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How Far Will You Go to Save a Buck?

You need to buy more items than you normally would with the coupon. Buy 2 save $1

You buy according to deal combos but don't really meet what your normal needs for the week would be. You still need to buy things like milk, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables.

You get sucked into the deal. Using coupons in may cases is still going to cost you more on items than if you buy generic. This was true for things like pie crusts, refridgerated doughs, tomato sauces.

I conducted another experiment today (Friday). I didn't use a single coupon. All I did was shop for what I really needed for the week. No impulse purchase. I also kept prepared food purchases down. I spent $80. If I had needed meat/poultry/fish, it would have been $100. A typical grocery shopping would have been $125 - $150 for the week.

My list:

Milk

2 loaves bread

5 oranges

banana bunch

Peck of apples

iceburg lettuce

red leaf lettuce

zuccini

yellow squash

radishes

carrots

spinach

muenster cheese

pepper jack cheese

3 cans crushed tomatos

2 cans beets

2 cans corn

large can peaches

large can pears

2 ham steaks

non fat cottage cheese

chive cottage cheese

vanilla yogurt 4 pack

granola bars

hot cocoa 30 envelopes

mandarine oranges cups

pinapple cups

pear cups

2 boxes brownie mix

large bag rice

In the end, I didn't want to waste 7 extra hours on couponing. I'm not saving money, and as a mother of three, I definitely am not using my time wisely.

6 comments so far...

Yep, the worst is forgetting the coupons. I can't believe I have never managed to actually bring that huge coupon book I bought at my daughter's school fundraiser... Deep down I think it's all a scam designed to make you buy more stuff nobody eats anyway :)

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Martina@Creativetoyshop.com on 12th January 2009
I was talking to a friend of mine about something similar. She said that when she went to a grocery store where the food was a little cheaper, she bought more. But where she goes now, the food may be a tad more expensive, but she doesn't buy as much so her costs are lower, and I'm assuming the stuff she buys is probably healthier too. So I'm going to try that.

I don't do the coupon thing. I tried, but I just couldn't get it all together. I buy the generics and they work just fine. The coupons never ended up being cheaper anyway....

Flag as inappropriate Posted by on 12th January 2009
I do pretty well by making a list of things I must have and adding things from the circulars. I sort out the coupons I need and put them with my list. I keep the extra coupons in cheap purse sized photo albums and stick them in my purse - just in case I want to treat us to something special that is not on the list. Just sticking to the list saves me a bundle if I don't impulse buy.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by bndraldy on 11th January 2009
my life goal is saving money with clearance sales,coupons etc etc..its such a great feeling :)

Flag as inappropriate Posted by klp1965 on 11th January 2009
I think coupons are a good thing if you have the time, energy and organizational skills. But like you, I find I spend a whole heck of a lot more money if I do couponing, plus the time spent trying to find the deals that might not just be the deal I first thought they were.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by paryjeja on 10th January 2009
I agree completely. Just last month I let myself get suckered in on a K Mart ad. I found myself wandering around the store looking for things I could buy with the coupon price. I didn't even need those things! I'll go back to my list and only shopping for what I actually need and I think I will save more money that way.

Flag as inappropriate Posted by Betty on 10th January 2009