A lot of people who aim to lead frugal lives use coupons. I get it. You can save anywhere from a few cents to dollars on a product by handing over that little slip of paper. And while I do use the occasional store coupon (or online promo/discount code), I don't use coupons regularly. I feel they're a waste of time and money. I used to feel guilty about this, especially because so many penny pinchers I know are successful with couponing. But here are my reasons for not using them, and I think they're sound.
Couponing is time consuming. I remember watching a few episodes of Extreme Couponing a year or two ago, and many of those women (there may have been men, too) claimed that couponing took up to 20-30 hours per week (and sometimes much, much more). They spent hours clipping them, organizing them and searching for ways to get more. They'd dumpster dive, ask for leftover newspapers and collect them from family and friends.
Couponing makes it tempting to spend money on things you don't need. I've heard arguments against this saying that you don't have to purchase things that you don't need, but everyone who does couponing to a large degree (from my experience) buys things that they wouldn't normally use, just because they can get them very cheaply. In my opinion, that is a waste of money, even if it is a good deal.
Couponing can (but doesn't always) lead to greed. Getting a deal on one, or even a few items, can be good. Some coupons, when matched with sales, are so good that you can get items for free. Who doesn't want to save money? But when one, two, three or 10 items aren't enough and you're buying more than you could ever use before it expires, that's greed. If you plan to donate the items, it is understandable to get as many as you can. I know some couponers donate regularly. I've also encountered some, though, that just want the bragging rights of having shelves and shelves of "free" items who seem to have no intention of giving them away.
What are your thoughts on couponing? Do you find it helpful or harmful?
Photo courtesy sdc2027 via Flickr.
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