What's wrong with coupons?

Discussion in Food & Drink started by andrew320 • Jul 31, 2012.

  1. andrew320

    andrew320Active Member

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    I get a lot of looks (or maybe I'm just paranoid) when I bring coupons to the grocery store. I was purchasing a box of cereal and had a 75-cent coupon and I could have sworn the lady behind me was muttering under her breath. I've also read on a lot of message boards that people who use coupons, clip or order them, are "cheap," "not enjoying life," "annoying" and other jejune namecalling.

    What do you think? Do you coupon? If not, why?
     
  2. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    I absolutely love coupons, and I basically see them as free money. When I see my total go down by $20 or $30, I don't care what the person behind me thinks of me, because that is $30 that I can put in savings or spend on my family. When I was at Walmart last week and the woman ahead of me in line pulled out a stack of coupons, I looked at her with respect and complimented her on saving $34 on her groceries. Your Donald Trump avatar is appropriate because you are making a smart financial choice.
    As for people saying couponers don't enjoy life, I enjoy my life just fine without overpaying for things.
     
  3. Farrah

    FarrahActive Member

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    Who cares, let them mutter! Its because they don't have a clue of how much money you can save if it is done right. When I was younger I really thought it was a waste of time saving .75. But now that I am older, I understand that it all adds up! Keep on couponing girl! You are the smart one.
     
  4. Jennifer

    JenniferActive Member

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    Our population are not very big on coupons here. I remember years ago one could cut out coupons that were printed in newspapers and then it was thought that only if you were from a low income group would you use coupons, so it had a kind of a stigma attached to it. Nowadays coupons will only be found in grocery stores displayed next to certain items but as far as I can see nobody really makes use of them.
     
  5. addicted_buyer

    addicted_buyerExpert

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    I don't always like paying with coupons to get mean looks and rolling eyes. But heck, who cares what they think, you're trying to make your own living and saving up some money you can use for other things.
     
  6. classicnyer

    classicnyerActive Member

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    Personally, the only thing I dislike about coupons is the fact that there's never a coupon for the things I want to buy, haha! But people who sneer at the use of coupons are people who see their status tied up in how much they pay for something. They think that they're worth more when they spend more money, even if it's needlessly. These are the ones who are not enjoying their lives, not you.
     
  7. Linky

    LinkyExpert

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    Yeah, with some people there is some kind of stigma attached to coupons...i think it ties in with some peoples attachment to the idea of 'status' and you know, the whole "hurry, hurry" environment we live in. Yes, I do use coupons when I can and care less than nothing what anyone else thinks about it. It may not be 'cool' but my pocket smiles. (-:
     
  8. difrancprod

    difrancprodBanned

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    There is absolutely nothing wrong with coupons. There is though something wrong with people who are weirded out by it. Coupons are awesome budget-savers! I use them and really save a lot!
     
  9. Sandra Piddock

    Sandra PiddockExpert

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    I think the main problem with coupons is that they take time to process, and everyone seems to be in a hurry these days, so they see it as an unnecessary hold up. Personally, it doesn't bother me if the person in front has coupons to use, because it shows that they are trying to make their money go further, and I can identify with that.

    In the UK just lately, the focus seems to be on overall coupons to save money on the total shopping bill, rather than pennies off specific items. The newspapers are offering great deals to boost their circulation. Recently, I took advantage of an offer for Morrisons. The Sun was offering £5 ($8) off a £40 (£63) shop - all for the price of a 30p ($0.46) newspaper, which you can read later, and maybe get more coupons as well.
     
  10. Kaybee517

    Kaybee517Active Member

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    Oh my goodness, who cares what that lady thinks. If anything she was probably in a rush and annoyed. I too, look as coupons as free money and a great way to save or get double for less. I love to get a bargain whenever possible. Well while you are saving dollars, you'll be in a much better place than those looking funny at you. My husband never even heard of coupons where he's from (he's a Caribbean country guy). I've showed him how coupons work and he's already in the flow on his own. Some people may think it's being cheap, but I think it's smart...especially in these economic tough times.
     
  11. JenVarsity

    JenVarsityMember

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    I agree. I do not clip many coupons, but the ones I do I get dirty looks for. It makes me think of myself though, because I am very impatient, so I too roll my eyes when the person in front of me whips out a stack of coupons or calls the attendant over to a self checkout for overrides and price matching. I don't feel there is anything wrong with coupons and would love to make the time to clip more often, however, the world has come to such a fast pace that I think it's sheer annoyance that our day is slowing down because of someone other than ourselves.

    JenVarsity
     
  12. ssamcd

    ssamcdMember

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    75 cents is a good coupon for cereal. Sometimes cereal is as much as $5.00 a box. There are certain items I only like to buy the brand name. If I see a coupon I will cut it out and by it with the coupon. Who cares if someone is muttering behind you. It is none of their business. People are cutting coupons for ages, and I see nothing wrong with it. Keep cutting your coupons Andrew320.
     
  13. marvelz

    marvelzActive Member

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    I think the lady who was muttering was just in some sort of a rush and you were holding her up in the line. As for the people who name call or find coupon saving a waste of time or annoying, they obviously have enough cash that saving on coupons is meaningless to them. Or because they're spoilt or rich through mummy and daddy's inheritance. Maybe!!

    Anyway, I wouldn't waste a thought on those types of people. Let them waste their own time judging others and being generally shit at life.:)
     
  14. Adeal4u

    Adeal4uActive Member

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    I don't use them out of respect for the other shoppers. I know it's saving money. but there are people waiting in line and you just hold it up by using them. I know cashiers don't like them because it makes their job more difficult. I like the club cards that grocery stores have because they can just swipe it and you automatically have the savings applied to your balance. When someone in front of me is using a lot of coupons I say to myself " I'm going to be here for a while."
     
  15. beckyv1265

    beckyv1265Active Member

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    I love coupons and frankly don't care if people give me nasty looks. When they start paying my bills I will concern myself with what they think. Otherwise I am not paying full price on anything.
     
  16. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    It's probably due to holding up the line. Especially if it's a self checkout or express checkout, it kind of defeats the purpose. I don't mind someone using coupons, but have them ready to go and don't try and pass off items that don't qualify for the coupon or old coupons. You know damn well that they can't accept those and it does really hold up the line when customers try and argue with the cashier over each one and play dumb like they thought they could use it.
     
  17. FirstBaby2011

    FirstBaby2011Active Member

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    I do coupon when I occasionally find a coupon for something I usually buy. I used to think of couponing as silly, but I think people can save a substantial amount of money this way. Also, you will always have naysayers when it comes to everything in this life, so just try to ignore the snide remarks.
     
  18. Lena51

    Lena51Active Member

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    I love to use coupons and see nothing wrong with that. Maybe we are cheap, but as long as it's saving me money I have no kind of problem with that. If I could buy everything with coupons I would, but some things you buy there isn't a coupon for it.
     
  19. kate23

    kate23Active Member

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    My dad sometimes gets this when he uses coupons but it's from the person behind the cash register because it makes extra work for them. They don't actually say anything but you can tell they're annoyed. With so many people using coupons nowadays and the whole 'extreme couponing' thing I imagine most people don't see anything wrong with it.
     
  20. Jessi

    Jessi<a href="http://www.quirkycookery.com">QuirkyCooke

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    I don't generally get that reaction or see it anywhere. Then again, I don't associate with those kinds of people anyway. I think some of them disagree with them because of the extremists. They think it's ridiculous when people spend hours and hours clipping coupons to get their food really cheap....or they've been stuck behind people who use 50 coupons at a single checkout and slow everyone down. I just ignore that type of person, though.