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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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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89 Comments

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You know you're a couponer when your college age kids AND their visiting friends hit your stockpile while they are loading up the car after visiting at Christmas time, taking laundry detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes and shampoo without blinking an eye. You've got it and they'll take it. Thank you very much! "Glad I can help!"

neverquitsworkin
February 7, 2013 7:03 p.m.

You know when you are a couponer when you get excited when coupons like McDonald's, Quizno's, and KFC come in the mailbox. At least you know you can afford to dine out a few times with these without paying the full price of the meals. My rule is, if we don't have a coupon to eat out then we are dining at home. Thank goodness it is just my husband and myself. The empty nesters.

sclark1998
February 7, 2013 6:52 p.m.

Nancy - I laughed when I read your post as this sounds like my son! He is in the Navy and when he comes home every other weekend, he takes bags and shops through my stock pile! He has brought friends with him sometimes and had them shop my pantry as well!!

You gotta love them.........

NAVY MOM
February 7, 2013 6:37 p.m.

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

arlenecook
February 7, 2013 5:59 p.m.

Thanks Faye, I'm off to cook dinner. This is a wonderful blog. I just love reading all of these. 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!!

lindalarry40
February 7, 2013 5:50 p.m.

Oxymoron, yours is my favorite: ...you hand your teen 4 coupons and a nickle, and tell her you expect change.

I don't have any kids, but I do that to my husband. He looks at me like I'm crazy. Sure enough, he had to bring me change. :)

erinlikescoupons
February 7, 2013 5:07 p.m.

when... 1. you read all these posts and smile... 2. you put coupons on the grocery shelf for other couponers to find...

Sassafras
February 7, 2013 5:04 p.m.

I used to have an addiction to douwe-egbert coffee and the only place i could find that had it fresh was burger king. so one day when i was 40 i went in to bk to get some joe for me and a coworker. the lady gave me the senior coffee price of a whopping 50 cents. i went back every day for a week. love this happened to someone else! especially someone who really doesn't look old enough for any senior discounts.

emtpcrafter
February 7, 2013 4:52 p.m.

...when you get nicknamed 'The Huntress' by your hubby after showing him the loot & receipt from about any grocery store run!!

...when you're more concerned about your (lack of) freezer/fridge/pantry space than your (lack of) space in your clothes closet!!

...your 13 year old daughter rolls her eyes at you and says 'Mommmmmm! Do you HAVE to have a COUPON for EVERYTHING??

FlyingUnderTheRadar
February 7, 2013 4:51 p.m.

...you get out of bed at the crack of dawn to get to HT or LF early for super doubles/triples....I am not a morning person.

mys1983
February 7, 2013 4:50 p.m.

you know you're a couponer when your 3 year old son asks you why you are buying something without a coupon.

nakabi
February 7, 2013 4:50 p.m.

..you have to look at the begging face of your child and say "no you cant have that, I don't have a coupon"

ctondee31205
February 7, 2013 4:47 p.m.

These are great, everyone! Thank you for playing!

Linda - I googled "substitution for red wine vinegar" and a number of sites indicated you could use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. But I do not know this from experience so maybe someone else on here has some hands on experience with it.

Faye Prosser - Smart Shopper
February 7, 2013 4:31 p.m.

...you open up your Giftmas presents and are most excited and amused by a gift that was obviously a mail-in freebie.

...your antivirus is warning you it's expiring soon, and you tell your husband that no, he may NOT buy it yet. It's due to cycle through with a free/very cheap after rebate very soon, and you will absolutely wait until the day it expires to pay full price (it went free after rebate with 8 days remaining, thank you very much).

...you hand your teen 4 coupons and a nickle, and tell her you expect change.

...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?

Oxymoron02
February 7, 2013 4:19 p.m.

You know you're a couponer when your adult son brings a friend into the house and says, "Mom, can you set him up?" and the poor friend hasn't a clue what he's about to walk away with! When you tell him to grab two or three bags from the holder and follow you to your stash of personal care items, then back to the pantry, then onto paper goods ....

We don't think anything of having it on hand ... other people, not so much :)

Faye - I had that happen to me too at a HT, young cashier, but I'm very close to hitting their Sr. discount! Some people can't tell ages Faye, don't worry about the hair dye LOL

Nancy
February 7, 2013 4:13 p.m.

Your friend ask you for a coupon and you pull out your great big overloaded binder

Blue Devil Woman
February 7, 2013 4:10 p.m.

You know you are a couponer when... You send a photo of your loot (with total oop) to your husband with the tag line, "What I just did to Harris Teeter should be illegal!"

WorkinMom
February 7, 2013 4:10 p.m.

You know you're a couponer when you are educating the cashier in the next lane on their own coupon policies and they are happy for the help because the customers they are serving are trying to take advantage of their naviete.

msgooch2000
February 7, 2013 4:06 p.m.

40andtired that is so true! Both of them! I love bringing in my haul or bringing people free stuff. I always look forward to my saturday mornings at HT Too!!

watchhillgirl
February 7, 2013 4:05 p.m.

You know you're a couponer when you are constantly trying to give out coupons to help customers in the store. It breaks my heart to see people pay full price. Most of the time they are thrilled. Sometimes you get a funny look, like Do I look like I need to use coupons?

lindalarry40
February 7, 2013 4:01 p.m.

A lady in front of you at the hairstyling academy brings her own hair products...LOL...Apparently, they allowed this at some point in the past, but now they have a big sign stating you have to use their products!!

ncveteranswife
February 7, 2013 4:00 p.m.

Quick question: I want to prepare a recipe I have not used before for pork chops for supper and it calls for red wine vinegar. What can I use in place of that since I don't have it in my stock items? Thanks.

lindalarry40
February 7, 2013 3:58 p.m.

Oh Faye, do you need a coupon for the hair color? HA! HA! This is really funny since my hair is ALL WHITE!!

lindalarry40
February 7, 2013 3:56 p.m.

That is so funny Faye. I look forward to getting my senior discount when I can get to Raleigh to Teeter. Of course, I am a senior and I love it. You get lots of discounts and some free stuff. Did you by change check the expiration date of the sale on the cups? I'm hoping it lasts until next week. I have a rain check and hoping for super doubles.

lindalarry40
February 7, 2013 3:55 p.m.

You come back from grocery shopping at lunch time and take in your "loot" to show your coworkers and let them guess how much you spent. Then you show them your receipt while their eyes are still bugging out! lol.

40andtired
February 7, 2013 3:50 p.m.

You anticipate the weekend because you know you're going to spend a blissful Saturday morning at HT and your cashier is in awe of your final total:)

40andtired
February 7, 2013 3:47 p.m.

when you know the coupon policy better than the cashier!

and you know what's in sunday's inserts , before you even buy it!!

and you know your total before you even check out! give or take ~1-2$

wow this is fun

romneycare
February 7, 2013 3:47 p.m.

When you make your husband put something back on the shelf, because you know you have a coupon for it at home and you can get it for $1.00 cheaper!

watchhillgirl
February 7, 2013 3:36 p.m.

Love it! So there is hope after 50 for us crazy couponers!!

sohappy
February 7, 2013 3:36 p.m.

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