Disgusted with coupons lately

**YankeeMom** · 04-07-2008, 04:15 PM

I'm not a huge couponer, but I do use coupons like cereal, bread, condiments, etc. I have TWO WEEKS worth of coupons that I've procrastinated on sorting & clipping. This weeks paper actually had three inserts.

I needn't have bothered.

Of the two weeks worth of coupons (and I clip them all, the ones I don't use, I send overseas) there were 45 food coupons. And most of those were for granola bars, chocolate, sugar free candies, etc. Two weeks worth of coupons and there was ONE cereal coupon. ONE bread coupon and it's only good on the "swirl" breads filled with sugar.

You wanna guess how many "other" coupons there were? Cleaning products, health & beauty aids, a few paper products (not much - and all for 10c-20c off one or $1 off 5

), pet food, etc....

150!!!

A huge amount of those "other" coupons were for dog treats, hair dye, and cleaning sprays.

Where the heck have all the food coupons gone

**IntlMom** · 04-07-2008, 04:18 PM

You;re not the only one that has been really frustrated with that lately!!! To make it even more annoying, if; and it's a BIG IF; if there are food coupons, they are for annoying, nasty packaged, processed foods!!

**Dancing Lotus** · 04-07-2008, 04:35 PM

I still use a tone of coupons but so many of them are for stupid amounts like 10cents. Why bother printing them for that?

**Bethany** · 04-07-2008, 04:39 PM

I've started randomly e-mailing companies to see if they'll mail me some good coupons. I'll let you know if I get anything in the mail. For the past year I have been noticing that the coupons in the paper stink.

**cissylu** · 04-07-2008, 05:16 PM

they do stink ! there`s not a lot I use. I had quit fooling with them for month`s have bought 2 paper`s recently.

**spyzvixxen** · 04-07-2008, 05:47 PM

Avid couponer here...my stores all double up to .99 but I'm noticing that there are a heck of a lot more $1, $1/2 coupons lately. Conspiracy? I think so!

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 04-07-2008, 05:52 PM

It has gotten pretty crappy... We used to get the weekend paper...stopped that over a year ago, cause we only got it for the coupons (was cheaper that way than just buying on Sunday). Then we switched to picking up the Sunday paper about every other week (still for the coupons). When it got to the point that the $1.50 for the paper cost us more than the coupons could save us we stopped buying it, too (even though we enjoy perusing it). It's been near a year since we've picked up a paper of any kind.

**elphaba** · 04-07-2008, 05:54 PM

I agree. This has been one of the reasons why I've been shopping monthly at the commissary. Their prices are way better and if I combine the military store coupons (which are readily available and there for the taking) I find I am doing considerably better than at my local grocery...even when factoring in the loss leaders at the local stores. I still use the manufacturers coupons at the commissary too so I'm very aware of how ridiculous the Sunday inserts have been. I'm guessing that "real" food coupons will be few and far between as companies try to make up for declining sales. Why should a company offer money off a product that people have no choice but to buy at higher price? (such as eggs, cereal, bread etc) I used to enjoy couponing but now....sheesh...I wonder if it's worth my time!

**Marie78** · 04-07-2008, 05:58 PM

I've noticed the same thing. The coupons for food are scarce and I am averaging maybe 1 or 2 coupons per week: usually for an HBA item or toothpaste. It's frustrating. I buy generic for almost every food item.

**nodmicks** · 04-07-2008, 06:50 PM

I rarely even buy the paper anymore for the coupons. Most are for junk food that we don't eat. Bummer!

**mombottoo** · 04-07-2008, 07:08 PM

I've also noticed the coupons really bite lately...and to top it off I am unable to print coupons from smartsource any more. They have some sort of glitch kicking that doesn't recognize my printer????

**frugalfriend** · 04-07-2008, 07:45 PM

I've noticed it too. I thought it was just my newspaper that had lousy coupons, but sounds like this is happening everywhere.

**guest002** · 04-07-2008, 07:50 PM

I'm doing okay between the online printables and the paper. Not awesome, but okay.

**prairiewife** · 04-07-2008, 08:22 PM

I know your frustration. Most of what I find are for processed foods and cleaning products. Since I cook mostly from scratch and make my own cleaning products I don't use many of these. With us simplifying even more I didn't even bother to buy a paper this week because I knew I wouldn't even get my purchase price back in coupons.

I was trying to print coupons from the internet but got tired of spending my evenings checking out sites and only finding .50 off on one product we might buy.

I remember Amy's article in the TWG about figuring your hourly wage for a task. If I figure out my $5 a week savings against the time I take looking, cutting and sorting it's just not worth it. We can probably find better ways to save with our time.

**i.m.cheap** · 04-07-2008, 08:40 PM

I agree that the coupons in the paper have not been great lately. I have also not been able to print the on-line coupons from smart source. We have two computers, and two printers, and neither one will work with the smart source coupons.

I still do pretty good with coupons by ordering extra of the ones that are good, and stocking up. This week, I got lots of free toilet paper, Betty Crocker cookie mix, French's mustard, and more.