Are you a coupon clipper? Do you think maybe you should be? Certainly the question has arisen in anyone’s mind who doesn’t clip any coupons… should I be? Then there are those who are actually clipping the coupons who ask the question… is this really making any difference?
I have tried it both ways. To be brutally honest, I think coupons make very little difference in the big financial picture, and to do them right they take loads of time. Now, I know there are those out there who would disagree with me. If you are one, please comment on this blog post as I would love to hear some discussion!
The main problem I see with coupons is the time. To actually utilize them to best save you money, not only should you take the time to look for them and clip them out. You also have to do some serious math and comparison shop while actually in the store. Many cases I found my coupon clipping to be completely worthless, when the store brand was still cheaper than the name brand and the coupon. Then at times, there would be a sale on a different brand better than the coupon. If you aren’t actually taking this extra time to compare the coupon price to other comparable items, then you could easily be spending more money than you should.
Given this lengthy scenario, the question of time vs. money quickly comes into play. How much time do you really have to spend on your grocery shopping? If you are spending too much time in the store, will you be easily swayed by hungry children and impulse buys? Maybe that time could be better spent earning money or doing another chore that you normally pay someone to do?
For years I never even considered using a coupon. Then I became a coupon hound for three years. I have now created what I consider a more balanced approach. I breeze through coupons in the mail or newspaper. If a particularly good one catches my eye, then sure, I will take the time to clip and use it. These good ones are typically on name brand items I always buy or extra special deals of more than 30% off. I also like coupons for local entertainment or restaurants. Essentially, I save my coupon clipping time for those that will have a larger impact to my bottom line. Then, I feel they are actually worth my time.
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