I started using coupons over a year ago. I can’t remember exactly how it began, but I do remember how it evolved. I’m wondering if other coupon users have gone through a similar evolution? Here’s a look at the stages I went through:
Phase 1: Sale Shopper
My hunt for savings at the grocery store started by chance. I’d show up one afternoon with a short list. I’d spot things that were on sale, buy one get one free, and I’d purchase a few of those items. My receipt would tell me I saved $20 and that got me really excited.
Phase 2: Using the Sunday Paper
Slowly I started picking up a Sunday paper– when I remembered to do so. I’d sit on the couch with a pair of scissors and clip out the coupons that interested me. I left behind the coupons of products I didn’t think I’d use. Just because I was clipping coupons out doesn’t mean I always remembered to bring them with me.
Phase 3: Organizing Coupons
After many shopping trips where my coupons (and my reusable shopping bags) were forgotten at home, I decided to take the next step. I bought a coupon organizer and started sorting my coupons. Not only did I file them away, but I bought a purse big enough to hold this coupon organizer so it would be with me wherever I went.
Phase 4: Combining Sales and Coupons
Soon I started to realize the power of combining the coupons I had with the products that were on sale. I even wrote about the excitement of this process on this blog when I found toothpaste on clearance at Target. (This is especially funny now since I no longer pay for toothpaste, but always get it for free.) Even though I was finding great deals I did little planning. My grocery shopping trips often lasted well over an hour because I’d walk the aisles, keeping an eye out for what was on sale. If I saw something on sale I’d flip through each coupon in my file to see if I had one that I could use. While I was saving more, my grocery shopping was time consuming.
Phase 5: Research and Planning
I started to realize that the information about what was on sale at my grocery store of choice, Publix, was already on the web. This allowed me to research ahead of time, pull out the coupons I needed and create a grocery list before I even left home. I started planning my meals around what was on sale and stockpiling some items when I found a great deal.
Phase 6: The Drugstore Game
After months of resisting it because it seemed like a hassle, I started to get involved in the drugstore game. It was a deal for Dove soap that roped me in. The soap was $1 a bar and when you bought ten you got $8 back in Register Rewards at Walgreens, which meant you could essentially get 10 bars for $2. I came home with 40 bars which quickly lead me to the phase number seven.
Phase 7: Buying for More Than Just My Family
It struck me that me and my husband could spend a year going through all of that soap. Meanwhile there were plenty of other people who needed it now. I started keeping a donation bag in our kitchen and every time I bought something that was either free or super cheap that we didn’t need, I put it in this bag. Typically I get a bag full of items each week or every other week. This has been one of the most gratifying parts of my shopping evolution because it is no longer just about saving my family money, it’s about helping others.
Has your coupon use gone through an evolution? If so, which stage are you at? I know I still have more to learn which makes this entire process so fun. I can say that throughout this evolution, couponing has become a hobby for me which is why I think I am able to be successful at it.