Quitting the grocery couponing

**treeluva** · 05-07-2011, 09:35 PM

I coupon and shop sales. They don't always match up - but when they do, awesome.

Just last week I got 4 bottles of Ivory body wash and 5 8 qt Kool Aid mixes for free. (Sale+coupon) Sure, if they weren't already on sale, I may not have bought as many. But, since they were free, I got the max amount I could and added them to my stockpile.

Last week I saved enough on soap, TP, razors and shaving cream to pay for 2 weeks worth of fresh produce for my family.

I don't buy crap just because I have a coupon. It has to be something my family will use. I also don't buy things JUST because they are on sale - again, my family HAS to use it.

It takes me about an hour a week to "coupon". Clip and organize into my binder on Sundays - Wednesdays look at the grocery sales ads and see what the loss leaders are. See if I have a coupon for those items (sometimes I do, GREAT! Sometimes I don't -OK if the sale is big enough for me to buy the item!)

While walking through the store - if I see a sale that wasn't advertised I look in my binder and see if I have a coupon. If I do and it makes the savings pretty substantial, I will probably throw it in the cart. (Like the 4 Gillette shaving creams I got at Dillons last week - on sale for $1.49 - had 4 50 cent off coupons, my Dillons doubles up to a $1 - so they ended up costing .49 a bottle)

It certainly depends on your diet - but even the coupons for HBA annd paperproducts can save you money that you can put to more healthy choices for your family.

**cab54** · 05-11-2011, 10:43 AM

I am like McD, I coupon only on things I know I will use--certain laundry detergents I like, fabric softeners, dish soaps, cleaning supplies mostly. Hardly any food items.

But since starting to shop more at Dollar tree, I get all my H&B (dh is pickier), most cleaning stuff, and other things from there. Aldi is also another place I go and of course, those aren't the brands you get coupons for.

So, I still look at coupons, but clip less.

**rachelMcK** · 05-12-2011, 12:18 PM

I don't coupon at all, just shop sales. The only coupons we get in Ontario worth using are for pet food ( which I will use) but more often than not, they are for items that I wouldn't use anyway.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-12-2011, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by AnnK

I was a hard core coupon queen but I don't eat processed food anymore so I find coupons useless. I also only use natural cleaning products, I don't buy paper products other then toilet paper and I only use one brand of makeup. So there you have it.

Wow, I can't believe I said this..
I recently got back into coupons and it saves so much money that It's sickening to think that I called them "useless".
I person just has to be smart about it.
I still only use natural cleaning products but I'm able to make coupons work.

This week seventh generation dish soap is on sale BOGO I had 1.00 off coupons so I bought a years supply. The difference between the first time I couponed and now is that I have to search harder to get brand specific deals and when I find them I have to buy enough to get to the next sale.
So as you can see I was once one of those people who thought you could not eat healthy while shopping lose leaders with coupons but now I know better.

**imagine** · 05-12-2011, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by AnnK

Wow, I can't believe I said this..
I recently got back into coupons and it saves so much money that It's sickening to think that I called them "useless".
I person just has to be smart about it.
I still only use natural cleaning products but I'm able to make coupons work.

This week seventh generation dish soap is on sale BOGO I had 1.00 off coupons so I bought a years supply. The difference between the first time I couponed and now is that I have to search harder to get brand specific deals and when I find them I have to buy enough to get to the next sale.
So as you can see I was once one of those people who thought you could not eat healthy while shopping lose leaders with coupons but now I know better.

I think there are more coupons for natural products then there use to be even a year ago. I also think that companies are getting better about hitting their target audience with social networking sites ( you know "like this" product on face book and get a coupon) one can go to a product site and get coupons also if you get on the right list you get coupons that are for your lifestyle ie natural etc)

Still haven't found coupons for my cleaning products vinegar and baking soda.

I am also not so hard hearted toward couponing as I once was. we tend to have to stick to certain products for allergy reasons so unless there was a coupon for the specific item I didn't use it.

Now, if I can get say body wash or shampoo for free or near free I will try. We have found some great things that didn't cause allergic reactions for us. This is probably what the manufactures like to hear the most, a new customer based on a coupon. Win win for all parties involved, I believe.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-12-2011, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by imagine

Still haven't found coupons for my cleaning products vinegar and baking soda.

.

You mean you missed last months sale on vinegar? April is the month to buy vinegar because of Easter. I got mine for .29 cents. There was a coupon in the paper but I couldn't tell you when exactly, paired it with a store coupon at walgreens . What do you wash dishes with?

**Rhayne** · 05-12-2011, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by imagine

Still haven't found coupons for my cleaning products vinegar and baking soda.

In the past year I've seen coupons for vinegar and baking soda at least once every 3 months. Are you looking for specific brands or just those two items in any brand?

**imagine** · 05-12-2011, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by AnnK

You mean you missed last months sale on vinegar? April is the month to buy vinegar because of Easter. I got mine for .29 cents. There was a coupon in the paper but I couldn't tell you when exactly, paired it with a store coupon at walgreens . What do you wash dishes with?

Nope didn't get a coupon for it and there wasn't on sale here. I was looking for it to be on sale.

I saw it at walgreens next to the Easter egg tablet display but it was full price and expensive.

I generally buy the gallon generic but wouldn't have a problem using the name brand if cheaper.

I do you dawn for dishwashing and do get coupons for that.

**imagine** · 05-12-2011, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by Rhayne

In the past year I've seen coupons for vinegar and baking soda at least once every 3 months. Are you looking for specific brands or just those two items in any brand?

interesting

I have never seen a coupon for either.

No specific brand I normally buy the generic but wouldn't mine a name brand if it ended up being cheaper.

**Spikey1341** · 05-12-2011, 05:06 PM

After watching those extreme coupon shows I was starting to have anxiety over going to the grocery store. If I didn't have a coupon for everything I bought I felt like a failure. Now I give myself a break. I might pay "retail" for some things, but that is just the way it is. I still coupon, but I am able to do my shopping now without an anxiety attack.