I started couponing before it was “cool”- long before “that” show came around. And I made (and continue too make) LOTS of mistakes. Some cost me a little, some cost me a lot and some were just embarrassing!
Here are the biggest ones I remember:
–Being Embarrassed to use coupons: When I first started couponing it honestly wasn’t “cool”. In fact, I felt “poor” using them. The funny thing is that I was RICHER for using them and we WERE poor! We were 2 kids -barely 19, married and barely making the rent that was less than most people’s car payments! But I still felt like people were judging me. “She can’t afford that at full price, poor thing. She has to use coupons!” As time went on and I realized that instead of spending $75-$100 a week we were spending $25-$50 a week and weren’t running to the store every other day for things I forgot- I stopped caring what people thought! Luckily, new couponers today won’t experience it as badly as us “old-timer” did. Today, couponing could even be considered “cool”. Don’t ever be embarrassed to use a coupon. My cash is multi-colored and that’s okay.
–Not checking my papers: When I first started couponing, I didn’t want to be “stuck” with a newspaper subscription so I’d run up to the grocery store and buy papers out of the vending box. BIG MISTAKE. You put your quarters in and then realize that none of the papers have inserts or they are missing inserts. Now I get my papers delivered and if they are missing I can call and they will credit me or redeliver the incomplete papers. If you want to buy your papers in person each week, go into a store that carries them inside. Then you can verify all the inserts are there before paying. Each Wednesday we post the expected inserts so you will know what to look for. Getting home after spending $1.50 and only getting 1/2 the expected coupons makes for a sad Sunday.
–Being overwhelmed. Couponers have their own language (see Lingo here) and our own arithmetic! It’s easy to be overwhelmed when you are trying to learn a new language and math! I remember at least twice throwing in the towel. Of course, when I started sites like MoolaSavingMom weren’t as popular as they are now (we could barely afford our electricity bill let alone a computer when we first got married!) There was no facebook so interacting with other couponers was harder. Now, it’s easy! On Facebook– you can ask all sorts of questions. You can message MSM on there or even email me! When something doesn’t make sense or the math doesn’t add up~ it’s easy to get frustrated.
–Accepting the answer. I learned quickly that store personnel doesn’t always know the right answer. One trip the cashier would tell me one thing, the next trip a different cashier had a different answer. It made trips confusing and frustrating. Can I use 3 coupons or 4? Will they accept a competitor coupon or not? The best solution I found was going straight to the source. Most stores have their coupon policies on their websites. Printing it out and knowing it forward and backwards helped eliminate these issues. In fact, even experienced couponers go through this. Policies change and not every employee is updated. Having the most current policy in hand helps resolve any issues.
-Buying something because it’s on sale or I have a coupon. Many times as a new couponer I was sucked into the marketing . It’s on sale! Gotta be a good deal- so I grabbed it. Or it wasn’t on sale but I had a 25¢ coupon so I grabbed it. It took a while of strategic couponing to learn that it’s ok to let a coupon expire. It’s ok to miss a deal. They will come back! Of course if I need something grabbing it on sale or with a coupon is a plus. As my stock pile grew, it has been less and less that I need something so lots of coupons expire and lots of deals get passed.
–Being embarrassed to refuse to pay. Before I realized that it’s MY money and I don’t have to spend it, if a deal didn’t work I would just pay what I was asked and try to figure it out later. Then I realized, would the store just give me money and hope to figure it out later and hope I would return it? I seriously doubt it. So why should I hand over my money and hope to get it back when I could show where the mistake was? Now, if my total doesn’t match my expected out of pocket- no money leaves my hands. We figure it out at the register. Do I hold up a line sometimes? Yep. Do I let it get to me? Not anymore. It’s my money and I’m not parting with any more than I need to! (*Note: being respectful to other shoppers is somehing I have always tried to do. Moving from the line to customer service WITHOUT paying is always an option. Most stores can void a transaction and pick it up at customer service). Don’t allow the fear of saying “No, thanks” or asking them to fix an issue to cost you money.
What mistakes have you made as a new couponer?
Sometimes I do not complain when a ZVR does not come off. When I bought the three Old El Paso bold nacho shells last week the ZVR did not come off (I guess because the product is new?). But technically I got three free and would feel ridiculous going back days later to argue over 60 cents. I am not new to couponing but when I started I kept myself in check by writing a list of what I needed, then looking at fliers and lastly coupons to find deals on just those items. Of course that does not help build a stockpile but it does help avoid getting sucked into buying stuff you do not normally buy!
Great post!!!!! I have been couponing for many years, and there where no websites or tv shows then, like you said. I spent several months going through trial and error steps, and learned a lot in the process. I still learn new things now, which is awesome. A few things I learned early on is JUST because it’s a great deal does NOT mean I have to buy it. However, good things did come from me buying things I didn’t need. Some products I didn’t like and some I loved, so I learned what to buy and what not to buy. Recently, since my stock pile is almost always full, I have started buying things I DON’T like or use if they are a steal, because I can donate those items, OR use them as gifts. I have special boxes set aside in my home for donating and for gifts. You wouldn’t believe how many people NEED help, or how many people LOVE getting health and beauty items for birthdays or Christmas. Soup kitchens, homeless shelters, etc can ALWAYS use these items as well, and since I paid very little to nothing for them, I feel like it’s a win-win to buy and donate! As for getting those looks while checking out, I learned early on to IGNORE them. Still today I get looks when checking out at certain stores because I coupon, but there have been a few people who would comment and say that it’s great I save money and if they had the time, they would do it to. Thanks for this site and for always sharing your knowledge and opinions! Keep up the great work!
Once I forgot that ZVRs only come off once and thought I was going to get a bunch of products for free. But the ZVR only came off of one item and instead of the $3 I thought I was going to spend, I had to pay $40. Not thrilled about my mistake, but it didn’t happen again!
I have made all of the above mistakes and more! Couponing is well worth sticking with it. You will be amazed at the money you save. Having gone through the learning curve and couponed for several years, my motto is patience. It will take you about a year to build a good stockpile. Always try to have patience with and respect for the cashier at checkout. It will really pay off. If you have the time, take your time as you walk up and down the aisles. Coupons are everywhere if you keeps your eyes peeled. Tearpads, peelies, blinkies, winetags and fairy coupons that are left for you by other couponers! These days there are so many couponing websites to help old and new couponers alike. Whittle those down to 3 or 4 like moolasavingmom that you know you can trust and have reliable information.