Are coupons a waste of time?

Coupons are a waste of time! I buy the store brand of pretty much everything, and couponsjust save a few cents on name brands that are more expensive than the store brands, even after using the coupon.

At least, that's been my attitude until just recently. A couple of months ago, my daughter's husband was laid off from his job, which caused her to start using coupons to buy groceries and household necessities like soap, shampoo, etc. She calls us every few days to report her couponing adventures, and its time that I re-examine my attitudes.

Here are some of the savings she has experienced in the past few weeks:

1. Spent $3.98, saved $93.31 (95.9% savings), got 4 family size Lawry's Seasoning Salt, 17 oz. olive oil, 2 80-ct dryer sheets, 4 full size Tony's frozen pizzas, 5 lbs chuck roast, 3 lbs 93% lean ground beef, 4 12-packs 7 up.

2. Spent $0.89, saved 147.62 (99.4% savings): 7 Betty Crocker cake mixes, 2 betty crocker supreme brownies, 3 packs fruit by the foot, 14 boxes honey nut cheerios, 4 bags nature valley nut clusters, 3 1.5 qt Breyers ice cream, 5 3M bubble mailers, 8 10-packs bic pens.

3. Spent $26.88 OOP (out of pocket), saved 38.63, but got $27 in Catalinas back (good like CASH on your next visit for anything but cigarettes, alcohol, gasoline, lottery tickets, and dairy, by law) so it was as if I got PAID 0.12 for shopping! Got 7 500 ct boxes of q-tips and 2 large bottles of Dove shampoo.

One of my daughter's favorite coupon blogs, A Thrifty Mom, is currently holding a contest to giveaway $926 in coupons. Check it out here: http://budurl.com/7dkl. I'd love you to use my daughter's name, Sarah Hofhine, as your sponsor if you decide to enter the contest. NOTE: contest ends August 9, 2009.

More on couponing as I learn more about it.

To your prosperity!

Keith O. Hudson