Are coupons worth using.

A very broad question to ask. And you give a couple examples. Coupons should be judged each on their own. My number one rule is not to buy anything that I would not have bought if I did not have a coupon. That eliminates 80% of them right there. Now a couple tips on coupons. #1. Although they are not offered where I live, a great way of getting the most out of a coupon is doubling. Whatever the face value of a coupon is, some retailers will give you 2X the amount (25¢ = 50¢). #2. Stack your coupons. There are three types of coupons. -- a. Store coupons -- b. Manufacturer coupons -- c. Competitor coupons Now, although my area (not one supermarket) in my area doubles coupons, I did talk to a manager of a large chain that says they do stack coupons. As an example... let's say there is a 12-pack of Coke regularly $4.99 and it's on sale for $3.99. You bought a 12-pack last week and there is a Manufacturer coupon for 50¢ off your next purchase of a 12-pack of coke. The competitor to the supermarket you are shopping at has 75¢ off coupon on Coke You take 4.99 - 1.00 - .50 - .75 = $2.74. That is almost 50% off! Another way to leverage your couponing is to use rewards from different places. For so many $$$ you purchase you get so many points... so many points gives you something back. On top of all that, especially on big-ticket items, finding the best price is crucial. A big thing with me is a stores return policy so there are times that a store will have an item for less but it's nonreturnable. No go with me. But I can go to another store... have them price-match it (happens almost all the time now except for trying to get big-box stores to match pay stores [Costco, BJs, Sam's Club]). If for example a TV at Best Buy is $1999 and HHGregg has it for $1399 there are a couple reasons I want to purchase from them. 1. Return Policy 2. Rewards. This is fictitious to a point but go with it here. Say HHGregg does not have a return policy and Best Buy does... that is a plus. AND I get Best Buy rewards... let's say for every dollar is a point and for every 1,000 points that is $25 off. If I buy from HHGregg I am getting a TV at $1399 no return policy. If I purchase from Best Buy I am getting the same TV for $1399 plus $25 gift certificate plus a return policy plus I am 40% to another $25 off (essentially $10). An extra bonus would be if they are doing a 'buy a TV and get blah blah blah XXX% off. On top of all THAT I am getting another 1 - 3% cash back from using my credit card that gives me cash back or an airlines card that gives me miles. AND if I buy online I can get BOTH. I use Twitter feeds on a second monitor and have all my shopping/coupon/freebee tweeters in one column already sorted. With a glance I can see if there is some deal that I don't even know about. I also sign up for e-mail updates from places I shop at so they can alert me of upcoming sales. Couponing today consists more than just buying the Sunday paper and clipping coupons (remember to subtract the time you take to do that to find the true worth of the coupon) but can be a LOT more lucrative. Happy shopping! Zelo

It certaily depends on the item. Most coupons are for things I don't use...but once in a while I strike it rich with using one....many years ago I used alot of coupons and saved over $600.00 in one year on groceries! That was worth it.

i am in Canada and we cant do all the things that they do in the US regarding coupons. i do use them occassionally but find, like you, that the store brand item is often cheaper than the name brand even with using the cents off coupons.

I know what you mean. When you think about it, it's all the same anyway. It's just the marketing of well known brand that makes the price difference. Then they give you a coupon to make you think that you saved so much, when in reality it's just the same product as the store brand. It makes you think.

lologirl2021..Coupons are worth it if one is sensible intheir useage. You are correct to watch brands and compare prices. The other self discipline is to keep from buying an item you normally would not buy and dont really use or need..just because you have a coupon.

I actually am not a big fan of coupons. However, I am a person that likes certain brands of food because of the ingredients and because some foods that are processed are known to have obesity written all over them. I go cheap with certain things but, when it comes to certain items I buy a little more expensive. So instead of going cheaper when I really don't want to I use coupons instead. Cheaper to me does not always mean better quality, just mean better quantity.

