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You know you're a couponer when....

By Faye Prosser

Posted: February 8

Today I had a funny couponing experience that reminded me that I often place frugality above vanity. Here's my story and I'd love to read your stories that start with "You know you're a couponer when..."

I taught a class in Raleigh today and since I was close to a Harris Teeter, I did a little shopping. As you know, there are some great deals this week on everything from Hefty cups to Steamfresh veggies. My cashier was a very polite young lady in her late teens or early twenties.

About halfway home, I realized that the total was a little less than I had anticipated so when I got home, I took a closer look at the receipt. What I saw made me laugh out loud. There, under the last scanned coupon amount was a line that read: "Senior Citizens" and then a discount of $3.44!

What makes this so funny is that I am in my mid-40's and instead of being offended, I found myself happy to get the discount at the expense of being aged a decade or so. It is clearly time to start using a little hair dye!

So today's adventure tells me that:

You know you're a couponer when you don't care that the cashier thinks you are 10 years older if she gives you the senior discount!

Now it's your turn. Finish the sentence: "You know you're a couponer when....."

I can't wait to see how you would complete that sentence!

Copyright 2013 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read More Posts from this Blog

Welcome couponers from the Smithfield class! Posted: 4:31 p.m. yesterday
What's for dinner this weekend? Posted: 6:30 a.m. yesterday
Share the deals & questions: Weekend edition Posted: 6:00 a.m. yesterday

89 Comments

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When you spend 15 minutes digging through the recycling bin because you think your husband threw away a coupon mailer...

gocats8
February 10, 2013 10:45 a.m.

. . . When your father in law calls to ask if you have a coupon for sugar before he goes to the store.

baileyandbailey1
February 10, 2013 7:56 a.m.

I second tinapowell. I brought my coupons with me to DC. I had my list and coupons ready when I left the apartment for HT tonight. Now figuring out my DC HT is going to take a while but I am working on it.

Faye, thanks for all you do.

ascherer
February 10, 2013 1:19 a.m.

You make sure you have your coupons if your going out of town but forget your makeup!

tinapowell
February 9, 2013 6:45 p.m.

...you refuse to pay full price for anything! ...you always get toothpaste for free! stole this from a friend...your son cried and screamed after your Rite Aid Up rewards went blowing in the wind and got lost forever! Bad day for a couponer.

Savvysaver
February 9, 2013 3:47 p.m.

Have not read the other posts yet but laughed out loud at your story as this is what happened to me this week: At a fast food restaurant, they asked if I wanted an add-on item. I (frugally) said no. The total came to more than I expected, so I asked them to check the order. Turns out the item I declined had been added in. Had to have a manager come over to adjust. The new amount seemed a bit low, but they said it was right. Looked at my receipt and you guessed it, senior discount had been applied. I am 54 so thought I had had my first old age discount applied, but realized then saw that they had done that as an easier way to fix their error. Still, my frugalness says "time to check the list of senior discounts that might start at 55!"

claytonsaver
February 9, 2013 6:34 a.m.

One time I was given the employee discount at a hospital cafeteria. I had been there all week caring for a relative and the cashier assumed I worked there because she saw me all the time.

brassy
February 8, 2013 10:41 p.m.

"When you start dancing to the music at the register at CVS cause you know you have ECB's coming." - computer trainer

LOL, I always say "Oh, it's playing my song!" :)

Nancy
February 8, 2013 7:45 p.m.

"When you realize that if you had a zillion dollars in your checking account and could buy anything w/o worry you would still use coupons and be excited about the savings." -heremeaj

AMEN! Saving is a lifestyle, not a passing fancy :)

Nancy
February 8, 2013 7:42 p.m.

"My husband accuses me of having an affair with "Clearance"" - lorawatson

ROFL! Back in the 80's my hubby came downstairs with a self made 'sale' tag marked 50% off hanging from his belt buckle (I was on the phone long distance with my mother at the time). I bust out laughing and had to explain to my Mom what I was laughing at. And before I realized it, I said "But if it's 50% off is it really worth anything?" - considering where the tag was hanging ~blush~

This was in relation to after Christmas sales that were 70% off at CVS and my friend and I were cleaning up on getting games, toys and all sorts of things on clearance all over the county for about a week by then LOL

Ahhhh.....

Nancy
February 8, 2013 7:40 p.m.

