Couponing has always received a lot of negative attention. For far too long people have felt embarrassed to use coupons, in order not to have their friends ridicule them or have sales clerks look down on them.
But as you’ll see in the infographic below, coupon users had the right idea all along. Why shouldn’t coupons help you prepare for SHTF? Coupons have helped a small fraction of the population to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars every year, while others missed their opportunities.
This infographic shows not only the identity of coupon users, but also their backgrounds and how much they save and make on an annual basis, and highlights the fact that a large proportion of people using coupons come from middle to high-income families, not low-income households.
While most people accept that using coupons can help them make considerable savings each year, the stigma has always prevented people from making the wise choice. Survival has no room for stigma, so one must move quickly.
Research has revealed that individuals with a household income above $100,000 remain more than twice as likely to use coupons than those with household incomes below $35,000. This goes to show how those with more money can use coupons to amplify their purchase of SHTF gear and food items.
But this might also have something to do with educational background. 70% of coupon users have graduated from college, while 20% of users never made it out of high school. This buttresses the point that those taking advantage of coupons know what to do with these much-neglected opportunities. It doesn’t even take much work these days, mobile couponing apps can save you hours of coupon clipping time, and using a cash back rewards card is like having a 1-5% off coupon for everything you buy – provided you pay your bill on time of course.
Further research revealed that 26% of users have household incomes above $200,000 and they make use of mobile coupons for food shopping. If anyone needed proof or courage to support the claim that coupon users could come from any income level, look no further.
Another reason high-income families are more likely to use coupons is that they’re also usually more diligent with managing their budgets, something many people neglect. The argument in support of couponing far outweigh any arguments against it.
As of 2013, the average person in the U.S. had access to $1,617 worth of coupons. This meant that $516 billion worth of coupons came into circulation. Unfortunately, only $4 billion of those got used, meaning $512 billion got wasted in one year.
Of the people using coupons, 42% save $30 each week, while 21% save $50 per week. This amounts to annual savings of $1,560 and $2,600 respectively. For people looking for a raise each year, using coupons can supplement that. The $2,600 saved amounts to a 6.25% pay rise, based on the national average. The annual average pay rise of 3% or $1,248 pales in comparison.
Despite all the potential savings from using coupons, only 1% of shoppers take advantage of them. If you really want to get ahead in your preparedness, make the most of your coupons.
Via: InvestmentZen.com
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It wasn’t until I (mostly) became permanently disabled due to my Military disabilities that I really started availing myself of coupons. But the reason (s) wasn’t (weren’t?) so much due to any social stygma anxiety as it was due to financial reasons.
Sound confusing?
Allow me to e’splain, Rucy.
Until recently, virtually all coupons were for “name brand” products like grean beans, corn, cereals, bacon, eggs and the like, and not for the lesser expensive store name brands.
When you factor the “savings” of using a coupon for a name brand product vs. the cost of the store brand, the store brand was STILL cheaper so it was, really, a no-brainer as to which to buy. Additionally, buying in quantities for store brands saved that much more, too.
And when you are raising a family with hungry children, a few pennies here and there can really add up, ultimately allowing for a family night out to the movies, a ball game or something else involving family fun.
But now that I am on my own with the kids gone and the ex flitting about on her broom somewhere, I don’t need ten cans of Chef Boyardee to fill hollow legs, but I do still buy them occasionally to set back for those inevitable days of “I don’t wanna cook nothing!” and just need something to fill my gullet.
But, as luck would have it, my typical store now DOES offer their product brand coupons on a variety of items.
Are they always things I “need” or want? Nope, but if I extend and plan out a menu a few weeks or more, I’m sure I can work that whatever into the game plan AND save a few pennies or dollars to boot. Score on both ends of the spectrum in MY eyes.
Plus, some grocery stores offer a plan called “meet or beat” the store brands AND will also honor the store brand coupons, sometimes DOUBLING the coupon value in an effort to win you over to their side! Yet ANOTHER score if you do your homework and don’t mind some roundabout shopping adventures.
So, yeah, I can see why those with six-figure incomes WOULD avail themselves of coupons. After all, they can well afford it plus they would, generally, reach for the Name Brand can of peas, beans, corn or whatever since, Heaven Forbid, shoild the Smith’s or Jones’s down the street come over for a BBQ and see Brand XYZ canned corn instead of the high end Brand ABC being served on the menu!
I mean, what-EVER, my Bleached Blond Bestie!
Anyhoodle, that’s my take on the subject and, as always, EVERYone is entitled to MY opinion. Right?!?
Like, TOTALLY, Dude!
LMAO
PS, stay safe, stay frosty and KOKO (AKA, Keep On Keepin’ On). Oh, and don’t forget to KYPD (Keep Your Powder Dry)!
If they are for items you never use then they are a waste of money. Seeing how many coupons are for things you should never eat or drink, it limits what available to save on.
My point exactly….thanks.
I agree, store brand items are often 10-20% cheaper than the coupon ed named brand so even with coupon how does one save? Besides 90% of coupons are for worthless items I would never use or just plain ol’ junk food I wouldn’t feed my dog with.
I came to this realization years ago and I have a HS diploma!
I’m the most frugal person I know..just ask my husband!!! 🙂
I have never used a coupon in my life.
I have Kroger’s, Aldi’s, and now the Rulers by Kroger’s.
When the prices are slashed up front and generic is as good as name brand, who needs coupons??
Oh, right–to buy something you don’t use or buy something already marked up to way-lay the coupon benefit.
The moral of this article can be summed up like this: Liberals think people are stupid because they are poor. Conservatives think people are poor because they are stupid. As this points out, poor people don’t use coupons-because they’re dumb. Rich people do, which is why they have more money.
Maybe the reason people with $100,000+ income households use more coupons is because they can afford the product in the first place. Those who are on food-stamps can’t.
I rarely use coupons, mainly just ones loaded on to my grocery bonus card. Yes, store brands work just as well in most cases.
I also save money by getting a rain-check on something sold out while on sale. I can get up to 10 at the sale price when that item is restocked. Great for healthcare products or other non-perishable items.
Amazing how the naysayers are those who don’t use coupons. Yes, if you pair a brand name coupon with a sale the product can be cheaper than store brand. That’s your goal. You have to wait for the name brand sale then use your coupons. If you have enough coupons then you can stockpile until the next cyclical sale. I shop at a Kroger affiliated store and Aldi’s. There are a few things I buy at Aldi’s that I can’t at the Kroger store or it’s for a cheaper price. However, the bulk of what I buy is from Kroger. To make a blanket statement that store brand or generic is always cheaper is a lazy response because that’s not always the case. There are times I put a lot of thought and effort into combining Kroger’s mega events with coupons for the lowest price possible. I use to keep a notebook of price per ounce, and price of items in various store, etc. so I know when something is a good deal. I have found the real winner with couponing though is with toiletry items. This is a case where a name brand coupon is your friend. I often get brand name toiletries for free or cheaper than store brand, Aldi or the dollar store. And occasionally I have even received money back. I think that’s a pretty good reason to use coupons.