What I learned from Couponmom.com

For those of you not in the world of discount or affordable family grocery shopping, let me clue you in to a new internet phenomenon--coupon websites. Couponmom.com is one of the leading coupon mega-sites around and due to the depression "faltering economy" its membership has been growing every day. The founder of this website took her personal shopping habits and uploaded them online for others to learn from her secrets. Essentially the woman cuts every coupon she can. She buys 3-4 Sunday papers, uses in-store flyers, and downloads some off the internet. Then she takes the grocery store mailers that tells you all the specials for that week and cross references her substantial list of coupons to that sales flyer. She mostly buys food that has a coupon AND is also on sale. She checks out the mailers from 3-4 local grocers plus CVS, Costco, Sam's club, ect. She manages to feed her family of 4 on under $80 a week--that includes packing lunches for all 4 members--it also includes toiletries and cleaning supplies! To give you some reference, a good week for me is one that I can keep my grocery bill under $175.

Her website cross references all that information into a printable list for crazy coupon maniacs similar to herself, but it still requires some research on your part.

Her method is meticulous, time consuming, and strategically difficult. While I do not have the time necessary to lodge a full assault on the soaring price of Cap't Crunch, I do have a bit of "me" time I can devote to coupon cutting, deal scouring, and menu planning.

However. My foray into the world of coupons was a frustrating disaster. The first week I was pretty proud of myself. Using the food in the pantry and a smart menu plan, my coupons and I got our weekly bill down to $125. Not bad.

But the next week, I delved in a bit more and tried for the super bargains. I spent an hour on Sunday getting myself prepared for my Monday grocery shopping only to realize the true bargain hunters get the early advanced Sunday paper and read the Thursday mailers. SO by Monday afternoon that "Buy one Get one Free" bottle of Lysol Spray Disinfectant Bathroom Cleaner, with a .35$ coupon (doubled!) was cleared off the shelf. In visible dismay I even asked the man in the coveralls if there were any more in the back (there wasn't). With complaining child in tow, I rush to the next bargain. WHEW. Chewy brand Low-Fat Granola Bars are still there, albeit the delicious Dark Chocolate Cherry ones are gone. Still, 2 boxes for $2.89 ain't bad. I ended up passing up the food I normally buy to search for discounts on things I maybe don't need (How long will it take me to get through those 2 bottles of bathroom cleaner anyway?) I left the grocery store with weird items, nothing for dinner, and a paucity of fruit and veggies for $130. I need to go back today to purchase all the things that I forgot in my frustration and confusion of flipping through the mound of (unorganized) coupons.

So what have I learned?
Cutting coupons, planning menus, and going for deep discounts are a waste of time for a young 20-something college student.

Although... I'm still closing the office door on Sundays for 2 hours and telling the family I'm busy.





ps. that lady that founded Couponmom.com? Her website now rakes in over 6 figures a year.