Rarely are coupons for anything I or anyone in my family use. The opportunity cost of sitting clipping coupons is too great for me to be very enthusiastic about them. froggyintexas

We shop at Kroger's and shop on Tuesdays when seniors get a discount at the register when we check out. That is how we save. I am tired of finding the shelves cleaned out of items that I buy regularly and complain when that happens. There should be a limit on what people can buy so that others may buy small quantities as well.

If you look at the things they buy when extreme couponing alot of it isn't healthy. Candy, gum, snacks, etc. I use coupons for things I usually use. Our Kroger (chain store in MI) sends me coupons of items I frequently purchase. Most of the time I forget them at home!

I used to be an extreme couponer. I lived in the Boston area where stores tripled coupons with no limit. I belonged to a "coupon club" (think quilt guild but coupons) where we traded coupons, UPC's (for rebates) and cash register tapes. I also did refunds/rebates for cash, products, coupons and what have yous (usually toys). The best shopping trip was 85% saved. I think I had about $100 worth of groceries and ended up paying $15 or so (that was back in the early 1980's when things were cheaper). I now use coupons regularly, but not extremely. I don't get a newspaper, so I have to rely on finding them at the post office where there is a coupon box and the library where there is also a swap box.

I've noticed a big change in coupons over the years. While coupons used to be "cents off one any size" of the product, now you get maybe $1 off, but you have to buy multiples of the item. When stores double or triple coupons, the old coupons were better, you often got the product for free or for pennies. Now the savings is much smaller.

I will always use coupons and do the occasional rebate/refund, but I am not extreme anymore. Last week I managed to save 10% on my $100 grocery bill using coupons. My last rebate was $20 from buying an air conditioner (energy star rebate). Would I still like to save more, you bet, but I'd rather be quilting than cutting coupons (unless they are for JoAnn's!).

Just my 2 cents....:p

Anita

When you use all those coupons to buy umpty-thousand items, how much does the newspaper cost to get those coupons? I mean I have seen that show and they have 50-11 coupons and buy all those bottles of hair spray or French dressing. They end up paying 25 cents for a $3.00 bottle of French Dressing, but how much does it cost them to buy the newspapers and magazines with the coupons, and no one ever mentions "One coupon per person". I use a coupon if I need the item. If I don't need the item, I don't save the coupon. Besides which, I don't have the room. Besides which, there are expiration dates on these items, and most of the stuff on sale is ready for the expiration bin. I am sorry, but it just doesn't make sense to me whatsoever......unless it is all donated.

I have often wondered why these companies don't save themselves the money for printing a billion coupons and just mark the item down so everyone can afford it. From the mouth of a 75 year old with 55 years of shopping under her belt. Greed is greed no matter how you cut the coupon! Edie

I only clip for items I use, so we don't get many. Tide is one I always look for and then wait as long as possible to see if it goes on sale. Yesterday we went to Walgreen's as they had "Boost" buy one get second 1/2 price. We had a $2 manufacturer's coupon and the machine accepted that, too, so we felt we got a great deal. Rarely happens, though.

I do clip coupons, i feed 6 people,four boys and 2 girls. the coupons for missouri really change from area to area. Sometimes i get good deals i.e. $4.00 off a $7.00 item. usuallly it just covers taxes.I am not a extreme couponer,just a desperate mom trying to not pay full price. I have to admit, trying to beat the grocery store prices can be extremely exhausting, but i am up for the challenage!

Where am i going and why am i in my sewing basket??

Seems I fit here too. LOL I rarely use coupons. I tend to buy very few name brands and those that I do buy never have coupons when I need it. I buy very little only exactly what I need. And then only if its on sale.

I have always used coupons and keep a binder with baseball card sleeves to organize them. On some trips I don't use many -- if any -- coupons at all. At other times I use a ton. Yesterday I shopped the local King Kullen store because I noticed in the flyer that many things were on sale for $1 and they also double coupons including $1 coupons. My grocery bill ended up being $237.10 -- and that included a huge roast beef and lots of American lamb (on sale for $2.99/lb). After the coupons, totaling $101.90, my bill was $135.20. Almost half off. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have that $101.90 in my pocket than in the cash drawer of the supermarket. I also keep coupons for fast food and casual dining in my portfolio along with a list of which ones offer senior citizen discounts and on what days. If we're on the go and it looks like there won't be time to cook, we use those coupons and discounts. We get a newspaper delivered daily - and got that at a discount, too - $1.99 a week. The complex I live in gets a delivery of a free paper with ads and coupons in it. After discovering that no one in my building uses them, I wait a day or two and pick them all up. I don't dumpster dive at all. There are also lots of coupons online. You do need to plan your trip and know the store's policy for coupons -- and that might mean several transactions -- especially at Joann -- but it's well worth it.