Do you always make use of free coupons?
By mimpi
@mimpi1911 (25464)
India
December 4, 2009 4:06am CST
Most of the times I forget the right coupon at the right moment! I collect them whenever I get an offer while shopping but mostly I forget and when its actually time to clean my cabinet, either they have expired or I have just bought something that would have been much cheaper with the coupons!
What about you? How do you make sure to remember to use them?
[u]
Happy Shopping![/u]
11 people like this
56 responses
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
22 Dec 09
I have a coupon holder, and I cut out coupons that I use most often. Heck, I even used coupons on a few of my Christmas gifts this year. I have to go through it at the end of month to get rid of the ones that expired. The thrill of saving money at the market is so much fun. I saved around 20 dollars once while shopping, and some coupons brought my item down to less than a dollar. Can't beat that, especially if it's on something that you love, but normally wouldn't get because of the price. Happy Shopping to you as well.
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
24 Aug 10
Hey thanks for sharing this with us. you seem to be very organised and I really appreciate. Happy shopping to you as well.
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
25 Aug 10
As long as you are keeping tab of those and making the best use of it - you still deserve the best response!
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
24 Aug 10
Thank you for the best response. I don't feel to organised at the moment. My coupon holder has either went missing somehow, or it was stolen out of my cart when I was shopping. This totally stinks since all my good coupons were in it. Now until I can get another one, my coupons are sitting on my desk.
@DFrodeo06 (1325)
• United States
9 Dec 09
yes i do i have a coupon organizer and i clip coupons every sunday plus my mom and i are trade coupons too. i save about $20 to $30 off out grocery bill weekly
1 person likes this
@sweetgirl_k1 (3972)
• United States
7 Dec 09
I love using my coupons. I have a binder that I keep them in and I try to keep it in my car all the time so if I see somethng while I'm out I can go out to my car and get it.
1 person likes this
@hmkoct5 (2065)
• United States
8 Dec 09
This is something I have struggled with. I always cut coupons and then never use them. So, I bought one of those coupon organizers. I now put all the coupons in their respective pocket and put the ones with the soonest expiration date on top. Before I go shopping, I quickly look through the coupons to see if there are any about to expire. I grab the ones I want out of there, and throw the others away. It works really well! I am actually saving money now.
1 person likes this
@maezee (41988)
• United States
8 Dec 09
Ugh, barely ever do I actually use coupons, unless I absolutely must. I'm not a big fan of coupons, especially when I have to print them off online. I would rather usually just buy generic versions of things, than get a coupon on a "brand" name thing - you end up saving MORE than what you would have with the coupon, usually.
1 person likes this
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
4 Dec 09
They expire most of the time.
The only one's i've managed to use timely are the gift coupons.
They go into my drawer or get left in the mess on my table and when i do find them, i see that the validity has expired. Some of them i have even thrown away without even checking through properly.
I guess i need to get a little more organised, that way i can get some good discounts shopping.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
4 Dec 09
Same here. I am pretty much organised, still they expire. I think, keeping it handy, may be the purse which I carry daily would be effective in getting coupons used.
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
4 Dec 09
I agree. Just a tickle and you get to remember stuffs and you get into the habit of using it as well.
1 person likes this
@balasri (26537)
• India
4 Dec 09
I got six coupons saying free beauty treatment service from a famous beauty parlour in the New Year Party last year.My wife made me to take to that particular parlour fearing the dates would expire.We went there and asked for the free service on beauty treatment.They said only the consulting is free and got to pay for the treatment separately.Some service and some ugly treatment.That was the first time I stepped into a beauty parlour.
I don't think that even a deluge of coupons could make me look at the side of the parlours again.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
10 Dec 09
Coming to beauty salons, I remember getting one free coupon from a reputed brand. And guess what, my experience was pretty much the same as you two. They asked me to pay for all other services except for the registration that they took pride in declaring as complimentary.
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
4 Dec 09
Hi mimpi!
I donot get much free coupons. Those coupons come my way rarely. Recently, my bank, whose credit card I'm holding, sent me a huge booklet of coupons for availing discount at different eating outlets, restaurants and coffee shops in my city and in the nearby areas. I found that all were high-end restaurants and were very expensive and were far off from my place of residence. The coupons were for availing 5 tp 10% discount on dinner etc. I know I cannot afford to go to restaurant to spend Rs.2000/- for a dinner and then getting a 10% discount on it. I would rather like to go to such restaurants where I feel comfortable as per my pocket. As far as their expiry is concerned, they will expire one day, because I do not know where I have dumped those coupons.
