I just spent over $100 at the grocery store and realized that nothing I bought could have had coupons. We eat mostly fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and when I buy stuff it is generally store brands. (DH is diabetic)

I envy the folks who can use coupons, but not much of what I buy qualifies. Is anyone else in the same boat? If you use coupons -- which ones are most useful to you?

[quote=QuiltnLady1]I just spent over $100 at the grocery store and realized that nothing I bought could have had coupons. We eat mostly fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and when I buy stuff it is generally store brands. (DH is diabetic)

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I'm like you, NEVER use coupons because all my food is fresh. Since I live alone my fridge and freezer are my best friends.

I don't use coupons, but I do use the store cards, where I live we have two- three big markets all of them if you use there cards you get some form of discount, two give you points towards certains gas stations so you can have anywhere from 5 to 10 cent off your gallon of gas.

So much more expensive to eat healthy, natural foods... and people wonder why our country is so unhealthy and overweight. Who can afford to eat right?? :)

I use a lot of coupons. Toilet paper, paper towels, detergent, shampoo, lotion, vitamins, plastic storage bags, bread, canned vegetables & fruit, orange juice, yogart, cheese. I could go on & on. I only clip coupons for items I will use. I can usually save at least half between buying what's on sale & the coupons.

Walmart has price match. Before I go shopping, I check the other local ads and if I am buying something that is on their list, then I tell then at the check stand. Use coupons occasionally, but I usually get store brand and its cheaper!

I don't really have grocery coupons, I have them for shampoo, household cleaning stuff, razor blades, I use the website http://www.coupons.com and you pick what coupons you want and print them off at home. It can add up to a good savings, sometimes mine are around $30

I use them for non-food items. That's about it. Every once and awhile I can use them for condiments or something frozen.

I shop the perimeter mostly and in the same boat. Most of the foods I buy don't have coupons available. Now I'm shopping more at Aldi's.

I do use them for some cereals and non perishables.

this is so very true. i'm just reading a nutrition book now and it is amazing how we abuse our bodies.

I use to be into couponing and refunding (collect upc codes and send them in for a free pack etc) when I lived in the States over 20 years ago, but since I left and now come back, I am really dissappointed in the coupons available. I use them occasionally, but most of the food ones are for frozen and processes stuff, candy, chips, sugary fruit juices etc-and tons of cleaning/paper/beauty stuff. I don't use much beauty stuff, and paper and cleaning stuff I usually get at Costco. I use my store rewards card, which gives discounts on many items and makes you think you are getting a great deal, and sometimes you do, but I always try to use what coupons I have on items when they are also on sale/special to get the most of them. I use to save a ton years ago when my boys were young, it was a game and challenge to me. We tend to buy fresh fruits and vet and I seldom buy frozen or pre-made and packaged food.

I use coupons faithfully. I carry one of the notebooks with basecard sleeves in it and have all my coupons in an individual sleeve. I use them for deo. shampoo, toothpaste, toliet paper, paper towels, dog food, ect. I save alot even though I spend alot since groceries have gone sky high.

I use coupons frequently, but not much for food. It's all the other things that add up. Where I live, all groceries (except the Super Walmarts and Super Targets) double (and some even triple on occasion!!) coupons, so the savings is significant. It has been years since I've paid anything for soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. By the time the coupon doubles it more than covers the price of the item. I use them a lot for pet items, too. I have 5, and they eat a lot!! I still buy fresh fruit and veg at a farmers market and stop at a butcher for most meat.

Seems like I can only use the coupon on non food stuffs....cleaning supplies, paper, etc. I'm retired and live alone so I don't really buy a lot of canned/prepared foods which seems to be what the bulk of coupons offer. I too buy a lot of fresh veggies/fruits and of course you never get coupons for those. I save my coupon inserts in the paper and give to my daughter who has children and can use them.

I save the most when I shop the buy one/get one specials where I can only buy one at half price, now that is the savings !

