun thing to do vs. a compulsion.
This is why I love your site so much, a balance. Couldn’t agree with you more. Keep it up.
Bravo…and thanks for saying all that too. After several weekends of obsessing about using those darn double coupons at Albertsons, I had to ask myself, do I really need anymore free pretzels? You get my point obviously. Deals are nice but only if it is a deal on something that I can use. Bravo!!
One trick that’s helped me is to find a store that will allow you to use more than 3 doublers per day. The fine print reads “limit 3 per shopping trip.” The nearest Albertsons to me is a good 15-20 minutes drive, so I’ll just explain: “I know your fine print reads 3 per day, but it’s hard to get out with the little ones when you’re a distance. If I put these groceries in my car and come back, can I use another set of doublers?” I’ve never been turned down! I think if you can find ways to build your stockpile and save time, you’re in the best of both worlds. Thank you!
Thank you for the GREAT post. I was planning a very, VERY similar post this weekend. Instead, I’m going to direct my readers to your post. Knowing how to use your blogging time wisely is a good thing!
Great post Angela!
Have a great weekend.
Thanks for sharing this! I was going crazy trying to take advantage of every deal when I started couponing and eventually got burned out. It did help me build my stock-pile though, so now I don’t need to shop nearly as much. I also rarely go to Walgreens anymore. It’s just too much work, and half the time they are out of the best deals when I get there anyway. Their lack of a coupon policy drives me nuts too. I must admit, I still shop a lot on weekends that Albertsons has double coupons though!
My couponing completely changed when I went to clean eating. Before, I’d think nothing of loading up my cart with a lot of processed (shall we say…CRAP) food as long as it was cheap. Everything was refined, refurbished, frozen, highly preserved, and loaded with fat and salt. Oh, but it was cheap!!
Pop-tarts for .25? yes please! Frozen pizza for .50? load me up! “cream of” soups for .10 each? I’ll take 30 – never mind that one can has my family’s entire sodium allowance for the day.
I wanted the best deals, and when you look around you see the best deals are on the not-so-good for you food. The cheap, easy, convenience food. When I started to eat clean, I watched coupon after coupon expire in my notebook. Then I stopped cutting the majority of them completely. I couldn’t justify a “great deal” at the expense of my family’s health.
Now I coupon on the items I feel ok with, so that I can use the extra money for the healthy, organic things that usually do not have coupons. To me, that makes more sense. And I cringe when I see these “look at what I got for $1!!” posts that are nothing but junk. Not worth it.
Don’t forget that a lot of those “look what I got for $1″ posts may also include drugstore deals. I truly believe couponing to save on household goods (toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) is an excellent way to make a quick dent in your food budget and ramp up your stockpile. I think it’s also a good way to free up money in your pocket for organic and healthier items you may not find on sale.
Great post. I especially like numbers 3 and 4. When I first started following some couponing blogs, I got some great deals but most weeks went over budget because I felt I couldn’t miss out on a deal. I also often got a lot of junk food that we didn’t need. One thing thing that I think you’ve written before that I find useful, is not to forget about just checking out store deals that you may not have a coupon for. You can get lots of savings that way too and I sometimes miss them if I’m too focused on using coupons.
omg you are so easy with thoughts, love how you describe everything, and how to explain everything im in love with your site. sorry for my English.
Thank you so much for this topic! You are amazing!
I saw this post at the perfect time–I was quick on my way to coupon burn-out!! I’ve always done coupons, but have only been “serious” (i.e. coupon binder) for about 4-5 months or so. I have a huge stockpile at home of toiletries, and was having trouble denying that “great deal”, even knowing good and well I had 5 more at home! Thank you for the reality check! My time is worth more than a lot of the deals out there. There has been more than one occassion where I was out running around on a Sat night hitting all the stores before the sales ended, when I should have been home spending time with my husband. I have lately been trying to find a better balance, and I appreciate your post, and everyone elses follow-up comments. It’s nice to hear that it’s “ok” to not get all the deals, and even to let a “great” coupon expire
) Sounds silly, but it helped hearing it!! lol
Thanks for sharing, Michelle! I have let some really good coupons expire before. It stings, until I remind myself there will always be another deal and I’ve not wasted my time or gas money chasing the deals down!
This post is so well written and I agree totally. I liked it so well I shared your link over on thriftypals.blogspot.com! Thanks so much!!
My very first week of couponing opened my eyes very quickly that I am not going to get every deal out there just for the simple fact that we live in the forest, for me to go to any of the drugstores or super centers (Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Kmart) is an hour drive one way aka $20 in gas on a good gas price day lol. So I have to ask myself “Am I going to save enough to make it worth the 2 hour + drive time and the $20 in gas?” My first week I made the trip into the city and hit target, meijers and Kmart, between the 2 hours driving in and out of town and the driving I did while I was in town to each store and the shopping I was gone all day and exhausted when I finally did get home. I saved a ton but I worked for it lol
I must say that I appreciate and enjoy your site. So many others seem to take for granted that the reader is somewhat knowledgeable and experienced already. Some of them also have an aggressive voice, urging the reader to go, go, go and get these 98% savings every trip. The voice of your site is warm and welcoming, soothing and supportive. Kudos! I will be returning! Thanks!
Awesome post! I coupon with my mother.. its fun.. we do it together and we get some really great deals. However, we don’t clear the shelves and we always stick to our grocery list too. The only thing we care about is saving some money, having fun and sticking to our list. It’s definitely not a contest for us. It’s a way to save a few bucks and some good fun.. plus we get to spend time together too.
I really like this balanced approach – I think it takes a very specific kind of personality or lifestyle to do anything to an “extreme” and as a busy mom of three, I don’t have it. I’ve been couponing for nearly a month now, after sitting down with my husband on July 1 and putting together our first ever budget. We knew our grocery spending needed to be cut down, so I committed to making that happen. I started reading this site, and a handful of others, subscribed to the Sunday paper, put together a coupon binder, and started learning the ins and outs of drugstore savings. Along the way, my middle son (11) became interested and is now my shopping partner
We have spent less than half of our weekly budget consistently all month, and I feel like we can do even better the more I learn from blogs like yours and from trial and error.
I definitely feel the axiety around missing a deal or contemplating whether or not it’s worth making the time to go back out to the drugstore after the kids are in bed… I just have to remember, “common sense couponing”
I appreciate your site over the other ones linked from the WinCo home page. I am finding that couponing is not worth my time. Cooking from scratch, spending time with my family, trying to start a garden, and eating out less have cut our food spending in half.
The problem I see for all the coupon blogs out there is that there isn’t any profit and saying that.
Thank you for being original.
Thank you for your comment. I’m very curious what you mean by this: “The problem I see for all the coupon blogs out there is that there isn’t any profit and saying that.” That there’s no profit for us bloggers for running our sites or that coupons don’t profit shoppers, etc? Can you elaborate a bit more? I’m intrigued by your comment. And thank you for your kind compliment!
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