You may please avail the coupons, as soon as you get those coupons and don't keep them pending in your cupboard or else you may note down somewhere about using those coupons and their date of expiry, if it is possible.
Have a great day!
Deepak
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
10 Dec 09
Yes we keep getting such offers from our phone service providers and credit card companies. But a the end of the day most goes un used because of the reasons you have rightly stated. I am a minimalist and love keep things simple. I would love simple, not-so expensive food in a good ambiance.
@bjcyrix (6901)
• Philippines
4 Dec 09
We dont get that kind of offers here that much. Usually Jollibee and McDonalds release some promotional coupons for the New Year giving a discount. Year before last, Jollibee released a coupon calendar that every month there would be 6 coupons available for the customer to avail. I have used these kinds of coupons since I do frequent the two fast food chains that Ive mentioned. I dont forget those because they're abundant.LOL I mean I would have them at home and Id only bring those coupons that I would love to use. If by chance I forget all of them, my friends have lots of extras that they can give me.
The other ones that Im not fond of using would just be forgotten until I see them again. Kinda like you when you clean the cabinets.^_^
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
11 Dec 09
Hahaha...so there you are!
I think, it all comes down to our priorities and personal choices. The fact that I do not quite frequent the food joints leaves me with an obvious option of brushing off the outdated coupons on my Sunday cleaning sprees. It's something I do not do out of delibetare decision though. I have to because i forget to make use of the opportunities. McDs , KFCs sound fine. I wish I would go there more often.
1 person likes this
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
4 Dec 09
I try to use coupons every chance I get. I hate paying full price for anything if I don't have to. There are times though that I forget and then I want to kick myself for forgetting. I try to do my shopping based on the coupons I have. Especially the ones that are a dollar off a product.
1 person likes this
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
4 Dec 09
I heard that coupons are be very useful in some countries because they get good discount offers from them. Here, however, the discount rates are not good enough to chase for the next shopping date. Only a few outlets offer a reasonable discount rates. I have Cards with a few of them.
Happy shopping!
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
4 Dec 09
Hi Mimpi,
I enjoy collecting coupons and use it. I just hate those coupons given but there's a requirement for you to buy things. i don't give in to coupons like that. but those who have freebies i really take the opportunity to have it.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
10 Dec 09
That makes much sense. I love freebies as well. I have hardly been benefited from coupons. Some, I know, shop just for the discount offers and end up buying double the amount. This ultimately goes ashtray! Its fine though if you are buying for two families.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
11 Dec 09
Indeed. I just need to take crash course so that I do not b duped by falsities in life.
@msfrancisco9369 (10002)
• Boston, Massachusetts
10 Dec 09
in that case, we need to be smart and wise enough to check before going into the sale and promo items. freebies are their way of attracting us to get some more of their products. we need to try it first before buying!
@SViswan (12051)
• India
15 Mar 10
yes...90% of the time..unless the coupons are for something I do not need. Discount coupons for restaurants that we do not frequent...or some other service that we do not need or use. But if it's something we need or might use, I always remember to use it. I keep the coupons in a drawer which I see everyday. so, I do remember the coupons and use it when necessary. Besides some pizza coupons which have expired before we bought pizza the next time, I make use of free coupons.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
24 Aug 10
That reminds me, that I still have the Pizza coupons and I must use them this family season! The kids would be delighted!
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
30 Jul 10
Hi, mimpi1911. I have forgotten many coupons that I could have used too. So from now on before I go shopping, I will think of any coupons that I may have. And I also place them into my wallet in my purse. I don't like missing out on free reduced coupons. They really do come in handy when I need them the most. Especially, the personal care and household product coupons.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
24 Aug 10
Yeah, I love the personal care reduction coupons. Even though I forget most of the times but it feels good to receive one.
@sweetbabyjane (1929)
• United States
28 Dec 09
I used to receive a lot of those try me free coupons in the mail. I hardly ever get those and when I do then I try really hard not to forget to use it. I try to use coupons everytime I visit the grocery store because they double them up to 90 cents and even a dollar coupon will be doubled at one supermarket, but their prices are very high. Happy New Year and Happy Mylotting
@Picquarian (724)
• United States
18 Jan 10
If I use the product, I always use coupons for better deals.
@isis30 (42)
• Malaysia
7 Dec 09
I always make use of coupons. Sometimes, the coupons I have are not for the brand that I regularly use, but I would buy the products with the coupons so that I can try the products out. As you say, sometimes when I'm out shopping, I intend to use the coupons but then have forgotten all about them when it comes to the checkout! But usually, I am fairly organised, and I make a shopping list and take out the relevant coupons prior to making that trip to the supermarket or the mall. It is also good to use the coupons as you can save money and try out new products!