They don't do coupons for eggs, cheese, fruit, veggies, oatmeal, raisins, fresh meat from the meat locker.... We do have a Costco card but a lot of their stuff is processed stuff we never would eat. We do a lot of cooking from scratch. I make a big batch of soup and have several meals very quickly. I don't use much beauty products. I used to sew but with so many thrift stores and the clothing so inexpensive, we wear used clothing (No used undies or shoes & socks) Some times I find fabric at the thrift store. Some times I take a hard look at curtains and they become fabric... Even though I work in various stores, I rarely shop. DH teases me. He says he does more shopping than I do. We upcycle/re-purpose when possible. We shop on CL before we go to a store. I use vintage sewing machines and do my own repairs. Go Green!!! We have stayed together and paid off the house. We don't have a huge income and we just aren't good consumers.

I try, but I am like you. Diabetic with a lapband so I buy mostly meat, veggies/fruits! Some times I get lucky and get coupons for toiletries, or cleaning supplies, but rarely!

This is what I was going to say. There are lots of items with coupons that are not food items. ;-)

I'll use them when I can, but like so many, I most of my purchases are for fresh foods - no coupons there!

I never find coupons for what I want to buy. We buy fresh fruit, vegetables. We're both diabetic and DH is celiac.
We also take the most economical purchase and that usually beats the coupons on national brands. We buy paper products and cleaning products at Sam's and dog food at the feed store.
I spent a lot on a new sewing machine and serger and now I'm trying to make wise purchases on fabric. It's cheaper than therapy and healthier than watching TV - so I guess it's economical also.

Like others who have posted, I use coupons mostly for non-food items, in my case, sponges, foil, shampoo, toothbrushes, cleansers.

But I do use a few coupons for food when I find them. I love Ragu spaghetti sauce, so I use those. I buy some canned soup (although Campbell's has gotten so poor in quality over the years, I don't get much of it), so I use the soup coupons. Sometimes I'll use the ones for spices (Spice Island, McCormick), though I prefer buying spices from bulk sellers.

You're right, it's mostly the processed foods that have coupons. Sometimes I use coupons for junk foods such as cookies or ice cream.

I try to use coupons as often as possible. Mainly on beauty supplies and pet treats.

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Oh, yes, our SaveMart is doing that now. Read the fine print, ours is outdated after the second month's last day after using the card in the store.

I use coupons for items that I really use such as paper products, cleaning supplies, personal grooming. I'm lucky that I have 4 large supermarkets in my area but I usually shop at the 2 that have the quality and variety of foods that I need. I use their weekly flyers to make my shopping list, choosing the store that has the best prices or sales that week. I always have them scan my store card to take advantage of sale prices. One store gives seniors $5 off their order if they shop on Monday, another one has special low sales prices on a few items on Thursdays and Fridays, sometimes I get a free turkey or sprial ham if I spend a certain amount in a 6 week period. I use a recycled business size envelope to make a list for both stores, slip my coupons inside and put it in my purse so it's ready whenever I can shop.

I also shop at a local farm market that has a coupon every week, gives seniors 10% off their orders on Tuesdays and they have the freshest and cheapest eggs, seasonal veggies and fruits. Their meats can be a little expensive but they are fresh and good quality - love their ground chuck for meatballs and meatloaf and their low sodium ham for sandwiches. While you shop there are free samples of their cold cuts, fresh fruits or freshly prepared foods to sample. They also have lots of packaged foods and fresh baked items that I usually skip as they are expensive.

Each week I spend time cutting coupons and checking flyers to save money and stock up the items when the price is right. Thought with back to school sales I'd be able to get some large boxes of Quaker Oats oatmeal but nothing so far, I just have to keep checking those flyers.