I will use coupons sometimes, but only for things that I would normally buy. I've watched that show Extreme Couponing and it's amazing at how they go in and get all the stuff they get and not pay for it. But honestly, I've never seen coupons for some of the stuff they have coupons for. I guess maybe is depends on where you live as to what kinds of coupons you get. But I've also seen them buy a lot of stuff that they don't use. I can't see the purpose in stock piling items when you aren't going to use them. Even if they are free, what good is it doing if they just sit in a closet or pantry. Maybe coupons can be worth it, but it does take a lot of time and I haven't ever gotten enough of benefit from the time I put in.

Depends on if they can help you or not. I think that some people see coupons and thus rather try and fit them into their shopping, rather then using coupons that actually do fit into their shopping. There are times where people might save money with coupons in theory, but there are just many times where they are rather going to be spending a fair bit more with money. Sometimes store brand is the way to go for sure. Especially considering that store brand is just about the same thing without the fancy brand name recognition. Of course, when used right, coupons are really just really going to be something that is going to be rather great to say the very least. In the end, when used wisely, coupons will be great, but when not used wisely, then they are a handicap.

Coupons are an American thing - we don't have them. But you are right, store brands are cheaper. In most cases they are actually the same product, just packaged for the particular supermarket. They are cheap because the company is able to purchase in huge amounts, particularly if it is a nationwide chain.

Your right, it does really depend. Me, I tend to use coupons for consumables. I seldom use coupons for non consumable product and services and if I see a coupon(and there are alot from different websites), for the such, I would first inquire for their prices and compare before deciding whether it would be worth the purchase. There are some instances where in their original prices would be increased and the discount would still equal their normal rates and these usually pertain to service coupons. You could check for those websites in your area and subscribing would regularly update you with new offers around your area via email. Or you could send me a message so I could help check for websites on your area ;)

I try to get the sunday paper for coupons. I can always find enough coupons to repay me buying the paper and sometimes a bit more. Like you I can buy a lot of store brand items instead of the ritzy ones. But with that said, there are certain things I will not buy a store brand. Like Spaghetti Sauce I have a favorite brand and my husband said they are all the same. Yea he brought home the brand we do NOT use and it really was bad tasting. I really enjoy using coupons. I was at the commissary friday and saved over 5.00 in coupons. And all those were instore coupons. The one thing I am not sure of is when you use your printer for coupons. My printer to buy color and black ink is getting close to 50.00 I started doing it when we had a laser printer and only black ink but the more I thought about it I was not saving a thing considering 50.00 for ink or 79.99 for a laser cartridge. So I do not do the online thing. I will say to anyone that drinks Coke products, my husband drinks diet coke and he gets in free coupons in the mail for a 12pack. We just got one yesterday and saved 4.89. So that is a savings in our pocket too. Anyone that drinks coke products needs to check out their website and start entering codes that are inside 12 and 24pks and each individual lid when you are out and just happen to purchase a bottled drink. Thanks for the discussion

yeha..coupon is worth using..especially coupon with a discount of substantial amoutn of dollars..like save" five bucks etc.. i often got KFC and Mcdonalds.. coupons..

Hi lologirl, I really think coupons are definately worth clipping. You(we) just have to be a smart comsumer... Of course there are a lot of store brand items that are so much less expensive than the name brand even with the coupons...But you have to do your home work..You need to check items before attending the market, either by weekly store leaflets or you can also go online weekly to check the sale items at any and mostly all stores... go to the marker prepared.. You also have to have the patience to be a smart couponer.... Good luck on your next trip to the marker.....

Some times i used coupons to buy most precious things.. because i bilve that no company give us his product with loss so if they offer something that mean it must have disputes.. may be very negligible... so i dont use coupons so many time..

I generally always but store brand items so i rarely use coupons. There are people who prefer to get brand name items and so using coupons save them lots of money. But they don't help me so i don't use them.