I was faithful about couponing back when the kids were small and I was cooped up in the house and I was newly out of the workforce and trying to stretch everything out of a dollar (!)... Now that they are older, I don't want to hang around the house spending hours on coupons and preparing for shopping trips... I honestly can't stand grocery shopping. Plus, the big *no-no* - I always ended up 'buying' things that we really do not need (and neither does the food bank!; usually junk foods!).

I feel like my time is worth something (at least minimum wage!) and so, NO, I don't coupon much -- although periodically if there is something free after coupon that we would use, I'll get on eBay and buy up a bunch of coupons...

I live in the land of doubles to $1.

How about you? Do you faithfully use coupons for groceries, etc.?

I used to coupon like it was a religion when our diet was different and the kids were smaller (in diapers). Then when I started WW, we changed the family diet and many of the items I bought simply didn't HAVE coupons. I don't buy many processed foods, don't buy junk,etc. I will use coupons on cereal (if I have them but you rarely see coupons for Cascadian Farms and Enviorkids which is what we buy mainly...or generic which doesn't need a coupon. We buy organic jams/jellies that are made locally as well as salsa. I'll use coupons if I see one that I know I'll use but 9 times out of ten I can get it cheaper online at Amazon's grocery store or Costco

Before our diet was more healthy and we ate processed foods, I use to save almost 80-90-% with my coupons

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

Not any more. We don't get doubles here, so I do better on the B1G1 that the stores have if I watch the sales.

I use to also, however, it has been quite a few years since I have used them. The stores around here use to double and triple up to about 35 or 39 cents...so you could save quite a bit...now the stores do not do that...also the coupons now require multiple purchases so, I do not always want to buy 2 and 3 items of something that does not get used up right away. Perhaps with the big jump in food and gas, I might aught to start again. I do use coupons for Joanns, Hobby Lobby, Bed Bath and beyond etc...

I too always have my 20% off bed bath and beyond coupon or a coupon for kohls and restaurants we dine at.

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

When my dh was out of work due to health reasons, I was an avid coupon user. It took a great deal of time, but I considered it a part-time job, because at the time I couldn't work outside the home. Then for many years I stopped because of many reasons, such as the ones above (we ate healthy, stores stopped doubling after 75 cents, and it took so much time). Well the economy is tight again and I have begun couponing, just slightly different. I'm not purchasing items I would not normally. But pet foods, toothpaste, cereal, etc. are great, BBB, victoria secret, ac moore, etc., so I have a binder that I just organized everything into.

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I do-we have a Harris Teeter around the corner, so the BOGO sales combined w/ coupons make for some awesome deals. We just had triples this past weekend, so I won't be buying much for a while, unless it's practically free. There is a good sale going on @Kroger this week too, so I've been stocking up there on free/nearly free items as well. With four boys in the house, including two teenagers, I wouldn't be able to keep enough food in the house, and stay on a budget, if it wasn't for coupons. I do splurge and buy bulk stuff @Sam's club too, but mostly for lunch box stuff that I can't usually get for coupons.

I don't go overboard with it. I used to coupon a lot more than I do now. I just had to cut back to have more "me" and family time. Couponing really does help stretch the budget. I think for many (myself included) it is the thrill of the hunt, but, it can easily take over a lot of your life. Some of the things I read on other boards from other couponers....WOW....I don't know how they do anything BUT coupon???

I am actually thinking of trying an "experiment" of sorts......seeing if I can go w/out a lot of coupons, and only spend about $75 a week on groceries. Summer is coming fast, and I like to hang out in the pool with the kids, and go places and do things.

I have been getting lots of things at CVS and Walgreens for "free" basically with their deals, so, that is a good thing, too.

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As far as grocery coupons, I don't use them much anymore. I found I was actually spending more money with coupons that I did without because I was buying things that I wouldn't necessarily buy without the coupon. Although the item was inexpesnive, we didn't really 'need' it. We also changed our eating habits, and most of the stuff we eat doesn't usually have a coupon.

I still look for coupons for things we use and will trade for them if necessary, but as far as buying the newspaper every week and organizing the coupons, no I don't do it anymore.

I do use restaurant coupons quite a bit and also store coupons for items other than food (Michaels 40% off, BB&B/Linens & Things 20% off, etc.).

Sarah.....mom to Jason & Devin

I use coupons if it's for something I regularly use. I clip my coupons usually when I'm watching TV, so it's not like I'm 'wasting' time. Why spend full price on something if there's a coupon for $1.00 or $2.00 off on something I'm buying? I try to use them mostly when the grocery store has a buy 1/get one free sort of deal. And then there are some coupons that offer you a product for free. No sense in turning that down!

The way the economy and gasoline is now, I feel that every dollar I save in groceries is something I can use for other bills.

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"Many people lose their tempers merely from seeing you keep yours..."

I used to clip way more coupons, but now I just take a moment to flip through the circular after I read the paper and before I let myself read the sale ads and the funnies. By the time I'm halfway through my coffee I've seen all the coupons for that week and clipped the ones that are for products I know we'll buy, and perhaps a couple for new products hubby might like. Only takes a few moments. The rest of my coupons I get from one of the coupon services - and there I try to stick to things I know we'll buy large quantities of - like say hubby's favourite coffee creamer, or the milk brand we buy, etc etc.

