As anyone who regularly collects and uses coupons can tell you, it is an addicting hobby and sometimes, can get in the way of life. Anyway, if any of these apply to you, then you may just be a couponer :)
You Might be a Couponer If...
1. You notice your math skills have actually improved since your Calc finals in college.
-----True story. I can spout off percentages and add and subtract with greater ease and accuracy than I did during any math course in high school or college. In fact, I will be teaching MATH long term at my middle school so hopefully my increased awareness to numbers will come in handy! Perhaps I can even use coupons to help kids develop their skills.
2. There are coupons floating around you everywhere.
-----Coupons in the living room, kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, your purse or bags, the car, and even your husband's pants' pocket which you find AFTER washing :/ The moral of this part is that I need to be better about clipping an organizing right away or else, I will lose coupons that I did want or need, or I'll find myself picking up coupons my dog decides are play toys that need to be defeated. I'm sure scrapbookers or jewelry makers, etc. can understand where I'm coming from here---there's just no limit to where those little sheets of paper (or whatever) will travel to and where you'll be finding them.
3. You're the GOOGLE of the grocery/shopping world.
-----My sister called the other day to ask if I knew which store had a good deal on product x. I love that I got to chat with her, but I'm just going to be honest--just because I'm a savvy shopper doesn't mean I know the price of everything in every store. I can say that you do get to know every day prices at various stores, so there is some degree of certainty that couponers can in fact tell you if you're getting a good deal or not. Couponers will have grandma, mom, dad, everyone asking where to get a good deal or when to buy something. This does make you feel useful and it does make for a chance to show off your skills to your family and friends, so it's okay.
4. You actually enjoy grocery shopping and it is FUN to walk into a store.
-----Some of you may be laughing out loud to this (judging by my list of Facebook friends who's once a week status about dreading grocery errands) but I assure you that if you coupon regularly, you see grocery shopping (or shopping in general) as a fun event. At the very least, you don't dread it so much you would consider stealing ketchup packets from McDonald's to avoid running into Kroger for your next cookout. Couponers feel like they harness some unspoken knowledge when they walk into a store--like they belong to some secret club where everything they buy will be 50-90% off guaranteed. No wonder those of us who do this don't dread going into a store then, because every trip is the equivalent of Black Friday, and every walk in is a chance to beat a previous record or savings or "awesome finds". To me, couponing is a game to be won--I like to see how much stuff or what quality of stuff I can get for the least amount possible. If I save $100 per month on my grocery bill, then I have $100 to save or use to go on dates with my husband that we not otherwise get :)
5. You get more coupons/mailers/free products/ads in the mail than bills!
----I will go as far as to say that even junk mail is better than bills :) I don't consider the above junk mail since I like getting free things in the mail (this week I have gotten a free trial of Always, a free bottle of shampoo, a free razor for my husband, and some coupons for wine!)--but if you notice that your "try me!" packages are outnumbering "official" mail, then congratulations--you have joined the club!
6. You cringe at the total that the people in line in front of you are paying.
----Although in a perfect society, check out lanes would be soundproof and sight proof so no one around could hear or see your business, but let's face it---America is a country of nosy people!! It does not take someone with bloodhound senses to overhear the cashier at CVS say "your total is: $51.80" to the lady in front of you. And by the way, to that lady that my sister and I were behind a few days ago who paid $51.80 for detergent, toothpaste, pads, and candy---you really got ripped off! I found myself actually shaking my head to the totals I hear sometimes, because I know how much you can really spend, and how much the stores want you to spend on the same product. I know that stores make their money on people like the lady at CVS who overpaid for everything she bought because A) she didn't have coupons or B) she didn't care that she was wasting at least $30 at that moment. Stores count on people who shop on a whim or who don't wait for a sale to buy what they need. I'm not saying that having loads of disposable income is a bad thing, but I know I'd rather spend it at the movies, out to dinner, or on vacation when everything is overpriced anyway. On the other hand....
