COUPON MYTHS

A lot of people shy away from using coupons because they just don't see the big picture of how big of a difference they can make.  Here are some common misconceptions about coupons:

1. Coupons are mainly for poor people.  Actually, middle-income people with a college education are more likely to use coupons than low-income people.
2. Coupons are only for unhealthy processed food.  While there are a LOT of coupons for junk food, there are equal amounts available for healthy foods.  Who doesn't buy things like salad dressing, condiments, seasonings, bread, and paper products...just to name a few?  There are even coupons for fresh and frozen produce and fresh meat.
   
3. Store brands are always cheaper.  Not true.  While this might sometimes be true, people need to watch those prices closely because by assuming that it's true, you may be paying more than you would for name brands.  In addition, have you ever used generic plastic wrap?  Ugh...
4. You should only use coupons for things you would normally buy.  By using coupons for things you normally WOULDN'T buy, you might find out that there are other things out there that you really like but have never bought because you felt they were out of your price range.  Also, by trying a different brand of something, you might find out you like it BETTER than what you're used to buying.
5. It isn't worth the effort/time/price of gas to shop at several different stores.  If you can drive 20 minutes out of your way and buy $100 worth of groceries for $25, isn't that worth it?
6. Using coupons will cause me to buy things I normally wouldn't buy.  While coupons may influence your decisions, coupons can't force you to do anything.  If the coupons make something a good deal, you might want it. Buying things you wouldn't normally buy is not necessarily a bad thing.  If it's still expensive, exert some self control and don't put it in your cart.
7. People who shop with coupons spend more money than people that don't. This may be true if you are going to the store and just buying whatever you have coupons for, even if the items are not on sale.  If you use coupons the right way and combine them with the store's sales, you will definitely be spending less. 
8. Don't clip coupons for stuff you won't use.  There are many reasons to keep ALL your coupons.  If you can use your coupons to get things for free, you can get them and give them to a local food drive (I did this recently with some coupons that I had).  You can also trade them--if you need dog food and your friend needs diapers, swap coupons.
9. Shopping discount stores and dollar stores will save more money than using coupons. The disadvantage to dollar stores is that they don't offer sales or deals like other stores do.  Most of the items I buy on sale and using coupons I pay less than a dollar for anyway, so these stores are definitely not a bargain.
10. Corner drugstores are expensive and should be avoided.  Many of the best deals I have found have been at Walgreens and RiteAid.  Not only do they accept coupons, they also offer their own in-store coupons that can be stacked, and they offer a lot of rebates and other store deals that can't be found at other stores.