Dealing with Coupon Burnout
I will be the very first to admit that Coupon Burnout happens to me all of the time! It probably happens more than I would like since I am finding deals and posting them for all of us. But, that is ok!
Coupon Burnout is an essential part of using coupons. You aren’t doing anything wrong if it happens to you. Actually, you are probably doing something right!
But, what do you do when you get to that point where clipping your coupons, using your coupons, or using that deals just seems like way too much effort??
Here are a few things that I have done that have helped me get through my Coupon Burnout Phases:
1- Take a break. If you are feeling overwhelmed and just too tired to go through the coupon hassle. Then, take a break for a few weeks. Shop the best you can without coupons and just relax. Using coupons is a lot of work. And when you are trying to take care of the household chores and your family- you get exhausted! So sometimes I will just not use coupons for a few weeks. That usually does the trick for me.
2- Wait for a really, really good sale! Sometimes you get in a coupon rut. There doesn’t seem to be anything good that you just have to have. So, it becomes tedious to use coupons. My advice for that is just to wait for a really incredible sale. And when that incredible sale comes- it will get you so excited that you saved so much money that it will help pull you out too!
3- Don’t buy every deal! This is probably the biggest piece of advice I can give to anyone who is new to couponing. When you first start, you feel like you have to go to every store and use every coupon. It’s just not realistic- and you WILL burnout quickly.
- Use price matching to your advanatage. Wal-Mart will price match. Just have copies of the ads with you in case they need to see them. You can see a How to Price Match at Wal-Mart post here. That way, you can go to one store instead of 10!
- Only use coupons on things that your family needs or will need. Don’t use a coupon just because you have it. The truth is that you only need to use a few coupons every week to pay for your newspaper subscription. So it is ok to not use all of your coupons- Believe me, I end up recycling a TON of coupons that were never used at the end of the month.
- Purchase store brands-( if they are cheaper than the name brand and a coupon combined.) The whole point of using coupons is to use them when you can get name brand items for way cheaper than the store brands. And it happens on quite a regular basis. But, don’t feel like you have to use your coupon- if you can get the store brand cheaper.
- Take it slow! If you are new to couponing, don’t feel like you have to get every deal. This one was really hard for me when I first started. I wanted to get every free thing and everything else that was out there. But I burned out WAY too fast! The truth is that similar deals will come back again. So, if you can’t get a deal one week- it is ok. Don’t beat yourself up about it. It will come again- I promise!
4- Figure out how and when you are going to clip or file your coupons! You can choose to Clip your Coupons or to File them away. To see different Coupon Organization Methods, go here. There have definitely been times when I have gotten behind on cutting my coupons. 5 weeks worth of coupons is a lot to cut! So, figure out what works best for you and stick to it. Is it better for you to cut coupons on Sunday when your family is taking a nap? Or do you like to cut coupons during one of your favorite shows? If you are able to set a fixed time, you are less likely to fall behind. And since things always come up- you will have weeks that you fall behind. And that is ok too! Just do your best and maybe enlist the help of your husband or kids one week!
Those are just a few tips that have helped me with coupon burnout. Do you have more suggestions? Leave a comment here or head over to the Facebook Page to join the conversation!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been trying to click on the link Coupon Organization Methods, go here but nothing comes up and says it’s broken. I use a binder system but was interested in other methods. Thanks for your help.
Jackie- Thanks! I fixed the link for you.
wow thanks i had really bad coupon burnout the last couple days. i wished more stores price matched. we dont support target at all and hate walmart (although we grin and bear it. anyone know if there is a limit to pricematching (say like 20 items? i tend to buy coupons on ebay). i have wicked time organizing anyone have tips? also so i dont feel bad getting the paper i take any coupons i dont need and offer them to friends neighbors etc. no coupons really get wasted. plus check at your local paper i pay 13.00 for 13.00 weeks and since i signed up for auto renew to keep the fantastic price they sent me a 10.00 target gift card (which again i have no use for ill probably end up giving it away. sigh) but that makes a gold mine of coupons 3.00 + carrier tip for 13 weeks
Grace, i can feel your pain. i’ve been a couponer for a loooong time. I stock up on household items such as beauty items, household cleaners, detergents, etc. & then only collect coupons for awhile. I basically put a halt on couponing period & concentrate on other family activities. Lately since money has been tight, i quit doing the Wag’s RR’s (Register Rewards). I am not a fan of wally’s world, & rarely step foot into that store. My husband & i both agree that despite their low prices, i’d rather support my ‘local stores’ and pay about the same with coupon deals. To be organized, I mark my coupon books received in the mail with the DATE. I clip only the coupons that i will use for the next week or two. Items that i may find on clearance, i clip too, the rest stay in their prospective coupon booklets. Then i place these coupons in a small coupon nylon envelope. Then, when i learn of great deals, B1G1 free, i pull the coupon form either my envelope or from the dated coupon booklets. I then make a list for each store I plan to visit, and write down $ amounts, in-store cpn (type), manfacturing cpn (type & amt), my savings & total out of pocket amount to spend. Hope this helps!
I am so glad you discussed coupon burnout. I was just in Giant Eagle, and got totally annoyed with items not being there, people buying ALL of the items there, and the one Pantene coupon I wanted to use I apparently left in my car… GRRR…I felt like I was walking around with that little thought bubble over my head with a big black smudge in it!
Glad to know others get burned out too!
I can not get to the how to organize the coupons….it just tells me 404d or something like that…if you can just send me a link to it at my email that would be very helpful for me.. mrs.trullinger@yahoo.com Thank you soooooo much for your site I totally love it!
I don’t do Walmart AT ALL. Haven’t been there, except to take my mil when she insists (she’s 84,, so whatever she says).
My basement is nicely stocked. I do Smiths when I can get really good deals. Shop Winco for necessities.
I shop Rite Aid’s deals when I can justify it,, and also buy my milk, eggs, cottage cheese, etc there (Winder Dairy products are AWESOME). I DON’T take the paper, but get a free red plum each week in the mail. I print coupons I need and will use,,,,
It’s NOT a requirement,, it’s a way to save money,,, and I use it in my life as a FUN part time JOb..
Just Sayin’
I don’t know if its burn out that I get but I get really frustrated when I go to the store and everything has been wiped out like Claudia was saying. I also get frustrated because i can’t seem to get a stock on more than deodarent, shampoo and laundry detergent. I have a budget but i always seem to over because I miscalculate. I have been doing it for about a year and a half and you would NEVER know it. But I am determined to keep trying for a little while anyway. So any suggestions would be great thank you and good luck everyone.
love this article its so on point
{ 1 trackback }