Shared Reading: 8 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Use Coupons

We all know that couponing can help save money, but Yahoo released an article with eight reasons not to use coupons.  I have decided to argue with the author by providing commentary on some of the article's key points. 

1. You have to buy a newspaper.

This doesn't apply to any free coupons you happen to get along with products or in the mail, but once you pay for a newspaper, you've lost money. You then have to make up for that loss by using enough coupons to break even.

I'm not sure about you, but I pay $0.99 a week for delivery of the paper.  As long as I use at least one coupon, since my store doubles, I have broke even.  Additionally, not all sales are published on the stores' websites so I get all the weekly fliers as well.  I originally signed up for Sunday only, but they send me Wednesday thru Sunday. If you don't already get the weekly paper look out for deals. I found mine advertised directly on their website.  Newpapers are similar to magazines. Since most of the profits come from advertising, they need to get the circulation up by offering discounts on subscriptions.

Additionally, newspaper can be used all around your house.  When I get home on a rainy day, I stuff my sneakers with newspaper to absorb the moisture.  The next morning my shoes are dry and don't have the mildew smell.  Newspaper can also be used to cushion items when shipping instead of buying packing peanuts or bubblewrap.

3. Getting a newspaper invites lots of additional advertising into your home.

Advertising is powerful stuff - this is part of the reason why companies offer coupons in the first place. You might actually end up buying more stuff by having all those ads around, negating any savings you get from coupons. The same is true if a coupon compels you to venture into a store you wouldn't otherwise visit.

If we can ignore all the advertisements and pop-ups on the internet, I think we can ignore the advertisements in the paper.

The Bottom Line

Yes, you can save a lot of money with coupons, especially when you combine them with sales. However, there are some drawbacks to coupons that must be taken into account. Perhaps the most dedicated coupon clippers can overcome these hurdles and still achieve overall savings. If you're not one of them, there's no need to start clipping.

As with anything, organization is the key.

You can read the full article on Yahoo's Financial Blog.