Great post, Faye. And that kid checking you out must have been blind. There is no way you look like 55+!!

smolder, I love playing that game too. I call my poor Dad and make him play "guess that price" LOL, and my Mom won't even talk to me after I've done a round of bargains.

jdouglas13
February 8, 2013 5:56 p.m.

rachel _ I could not agree with you more The time to work the binder is BEFORE you get into line. When I am in line I have all coupons ready to go. It is not fair to other people in line to wait while we dig for Q's.

heremeaj
February 8, 2013 5:45 p.m.

When someone checks out ahead of you and has NO coupons for the things in her cart and you are mentally adding up all the savings you know she is leaving on the table because 1) you know the sale price of each item in her cart and 2) you have coupons for many of the same items and those items will cost you almost nothing. When you realize that if you had a zillion dollars in your checking account and could buy anything w/o worry you would still use coupons and be excited about the savings.

heremeaj
February 8, 2013 5:41 p.m.

...your 3 year old asks if you are going to "play" with your coupons now.

...your 3 year old has to bring his own envelope of coupons to the store (they are expired ones...LOL).

...you come home and brag to you husband/family about what you got at the store and make them guess what your total was and how much you saved.

smolder13
February 8, 2013 5:33 p.m.

I truly admire couponers- I do-but I really loathe getting behind one at the CVS counter-they have their things on the counter to be rung up, and while the rest of us in line are waiting, they are flipping through their coupon binder "to see" if they have "one for that"- twenty minutes later you are still behind them, as they are putting back items, cause they don't have one for that-please know what you have and have the coupons ready BEFORE you get in the line and hold up everyone else with your hobby

rachel
February 8, 2013 5:32 p.m.

... you've finally trained yourself NOT to go into a store without the binder, even if you think you're going in for just one item, because you know you'll regret it if you get in there and see another item that could be free or really inexpensive if you just had that other coupon with you!

ddalmas
February 8, 2013 5:26 p.m.

When my husband and I go shopping, he picks a item off the grocery shelf and ask me "Do we have a coupon for this"??? If I shake my head no, he puts it back and grabs something else and says "Tell me we have a coupon for this"!!

ncveteranswife
February 8, 2013 4:56 p.m.

When my husband's (83 y/o) grandmother tells me she got coupons in her newspaper and she saved them for me just in case I need some extra ones!!!

ncveteranswife
February 8, 2013 4:52 p.m.

When, you cut coupons for items you know you can get for cheap or free to donate to others.

I love this thread - so funny!

mcrawley08
February 8, 2013 4:47 p.m.

When your husband's boss calls you to ask you where the best pizza deals are for the super bowl!!

shelleycole
February 8, 2013 4:13 p.m.

You know you're a couponer when... not only does your college age son shop your stash everytime he comes home, but your neighbors do too!! Even my 3 year old gets out the scissors when I am clipping the coupons. She likes to cut, too.

laxmom516
February 8, 2013 3:48 p.m.

When you say, "No I don't need any rainchecks" and the cashier and manager look at you confused and say, "Really! Are you sure!?"

katie1horton
February 8, 2013 3:44 p.m.

When your family is tired of hearing you say "I only paid X amount, original price X amount". I know how much I pay for everything.

astamper
February 8, 2013 3:37 p.m.

hhal,

$400 for two people? Oh my!! I think that anyone who gets food stamps should be required to take a couponing class to stretch those $$s.

scoutmomof2
February 8, 2013 3:17 p.m.

When you drive into the parking lot of Harris Teeter with sweaty palms, a hot-pink binder, and DARE your child to ask for anything that's not ont he list.

Ready2Save
February 8, 2013 3:15 p.m.

when your family knows to say "can you be watching for a good deal and/or a coupon on X product?" rather than asking "can i get this?"...this includes my hubby!

UNCW_Ash
February 8, 2013 3:03 p.m.

When the cashier at Rite Aid always says "you go girl" after totaling your purchase.

carelesswhisper
February 8, 2013 2:57 p.m.

Packy I agree with you. If I had $400 to spend on groceries then we would be eating like kings and queens. $400 goes a long way when you coupon :)

hhall
February 8, 2013 2:43 p.m.

...freak out when you realize that your RR, ECB, etc have expired and you forgot to use it!

mwear01
February 8, 2013 2:24 p.m.

.....the good folks at HT/Lowes say "where were you during the last super doubles week?" because they recognize your name and face

.....your 1st stop in the store is the clearance section

.....you freak out when any of the following occurs with your Sunday home delivery: newspaper is wet,not delivered/late, torn, missing coupon inserts!

mwear01
February 8, 2013 2:22 p.m.

