[boingo82]

I can't be the only one this has happened to. Friends see the loads of stuff you get for nearly no money, and want to try couponing.

So you explain it to them, but they are confused. Still want to try though!

So, on the first day of a huge sale, you make up a little packet with a grocery list of exactly what to buy, all the coupons they will need, and a total at the bottom of how much they will spend (nothing, actually it's a money made deal) to get all this free stuff. They are all excited, thank you profusely. You even offer to come with them, since it can be confusing at first. They promise to call.

They have 6 days to go to the store and get this pile of free stuff.

It has been 6 days... they have not gone to get FREE stuff and I already did all the work for them and offered to come with.. if they gave me their club card I'd go FOR them, LOL.

It's fine, I mean someone has to pay for groceries because you know the stores can't afford for everyone to coupon, but I better not hear these friends complain about being broke anymore, you know?? Heaven forbid they try working out their own deals if they can't be bothered to go to the store when someone else works the deals out FOR them!

[puterperfect814]

I hear ya my family members are the same way. Want me to do all the work and help them save the $$$$. Then dont go or go on saturday evening when the ads change sunday morning go figure. I decided to do my own thing and only help people who want to help them selves.

[crackedwillow]

People like that, I would refer to the clipping sites. They can order the coupons they want, and "shop" when it finally goes on sale.

The most I will do for those who don't really want to "do" the work, is email them, the list I make for myself anyway, of the deals that week. That's really enough.

[kmeiding]

I definitely understand. I have friends on food stamps and I try to show her how to spend less money - even without coupons and she usually doesn't listen to me. She will only use coupons if I am shopping with her and help her with them.

She likes the Chef Boyardee microwave bowls and gets those instead of the cans because she doesn't like leftovers or having to use a bowl to heat it up in. Well, those cans have twice as much in them! She buys them for her daughter who can't eat a whole can herself. I think I pointed out one time that it was cheaper to get the cans and eat half because they were on sale! I think that was the one time she did buy a couple cans.

I told her the last time we were in Walmart that it was cheaper to buy a few single bars of Reeses instead of a bag with the coupons and she wanted the bag so she got the bag and I got 6 FREE Reeses single bars! I didn't tell her the single bars would be free though because the last time I was in Walmart, they wouldn't let me use the .55/1 and the BOGO at the same time. Even with just the BOGOs though, the single bars were cheaper.

[amandatockert]

stores make money on coupons! they make the face value of the coupon plus the handling fee of 8 cents or so. so in reality the nicer they are to couponers the better since coupons wont bounce but a check might.

[kallagreen]

I HEAR YOU LOUD and clear! Except my friends made fun of me... until someone else told them about it and they jumped right in... its okay though... our friendship was over before that!!! But I do hear ya!

[JArble]

i have had some people ask about it but as soon as I start explaining what's involved they are like oh that's too much work! When I tell them they can do as little or as much as they want and some deals are super easy they still can't be bothered. Of course, then they joke about shopping my stash and expect to get stuff from me for what i paid...NOT! I do the work I reap the benefits. You want the same prices I pay, get off your butt.

[susanstrad]

I don't even talk about coupons to people unless they ask. They either think I am weird for couponing or they are way too lazy to do it themselves. It isn't worth my time.

I look at couponing as a job. I spend lots of time at it, but I save my family TONS of money. If people want to go to the store and buy only what they need and pay regular price then let them.

Quit talking to your non couponing friends about your deals, and share your excitement with those of us that share your enthusiasm!

[benniecooper]

Originally Posted by susanstrad

I don't even talk about coupons to people unless they ask. They either think I am weird for couponing or they are way too lazy to do it themselves. It isn't worth my time.

I look at couponing as a job. I spend lots of time at it, but I save my family TONS of money. If people want to go to the store and buy only what they need and pay regular price then let them.

Quit talking to your non couponing friends about your deals, and share your excitement with those of us that share your enthusiasm!

I'm with you. I just don't talk about it. I have tried to help my brother learn to do it. He tries, but his girlfriend is a worthless piece of *&^% (you can tell that I like her, huh?). I have gotten inserts for him, told him what to use and where and he'll try. I have told him several times about this site and tried to get her to use it....nope, she would rather just take my stuff and let me do the work. She does not work, lives with my brother rent free and also her 2 kids live there with him. The least she could do is learn how to coupon so he could save some money.

[amberly]

I have had tooooonnns of friends ask. I give them the websites, the days to get the paper, how many to get, where to shop etc. "too confusing." Oh well, I tried. It was confusing for me at first, but if I would have given up and just said "its too confusing" I surely wouldnt have all this free stuff! Their loss!

[jomalone2]

Bottom line is some people just "don't get it" or don't want to "get it". I too have just quit bothering with them. You can't want it for them. But what makes me mad is after you have told them about deal after deal and you quit bothering with them, then they see you do a really good deal and they get mad because you didn't tell them about it. I just ask them why I should tell them about it when they haven't bothered to do any of the other ones I've told them about. If they don't want to bother it just means more for me and my family.

[sar1]

I've run into this many times, so I don't coupon-evangelize anymore. (I stole that term from another post here.) It is SO frustrating!

[swillson76]

It amazes me how many people understand FREE, but refuse to understand how to get it FREE. I teach school and so many of co-teachers want to enjoy my FREE stuff, but they --have no time, don't understand, are not as organized, etc...-- I have the same job, yet I find the time to save my family money. I have started writing down this website and telling them to ask y'all any questions they have. SORRY!

[nene0784]

it's a time thing...you get out what you put in....bottom line. And people think that they don't have time. Like most of you, i work 40+ hours, 2 kids, and DH and a house to take care of and still find time. In fact, i was clipping coupons during my TV shoes last night. I wonder what they did during there tv shows? LOL.

