Maybe that's you. If it is, be careful! I'm not against using a coupon--at all. If I need some Drano, and I have a 50 cent coupon for Drano then I get myself some 50 cent off Drano. However, the thing to watch out for is using a coupon for the sake of using a coupon. I don't know the statistics, but I would venture to say MOST people using coupons are spending more money by doing so. This is because you buy something just because there's a coupon...not a need. So even though you save 30 cents on Cheerios, you spent $3 and don't eat them; and you just lost $3.
What I've witnessed through friends and family is that they will have 32 packages of toilet paper due to racking up on 5 cent coupons. True that toilet paper will always be used, but this is just taking up space. And I see this in other commodities not as often used as well, especially food that will go bad.
I've never been one to cut a lot of coupons. If I buy something that has a coupon on it, then I might keep the coupon on my dresser until I actually need it. But I just don't have that habit. One thing I've seen a friend do is keep a coupon book with "chapters" of different types of coupon. I think it's a great idea if you have time! Just make sure you're using coupons for only SOMETHING YOU WILL BUY ANYWAY.
Tonight was fairly short, but I thought it was important because so many equate couponing to saving money when it really makes you buy products you wouldn't have...and you end up spending more. Moral of the story: don't get trapped into couponing. Use them only when you already had plans to buy that product. And don't hoard, or I'll call you into the show Hoarders. Gross.
Stay smart. Be savvy. Save money...
Avery Jane
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