I used to use coupons and stockpile a few years back. It’s funny how things and habits change. It’s not that I won’t use coupons or don’t like them. I don’t mind them. If they actually are for something I plan to buy before they expire and was planning on buying anyway. I know a lot of people have great luck with coupons and really enjoy them. I just wanted to share why we rarely use them.
1. A lot of coupons I’ve found are for processed food items. We don’t buy very much processed foods anymore. We still buy some crackers and things but we eat a lot cleaner than we used to.
2. Time. Buying papers, clipping them, organizing them, searching for deals, planning the trips to several stores and trying to find places for everything is a lot of time. I am choosing to use that time for other things right now.
3. I save money. I will be honest. I am not good at coupons. It never saved me money. It made me spend MORE money. I know that if I meal plan out of the pantry and only buy what we really need that is what works for me.
4. Aldi. I shop Aldi. I joked with my neighbor the other day that we are on the Aldi budget. Ha! But it’s true. When we stick to our list and shop Aldi first we ALWAYS save an average of $20-25 a week. That’s a lot!
5. Coupons aren’t the boss of me. It can be an addicting game. Marketers are GOOD. I mean DANG good. I give props to them on their goodness. But they’re not good enough for me. I won’t be a slave for a few bucks. They don’t have me. I will be in charge of my family’s grocery budget. A little paper won’t dictate where our money goes or what’s going in our bodies.
6. Shaklee. I don’t buy cleaning products or beauty products from the grocery stores or drug stores. I only use non-toxic products that are the BEST for my family. Shaklee has the most frugal household cleaners I have ever come across. My laundry soap costs us under $4 a month and it lasts 9 months. My all purpose cleaner lasts me 1-3 years and is under $10. I never have to coupon, haul stuff home, etc.
I shared a few weeks ago my errand planner. I do keep rewards cards, gift cards, and a few Catalina coupons in there. But I know its okay for them to expire if I don’t get to them. It’s interesting how things change and how we look at things differently now. But this is our life for now.
How about you? Do you use coupons or are you a list maker like me?
