Money on the Sidewalk - An Alternative Argument for Using Coupons

Using coupons is an effective way to save money. The savvy among us use them selectively, but with great frequency, often saving significant amounts of cash on a regular basis. There are, however, many people who scoff at the idea. They have their list of reasons why they do not coupon, most of which fall into the category of, "It's not worth it." This justification for inaction might seem appropriate but, more likely than not, it contrasts with the logic of other actions in their life. For those who claim cutting coupons is not worth the trouble, I offer this thought experiment as an alternative way to think about it.

You are walking down the sidewalk when you spot a crisp, clean, dollar bill resting unattended on the ground, just a few steps away from your intended path. There is no one around, and no hint as to how it arrived at this location, a public area. It would require just a few steps, a couple of seconds, and a bend at the knees to pick it up. Would you grab it? It turns out that most people would. In fact, a majority of people would pick up a quarter they found under these circumstances, while nearly half of us would stop for a dime. The conclusion we can draw here is that we are willing to enrich ourselves in small amounts, as long as the effort involved in doing so is minimal and proportional.

If you would pick up that dollar, then you should use coupons. Coupons offer an analogous small reward in exchange for minimal effort. Coupons hold real cash value, and not just the 1/20 of $0.01 that you often see printed at the bottom. Even if the coupons offer a small discount, over time these small amounts add up. Many experts argue that coupons can save you 15% or more at the supermarket.

The list of reasons for not using coupons is varied, yet unconvincing. It takes too much time, the savings are too small, I don't have access to coupons, I can't find coupons for the products I buy- these are misconceptions and paper tiger excuses. It should not take you and your pair of scissors more than 10 minutes a week to cut your coupons and it is easy to multi-task the process. Do it while you are watching television, riding the subway, or listening to music. Further, there are several sites online that allow you to print a wide variety of coupons quickly and efficiently.

If you don't think you have access to coupons, think again. There are usually hundreds of them in the weekend editions of newspapers. If you don't get a newspaper, ask a friend who does to give you theirs when they are done with it. Along with the aforementioned online coupon sites, you can go to manufacturers websites or even that of your favorite supermarket and almost always find coupons there. Sign up for the free frequent shopper card at your supermarket and you will start getting coupons in the mail or via email. Major retailers like Target have their own printable coupons. Check your store policy, they may accept competitor's coupons or have a double coupon day of the week to offer you twice the savings.

Are coupons embarrassing? Only to the most insecure among us. It seems that men have a particular aversion to cutting coupons for this reason. I was once told that, "real men don't use coupons," to which I laughed and replied, "Real men don't care what the cashier or the other people in line think about them." If you are embarrassed, get over it. You will be much less so when, at the end of a year, you have hundreds of extra dollars with which to impress people. Spending money wisely is being smart. Wasting money is embarrassing.

Manufacturers and supermarkets offer coupons as an incentive to purchase their product, buy your goods at their particular store, or encourage consumers to try something they might otherwise overlook. Those are their reasons. Your reasons are singular- you want to spend less money on the goods you purchase. Think about that dollar bill on the sidewalk the next time you see a coupon. Remember that you are willing to put in a small amount of effort to get a proportional return under some circumstances. Be logically consistent, cut some coupons, and start saving money.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6283586

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