When you start dancing to the music at the register at CVS cause you know you have ECB's coming.

computer trainer
February 8, 2013 1:44 p.m.

hhall, seriously? I could totally eat like a QUEEN with $400/mo with a family of 4! People kill me. lol

Packy
February 8, 2013 1:10 p.m.

When you run an errand with your husband in his truck and he remembers he needs deoderant and a new toothbrush and you won't let him buy it because you don't have your coupons with you. In fact, you never let him buy anything without a coupon unless it's a dire emergency!

kcastleberry
February 8, 2013 1:03 p.m.

Oxymoron02 I have to agree with you on the food stamps situation. I saw on FB last night that someone was complaining that they only get $400 each month in food stamps and "how can someone live off only $400 of groceries for 2 people." I was shocked, $400 will pay for a lot!!

hhall
February 8, 2013 1:02 p.m.

...when something is $1 or $.50 on sale/with a coupon and you don't get it because it's not your "buy price" and you know it will be free within the next week or two and you are holding out. $1 or $0.50 doesn't seem like much, but when you have 20 items that you are holding out for, that could be $20.

erinlikescoupons
February 8, 2013 12:40 p.m.

My husband accuses me of having an affair with "Clearance"

lorawatson
February 8, 2013 11:46 a.m.

......when you're outside CVS waiting for them to open on Thanksgiving morning!!

bmclamb32
February 8, 2013 11:19 a.m.

"You know you're a couponer when....." When you dont shop in the winter cause you have stocked up all summer( nice when you have a seasonal biz) Or when my kids come over and say hey mom i know you got more than enough so im going shopping in the overstock room!!!!!

hillbillyspitfire
February 8, 2013 11:14 a.m.

You know you're a couponer when you do a happy dance after you see what you have saved.

chart95557
February 8, 2013 10:48 a.m.

Loved reading this thread, and yes, I can relate to many of these scenarios. Thanks for brightening my day! ;D

sandtran36
February 8, 2013 9:38 a.m.

...when you go grocery shopping with your senior citizen mother just for the discount!

Kato
February 8, 2013 9:13 a.m.

These are hilarious...and every single one applies to me! lol

You know you're a couponer when someone just mentions the word "coupon" and you're kids look at you like you just committed murder! lol

Yep, happened again last night. lol

.... your mom comes for a visit and you show her your stockpile, because she's not seen it yet, and she just stands there shocked and wide eyed! Yeah, mom...I DO know how to manager my money. lol

....when you check several blogs every few minutes just to see if there's been a new post!

Packy
February 8, 2013 7:54 a.m.

When your 4 and 5 yr old play "cash register", ask for coupons and then brag that they saved so much "percent" on their shopping! LOVE IT!!!

eroten223
February 8, 2013 7:35 a.m.

You know you are a couponer when the cashier tells you that they have to get the manager to approve the over ride on the cash register because you are saving too much! You know you are a couponer when your husband sees how much you are saving and starts couponing too.

mkellycrapse
February 7, 2013 10:32 p.m.

You know you're a couponer when you save the receipts from your Super Doubles/Triples shopping trip and look at them several times to congratulate yourself on how much money you saved.

lwillis
February 7, 2013 10:18 p.m.

You know you're a couponer when you get home and take a picture of your food and the receipt, lol... You know you're a couponer when you no longer look at the sale flyers You know you're a couponer when you tell coworkers you don't know very well how much you spent on your groceries that morning (I was soooooo guilty of this when I spent 1.34 at Lowes superdoubles recently!) And Faye, the same thing happened to me on the senior citizen discount, I considered buying a white wig for next week :)

mothar1
February 7, 2013 10:12 p.m.

These are all so true and apply to me! I know I am in good company!!

watchhillgirl
February 7, 2013 7:53 p.m.

Arlene wrote: "you know you are a couponer when all the comments made thus far has applied to you at least once over the last year...lol"

You are so right Arlene - I am laughing at so many of these and yes, most of them apply to me. Once my girls are in college, the rest of the comments will also apply! Thanks again for sharing everyone!

Faye Prosser - Smart Shopper
February 7, 2013 7:25 p.m.

"...after a conversation about food stamps, you look up what the maximum benefit for a family of your size is and wonder just how people can eat that much food?" - oxymoron

LOL! I imagine it would shock us all!

Nancy
February 7, 2013 7:15 p.m.

" My husband has started answering the phone "coupon headquarters" when he answers the phone. He is cutting coupons for me right now!! Yea for him!!" - lindalarry

How funny AND wonderful that he's kicking it up to help you too!!

Nancy
February 7, 2013 7:12 p.m.

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