Okay everyone, settle down! Today in Coupon School, I'm going to review some myths about couponing and tell you the reality behind those assumptions. So sit up straight and pay attention!
Myth: All people who use coupons are insane.
Reality: Yes, there are “extreme couponers” out there who have 100 boxes of cereal in their pantries and guest room closets full of toilet paper. But most people who clip coupons are doing it because they want to save money on the things they buy.
Myth: Clipping coupons takes too much time and effort.
Reality: You can put in as much time as you want and still save yourself money. Personally, I spend about 15 minutes each week clipping the coupons I want out of the inserts from the Sunday paper, and about 10 minutes each week printing internet coupons that I'm interested in. That's all. And I still save hundreds of dollars on my groceries each week and save about 50-75% off the things I buy to donate.
Myth: I have to go to a million stores to get all these good deals. I don't have time for that.
Reality: You can stick to ONE store and still get great deals on all your favorite products, as well as find freebies to donate. It's all about patience and building up a stockpile.
Myth: Stockpiles are for crazy people! I don't have room in my house for that!
Reality: Yes, if you take it too far, your stockpile can take over half your house. But sales are cyclical, and you only need to buy enough to last your family until the next sale. Most items at grocery and big box stores go on sale every 6-12 weeks. Once you get used to looking for these cycles, it will be easy to remember how much you need to buy.
Myth: You're cheating (Target, Walmart, Harris Teeter, Bi-Lo, etc.) when you use coupons. Using too many coupons will cause prices to go up across the board.
Reality: Why on EARTH would a business take a piece of paper from you, take $x.xx off your bill, and lose money on the deal? It's not out of the kindness of their little hearts! No, Dorothy, the stores get back all that money. Here's how it works:
- You clip the coupon and take it to the store.
- You hand the cashier the coupon and the amount comes off your total.
- The coupons are bundled together by the store and sent off to a clearinghouse, where they're sorted, counted, and the clearinghouse submits the totals to the manufacturer.
- The manufacturer cuts the store a check good for the amount of the coupons submitted, plus an extra .08 for each coupon. That little extra is to cover the store's shipping and handling expenses and to encourage them to keep accepting coupons.
The manufacturers put out coupons SO YOU BUY THEIR STUFF. If a .50 coupon for Peter Pan will lead you to buy it over the Food Lion peanut butter, Con-Agra (the huge food conglomerate that owns Peter Pan) is willing to take that loss on the chance that your kids will get hooked on it and you'll keep buying it, whether you've got a coupon or not. That's why you'll see big, high-value coupons for new items right after they come out. You'll buy them, you'll get hooked, and now they've got loyal customers. It's in a store's best interest to take manufacturer coupons, because odds are, you've got other stuff to buy (produce, meat, pantry staples) that doesn't have coupons, and that's where they're making their money. You're not hurting anyone by paying for your stuff with coupons, so don't feel guilty about it.
Myth: The manufacturers only put out coupons for junk food; I don't feed my family crap, so I can't coupon.
Reality: This is a HUGE misconception! I have a 1-year-old, and I prefer to feed him natural and organic food whenever I can. There are coupons floating around for companies such as Annie's Naturals, Apple & Eve, Earth's Best, Plum Organics, Happy Baby, Stonyfield Farm, Horizon, and much more. Even if you don't buy this stuff, you still need toilet paper, toothpaste, shaving cream, shampoo and pet food. Why pay full price for this stuff? Clip coupons and you'll never have to again. I save my Seventh Generation coupons for Harris Teeter's Super Doubles events, and I get free dish detergent!
So take a chance on coupons! You don't have anything to lose, and if it's not for you, you can quit. But if you stick with it, it can really save you a ton of money. Class dismissed!
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