Over the past six weeks I've taken a hiatus from Street Articles in order to attend to our newborn girl, Heidi. She's healthy and happy, and we're all doing well. While family was in town for her arrival, the topic of couponing came up and the assertion was made: I don't see how coupons can really save a person any money; rather, the cheapest thing to do is to buy store brand products.

I did not respond to this comment, perhaps because I didn't have enough energy since our baby had just come. Therefore, I thought I would take the time to respond to the comment in my first Street Article writing in six weeks!

YES and NO

To the above assertion, my answer is both yes and no. Yes, buying store brand items is sometimes, and many times, the cheapest way of shopping. In fact, when I shop, I often purchase store brand merchandise, simply because it often is cheaper. Thus, in this respect, yes, a good way to save money while shopping is to buy store brand products. With this statement, I can agree.

The Need for Knowing HOW to Use Coupons

However, my response to the statement, "I don't see how coupons can really save a person any money," is that one needs to know HOW to use coupons. When a person knows how to use them, savings can, and will, follow. For example, I've mentioned before how I get toothpaste for free, diapers for little cost, medication for free and many other items at low prices, including name brand merchandise.

To Give an Example . . .

Thus, while I agree, and disagree, with the assertion made by my beloved family member, I can easily see why my beloved would think that coupons couldn't possibly save a person any money. Case in point, let's say you have a coupon for .50 cents off of a name brand detergent. However, though you would get .50 cents off, the store brand detergent would still be cheaper. Thus, the conclusion is formed: Couponing doesn't really save you money.

Example of Combining a Store Sale with a Coupon

However, let's change the scenario a bit, let's say that the name brand detergent is on sale at a handsomely reduced price AND that you have a coupon for .50 cents off. In this case, it's likely that the name brand detergent is now at a lesser price than the store brand. Thus, here you have it, an example where coupons DO provide savings . . . and with the added luxury of being able to purchase a name brand item!

Conclusion

Does couponing really save you money? This is an excellent question, to which I respond both yes and no. It's true, sometimes the shopper can save more by purchasing the store's brand. On the other hand, it is very possible, and indeed happens, that people really do save money by couponing. The trick is, however, that you need to know how to use coupons. From personal experience, I find that the best way to use coupons, to get the best savings, is to combine store sales with coupons.