Coupon Burnout: Overcoming the Guilt of NOT Couponing

In addition to people who hate couponers, there’s a segment of shoppers who feel guilty that they don’t coupon. What to do if you have a bad case of Coupon Burnout.

I’m part of a lovely book group, and many of the women were in my January coupon workshops. Last night was a get-together and when a couple of the women who I haven’t seen in a while saw me, they told me they fell off the coupon bandwagon, or that they just can’t do it, or that they just can’t shop like I do. The guilt was palpable and it made me uncomfortable.

If you hop from store to store and feel your heart racing when you find products for free with coupon, you are heading for Coupon Burnout. Then, you’ll quit couponing and the guilt will set in. Stop the silly cycle of burnout and guilt. Take it slow! (Photo credit: Hotcouponworld.com)

I am not sure if they still think I’m an extreme couponer (I’m so not). When I told them that I don’t use coupons every time I shop, they were shocked! I only use coupons when I see a great deal that’s on sale that matches my coupons (i.e.: free containers of Wet Ones wipes at ShopRite this week–we use them all summer on our boat and at the beach so of course I’ll grab four to eight of them!). But folks…there’s no need to feel guilty if you DON’T use coupons, for heaven’s sake! If not couponing works for you, then that’s completely okay!

The guilt is going to set in soon since a new season of TLC’s “Extreme Couponing” show begins end of May. Inevitably, more people will ask me how to coupon, more people will go nuts with coupons, and then they stop couponing. Just like the women who went to my workshops. They have a case of Coupon Burnout. The trick is not to use every coupon you see in every store you shop. It’s a matter of what you need, what you want, what’s on sale, and if you have the coupons to stock a few of the same product (so you don’t have to go out and get one full price).

A bit of guilt is normal after going gangbusters on couponing. But that phase should last a short time. Just enjoy coupons, enjoy what you buy, and stop feeling guilty every time you see me :–)

~Marilyn, TFF

Related articles

• Extreme Couponing Myths (savings.com)

Stop Stereotyping Couponers: The Majority Frugally Shop the Outer Perimeters of the Grocery Store

There was yet another article about couponing, this time in “The New York Times Magazine,” (May 3, 2012) featuring the folks at Fabulously Frugal, and yet again, I’m astounded at how a topic like couponing can get people so riled up (read the comments, they are more entertaining than the actual article). Many of the misinformed comments that come after the article prejudge people who use coupons as unhealthy hoarders who are a burden to those who don’t use coupons.

NOT what I buy! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m not sure people were so fired up about couponing before that dang TLC show about extreme couponing came along. But every naysayer thinks that people who use coupons buy loads of junk food one step up from the fast food chains. (Oh, how I wish I could find out how many people who write negative comments about coupons frequent McDonald’s or other fast food establishments I wouldn’t be caught dead in… I’m sure more than a few…). Here’s the reality of most couponers (not those on television): we save money on non-grocery and grocery items using coupons, and so we can buy good meat and fresh produce. If I can get razors and toothpaste for free-ish using coupons, that money goes towards fruits and veggies. Most of us are not like the woman in Erie, Pennsylvania, featured on “Extreme Coouponing” who has a locked door to a special room in her basement filled with cookies and snacks, called “Mom’s Cookie Room.”

One Canadian blogger tried to explain her healthy couponing in this informative, helpful article–and then she was lambasted by a reader in the comments section–you may want to read her gracious reply to this reader. Another healthy couponing article by Shape Magazine listed Lean Pockets as a healthy food to buy with coupons. I would never be caught dead with a package of highly processed Lean Pockets in my house. The article also lists Yoplait yogurt, which I know is high in sugar. My take away from these articles: we all have different definitions of what eating healthy means for us–some of us prescribe to healthy-enough while others are more strict. We don’t have to agree with each other, but let’s have a healthy level of respect for one another.

Most of us have heard health advocates, such as the Mayo Clinic, say to avoid any inner aisles of grocery stores food. So, besides buying cereals, pasta, crackers and decent cookies (when I don’t make from scratch) inside the store perimeter, ingredients for tomato sauces, and always flour, sugars, oils and other baking and condiment needs, my own cart is filled with perimeter groceries. It is most definitely not filled with fruit roll-ups (tons of coupons for those) and the like!

