Really?? 8 Reasons Not to Coupon??

I haven’t ever done a soapbox type of rant like this, but when I read this article I couldn’t help but post something about it, so this may be long, but it will be worth your read!

I saw this article posted on Facebook and had to click on it.  It always seems to be articles that are written on this topic always seem to point to lazy reasons not to coupon.  I wanted to point out a few of my “favorite” parts of the article written by Amy Fontinelle. It is called “8 reasons why you shouldn’t use coupons”… really???

“1. You have to buy a newspaper.

This doesn’t apply to any free coupons you happen to get along with products or in the mail, but once you pay for a newspaper, you’ve lost money. You then have to make up for that loss by using enough coupons to break even.”

ok, seriously, it costs just over $20 a YEAR to get a paper here.  that is less then $2 a week.  One coupon will pay for that paper and if you use 2 coupons you are saving.  So to say that you have lost money is total bunk!  The article continues to say that the loss doesn’t even begin to account for the time you spent clipping and such.  I think it took me about 1 hour of so a week to clip mine and organize them.  so that is about $100 an hour.  $20 a year for $1200 a year… I wouldn’t call that a loss!

You can also get coupons for free from many different places, your neighbors, recycle bins, the internet, your cell phone.  That is just to name a few.  They are at no cost to you and you get to save tons of money as you use them!

“3. Getting a newspaper invites lots of additional advertising into your home.

Advertising is powerful stuff – this is part of the reason why companies offer coupons in the first place. You might actually end up buying more stuff by having all those ads around, negating any savings you get from coupons. The same is true if a coupon compels you to venture into a store you wouldn’t otherwise visit.”

Um, so are we zombies??  do we have to follow and do everything that is shown to us??  just because an ad comes into our home do we have to do whatever it says??  No, that is silly!  How about taking having some personal accountability and some willpower and make a choice for yourself.

I don’t look at the ads and say “oh my gosh, look at this blanket!!  it si 20% off, i’m going to go buy it just because it is on sale!”…  That would be a waste of time and money and everything that I stand for.  It isn’t a matter of a sale or a coupon, it is a matter of getting what you need.  That is a choice I make!  If I need the item or want the item and have money for it I may go get it if the price is right, but I have willpower and I make the choice to shop where I shop and when I shop.  I take responsibility for the choice I make!

“5. Coupons can tempt you to spend your grocery dollars on things you shouldn’t.

Coupons don’t always market the healthiest foods. This might mean that they’ll lead you to buy things that aren’t very good for you. Anyone can see that clipping coupons that tempt you to purchase sugary cereals and fatty or salty snacks isn’t the greatest thing for your health. If your idea of a healthy snack is more “I’ll have an apple” and less “I’ll just have one serving of potato chips,” you’re unlikely to find much in the coupon circulars at all that will interest you. The “fruits and veggies” section of your coupon organizer is going to be a lonely place.”

Sure there are more coupons for convenience foods then there are fruits and veggies.  I wont deny that, but the logic behind couponing isn’t to get every coupon you have and to ALWAYS use them.  If you did any type of research into couponing you would know that most people do not save with coupons on produce and meat, but the money they save on toiletries and other household items free’s up tons of money to buy more of those fruits and veggies and “good stuff” you need.  You don’t spend your money on the convenience items, but on the staples for your home.

( this was my favorite one)

“7. You might become a slave to coupons.

It can be very difficult to buy something without a coupon once you get used to using coupons. Knowing that you can get ice cream for $2.50 might make it difficult for you to spend $4 on it even though many times, it would be worth it to spend the extra $1.50 rather than pine for ice cream and cast longing glances at your freezer every night for three weeks until your next coupon arrives. You might also find yourself making more trips to the grocery store in order to purchase things only when you have coupons for them.”

Again, here is another case of the Zombies!  “Must have coupon, can’t purchase anything without them”  This has to be the most ridiculous claim ever!!  First off, you don’t buy something that you really want because you don’t have a coupon it is a choice you make.  Secondly, this is the reason we stock up on items on sale and save them for later.  so we don’t make impulse purchases.  We stockpile the sale ice cream, use it over time until it goes on sale again.  Third, if you want it you can buy it.

There is no such thing as being “slave to the coupon”  it is a choice you make to spend your money how you want to spend it.  But, you have to take responsibility for your choice and claim it and shout it loud!! Don’t feel bad about it.

The Bottom Line

Yes, you can save a lot of money with coupons, especially when you combine them with sales. However, there are some drawbacks to coupons that must be taken into account. Perhaps the most dedicated coupon clippers can overcome these hurdles and still achieve overall savings. If you’re not one of them, there’s no need to start clipping.

The bottom line is not that you have to be a super coupon clipper to save money, you just have to shop smart, take responsibility for your choices, and live within a budget!

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