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Meddle ye not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crispy, and taste good with Ketchup!

I always clip coupons from the Sunday paper. It's great to find a coupon for products that I use. I like to give my coworkers coupons for diapers and baby products. I'll try new products when I have a dollar off coupon. Recently, I found coupons at the store for a dollar off a package of 6 individual bags of Lay's Sunchips so I was able to get it for $1.29. It's fun to find good coupons like that, taped to the packages at the store.

I use coupons all the time still
I try to never leave home without them
I help my best friend out with groceries and HBA stuff and my dad also
I love to help them
and anyone else I know that can use the stuff
Suzanne

I'm never without my coupons. I usually go through them when we go out to dinner on Sunday. DH is usually on his lap tap so this gives me something to do. The store I shop at doubles coupons up to .99 so that's a plus. I try not to go overboard with things and buy what we need. I too can't resist the coupons that offer a free product "IF" I can use it.

I still use coupons for things we would buy anyway, and also perhaps for any newly marketed product that I might consider using IF I can try it inexpensively or even free. I live where there are NO doubles, let alone triples, but I still save money. I also find that I am able to get tons of use out of HBA coupons at Target clearances quite regularly.

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I use them all the time. I cant help it. I just cant stand to waste money when I could be saving it. I cut coupons on sunday evening as I watch tv. its a relaxing time for me that I look forward too. I supply alot that I get for free to the church food bank and my daughter takes lots back to college for her dorm mates. I have been keeping a running count of what I have saved with coupons since the first of the yr and its up to around 1400.00 and we dont get triples here but one in a blue moon.

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I use mine ever where to dining out to going out on the town,moveis,shows everywhere,that takes them.I enjoy using my coupons.I only buy what we use,and i share with the food bank >Even my dog got a stock pile.I save money and its my hobby

What coupons?
No, I'm kidding!

I do use coupons but I have to say they have been really lousy lately.

I am on a fixed disability income so I try to use coupons whenever possible.
For my HAB items or paper/plastic or laundry & cleaning supplies it's pretty much all gotten with coupons.
One major hassel is finding coupons for food items I can afford as well being something I'm not allergic too! I set my sights on what needs restocked and then watch carefully for those coupons, obtaining multiples if & when they appear.

I don't go out of my way for coupons and since we don't use the common national brands of a lot of stuff we can't use most of them anyway. I am more for % off coupons at the big stores.
I do get the papers eveyrday though so I do look thtough and if there are coupons for stuff we use then of course I save them and use them.

I wish I had someone closer to me to give the Sunday coupons to.

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"Men can't be fat only fat women can be fat" Peter Griffin
"Without the environment where will we do stuff?" JoeJack-Strickland Propane

I also started eating healthy and there aren't many coupons for these items. My son eats a lot of hot pockets and thankfully I am able to get a lot of coupons lately for those. I also usually have coupons for yogurt and sometimes for the bottled water. Though I think I would be better off on the water by getting a new filter for my brita pitcher. We go through a lot of water though. I am also sometimes able to get wine tags for seafood or produce, though not as often as I need them. I do shop a lot of sales for produce. There just aren't that many good coupons. Try contacting the companies for the foods you buy and tell them how much you like their products. Sometimes they will send you some coupons. I save ALOT on my HBA and medicine items at CVS and Walgreens with coupons and rebates and ECB. Usually never run out of that stuff, except the toilet paper and laundry soap. Never seem to get a big enough stock on that stuff.

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MyCoupons Is #1 for Holiday Shopping

wine tags!!!
We did have them in grocery stores for a little while once.
Then they disappeared.
I haven't seen any around here in well over a year.

I also have not seen any good mfg coupon pads in the grocery stores either in ages.
My area does not seem to generous about displaying coupons I guess.
I do watch for them, but they are not around when I am.

Nope, not any more.

Pretty much only use coupons when I'm getting something free after ECBs at CVS which is usually coupons that are in teh same Sunday paper as the CVS flyer. The free items are typically for my care packages.

Maybe next year when I'm spending $50k/year to educate kids, I'll start couponing again like I did when they were little.

cj/

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What you do not wish upon yourself, extend not to others. -Confucius
What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. -Hillel

For some reason, not that much. I used to be a nut about it. But now only when I buy diapers or wipes, or other baby stuff. Just doesn't seem to be as good of deals. Still keep an eye out though.

We try to do the majority of our shopping once a month on Kroger's Senior Citizens 10 % off day.
We use all the coupons that we can.
We try to only buy things that are on sale and that we also have a coupon to use.
We really work hard at this and usually save around 50%.
It is almost like a game for us to see how good we can do.
We are retired so we have the time and the need to do this.

ETA
We use our Kroger MC for all of our groceres, prescriptions and gasoline which gives us .15c off of a gallon of gas.
We also receive coupons and checks to use in the store when we have spent a certain amount of money.
Our store does double coupos thru .50c and since we live in a small town, the prices aren't as bad as they are in the big cities.

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Square dancing is friendship set to music!

I use coupons all the time. I would say I average a savings of between $10-25 a week. I often end up getting items for free. We only have one store that doubles, so that makes it a little more of a challenge. I check out the clearance at Target and I am often able to get some great deals on cleaning supplies/pet food/health and beauty.

Couldn't live without them. I have so much FREE stuff I am able to donate and give to Sister and her 5 kids.