[boingo82]

I normally don't even evangelize but they are unemployed and on food stamps (same as us) so I thought I'd help them out. *sigh*

The most annoying is people who think they can shop your stockpile since it was "free" or cheap, but won't just coupon themselves. I promise they are not any less busy or organized than I am.. just not willing to put in the effort. OH WELL! I just silently thank them for subsidizing all the free stuff I get.


Gosh, I still CAN'T believe that the only thing I left for them to do was *go to the store and get free food and cash* and THAT was too much bother. For pete's sakes!!!!!

[Pepsilady405]

AMEN! People will ask me about it, I start explaining and before I've talked for 30 seconds they say:

"That's too much work"
"That's too confusing"
"huh?"
"Where do you find the time?"

Etc etc!

[JaimeDae]

I too have had people ask but I think sometimes they're just asking to be nice...

[tinkerbell82]

i too have tryed to get my sister in-law into it and even helped her put a binder together! but its too much work!!

[dmyersquin]

I ran into a friend I haven't seen in years today as I was leaving my last run to Harris Teeter for triples. She said she doesn't do coupons because they never have coupons for things that she uses (I think meaning she does organic). My new response to that statement is:
"Do you wipe your butt, wash your hair, use deodorant, wash your body????"

[kobbermannfarms]

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH ALL OF YOU!!!!

One friend is especially annoying me...I always share my non inserts I find, or tell her where to find them. I also give her inserts that i wont use that i know she will. SHE NEVER SHARES WITH ME!!!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!! this drives me nuts. (But I love her to death!!)

My husband hates coupons. I LOVE coupons. My stockpile is a mess, so i have been organizing it this past week. (I have lots of nice shelves in our attached garage that we don't use) My husband told me today that "we aren't a damn food shelf" I could have choked him!!!! We have 4 kids and he is self employed. I was layed off from teaching last year.....and now stay home with our 4 kids under 4. We live in the middle of no where, so when i do get to a "bigger town" I maxamize my coupons with the ads and get lots of FREE and cheap stuff. He hates STUFF. He would rather have me buy what i need each week at our tiny grocery store than have lots of stuff on shelves. He dosn't care if it was FREE or cheap. I pay the bills, I know how much money we have, if i didn't use coupons and shop wisely we would be going to the food shelf!!!!! MEN, I sure wish i had a couponing husband like some of you out there!!!!!

Thanks!!!! I feel better now that i vented.

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by kobbermannfarms

... We live in the middle of no where, so when i do get to a "bigger town" I maxamize my coupons with the ads and get lots of FREE and cheap stuff. He hates STUFF. He would rather have me buy what i need each week at our tiny grocery store than have lots of stuff on shelves. He dosn't care if it was FREE or cheap. I pay the bills, I know how much money we have, if i didn't use coupons and shop wisely we would be going to the food shelf!!!!! MEN, I sure wish i had a couponing husband like some of you out there!!!!!

Thanks!!!! I feel better now that i vented.

Aww! That has to be really frustrating. My husband was like that at first but when money got really tight he began to appreciate my couponing, especially since that's the only way we get "treats" these days!

[swillson76]

My husband is the one that pays the bills and does the checkbook in our household. He is a stay at home dad. When I started couponing last May, he wasn't exactly onboard. Now that I save at least $300-350 a month, he is emailing me coupons that he finds. The first time I took him to Walgreens and walked out with two bags of items for $.27, he almost passed out. He was speechless (which has never in 18+ years happened). Now he ask me when I'm going and reminds me when I haven't went. LOL

[hotmama111]

(Don't ya love giving someone a huge stack of coupons for something free and they either don't use them so they expire or they never reciprocate!) Yeah people don't get it--except they sure love taking things from your stockpile that they assume you got totally free but they don't compensate you for the taxes you pay, the gas you spend driving all over creation to get the stuff ETC.

[LindseyLouXOX]

I know exactly what you all mean! My mom works for a newspaper and she gives me extra inserts. In turn, I let her shop in my room for FREE (and because she's my mom and I love her ) but then my friends start asking. So I try to teach them, take them with me, and show them HANDS ON! Then they say it's too hard so can they please shop in my room for free...um NO!! I am SHOWING you and giving you the tools, you do the work. I have 1 friend who doesn't even work, has no kids, no hubby, lives with her dad and she STILL doesn't get it or try to get it. It's so frusterating, especially when she asks why do I need 4 of those, 4 of these, 10 of those?? HELLO!!! I am always going to brush my teeth, as well as my husband and 2 children, for the rest of our lives! If I want 100 toothbrushes and 20 toothpaste stacking up in my room, why should anyone else care? I probably spent on tax of the 100 tb and 20 tp as they do on 1 of each!! LOL.

Okay sorry I guess I needed to vent too. I am just really frusterated with my good friend who just doesn't try and I try to help. Soo needless to say she's not invited on anymore shopping trips

[miralys]

I hear you all loud and clear! When I first started couponing, I wanted to tell the whole world. I was Miss Uber-Helpful. I shared coupons and shopping lists with everyone, but usually all I got was flack. I have finally figured out, I don't talk about couponing to people unless they ask. If they ask, I will take them under my wing gladly. You gotta cater to your audience. It's just like I don't discuss running and my shin splints to people who think exercise is getting up to change the channel! LOL

I think the bottom line is that, as with most things in life, you have to get darn good and mad first to see the light! If you aren't genuinely motivated about something, it will show in your half-hearted attempts. Why make everyone miserable by just going through the motions?