While I was shopping yesterday with my mom, she asked me something. She said, "You save all this money with coupons, but would you even be buying half of this stuff if you didn't have a coupon?"
My answer was, "Yes. Sort of."
I understand what she means. Sometimes it's easy to get sucked in by coupons and buy things that you don't need. I try really hard not to do this. Would I buy those Scrubbing Bubbles power sprayers for $8.69 if I didn't have coupons? No way in Hell. But, then I would have to buy something else to clean my shower with, and it would probably cost more than the $.69 I actually paid for the power sprayer. Catch my drift? I guess what I'm trying to say is, if I see a coupon for a great deal on something we will use, I buy it. Yes, I have enough body wash to last me a few years, but when I get it for next to free, I buy it because I will use it. And if I don't buy it, when I run out, I will have to buy more, and I may not get such a good deal then.
Could I ditch the coupons and buy store brand stuff instead? Sure, I could. But honestly, I usually find better deals on name brand things with coupons. You don't usually get coupons for store brand things (although sometimes Target sends them out, which is awesome). Plus, it's fun to have the stuff with all the bells and whistles (continuous spray shower cleaner, disposable toilet wand, etc...) and it make life a little easier. If I can't find a deal on something that I need, I will often turn to the store brand. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But it's not always the least expensive option.
Since I've created a bit of a stockpile on necessities (due to my couponing obsession), now I can wait for the good sales. I don't have to say, "Crap! We're out of toilet paper. Lets go out and pay full price for it because we need it now!" I buy it when it's cheap to avoid these types of situations. And it's nice to have what you need on hand. When I run out of deoderant, no worries! I've got some downstairs!
This "obsession" of mine has made a considerable difference in our budget. It's noticable. And it's really nice.
For me, it's worth the extra time and effort to find the coupons.
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I agree. I happened to find out I DO like the Veet that I got for $1/bottle. NEVER woulda bought it for $6 or whatever, and a whole bottle has already been used up. Plus, I agree that like the TP, shampoo/soap, & toothpaste are major budget killers when you have to buy them on convenience rather than in advance. Especially if you like/want a certain brand!
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