Sugar Editorial Picks
Oct 26, 2009 -
Coupon clipping was introduced more than a century ago, and the present recession has given the practice a popularity boost. For some it's a hobby, for some it's a necessity, but for most people, it's just a smart thing to do. Use my tips to get more out of your coupon clipping.
- 2 Comments
Feb 16, 2009 -
We all know that coupons can save us money on items that we were going to buy anyway, but there's more to using these paper savings tools than meets the eye. Kansas City moms Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee perfected the art of using coupons when they were having trouble reducing their families' food bills. Once they became experts at saving about $400 a month on their groceries, the duo started charging $25 for others to attend coupon parties led by them and created their website Be CentsAble.
- 11 Comments
Dec 16, 2008 -
I grew up reading the comics as my dad sat across from me and clipped grocery coupons on Sunday mornings, so I've never been one to judge those who use them. There are some people who are embarrassed to shop with coupons, and even in our slow-as-molasses economy, self-conscious shoppers are still projecting their feelings onto coupon-using shoppers.
One study found that people waiting in line thought shoppers using low-value coupons were cheap, and that sentiment was carried over to the person in line behind the coupon holder.
- 45 Comments
Oct 30, 2008 -
Coupon clipping has become less popular since its peak in 1992, but 2007 was the first year usage did not decline. Expectantly, the change of heart is attributed to more expensive groceries and less discretionary income. Resistant shoppers claim the time and money trade isn't worth it, but there are new online tools that are perfect for busy people that want to save money.
- 9 Comments
Oct 13, 2008 -
Coupon clipping is a cornerstone of countless families' food budgets, and it's a part of consumer culture that has seemingly existed forever. Like all things, the idea of companies printing coupons to be clipped by shoppers did start somewhere. Do you know which brand first introduced the concept?
- 6 Comments
Sep 06, 2008 -
Checking the mail is often a disappointing experience; most days we walk away with nothing but bills and random junk. There's another expected piece of mail that is delivered a couple times each week — coupon circulars from local stores. What do you do with them?
- 22 Comments
Aug 20, 2008 -
Rebates are one of the ways retailers entice us to proceed with a purchase and offer ourselves some soothing rationalization for doing so. We calculate the rebate when figuring an item's total, yet in the end many of us end up paying full price.
According to consulting firm Vericours, 40 percent of rebates go unredeemed, meaning our forgetfulness / laziness / apathy gives retailers a big win.
- 14 Comments
Jun 24, 2008 -
In the age of everything costing more, many of us are trying to figure out how to pay for more expensive goods while our salaries stay the same. Using coupons for items you'd normally buy is one way to save on groceries, but it seems rare that I see a shopper give the cashier coupons when checking out. Do you use coupons for groceries?
- 27 Comments
May 23, 2008 -
Stephanie Nelson, founder of CouponMom.com, was featured in a segment on The Early Show and led correspondent Priya David through her "strategic" shopping tips and tricks. Priya asked questions about saving time versus clipping coupons, and why should a shopper buy an item she doesn't like as much as another just because it costs less. They performed a challenge where they started with identical lists, but Stephanie's bill came out to be $73.35 while Priya's cost $232.60.
- 15 Comments
Jan 14, 2008 -
Do you find newspaper coupons to be tedious or feel uncomfortable whipping out a wad of clipped coupons at the cash register? Online coupons may be the solution to help you save money at the ever more pricey grocery store while simplifying the world of coupons. How would it work, exactly?
- 20 Comments