Speaking of perimeter groceries, there ARE coupons and sales for those! You have to find the store in your area that holds the best perimeter sales. Thankfully, ShopRite has produce Super Coupons, and besides that, I’ve been able to use manufacturer’s coupons to buy almonds, raisins, protein bars, orange juice, cheeses, yogurts (favorite is Activa), organic eggs, organic milks…with coupons matched with sales! Maybe there are not coupons  and sales for all the items all the time, but most of the time, I’m able to frugally shop the perimeter of the grocery store.

Here’s a small sampling of recent purchases using coupons/sales at ShopRite for fresh/healthy foods:

• Sale: $1.29 a pound for organic apples
• Super Coupon ShopRite: whole pineapple $1.49
• Super Coupon ShopRite: broccoli or cauliflower .99 cents a lb.
• Coupon + Sale: Blue Diamond Almonds (not in perimeter but healthy) for $1.50 a can.
• There’s always BOGO sales on potatoes, carrots, and onions–which reminds me of the bags of baby organic carrots for $1.66 each on sale, no coupons needed.

Here is a short list of alternative coupons I used to get healthy items:

• Groupon to Whole Foods ($10 for $20 worth of items and I bought meat and poultry)
• Fairfield Coupon to Fountain of Youth ($9 for $20 worth of items in this organic store in Westport, and I plan to buy produce and/or meats)
• I use the coupon booklets from Whole Foods, as well. Sometimes you get amazing deals, as you can read about in one of our posts.
  

  I bought nine packages of antibiotic-free chicken drumsticks at Whole Foods because they were affordable at .99 cents a pound thanks to a 70% off sale. Good to know that even Whole Foods has super sales! Photo: TFF

It’s always possible to buy frugally around the perimeter using coupons and sales, or just sales. To all of the coupon critics: Buy frugally around the perimeter by simply reading the store’s sales flyers!

~Marilyn, TFF

Frugal Foodie Kitchen Investments With Your Kohl’s 30%-Off Coupon

Attention Working Moms and Stay-at-Home Moms!  Busy People Everywhere!  While I say that cooking from scratch is the most frugal and sustainable way to go, I know – Life is Busy!  Your Kohl’s 30% off coupon can help make cooking from scratch easier.

Here are a few helpful kitchen appliances that I bought on sale using my coupon and, in some cases, Kohl’s Cash:

Zojurushi Breadmaker – see my previous post - Put the ingredients in the pan, press a couple of buttons.  Bread can bake over night.

Ninja Master Prep Professional Blender Set – see my previous post - guacamole, fresh salsa or smoothies in a jiffy.

Fagor Duo Combi 5 Piece Pressure Cooker Set –  I got a great two-pot set on sale for $94 (retails for $150 elsewhere) - dried beans (least expensive), rice, and other food cook in a fraction of the time, which saves energy.  (I will soon post the hummus recipe I make with dried chickpeas cooked in the pressure cooker.)

Black and pinto beans make up a regular meal of bean and cheese burritos at our house.

Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer – I got a great deal on this (in a fabulous cobalt blue color!) because it was on sale and eligible for a $30 rebate.  Total cost = $210.  (retails for $3.49 elsewhere).  I earned $40 in Kohl’s Cash for this purchase, which I used for a food grinder attachment.  It was on sale and I was able to use the same 30% off coupon.  Total cost = $14. (retails $55, elsewhere)

Besides using the stand mixer for dessert recipes, I now use it to make hamburger rolls.  Check out this great recipe from another frugal mom:  Homemade Buttermilk Buns (I use 3.5 cups of whole wheat bread flour and 1 cup all purpose flour)

The first time, I followed the recipe and made eight burger buns.  They came out perfect, but were a bit on the jumbo side (kale chips are on the left).

Second time, I made 16 burger rolls. These were just the right size. I freeze whatever rolls I don’t use.

With the food grinder attachment, any cut of beef can be made into ground meat for hamburgers, chili or lasagna.  Marilyn and I are part of a “Beef Share” through a local farm and get a wide variety of cuts for a great price.  (These days, especially with the revelation of pink slime, it pays to know where your beef comes from!)

My best Kohl’s Coupon deal yet!

No pink slime here-

Whatever eggs were left over from the “egg wash” for the tops of the hamburger rolls, I used in my hamburger recipe. Waste not, want not.

Kids’ dinner plates – homemade burgers, buns and oven fries with strawberries for dessert.

