One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about attending BlogHer is getting to meet the people behind the companies I blog about often.
So you can imagine my pure giddiness when I got to chat coupons over breakfast this morning with Kate, the Editorial Director of Red Plum. Red Plum was one of the sponsors of a frugal blogger breakfast I was fortunate enough to attend today.
During our conversation, I had the opportunity to pose a burning question on my mind – and many of yours as well:
Is it OK to enter zip codes other than yours to obtain printable coupons?
Short answer:
It’s not a good idea. Manufacturers don’t like it and stores may not get reimbursed.
Long answer:
Not all coupons are national, and some manufacturers may want to test a certain coupon for a certain market. There could be many possible reasons for this, some of which may not be readily apparent to the eager couponer. Kate shared with me that her preference would be bloggers not share what zip codes to use to obtain coupons that are not nationally based. (OK, to be exact, the practice annoys her and she wishes bloggers would stop doing this. Quite frankly, it annoys me too.)
She also shared with me that even if you are able to PRINT a coupon for a zip code you don’t live in, it MAY NOT WORK. In other words, it could beep.
At which point I had to ask this question:
If it beeps, but the cashier pushes the coupon through anyway, will the store get reimbursed?
NOT necessarily. There may not be a clear answer to this question, so please do not make this assumption. And whatever you do, don’t try to convince your cashier otherwise.
Incidentally, I’ve posed the zip code ethics question many, many times via email to different parties and quite honestly, I’ve never been entirely satisfied with the answers I’ve received. I’ve been told it’s OK and I’ve been told it’s downright fraud. Today, I feel like I’ve gotten the resolution I needed on this topic. (So Kate, if you’re reading this…THANK YOU.)
Bottom line: I hold to my original position. You can count on me to NOT share what zip codes to enter to obtain certain coupons. I want you to know I care very much about coupon ethics on this site and it’s my goal to empower you as couponers with information and not just opinion.
Photo credit Sundeip Arora
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Did you know over $2 billion in coupons has been redeemed so far in 2010? Considering $3.3 billion was redeemed for all of 2010, this is pretty amazing!
According to the full study put out by Valassis (the company that put out Red Plum), coupon usage has risen 37% over pre-recession levels! Here are a few points that I found interesting from the study:
1. Particularly high redemption growth for health & beauty care items. Think folks are discovering the magic of drugstore sales?
2. Consumers becoming more strategic in their shopping habits. I can definitely say this is true of my family! We’ve definitely transitioned from willy-nilly shopping to shopping with a list and coupons (or most of the time anyways). I’d be curious to know if this means retailers have noticed that consumers are spending less money on impulse purchases.
3. Expiration dates are tightening. If you think your coupons have faster expiration dates than a year ago, you’re not crazy! According to Valassis, the average coupon is now good for 9.5 weeks, versus the 10.6 average for 2009.
4. Coupon values are on the rise! The average coupon will now save you $1.43, versus 2009′s $1.37.
Thank you, Queen Bee Coupons for bringing this study to my attention! Be sure to check out her insightful observations from these statistics as well!
What do you think has contributed to some of these changes? Has your own use of coupons increased? Do you think couponing is a fad, sure to die out with the recession?
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It occurred to me the other day how rarely I visit a mall.
If I go now, it’s usually to visit Target, or less frequently a department store, such as Macy’s. On a rainy day, I may take my kids to the play place. Or if I have a coupon for Bath & Body Works I may head to that particular store. But gone are the days of wandering the mall’s wings, scouring stores for the perfect pair of jeans or gift for mom’s birthday.
My husband and I – on a whim after missing our freeway exit – decided to visit a mall neither of us had been to in years. It was on a weekend. The place was dead. We were discussing this again last night and it occurred to me that a couple key things have changed since my mall shopping days. Here are my thoughts, and I’m curious to hear yours, too.
Amazon. Not just Amazon per se, but online retail in general. Making purchases online can be smart for many reasons. It’s convenient, you get a good variety of products, you can price compare, and in most cases, it’s extremely secure. With the rise of cash back sites such as Ebates and coupon sites such as Retailmenot, you can still take advantage of discounts.
Recession. With many people out of work and finances tight, retailers – particularly small ones – have been hit hard. Who wants to shop when you’re struggling to pay a mortgage?
Target. My husband smartly pointed out that one-stop box stores such as Target (and that other store I don’t talk about here!) have likely shifted consumer shopping trends. Think about it: instead of going to store after store, you can get everything from clothing, toys, food, and personal items from one place.
I decided to do a little Googling to see if my theory had any basis in truth.
