Centsible Saving 101: Coupon Questions Answered

Who Uses Coupons? 

• The average income of those who print and use digital coupons is $96,000. 
• People who use coupons have an income level 14% higher than the average American. 
• Adults with a college degree are almost twice as likely to have used coupons in the last six months as those who didn't graduate from high school. 

Isn't Buying Generic Cheaper?
My experience tells me, no.  Most stores offer their generic or store brands at a price right under the name-brand national items.  If a name-brand peanut butter is priced at $2, the generic could be priced at $1.57.  When the name-brand peanut butter goes on sale 2/$3 and you use (2) $0.50/1 coupons, you pay only $1 each for the name-brand product.  Combining a sale with a coupon will bring the cost of national brands below the price of the generic.

Couponing Takes Too Much Time!
It may take an additional 30 minutes to an hour to plan your trip and clip your coupons.  Because you have your list in hand and you're buying things on sale with a coupon, your saving money.  You're also saving time by knowing exactly what you're going to purchase.  You don't waste time looking for the best deals on the store shelf, comparison shopping in the store aisle.  If you paid yourself a wage from the savings you realize at the store, you'd be making $30-$50 an hour!

Aren't Stores Losing Money When I Use A Coupon?
No, no, no.  Stores actually make money on your coupons.  Manufacturers pay stores a handling fee for each coupon they process (typically $0.08 per coupon).  Aside from the value of the coupon, retailers know you're more likely to try new products when you have a coupon (which equates to a higher volume of sales for them).

Because stores receive payment for processing coupons, as long as you're using valid manufacturer coupons withing their redemption dates, stores are happy to accept them.  Just a note here:  DO NOT EVER COPY A COUPON YOU HAVE CUT FROM AN INSERT OR PRINTED FROM YOUR COMPUTER.  This is coupon fraud.  This practice will also make couponing more difficult for each of us as stores may become less willing to accept coupons if they're consistently losing money because of fraudulent coupons.