I got this huge slow cooker for opening up a checking account at a local bank. Sadly, those days are gone.

I also use a slow cooker.  I got this huge Proctor-Silex Slow Cooker years ago FREE for opening up a checking account at a local bank.  Anyone remember those days?  We use the slow cooker for chili, beef stew and this red lentil stew recipe, which my kids love over basmati rice.  Please feel free to share your favorite slow cooker recipes!

Learning to cook is lifelong.  It starts at any age.  Involving/teaching children to cook provides for frugal fun as well as a lifelong skill (future post!)   Start here - Cook for Good!  Stay tuned for more frugal foodie recipes!

~Aimee, TFF

Why I Still (Sometimes) Love PriceRite

I’ve had sort of a love/hate relationship with PriceRite. Loved it when it opened, hate it now that prices are going up. But there are still a few things I go there to get that I can’t get a better deal on elsewhere. Or, should I say, the same products cost more at its sister store ShopRite…

These exact same groceries cost me $7.39 at PriceRite, and would have cost me $10.67 at ShopRite (assuming none of the items were on sale). It's worth the savings to go to PriceRite for items my family uses and loves when I'm in the area so I don't waste my savings on gas.

For example, I went there today to get my PriceRite staples: seltzer, Portuguese bread and honey pretzels. We drink a lot of seltzer in our house (in place of soda)–we add juice to seltzer, we drink it plain, we just love it. But the same bottles that go for .39 cents at PriceRite go for .50 cents at ShopRite (but they’ve been on sale for .33 cents a bottle at ShopRite, too). I’ve even found the seltzer for .25 cents a bottle at PriceRite when I hit it just right. My kids love the Chaves Portuguese bread, but it’s a full dollar more for the same exact package at ShopRite. The honey pretzels are $1.29 at PriceRite and normally $1.69 at ShopRite (but I’ve found them for sale for a buck a bag at ShopRite, too). So, though I don’t make it to PriceRite nearly as often as I used to, the store still has some expected, and some unexpected deals, enough to keep me going.~Marilyn, TFF

Another Grocery Store Associate Criticizes Couponers

Here we go again…people who use coupons criticized.

A Dear Abby article in the papers today shines a critical light on couponers once again. In brief, the letter, from a grocery store associate, says that coupons are a necessary evil, and coupons left on shelves for others shoppers to use pose a hazard because they clog up drains in dairy shelves, potentially cause shoppers to fall, and are generally a nuisance all the way around. And of course the writer points out the abuse, fraud, and the amount of work coupons pose for store workers.

I am just stunned. How can a basic act like couponing, which our grandmothers used to do, get everyone so riled up? Do couponers constantly complain about how grocery stores treat us? Should I discuss how many people I know who tell me that they absolutely hate shopping at any grocery store because the workers are rude, the produce is awful, the marketing is ridiculous (ie: the famous “Manager’s Special”), and the prices are outrageous? Is there any wonder WHY so many people now have to coupon to be able to fill a fridge and pantry?

This growing rift between grocery store associates and people who coupon has to stop. Not every couponer is an extreme couponer! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Listen, I’m the first one to say that the TLC show, Extreme Couponing, has ruined it for many of us. The show portrays crazy couponers, not run-of-the-mill couponers like myself. So now, it seems like there are two camps: us (couponers) and them (grocery stores and people who hate couponers). This rift is ridiculous because we are all in this together: trying to save money on our grocery bills so we can feed our families.

Can’t we all just get along?

~Marilyn, TFF

Coupon Binder Pages and Pockets Now Sold at Staples

Imagine how surprised I was last night to find a stand-alone display of coupon pockets and binders at Staples. I’d never seen that display there before, right in the front of the store for all to see. They run about $2.99 to $3.99 a 10-pack (different than the store’s brand of trading card inserts because these inserts actually fit various size coupons). Now you know couponing is more accepted than ever now that an office supply store sells these items. So, for anyone who can’t find baseball card inserts for coupon binders, and you don’t want to order from Amazon (it has a great selection of coupon pockets), just head to Staples for these heavy-duty coupon pockets. (I use a box, not a binder, so I can’t tell you if they are decent quality or not.)

Related articles

• Reader Question: What Size Plastic Inserts Do You Use in Your Coupon Binders? (livingrichwithcoupons.com)
• Making a coupon binder. (couponsandcrafts.wordpress.com)