Is anyone else overwhelmed by the amount of coupons they receive? At first I get excited by the infamous 20 percent off at Babys R Us deal (valid on almost everything we don't need!) we get every time we visit the store (a lot given the season). t
Then the cycle kicks in: I stow the coupon away and then forget it at home.
My living room table has actually become a place where "all coupons go to die," as my husband humorously points out. You name it, we've got it: Countless Macy's coupons, Carter's, Osh Kosh, and of course Babys R Us. It overwhelms me. Any other coupon hoarders out there?
**My biggest coupon pet peeve is the buy two to get 50 cents off. Total rip-off!**
Ummm, no. My coupons live in my purse.
I have a photo album that holds about 20 pictures. Each window gets a different store, so Macy's coupon just goes in with other Macy's coupons. Bed bath an beyond? Right into the bed bath and beyond pocket. I keep it right next to my wallet so it is always remembered (I also put it on my shopping lists that I needed the coupon so as to help me...).
You know those little acordian file looking things, just a little bigger than a checkbook? That's what I use. I labeled each tab: Food, bath, cleaning, kid stuff, Misc, and "going out" (restaurants, Chuck E Cheese, etc).
On Sundays I cut the coupons, sort them, stick them in the correct tab by date of expiration. If I am not going to use a coupon before it expires, I don't cut it or keep it. If it's expired, it goes in a trash can. I "clean out" my coupons the night before going to the store: is there something expiring soon that I don't really need? Trash. Is there something I'd like to use on my shopping trip? Pull it out, put a little * mark by that item on my shopping list, meaning that I have a coupon for it, and put it in my wallet. Coupon file stays at my desk. I put the coupons and shopping list in my purse (or diaper bag) before leaving to go anywhere.
I know what you mean. We keep all of our Bed Bath & Beyond coupons in a big manila envelope in the car. At least then we have a hope of remembering them. Oh, and speaking of B B & B, a friend told me that you can use multiple "$5 off of a $15 purchase" coupons on one item. So if you're buying, say, a $60 coffeemaker, you can use 4 of those coupons and get $20 off instead of the $12 off you would get with one "20% off" coupon. Haven't op-tested it yet, but she's a pro shopper so I think she knows what she's talking about.
Anyway, if you have the coupons in the car, at least they won't be cluttering up your coffee table.
I hate coupons and don't use them. I made the mistake of showing my hubby one of those extreme couponing shows and now he piles them up, thinking I'm actually going to use them and get everything for free!!! Uh no...they totally stress me out, I forget which ones I have or need, I forget them at home or they expire. So I told hubby, thanks for thinking of that, but go ahead and chuck them cuz I'm not going to use them. I already buy everything on sale and pay very little for groceries so I'm good doing that. =)
I use TONS of coupons...mostly in the grocery store. I am in charge of our Operation Christmas Child project at church...we pack 100 shoe boxes of gifts to be sent overseas every year with Samaritans Purse Organization. I can say that I manage to get most of our tooth brushes, tooth paste and soap FREE by using coupons through the year. I simply wait for the 10 for $10 sales and then I start clipping!!!
I find that I have to go through my coupon cache on a regular basis because they have such a short life span. Years ago it was very common to find most coupons with no expiration date...now you are lucky if they are good for 60 days!!!
Be aware that some places allow you to use coupons regardless of the expiration date. Our local Bed Bath and Beyond lets us use coupons that are long past the expiration date...they are NOT going to like checking me out when I go in there this weekend with my fist full of coupons!!! Heheheheheh
I have a 3x5 coupon box that I use to keep most of my coupons in....I have index card dividers in it...and have labled them with general divisions : Cereal Baking Goods Canned Goods Dog Food Paper Product Personal Hygiene etc. You can make it as detailed or general as you want. Then you just need to discipline yourself to spend one evening a week going through your coupons and pitching the expired ones while you are watching your favorite show!!! I can save HUNDREDS of dollars a year with my coupons...I think of it as a bonus for our family!!!
I have that problem myself. I was just telling my mom this weekend that while I love getting the coupons, why is it that they feel the need to send the same coupon out weekly instead of sending 1 out that lasts all month? JcPenny is really bad with that. I have gotten one every week that lasts for that week only for the last month. Seems to me they would save a lot of money just mailing out one that lasts all month and can be reused. I find myself digging thru them to find he "current" one. :)
