So if time is money, then money saved could be thought of as extra time. Time spent doing what you want to do. The trick is to figure out how much money must be saved in order for the action (in this case couponing) to be worth your time. So here is the part where you do a quick ego check. You may ask yourself, “Am I too manly for coupons?” A better question might be, "Do I enjoy overpaying for nearly everything I buy?” With that said, we should all be looking to save a buck when the opportunity is constantly presenting itself.
There have been numerous articles/reports posted by such news entities as the New York Times, CNN, NPR, as well as countless independent articles with coupons as the center of attention. And what do they say? The vast majority simply state that the use of coupons has been steadily increasing since the onset of our current economic climate. And why is usage up? Simple. Coupons are an easy way to stretch your hard earned dollars.
By using coupons on a regular basis, you will find the money saved quickly becomes noteworthy. Your new savviness will become most apparent at the end of the month when you realize that your bank account still has funds in it. And if you continue to use coupons, you will find yourself trying to exceed your previous month’s savings. It’s sort of addictive, without the stigma of other questionable habits.
Let me quickly put to rest this coupon addict mentality some may think is necessary in order to save any real money. I can assure that I am not a fiend who carries scissors with him 24/7. The wife, kids and job ensure that my idle time is limited. That being said, this is what I do to save a few bucks a month. When I say a few bucks a month that translates to roughly $20 a week, or two free tanks of gas a month, or three annual passes to Disneyland per year; whichever visual works for you.
It starts on Sunday with the local newspaper. If someone told you they hid $10-$15 in the paper, would you stop and look? For me, this is a no brainer… I’ll take two. It takes me ten minutes to tear apart the paper and get what I am looking for before I move onto the internet. Ten more minutes to check my grocery store’s e-coupons (they almost always offer something for free) and then, while the computer is still on, I’ll quickly peruse one or two of the larger printable e-coupon sites. And that’s it.
Sure, you could do more if you really want to up the savings. You could search for coupons in the junk snail-mail you would normally throw away, or you could wait and purchase items with coupons when they are on sale, or you could even join coupon exchange clubs via the net. The desired level of fanaticism is totally up to you.
Of course there are a few things you should try to keep in mind prior to rolling out this newfound purchasing tactic. First, just because you have a coupon for it does not mean you have to buy the item. Stick with the staple items you would normally purchase. The idea is to save money, not to buy additional stuff. Second, lose your brand loyalty. Live la vida loca and try new brands. Finally, if you have a coupon for an item and the numbers still don’t add up when compared to an alternative, don’t buy it.
With that said, I hope you embrace the realization that, for most, the savings available are truly worth the few extra minutes it takes on Sunday to deal you into “the game”. Good luck and uh…happy saving?
