Couponing

Rob Keeble

Member
Messages
12,633
Location
GTA Ontario Canada
My son drew my attention to a tv show related to couponing.

I was just wondering if anyone here makes use of coupons like the reality show demonstrates or is this show just fake.?

I aint seen coupons in Canada where one ends up getting the product free. Is this widespread in the USA on groceries. I found the show fascinating to see how some people have taken to doing this in such a disciplined manner.

Can you guys shed some light on the truth here for this immigrant.

Things that dont make sense to me is any coupon deal i have ever seen limits use and frequency yet in this coupon show the people are buying (using coupons) crazy numbers of a product.

Someone please help me out here it seems like a new sub culture of its own. One person on the show holds "couponing parties" with games and prizes and tips on how to do it.

Each time i think i have seen it all something else comes up :)

I guess this is another one where Larry the cable guy would say.......only in America. :)

Ok spill the beans you guys. :)

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Rob my wife does it but not to the degree some folks do but she does save a lot one interesting thing is a local super markets will give you $1 off on any coupon no matter what it value so a coupon for 75 cents or even 50 cents is worth $1 there. I know some folks personally who will get $100's worth of stuff and pay 10 or 20 but never seen any one get it all for free. I also know folkswho due this tend to get more then they need of certain things.
 
never seen the show, Rob... but it seems we here in the great white north do not get the level of couponing that happens to our neighbours to the south.

For instance "double coupon day" has never, ever, happened up here in my experience.
 
seems the markets we have around me wont permit someone to clean out certain items, as they reserve the right to limit quantities, but my wife will not shop unless she has coupons.
The local market doubles them, so alot of times when things like detergent, cereal is on sale for a 2 for 1, the 1.00 off coupons double to 2, my wife gets alot of that stuff for free or pennies.
Problem is, the store limits the purchases.(they post it on the sale signs)
 
Some states or municipalities don't allow merchants to limit quantities on coupon or sale items. I know here in Albuquerque they will often have a limit on sale items, but in LA the law doesn't allow them to have a limit. Of course the workaround for that is to just have a limited stock for the item, and not offer Rain Checks for it.

LOML spends a fair amount of time collecting coupons, but in the end, i'm not sure the money she saves offsets the time she spends clipping coupons. But to her, clipping coupons is a hobby she enjoys to use up time. If we go an a road trip any longer than about 30 minutes, she'll bring a stack of papers and her scissors and clip coupons the whole way. I swear we could be driving through the most scenic area on the planet, and she'd have her head down, clipping away. :rolleyes:
 
We use coupons all the time. My kids and others make fun of us for being coupon crazy. We save around $20.00 a week on stuff we normally buy. Also, Stop and Shop supermarket gives you gas reward points redeemable at Shell gas stations. Last fill up for my truck I saved 60 cents a gallon :D

The way I look at it is if found a $20.00 bill in the parking lot I'd be thrilled, so why not spend a few minutes cutting coupons out of the Sunday paper and get $20.00 off your grocery bill.

I see some people with a huge file box of coupons on their cart buying all kinds of junk. I don't understand why they want 50 jars of olives :rofl:
 
Here is an interesting idea.LINK If you have a rewards card for this market (we do) you can go on line and have the coupons digitally sent to your account so that at checkout time they will automatically credited to you. They call it Digital Couponing...what will they think of next
 
Really it is no different than the "Hey Lee Valley Free Shipping" posts. We all try and save what we can, when we can. Wife does it a bot, just on things we normally buy, so the other retailers and brands really do not get much by having coupons sent to us.

We shop at the Dollar Store for most items like dish soap, bath soaps and laundry soaps. Cheaper than Walmart and local. Going to Walmart is a trip for us, as it is 20 miles away and no real need to do the town thing.
 
LOML does the Xmas shopping for her work. She generally quadruples the amount given her through her coupon skills. I've pushed a loaded cart out of the grocery store for about $12. These are not isolated incidents with her but, like the stock market, it requires research, commitment and some level of skill ;-)
 
Thanks guys for all the feedback i appreciate the information.

Art we certainly dont get coupons like our neighbors ;)

Must say now i know the show is true there was one lady that i truly admired how she went about it and just how disciplined she was in using the savings to pay off her mortgage.

One tip i caught years ago while sitting in a airport lounge watching tv.

Person said ....take the value of a coupon each time you use one and put that "same value" into your mortgage. Adds up over time.

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