7. You get the evil eye from cashiers or other customers because you have to do more than swipe your card at checkout.
----I understand that people are in a hurry when it's 5:30 pm and you need milk and you just want to get home. However, A) you waited until the last possible minute to get your milk and B) if I'm getting cheaper groceries and saving money, I am going to make sure everything goes through okay. I know there are bad couponers, just like there are bad [insert group name here]'s, too. But there are good couponers, and people who plan ahead to make sure they aren't wasting lots of time actually checking out or they let you go in front of them since you have 1 thing and they have more. Or, they give you a coupon while you're checking out or they turn around and give you something free after they "buy" it (to the lady in Kroger--was your gum a nice surprise?). Not all of us are bad, time-sucking people or evil people who threaten to sue over 10 cents :) But, we do still get "THE GLARE" every now and then from shoppers who assume we are the bad extreme couponers.
9. You will NEVER again pay for certain things and you're disgusted by the amount you used to shell out for such things.
----Andrew and I actually sat down and calculated the savings for a family of four (on average) for the following items: oral care, hair care, feminine products, shaving needs, and body/shower needs. We totaled that on average, the American individual will spend between $300-$400 yearly on such items (these were figured using the average price of the lower off-brand and the mainstream premium brands). A family of 4 could save $1200 to $1600 yearly, and if you factor in makeup---add another $100 or so to that total. WOW!!!
Part 2 of this blog post: What Could You Save Per Year??
Now, I know some of you are going to respond with: "I buy product X and they only sell that at the salon" or "I know for certain that we are not spending that much on those items"....I have some answers!
A) You only buy certain products: I know we all have our morals and standards, like people who only buy MAC cosmetics because they donate proceeds, or only buy Nexxus because it's a great salon brand, or [whatever reason or item here] and I can't argue that having a preference is a bad thing. I'm allergic to Snuggle fabric softener and Zest body wash and soap, so even if I get those things free, I don't buy them! (If I could get them to donate I would but anyway)---with coupons and sales, I've been able to get Nexxus, Chi, and Organix products free and those aren't "cheap" brands. I still have my preferences, and I still buy the things I really want, but I take the opportunity to get free things and use it as a way to try other brands (like Neutrogena shampoo, which I now love). I guarantee you, you could still save big money on the items you're currently in love with! There are coupons all over the internet for fancy companies, so even if you're not getting your faves completely free---it is certain you could get a better deal.
My point is: you can avoid paying ANYTHING but taxes on the items I listed above. I know there's another big argument:
B) You don't believe you spend that much per year: this could be true, since you could buy the Dollar Store brand of all of those products and save tons of money already--however, I would challenge you to actually add up your totals per month and see what you're spending. Couponers know that you can get all of the health/beauty items listed completely free at any time of the year, and couponers won't pay for things like that again :)
I'll break some of these totals down, so you can where couponers are saving. Andrew and I are shocked when we think about how we used to actually buy such items at such prices because we needed them and it's not like you can avoid taking baths, shaving, or wearing deodorant :)
::Considering the average 4 count razor cartridge pack is $15, and the average American male will use at least 1 new cartridge per month, you would spend roughly $45 annually to shave (excluding the initial razor and anything you shave with like gel or cream)
::The average bottle of shampoo will last a month, if that bottle was $3, you will pay at least $36 a year and double goes if you use conditioner!
::Mouthwash, on average, is $4 (low!) per bottle--if you use one bottle over 2 months, you would spend $24 per year on that. I know that's a low number since many cost $6/bottle and so on, but you get the idea.
So, just buying razor refills, mouthwash, and shampoo: you might spend $105 annually per person (this is only counting those 3 items, not the rest of the toiletries you need!) so at least $300 or so for a family here. If you only bought one newspaper every Sunday for a year, you'd spend roughly $52 (if you get it for a dollar...) but since you'd get the toiletries for free or close to free, you're going to save AT LEAST $150-$200 on those three things alone!!
***I know, I know--not everyone will spend the same and not every family needs everything mentioned, it's just an idea into how couponers think---never pay for items I can get for free. I'd say we go a step further and calculate our "best price" for all of our groceries. I won't spend over $4 for the 100 count box of industrial trash bags because that's the best price I have gotten (considering they are, on average, $12/box for that size, 65% is good) but I can get mustard, ketchup, sauces, etc for pennies, so I will never buy them full priced again :) I have a spreadsheet that lists my lowest prices on items like meat, cheese, canned goods, and other groceries so if you want to know how much you're overpaying, take your current totals and half them instantly :) On average, coupons will save you at least 45-50% no joke. That's a lot of money, right!
Part of the saving is patience and effort, but if I save $200/month on groceries, I think it is worth it :)
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