A Confession: I Don’t Clip Coupons

I can almost hear the gasps from frugal women everywhere.  You don’t use coupons?! Don’t you know you’re throwing money away?

First, let me say that I’ve tried to be a coupon clipper before…I’ve even owned a variety of cute little coupon holders.  But it has never stuck, and I’ve pretty much decided to just stop trying.  Unless one of you can convince me.

First, let me tell you why.

My biggest hang up with coupons has always been the time and money it takes to get the blasted things in the first place.  My husband and I have never had a newspaper subscription, so it always takes a special trip (and an extra $2.50) to even get the coupons on Sunday.  So that means I have to save at least $2.50 every week or I’m already in the hole!

I know, I know, there are lots of free online coupon sites.  I’ve tried those, too.  Feel free to share your favorites, but what I find is that it takes me forever to sift through hundreds of deals only to find 2 that I might actually buy.  Not worth it.

My other problem has always been that I end up buying things I wouldn’t normally purchase simply because I have a coupon for it.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think that means I’m actually spending MORE money! I have a pretty set grocery list, which I add to depending on my meal plan for the month, but if it’s not on the list, it’s really not worth it for me to buy.  Even if it is a good deal.

So, here’s how I save on groceries sans coupons.

First, I plan our meals. Our breakfasts and lunches are pretty ordinary, and I do my best to plan what we will eat for dinner each night (post on that coming soon).  That way, I don’t end up buying items I don’t use.  If that broccoli ends up limp and gross before you ever use it, it was a waste of money, regardless of the sale price.

Second, I try to buy ingredients instead of packaged meals. So instead of using a coupon for pancake mix, I just keep flour, eggs, and milk on hand.  Voila-pancakes in no time!  Pre-packaged foods can be pricey AND not-too-healthy.  So we try to stick to ingredients and make lots of things ourselves.  (But not all, mind you!)

Third, I try to buy what’s in season. It’s true, here in the U.S. apples are available year round.  But that doesn’t mean we should buy them! In the Fall, when they are in season in my area, they are sometimes half the cost they are other times in the year.  That’s because they were grown much closer to home and spent less time in a truck/plane/barge traveling to my local store.  Now, this doesn’t always work.  For instance, I’m pretty sure bananas are never in season in Georgia.  But I still buy them.  I just try to watch for the lowest price!

Fourth, when things are on sale, I try to stock up. Organic or all-natural meats are a big area where I try to stock up during sales.  I know that organic meat is much healthier, but it’s also often MUCH pricier.  So I try to wait until I see a sale and then buy in bulk and freeze.  This is obviously tough to do with produce, but dried goods, canned items, juice…basically anything with a long shelf-life OR that can be frozen is game for stocking up.

So, there you have it.  I’m a wife and a mom and I don’t clip coupons.

What are some of your tips for saving without clipping?