A Wall Street Journal article from last year confirms that many malls are in trouble. In fact, they point out that overall, US malls have seen declines in consumer spending and tenant rents over the past few years. However, these changes have been occurring gradually over time. So you can’t up and blame it entirely on the recession. The article also offered this perspective:
For towns and cities that are home to dying malls, the fallout can be devastating. Malls hire hundreds of workers and are significant contributors to the local tax base. In suburbs and small towns, malls often are the only major public spaces and the safest venues for teenagers to shop, hang out and seek part-time work.
Last week, Bloomberg reported that shopping center vacancies are at their all time highs. Not a good sign for retailers. And maybe a sign it’s time to shift their approach in reaching the next generation of shoppers.
What do you think? Is the American Mall a Ghost Town (or on its way to becoming one)? Has your mall shopping changed at all? What do you think malls need to do to stay relevant (if anything)?Photo credit Kimberlee Kessler
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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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The general thinking is that many cashiers are just not “in the know” about how coupons work and it’s “our job” to explain it to them. And if that doesn’t get anywhere, we’re supposed to call over a manager and get it resolved, right?
After mulling this topic over for some time now, I have a few additional thoughts to add. And after opening the topic up on my Facebook page, I have a few more.
1. Could it be, my friend, that YOU are wrong? Guess what. Mistakes happen! I’ve personally headed to checkout with the wrong product before or worse – an expired coupon! I would have never attempted such coupon redemption knowingly, but thankfully, vigilant cashiers have caught my mistakes before. The next time a cashier scrutinizes your coupon and searches for your bag to make sure you bought the right item, let him/her! If you are right and have handled yourself graciously, you are on your way to building a positive relationship with the store.
2. Remember, coupon fraud is a REAL thing. While I know none of you would commit coupon fraud, there are people out there up to no good. According to Fraud Fighter, there was a 400% increase of coupon fraud incidents in 2009 over 2008, and they estimate this cost manufacturers tens of millions of dollars. So here you come to the store with your coupons when fraud has been HOT on everyone’s mind…doesn’t it make sense they would look at the coupons and make sure they are legit?
3. It’s possible employees could be disciplined for improper coupon acceptance. An employee who does not perform his or her job correctly could be subject to counseling and even termination. Given today’s job market, folks can’t afford to lose their jobs. I think it’s fair and reasonable for cashiers to look at the coupons and verify items as needed.
4. Even if your cashier wrong, does he or she deserve disrespect? There are times when you KNOW your cashier is wrong. And it can be frustrating. I’ve been there! By all means, speak up for yourself, but remember a little respect and courtesy go a long way.
Now for all the caveats, right? Like many of you, I have had VERY poor interactions with cashiers in my day. I have asked for managers before, and called Customer Service. I’ve stopped transactions that I felt weren’t being processed correctly. Are cashiers sometimes not informed about coupon policies? Yes, absolutely. Are there cashiers that could benefit from a class or two in customer service? Not going to argue with you.
Many of you told me that it truly depends on the cashier’s attitude, too. You can tell if the cashier is trying to do their job or just give you a hard time in their attitude. Good point.
That being said, I think too often we blame the cashiers and stores without considering things from their point of view. Don’t you think they talk in the breakroom about rude and obnoxious couponers that they’d seen in their day? It goes both ways, folks.
My goal is to help you build positive relationships with the stores you frequent. Keep showing up with your coupons, your best smile, and let’s work to give couponers a good name everywhere.
What do you think – do you think couponers should give cashiers more credit? And if you ARE a cashier, I’d love to hear your response to my post.
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“Flying under the radar:”
A phrase often used by couponers to describe methods of shopping whereby couponer works to avoid bringing attention to him or herself. The term may also be used to reflect a hope that others will not notice the enormous wad of coupons in your pocket on the way to checkout. (Angela Russell Dictionary of Couponese)
If you are a shy when it comes to couponing (as I sometimes can be), you might find the idea of “flying under the radar” attractive. After all, you don’t want to create a fuss at checkout, do you? Or have people gawk at your coupon binder and grocery cart full of toilet paper and tuna fish? Guess what. I’ve decided flying under the radar is NOT the way to go, and here’s why.
1. You shouldn’t have to act sneaky for something that isn’t. Shoplifting? Sneaky. (Not to mention, illegal.) Using coupons according to a store’s coupon policy? Savvy. I’ll admit, there have been times I thought I’d just get in and use the self scan to do a couple transactions back to back. While technically I wasn’t doing anything wrong, by trying to not draw attention to myself I ended up feeling sneaky. Folks, you shouldn’t have to feel guilty for using coupons!
2. You may miss out on deals. Believe it or not, did you know some cashiers enjoy seeing your good deals? And that some will even share with you how to find coupons and deals within their store? While this doesn’t happen all the time, it does happen. Start talking to hard-core couponers you know and they’ll tell you about the time some nice manager or cashier helped them save some money! I’ve personally had this happen before.
