Okay, I used to hoard coupons of all sorts, to later find that of the coupons that I would actually use, I could get the generic version without a coupon for the less than I could a name brand WITH one....Now, I know many, many people will combine coupons with sales and use them on double or triple (or whatever) coupon days to get many things for super cheap, or free. But I guess I just don't live in an area to do that. I buy all of my groceries at Wal-Mart. Almost ALWAYS buy the generics. The only other grocery store in this area is Kroger, and while they do have sales, and the loyalty card, and double coupons (only up to $0.50), Wal-Mart will beat their sale prices....So I always look at the Kroger sale paper then know I can get it cheaper at Wal-mart that week.

 Am I the only one that's realized this? Or is there something I'm missing?

Coupons rarely get used because they just aren't for the items we want or need. I'm a brand loyalist on lots of things because I know those brands work or taste good, so to minimize the frustration and tedium of shopping, I don't use coupons.  For others they like doing it, almost like playing a game. Edey

I also find that the store brand is almost always cheaper than brand names with coupons, so I don't use very many.

I do keep an envelope of coupons though, for "just in case" situations. I never buy the Sunday paper to get them, because I never make up the cost. I just collect ones printed from the internet, some I get through work, coupons that print out when I check out, and ones from the little dispenser machines scattered around my grocery store. I do save a little with those.  

It really depends on how much off your coupons are, what you buy, etc. There are enough grocers in my area who are in competition that no one store has a stranglehold on the best price. I buy whatever is least expensive unless I have another preference to consider (experience with a brand's quality, or an ethical concern). So sometimes it's generic, and sometimes it's a brand with a coupon.

Also, I rarely get my best coupons from the paper. I get them by contacting the company with a compliment or complaint, or Kroger sends them to me for products they've seen I buy often. In fact, in the last batch Kroger sent me, 6 of the 20 coupons were for free products for things I buy.

I also keep a price book, and when I put it to use, I can tell if I'm really getting a deal with my coupon, or if I can get it cheaper at other store. In my town, stores other than Walmart also do price-matching.

GenuineGoldens:

 Am I the only one that's realized this? Or is there something I'm missing?

If you are doing better without the coupons then it would be ridiculous to use them so you can spend more. This is one of those areas where it depends on what you buy and the prices in your areas.

Those who are using many coupons here are not shopping at Wal-mart or using generics. I for one find coupons stacked with sales at Walgreens or other places preferrable to shopping at Wal-mart even if I paying the same price or a little more. Sometimes I even spend less this way.

 

 

Edey:

Coupons rarely get used because they just aren't for the items we want or need.

I use only a few coupons myself. I don't buy commercial house cleaning products and only some packaged foods. I use more basic products and local ones. I think the majority of coupons I use are for personal hygiene, cereal, coffee, sugar and a few other items.

 

hmm i use coupons alot over the last month and i kept a spreadsheet showing what i bought with them. the regular price of the item and then the sale price before coupons and then a column with the price after coupons.  my monthly for november so far is 900.00 reg price and for my out of pocket total it is 100.00 or just a bit below that.  my grocery store has had some amazing prices this month and then they double coupons so it is amazing for me. i have stocked up on soups chef boyardee cake and brownie mixes flours wesson oils pam spray and things that we would love to have but dont always have it in the budget to last us for a good 3 to 6 months and dont get me started on my 1.00 bags of coffee that are hidden all over my house lol.  i have spent between buying the paper and buying manufactured coupons on ebay a total of 15.00 to get my coupon collection going.  i read my ads a week in advance and then i see if there is a coupon that will give me free or close to free items on ebay to match it.  i order them and they are here a couple days later for instance this week green giant steamer veggies are on sale for 1.00 i bought 20 1.00 coupns on ebay for 2.00 so i will pay 2.00 for 20 bags of brocolli (my family eats it like candy) and to me .10 a bag is a really great price!  thats just how i do things

 I rarely use coupons. The stores in Portland don't double or triple so its just face value. I find the most generics beat the name brand prices even with a coupon. I also find most coupons are for new items I don't need or they want me to but 2-3 so the savings isn't much. I think your idea of using Kroger's flyer to save at Walmart is great. My store will do the same.

  For me, coupons are worth the effort.  I live in an area with a good deal of competition, so we have decent sales.  I've been paying attention to the bargain blogs that list the sales pared with coupons at various stores (including WalMart), and I've been able to get some brand names much cheaper than the generics.  (I'm not going to turn down 9 cent cans of tomato sauce at Walgreens, or free  frozen veggies at the supermarket.)

  I may not use a lot of coupons ... I don't need or want a lot of the convenience food out there ... but I figure every little bit helps.

 Hi ... I use coupons almost every time I shop - I purchase a few newspapers each week, collect the one's at the store, use my store cards and print them from the internet, too. Even though Wal-Mart will 'price-match', I still do better at Fry's (Kroger), Walgreens and CVS. While I may purchase a few 'convenient' items for others in my family, most of the time we actually cook, use the crockpot and bake. I am brand-specific on a few items, but when I pair my coupons with sales, ect ... I, too, do not pass up name brand items like .20 cent boxes of Quaker Cereal, .13 cent Hunts tomato product, 3.38 cans of 34oz Folgers Coffee, .25 cent box hot cocoa mixes, free toothpaste, toliet paper, creamer, pudding, ect ... "Should you use coupons?" ... My answer is yes - PM me and I will give you a site that you can visit, read the ebooks and decide for yourself.