I like to save money like every other person and I pinch my pennies as best as I can. I am a mother of two young children and it's important for us to stay on a budget. My husband and I have cut out entertainment, like going to the movies, shows, and the like. We have stopped going out to eat at fast food restaurants and going to a sit down restaurant is totally out of the question.
Treats for our family come in the form of food, like taking a trip to the local orchard and picking our own fruit for a discount. Bringing home some ice cream when it is on sale at the local food store. We may even buy flavored coffee as a treat. The one thing we don't do, is clip and save coupons.
I became rather ill in late 2005. My oldest daughter was only four at the time. It was a difficult blow to me and the family because I was the bread winner at a job that required many, many long hours. I worked a lot of hours so we could keep a roof over our heads and put food on the table. At that time, I clipped coupons and used them on every product I needed. I would buy tons of brand name products like Hamburger Helper and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese at rock bottom prices. I saved a lot and we had food. The problem was that it wasn't quality food.
After many extensive tests, my doctor told me that my illness was called Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia devastates some 2-4 percent of the human population with wide-spread muscle pain and fatigue. There is no cure, but a well balanced, chemical and additive free diet, along with exercise, helps to alleviate the symptoms. I was not getting a well balanced diet when I was clipping coupons. Why? Coupons are generally for name brand products, not all natural ones.
Some people may disagree, but when was the last time you saw a coupon in the paper for fresh hamburger from the meat department or one from the seafood department? I don't think I've ever seen one of those in my life. What about fresh, organic produce? I know I haven't seen one of those either.
I now have to shop at the local orchards and natural health food stores. Sometimes I may get lucky and be able to find a coupon on the Internet for them, but if I have to print it, how much money am I really saving when the prices of replacing printer ink are high? The paper to print it on is overpriced too. The other problem with Internet coupons is that some stores will not except them because they are afraid of fraud. Yes, you heard me right, some people have figured out how to use Photo Shop to make coupons. If that is the case, it's really not worth printing it up.
The other thing I find is that the stores seem to know exactly when a coupon is in circulation. Why do I think that way? Well, the product that the coupon is for is usually not on sale at the local grocery until the coupon has expired. That would be okay if the store did not have a store brand that was one or two dollars less than what I'd be paying for the product that has a coupon. In this case, the time spent clipping the coupon was wasted because I found a similar (if no the same) product for a lot less.
Another problem I seem to come across is the fact that the coupons will only offer a savings if you buy two or more of said product. That's okay, if you have the money to buy twice as much as what you need. I personally don't. I also don't have the room in my apartment to stock up on items for any long length of time. It's bad enough when I have to find room for a couple of pasta boxes, let alone, two 12 packs of paper towels. And not for nothing, but it's a very rare day that I even have the money for anything disposable like towels and plates to begin with.
Pinching pennies means going without. It does not mean maintaining a lifestyle. If you clip, good for you! You have found a way to maintain your lifestyle while staying healthy. But clipping or printing coupons is not for everyone, especially for someone that spent far more money at the doctor's office than the coupons were worth.