3. You’ll be able to better determine which stores are coupon friendly. I’ve really grown in my confidence at checkout. One of the biggest things that’s helped is just sharing with my cashiers about coupons. For instance, I might start off like this: “I have a bunch of coupons to use today.” They almost always thank me for the heads-up or say “OK.” If they seem friendly or give a rather enthusiastic response then I might continue with, “yeah, you have a great sale going on X right now that pairs with this X coupon…” Now I’m talking about their store and a deal that made me shop there today! On more than one occasion I’ve had a cashier ask about where I’ve gotten a coupon to do a particular deal. If I get to that point, I know I’ve found a coupon-friendly cashier, and probably, store. This is useful for me to know. If I have a store that is glad to see me with my coupons, I’ll be more confident in shopping there. In my mind, this is a serious advantage over flying under the radar! Have those conversations at checkout (where appropriate, of course).
4. Your experience with using coupons at stores is likely to be more positive. Take Laura, a friend and reader. She wrote to tell me about her experience at Rite Aid this week. Laura writes that she went to her “home” Rite Aid, “where everyone knows me because of my crazy coupons.” Lest you think this is a bad thing, I want you to follow what happens next. Laura had been looking for an advertised product for a deal she wanted to do. After not finding it, the manager ends up looking and going into the back until he finds the item for Laura! Her conclusion: “I think it was because the staff knows me that they were willing to go the extra mile to take a look.” Laura has obviously been nice and respectful to store staff and in the end, everyone benefits. (And incidentally, you can read more about her shopping trip.) Does this happen all the time? No. But if you fly under the radar? Good luck finding help like that when you need it.
5. If you’re saving big money, you shouldn’t care what others think. If you see another shopper checking out the odd smattering of items in your grocery cart, should you care? I personally don’t. Especially if I get those items for ridiculously cheap. Remember, you’re working to save money to feed your family. At the end of the day, that’s what matters.
I think you should feel comfortable using your coupons, proud even. You shouldn’t have to hide what you’re doing so long as you’re playing by the rules. Now do you need to disclose exactly how far you’ve taken this “couponing thing” to your friends, other shoppers, and cashiers? How you pour over couponing blogs and forums to find the best deals? How you lovingly collect your coupons from the Sunday inserts each week? How you keep a binder full of hundreds of coupons in the back of your car at all times? Well, my friend, that’s entirely up to you.
What about you? Do you “fly under the radar” or have thoughts about this couponing mentality?
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Did you know that I still get butterflies when heading to checkout? Like all of you, I want to ensure my transactions go through smoothly and build that confidence when heading to checkout with my coupons. I recently asked fellow bloggers (and seasoned couponers) Seattle Moms Deal Finder if they could assist me in sharing their thoughts on this topic. They graciously agreed; and here are their great tips.
Here are a few tips from the expert shoppers at Seattle Moms Deal Finder who can help us learn to shop with confidence, build relationships, and get the bargain!
Tip #1: Do NOT be afraid to ask for discounts! Here's a perfect example: While out shopping for a wedding gift at Macy's, I kicked myself for not searching for coupons first. I selected the wedding gift, and then proceeded to checkout. As I set my item on the counter, I asked the cashier if there were any discounts or coupons I was not aware of for this (insert date/weekend/week/holiday/season). He pulled open his drawer and said, "Yes!" and scanned a 15% off savings pass. I flashed him a sincere smile (because I was extremely appreciate) and went about my day. Remember that everything is negotiable, and typically all you have to do is ask.
Tip #2: Build relationships that have both give & take. Don't think, "what can this store do for me," think to yourself, "what can I do for this store?" By establishing this type of relationship, both the customer and store owner will be fulfilled. Here's a scenario: While visiting our favorite drop-in play center, I inquired if the owner had any special events or coupons we could promote on our blog (I understand that not every mom has a highly trafficked blog); however, many moms have a circle of friends and companions. We committed to advertising the play center for her, and she told us to select a day when admission would be waived for all our readers and myself. Commit that you'll bring in a few customers to the so-called next event, and before you know it, they'll commit something to you.
Tip #3: Don't be nervous! Remind yourself and YOU are the customer, YOU are spending money, and without YOU, they may not be successful! If you need to chant this as a mantra, do so, if you need to talk to a store manager, do so; but don't feel nervous for asking how to qualify for discounts or money savings. One method that works for me is shopping with a like-minded money saving mom. Try not to shop with friends who pretend that coupons aren't cool (you know we all have friends like that). Shop with someone who will support you in your endeavor that a penny saved is a penny earned.
Tip #4: Shop at non-peak hours. If you are worried about being scrutinized for using coupons at checkout, try to shop with cashiers that are at beginnings of shifts, or do not have pressures with long lines. I love to shop at either 8 am or 11 pm, both of these times have been favorable for me with cashiers and fellow customers. Also, try to leave your kids at home (if possible). Shop when you're calm and the stores aren't crowded, chances are cashiers will be in a like-minded mood.