PS: Cashiers always circle on the receipt the amount of money I saved that day, wouldn't it be nice if I could take those savings and put them into the bank.

well, im not an extreme couponer- but i do use coupons on stuff, most of the time i shop @ kroger, and use $1.00 off coupons if i can find em, if you have a shoppers loyalty card, they send you coupons thru the mail. most of the time i save like 14.00$ on over $100. purchase, but, makes me feel good.
katz

I use non-food coupons for my big savings
but I also buy store brand and sale items...very seldom do I have coupons on the foods I buy on a regular basis.

lol, your post makes me happy ;-)

I use coupons for things we use only...not to try something new out...soaps cleansers cheese pet food..tolietries etc. I shop once a month always the first wednesday of the month..we get a extra 10 % discount on that day...I normally save at least 1/3 off my total bill if not more...I also take my daughter with me for her family. I get a local and a big city paper weekly for the coupons at a cost of $9.50 plus my neighbor gives us their coupons from the papers so we always have plenty ...my DIL also goes thru the coupons. If the amount off is 50 cents or less its doubled. We also have a store loyality card that gives us points to add up to certain amounts off gasoline. When we have 1000 points, we get $1 off each gallon of gasoline. Then my daughter and I both fill up on that(saving up to $35 off again. Having a limited income, I have learned how to creatively stretch my dollar. I also watch for BOGO sales and connecting sales for items for Christmas..like Axe products...I already have 12 different AXE things to share between son and son in law and some items for Daughter and DIL and 1/2 of them were completely free. I have gotten Sliced American cheese for as little as 20 cents for 24 slices...and got 6 of them at a time I try to buy in the 3 month cycles that sales go thru...so as to hit the sales and coupon cycles

No coupons here for same reason...we use very little processed or packaged foods.

I always clip out the coupons from the sunday newspaper. When I do my "heavy" grocery shopping I average @ $20 savings! It all adds up! Last week I got some $1 off coupons on some food items.

Theres always coupons for toothpaste, papers etc.

I consider that my little "bonus" since I saved money so I spend my savings on quilt mags.

Do you use toilet paper? Paper towels? Dish washing detergent? Coffee or tea? Got a cat or dog? Do you buy clothing? Vitamins? If you're not using coupons for these, you're throwing money out the window!

Depends on what brands people use, many times the coupons are for the more expensive brands, and even with the coupons, you can get it cheaper.
I find that the coupons that come in the Sunday paper are mostly junk, processed food etc. Stuff I don't need or buy.

I use them when I can but lately you have to buy so many of one item to use just one coupon.

Used to save with coupons, but have pretty much given up on them.I buy a lot of produce & food needing to be cooked.Will use a coupon for cereal, but not when you need to buy a bunch to qualify.

I cook most every day & seldom see coupons on basic foods or produce.The buy one/get one free meat is a good buy....without coupons.I like to use the grocery as a stock up center.Seldom buy one of things like salt,pepper,vinegar etc.

Other things are only bought on sale,such as salad dressings,pasta.Shopping to save money does more for my food budget than coupons.

Not necessarily, if a person uses store brand products they are most of the times cheaper then the name brand with a coupon. I've found with name brand products with coupons, that there is usually a cheaper product without a coupon.

Now on the days when there is a good sale and a coupon, then you can really stock up. That's what I keep an eye out for.

I do clip coupons. Although the generic brands are cheaper, I can save when I combine the coupon with a sale on the brand item. (paid 50 cents for a Ken's salad dressing when it was on sale & had a coupon for it)

Great buy! & they make DH's fav salad dressing.

I try very hard not to buy food that you can use coupons for. I like fresh food. The only thing I use coupons for is cat food and cleaning supplies.

AMEN!!!!

I've always used coupons and clip all that would match my grocery lists. Sometimes however I find a store brand that costs less and I leave the named brand coupon on the shelf for the next person. I also have a Sams card so I do buy in bulk items I know I will use.
To save money I survey my cupboards and pantry and try to make a menu from what I have on hand. If I lack one item I put it on the list. Some weeks all I need is the fresh meats or produce required to make my menu items.
My grandson loves to help me *dream* up a menu when he stays but I think it's because he wants to make sure okra and liver never makes it to his plate. 8-)

I always go online and check for coupons right before I go shopping for items on my list. I try to stock up on items that are sale. We also have a couple stores with the store cards for discounts and we use them. I heard on the news yesterday that mor people than ever are using coupons.