This series is for all those myths, questions and comments many of us couponers get from the non-coupon users out there. If you missed the first posts in this series I have great news — you can still read them:
- Myth #1: Couponing is a Waste of Time
- Myth #2: I Wouldn’t Benefit from Using Coupons, Because I like to cook from Scratch
- Myth #3: Time Vs. Money: Couponing Not Worth The Time
- Myth #4: The Things I get on Coupons are for Things I Don’t Buy Normally
Coupon Myth #5: “The word “coupon” is a noun, not a verb.”
It can be either. Noun usage: “This is a coupon.” Verb usage: “I am going couponing tonight!”
Coupon Myth #6: “Couponing requires me going to 5 different stores across town, and I would spend $4 in gas in order to save .40 cents at the register.”
Guest series of posts by Bonnie H.
Let me be so bold as to say, if you are driving all over town and you’re only saving 40 cents, then it is not couponing that is stupid. It is you. OK seriously though, here is how I look at it: I drive a small car that get about 32 miles per gallon. A gallon of gas here costs $3.21. Even if I do end up driving, I only go maybe 15 miles, which is not even $1.60 worth of gas. And you can bet that I will be saving a lot more than that on my groceries!
It is rare that every single store in town is going to have deals that are good enough, all for things we want, all during the same week. Yes, every store has sales each week, but that doesn’t mean that you have to go to them. On a recent week, Rite Aid had some killer deals, but they weren’t for things I wanted or needed, so I didn’t go. Again, it is about priorities. You can stick with one store, or, if you don’t mind going to several, then go to more than one. But you can save a lot more money than the gas it takes to get there.
Karrie’s commentary on this: I used to live out in the country where it took me about 20 minutes to get to town. So when I planned to go couponing I would make sure it was worth the drive before I decided to go. Often times I would hit up 3-4 stores so I could get my moneys worth for the long drive. So if you do live far away from your store just make sure the couponing deals are worth it! (Thanks Bonnie for your guest post series!)
What are your thoughts on this myth?
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Chris says
Myth #6 Thought–Couponing doesn’t REQUIRE you drive to a certain number of stores. I like to ride my bike. I eat food, can go many miles, (and even gain weight). Sometimes I make my own gas but I try to get rid of that on the ride. Sometimes I walk. As for time, I retired young to re-purpose a few of the hours and resources I would be “wasting” by doing the excessive work/commute thing 😉
Stephanie says
I live close (within 7 miles) to MANY stores (3 Rite Aids, 2 Walgreens, 2 Safeways, 1 Albertsons, 2 Walmarts, the list goes on). Still, the thing that gets me every time is stuff being out of stock at stores. Drives me crazy when stuff is on special with store coupons (doublers, etc.) and their stuff is gone. I work so many of my deals at home and then go to Walgreens or Rite Aid and when stuff is gone then my numbers get off. Do you call stores to make sure stuff is in stock before you make trips (especially from distances)? I’ve found myself driving from one store to another searching – and making myself crazy! 😉
Appreciate your thoughts on this.
Shari says
I also like to keep my coupons for the week in separate envelopes for each store. That being said, I also pass every store (I’m in western WA) either on my way to or from work so I’m not going out of the way.
Brenda says
Hi! I’ve recently started couponing and your blog is one I am following. I hear a lot that it isn’t worth it because I have to shop too much, takes too much time, too much gas, etc. I do live out of town and it takes about 20-25 minutes to get to town (or the first of the stores I’ll hit). The stores are all pretty much right off the highway so I plan my trip ahead of time and hit the stores in order. I am actually not driving any further than I did when I shopped only Costco and Fred’s. I am making more stops, yes, but I am not going out of my way. It is time consuming because I am new and learning the “ropes”, but I don’t work so I might as well work at cutting the budget. It doesn’t HAVE to be time consuming, if you start small. I jumped in with both feet!! Also, I haven’t shopped these stores so I am not familiar with the lay-outs yet and that takes a bit more time. Anyhow, I was spending a ton of money on food and toiletries and am now saving a ton. Just last week I got $260 worth of food, office supplies, toiletries, etc for $27 so I would say that makes it worth it.
Just a testimonial from a fan!!! Thanks for all you do!
Savvymama says
I live 30 mins from town and I always figure that in that extra 10.00 to town and back home. I get free babysitting on Fridays from grandma. So in the end doublers on Monday really don’t come out well for me, so I usually pass up those. 15.00 for sitter and 10.00 in gas, I’d have to use 25 doubles just to even the cost cost out. I also try to keep my trips to one a week. When grams can’t babysit, I only go to Fred’s (kids go in play-land) because I’d rather spend extra 5-10 dollars on grocery’s then 20-30 in babysitting.
sarah says
I like to keep my coupons that i want to use that week in envelopes in my car… 1 envelope for each store I want to hit and if I just so happen to be near one of these stores I will stop so that I’m not making special trips to coupon. And If I go to a store and their out of stock I just get a raincheck and don’t have to worry about going to that store again that week!
Alisa says
Also, the mileage that your vehicle’s booklet states is when the vehicle is in tip top condition. That means changing your oil every 3000 to 7000 miles (depending on if you you synthetic or not) and flushing out the radiator about once a year, and ALWAYS making sure your tires have the proper air pressure (which changes with temperature) among other things you have to do to maintain your vehicle (like not having old spark plugs too). So, if you don’t maintain your vehicle like you should, you will get worse mileage than what the manual says.
We also need to stick to our budgets. So with rising gas prices, it means driving even less than what we already do (there are many days I just stay home, no matter how sick I am of the house, because I would go over my gas budget and cut into our already small food, savings, or our “other” budgets. It’s nice to get outside and take a walk (thank goodness spring is coming!).
Alisa says
Gas at the Shell and the other one on the corner in Pasco by Yokes and Walmart was at $3.43 yesterday. And it has been going up about 2 cents every day nationaly. At those prices, it is best to choose just one store (maaaaybe 2). It takes a lot of gas to start up a vehicle. The oil companies have said that they want gas prices to get to $5 a gallon this year. (Talk about being greedy!) Thank goodness my husband has a motorcycle to commute to work with. Every once in a while I’ll have him pick me up a few things at the store because he can take the motorcycle. Anyways, at these prices, it is definitely not worth it to make multiple trips to the same store and to do several different stores (unless if you are in Karrie’s former situation {see her comment}). This is when couponing friends can come in very handy. You could go to one store and buy stuff for the 2 of you, and your friend can go to the other store and do the same. (That would be so awesome to do, but no one should take advantage of the other, by being dishonest about how much you owe the other person for the stuff). I also think it is now extremely important to call ahead of time to make sure what you want is in stock.
I pretty much stick to Albies and Winco, but I’m hoping I can get my bike soon so I can just go to Yokes (maybe Walmart, but I hate Walmart). I would love to be independent of oil (at least as much as possible). I’m thinking seriously of just doing matchups of Yokes sales and using my bike to get there and back. As we have seen Karrie’s matchup list for this week, you can score some pretty good deals there, especially with the doublers. Anyways…I agree with the post, it’s about being smart and making sure your trip is worth it.
Sarah says
How much do you think someone would need to save to be able to justify driving to more than one store? Time is money for me too. How much do any of you save in one day of coupon shopping?
Christy B. says
I usually save over $100 every week when I am out doing my coupon shopping, so it is really worth it for me to coupon. Thanks for this fun series, love hearing these so I can email my friends that don’t think couponing is a great way to save.