Do You Use Coupons?
Do you collect coupons, scour ads, print out online coupons, send in rebates, or avidly read your ValPack/Pennysaver circulars for ads? Do you buy and use entertainment books full of local coupons?
Do you find you actually use coupons, or forget about them until they expire? Is the time spend collecting and organizing worthwhile?
For me:
Each time I get an entertainment book I realize it’s been a waste of money for me. I never use anything in them, for some reason.
Coupon that show up in the mail I am pretty good at using. Right now I have one in front of me for getting a $5 item free at my thrift store for bringing in an unwanted Elephant Gift.
I also hand the fast food coupons to Dan, so he can grab food when he spends the day at cinemas getting PeeTimes for RunPee.com. He really appreciates those.
I have a stack of coupons for $2 pints of locally brewed beer at the Oak Creek Brewing Company in Sedona. I use those with my friend Chris regularly. I pulled them from the coupon pages in my phone book.
I have a $5 off pet food coupon from a Val-Pack, and a 10% additional payout for can recycling coupon, several car repair/oil change coupons and a pedicure coupon on my fridge.
I don’t really do grocery coupons (I always forget them), but these larger savings ones I do use.
I tape these things up where I can see them on my way through the house/by the door. I figure if I don’t actually use my coupons, they become a form of mind clutter. If I see them, there is a better chance I’ll use them. I try to only hold onto coupons I think will actually come in handy.
For you:
What are your favorite coupons to use? Do they save you actual money, or is coupon collecting a waste of time?
Filed under Family Life, Frugal Living, Organization, mind clutter |9 Responses to “Do You Use Coupons?”
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You’ve got a detailed pattern there. I don’t buy any coupon books. I joined Mypoints.com where you can download a program and print coupons for groceries. Those are very helpful.
Val-pack seems to be, for me, alot about home repairs, etc. I do use the ones for restaurants and car washes for my truck.
I never thought of the phone book! I’m going to look at mine!
(along the same lines, I also pick up every penny I find on the sidewalk)
Yeah there are usually decent coupons hidden away in phone books that never get used.
I really enjoy my ValPak mailings - there is always something for me to use.
Can you tell me more about MyPoints? That is a neat idea.
I also use the Bed Bath and Beyond coupons that show up in the mail or on circulars - those can be used even after they ‘expire.’
Oh, and I pick up pennies too! I have a jar just for ‘found’ money. It makes me happy to find pennies.
Often when ppl drop one penny, they drop several. Also other things too. Today I found a penny AND a dime outside the gas station. They are both going into my “milk money” jar.
Mypoints is a program that you join for free. There are several options of earning points and getting rewards. The coupon option does 2 things. It saves you money by using the coupons, plus each one you print gets you some Mypoints points.
If you buy from an online store and go through the Mypoints website, you get a certain number of points per dollar. They also have ad mail you can click on for points mindlessly while you watch tv. I do that sometimes, but mostly do the first 2 things, although 5 points an ad email does add up, and it’s mindless. lol.
Once you have enough points you can redeem them for various merchandise, over 75 merchants at the moment (I just checked).
I have enough points right now for a 1,000 Continental frequent flier mile add or a restaurant meal.
Mypoints has been consistently honest and straightforward to me, for about 5 years now.
They used to have a credit card program, from which one could get points, and I really racked in gas cards, walmart cards, etc but they ended it. Maybe because it was too successful?
I recommend them for the coupons for sure.
To be completely honest, I carry coupons in my wallet. But at the check out I forget about them and 6 months later clean out the wallet after it starts to get too fat for my pocket. Coupons are great if you are organized enough to use them.
Oil Change, that is so true about wallet coupons taking up space and never being used. It’s like once they are in the wallet, we don’t even see them anymore. Then they expire and we feel foolish for carrying them around so long. Altogether a lose-lose situation.
Anyone know how to actually make sure you use your coupons?
When I have coupons I know I want to use soon, I wrap them around my credit card in my wallet, to remind myself at the register.
Another thing is that there will always, always, be another coupon coming your way. So if in doubt, just toss it.
Good advice SixPaws! I like the idea of wrapping the coupons around the credit card. I guess I could also rubber band them around my whole wallet.
LOL, there will always be more coupons…hehehe
I still have to go look at MyPoints.