A guy at the grocery store said my coupon strategy was costing me more money

I was at the Food Lion near my place, stacking a bunch of paper coupons on top of a digital offer. This older guy behind me in line just said, 'You know, you're buying stuff you don't need just because you have a coupon for it.' I got a little defensive at first, but he was right. I was grabbing name-brand snacks and a fancy cleaner just because they were 'on sale' with the coupons, spending maybe $15 extra. Now, I only clip coupons for things I already have on my list. My weekly bill dropped by about $20 because I'm not adding junk. Has anyone else had someone point out a budget habit that was actually backfiring?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthew_hart2519d ago

My own coupon addiction once had me buying ten cans of artichoke hearts.

henry60419d ago

Ever wonder if the coupon itself changes how you feel about the food? Like, you're not even an artichoke person, but a 75% off sticker makes those cans taste like victory. I bet you ate more artichokes that month than a fancy restaurant uses in a year. The real cost is the cabinet space for all those weird impulse buys.

ben20610d agoProlific Poster

Spot on about the coupon changing how it tastes, @henry604. But it's not victory, it's obligation. That 75% off sticker makes you feel like you HAVE to eat them, so you choke down every weird can. My cabinet is full of fancy mustard I got for a dollar that I'll never actually use.