******
The Seattle Moms Deal Finder blog was created by two Seattle area sisters who are dead-set on finding Seattle area steals and deals, local promotions, on-line bargains and more. You don't need to be a Seattle resident to enjoy the deals they find! Become a fan today!
Photo credit Jean Scheijen
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One thing that seems to perplex the non-couponing community is why the content of our shopping carts just look…different. After all, do we really need 10 boxes of cereal, 3 tubes of toothpaste, and 20 cans of tomatoes for the week? What exactly IS this all about?
Reader Julie sent me a great email last night explaining the epiphany she had about shopping. She writes:
When I first got started in November, I was pouring over coupons, making my list then going to the store for a week's worth of groceries and trying to keep straight exactly which brand and how many of each item to buy to make it worth my while. It was taking me 3 times as long to get through the store… I was a little irritated that couponing seemed to mean that I'd have to give up my evenings to go shopping… and I'd spend 2 hours making my list, extra time at the store, and the bottom line was I'd save around $7. WHAT?! My time is worth way more than that!
I think many people that start out with coupons do exactly what Julie did here. You try to just "work coupons in" to what you're already doing: your weekly trips to the store to buy the food you need for that week. And understandably, you'll end up frustrated and your savings probably won't amount to much.This is not how I recommend you go about using coupons either.
Fortunately, Julie's story does not end there. Here's what she realized:
Then something snapped. I don't know if it's something I read or what, but it hit me that if I did it all right, I didn't have to purchase 75 unique items in one shopping trip (not an unusual week of shopping if I had recipes and such). The idea is that if I planned right and bought lots of the same thing when it went on super sale and I had the right coupons to coordinate, a regular weekly grocery trip would likely include milk, eggs, bread, and some fresh produce.
BINGO, Julie! What you've described is stockpiling and it goes hand-in-hand with couponing.
Julie's shopping has gone much smoother since she had this simple revelation about buying items her family needs and uses when they are at low prices and simply buys the dairy and produce she needs to round out her menu for the week. She continues:
My mind feels sharp, I feel like I've won a victory for the family and for myself. My head is swimming with ideas and I'm excited and that feels awesome.
Here's the part I loved. In her follow-up email to me, she told me this:
Last night my husband said dinners were better since I started shopping this way.
Well I'd say that's a perk! When your pantry starts to round out, you'll have many ingredients to choose from to encourage your culinary inspirations and creativity. To review: couponing and stockpiling should work to reduce your time in the store, liven up your dinners, and cut your grocery budget.
Want to read more about this topic? In October, I shared how your mindset about grocery shopping will need to change once you start couponing. You might want to read this post on how to build a stockpile. And if you're still hungry for more, check out the "Getting Started" section of my blog.
Thanks, Julie, for sharing this! I'm sure it will encourage other readers getting started. As a reminder, I fully encourage my readers to share their testimonials and pictures of their deals! Please read how here, and then email me at thecouponproject at hotmail dot com and you just might be my next reader feature!
Photo credit David di Biase
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It all happens to the best of us.
You forget a coupon at home that you wanted to use. You delay on an online deal and miss it entirely. You buy the wrong item for the rebate offer, but since you've already opened the item, you can't return it. You're excited to learn you've saved 40% at the store, but feel deflated when you learn your friend (who's newer to couponing than you are) tells you how she saved 80%.
My philosophy? Couponing should be fun. And I think way too many of us take it far too seriously. Ask yourself:
- Have you lost sleep over a lost $2 coupon?
- Have you considered driving back to the store because they forgot to scan your $1 coupon?
- Do you feel guilty for buying a splurge grocery item?
- Do you feel pressure to keep up with your coupons, deals, and offers?
- When you dream, do you see barcodes?
If the answer to any of these is "yes," there's something I want to tell you, friends. Let yourself off the hook! I firmly believe there is no perfect deal. If you get the shampoo for $1, someone else will tell you they got it for free. And then someone else will tell you how they MADE $1 on the same deal. And then someone else will tell you how they made enough money on that shampoo that they were able to head into early retirement.
Can we just stop this nonsense already? Really?
Today I want to challenge you to relish in your accomplishments saving money – whatever they have been and however seemingly small. Focus on what you're doing RIGHT. This is not a race or a competition. I'll say it again, it should be FUN. Unfortunately there's not an "f" in coupon, but there is a "u" and there is also an "n," so that's 2/3 of the word FUN and I'll take it. You should too.
I want my readers to know that I take a very common sense approach to couponing around here. Yes, saving a buck is always important to me. But you know what else is important? Your time. Your health. Your sanity. So today, celebrate your successes. From one couponer to another, GOOD JOB. You are doing GREAT, my friend.
Photo credit Sofia Henriques
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