The Scoop-On Coupons...

To clip, or not to clip… could it be that Shakespeare might have pondered this question in his acclaimed play-writing career? Most likely no. However, this is a question every Tightwad personality has thought about and/or done at some point in his/her tightwad existence. It is my hope that after reading this article you can gather the knowledge necessary to have peace of mind in whichever route you go, therefore gaining a much greater understanding into the world of the coupon unknown.

To Not Clip…Here are some of the reasons some tightwads are coupon skippers.

Lack of Time… You’re a busy on-the-go tightwad. You maybe have several jobs, kids, hobbies, spouses, (I hope not), and just do not have the time to mess with coupons, or what time you do have, you’d rather not spend on coupons.
Lack of Money…You hardly have enough cash to cover the things you need, let alone, a Sunday paper for coupons.
Your favorite grocery store does not accept coupons.
There are not coupons for your favorite (generic or cheapy cheap) brands.
Why? You are an adept saver in every other aspect of your life, and even so are a careful shopper. This is one area you would rather not nitpick.
Your are skeptical of the real savings in couponing, and are stuck in the uncertainty of giving it a go.
The thought of becoming a monkey doing anything to save a buck is appalling to you.
Your mother/or someone else you do not like did it all the time, compulsively, and you have vowed to never do the same.
You’re a burn-your-bra- anti-conformity type of person and refuse to buy into the corporate myth of couponing dictatorship.
The fact that most coupons are printed on non-recyclable paper enrages you, and so you would rather not reward/encourage the practice by going along with it.
You could never coupon because you are too disorganized.
There are never coupons for what you buy/need.
Coupons expire too quickly.
You, your spouse and/or kids is/are too impatient, so you need to shop as if you are in a war zone.
You've tried it before and it gave you a headache.

Even if you do not clip coupons…You may want to consider glancing through the coupon section, and if you find a coupon you could use, clip and put it in your wallet. This does not make you a coupon “geek” you are simply being a smart consumer saving money on what you already buy. If you cannot afford a Sunday paper, consider asking for the coupons that others do not use, and/or see about acquiring the coupons from a place of business that buys a “house” paper. These may not be somewhat picked through, but you can’t beat free. On the other hand, if you do not want your coupons…please consider sharing them with others. Maybe you know someone who does, and would appreciate them. Some grocery stores have corners where you can swap the coupons you do not want. I’m sure if you were to just leave the coupon section, some happy, needy tightwad would greatly get use out of them. Orconsider supporting those overseas and send coupons to them. Many times these people are so eager to receive coupons, (often coupons and money saving opportunities are scarce) that they will be happy to pay for the postage required. To find out more about this try hooking up with a family in the military, at http://www.couponsandrefunds.com and/or http://www.parentsplace.com on the coupon swap message board. Just post a message saying that you have coupons for anyone overseas or otherwise, and you will send them out for postage. After that pat yourself on the back and know you helped at least one other tightwad somewhere.

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