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As a couponer one of the questions I get the most is, “doesn’t couponing take a lot of time?” For someone like me, who has decided to stay home with my children, it’s my job to save money and I do have more time than others to be a serious couponer. I do spend time hunting for coupons, planning my shopping trips, and executing my shopping plan. Luckily for me this is something I really enjoy and love so it’s easy for me to do-see Ten Reason Why I Coupon for more.
I firmly believe that if you are looking for ways to cut your budget, and save money then couponing is for you! It is very important to understand that there are different levels of couponing for everyone as each family/person is different. However, I believe that anybody can save money couponing, even in just an hour or two a week.
I am currently working on a post with some ideas on how to maximize your time when couponing, but first I’d like to hear from you.
Is Couponing Worth Your Time?
Please share with us your thoughts and suggestions on how couponing may or may not be worth your time. If you do coupon share any suggestions on how you maximize both time and savings.
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Meet Natasha, founder of Saving a Bundle and mother of four rambunctious boys, and LeaDawn writer and new mother of one boy. Raised in a frugal lifestyle we continue the family tradition by cooking from scratch, using money-smart techniques,
living simply, hunting for good deals, have fun with frugal crafts, and use coupons. Join us on our journey as we, two sisters, learn & share ways to live a more frugal lifestyle to reach our common goal to save our families money.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I think it's definitely worth the time! I have a family & a full-time job. I'm still able to coupon and do it well! For me, the key is simplifying everything. For instance, I don't clip coupons – I file the entire inserts.
http://www.thehappyclipper.com/2010/02/how-i-oraganize-my-coupon-stash.html
I use coupon match-ups. Why do the extra work when someone else is already doing it?
http://www.thehappyclipper.com/2010/10/tip-of-day-102010-where-to-find-coupon.html
I don't chase every deal, and I take advantage of online deals. I might run to the store on my lunch break, but usually I go once every week to pick up basics or add to my stockpile and that's it!
http://www.thehappyclipper.com/2010/10/how-couponing-saves-time.html
Using coupons is definitely worth my time! I have used coupons for 2 years now and in the beginning it took me a lot longer. I was still learning and I was trying to chase every single deal. Now it honestly doesn't take a whole lot of extra time and I am selective on the deals I am running out to get. It works for our family and saves us a lot of money.
When I first started I dreaded cutting out alllllll the coupons, but found out I was not lazy but actually doing the right thing…I use coupon match-ups. I let them do the extra work. I don't chase every deal but I take advantage of online deals.
I have slowed down now on my deal hunting mainly because I am so busy at work, but the great thing is that at any moment I can chase a deal that is of interest. Even if I am behind on cutting my coupons, I stay organized and am ready to pounce. The only thing that is hard to grocery shop on a whim when my coupons are not cut and in my binder. So when I get too far behind I get the hubbie invloved…all it takes is a little bribe of ice cream and he is on board!
No matter how much time I have to give to couponing it is always worth it!!!
I use coupons to build my stockpile. It's totally worth it! I don't even have a lot of coupons – when my local paper didn't have any coupons for weeks on end I stopped purchasing it. I have no idea if they have them again because I'm doing fine without it so I haven't checked. I use coupons that come in the mail every Tuesday (a small Red Plum flier), from All You magazine and (some of the best!) coupons that come in free samples. Using those coupons matched with a sale I'm able to get toothpaste, shampoo, razors, etc. for free or nearly free.
I definately think it's worth my time! Back in April, we suffered a $3000 loss in income. By adjusting our budgeting and ramping up my couponing and deal hunting, it really helped us out a lot. Now that we've gotten that income back, we are sticking to to that same budget and coupon plan to help us pay off our debt. So, yeah, it's most definately worth it.