Let’s debunk a few of those coupon myths that prevent people from realizing how great coupons can be and gives to something to explain to your friends and family when they think you’ve gone insane.

Loyalty Cards track what you buy

I want to say a quick word about store loyalty cards. Someone just told me they don’t like them because they allow the stores to track what you buy. Yeah, they do! And because they do, you will get coupons in the mail and in your inbox specifically based on what you buy. I bought Purina Cat Food. Then I got coupons for Meow Mix and Friskies. And I know when I use those coupons; Purina will send me an even better one to try to lure me back. The cycle continues, I’m just glad my cat isn’t a picky eater, because this could go on for a while.

Your store loyalty card is your biggest way to get savings!

Couponing doesn’t save you that much and it takes up too much time.

Yes couponing takes time, especially at first. Once you know what you’re doing, it takes a lot less time. I work on organizing and planning in the evenings while watching TV and it only takes me a couple hours a week total.

Most coupons are for a dollar or more and most stores double coupons for under a dollar every day. And a dollar off everything in your cart will add up fast. The higher the cost of the item, the more the coupon will be worth. I’ve seen coupons for as high as 10 dollars for over the counter medicine.

Coupons are only for junk food

Nope. Last week my meals included grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, salmon fillet over asparagus, chicken catchetorie. All with ingredients couponed.

If you want to only eat junk food, you bet there are coupons for it.  But rebates for any fresh meat or produce are on apps (which I will talk about) Coupons for meat from brand names like Perdue and Tyson’s are common. You can get both fresh and precooked frozen, which saves you time too.  A lot of canned fruit and veggies are terrible, I’ll agree,  but the frozen ones aren’t bad since they’re flash frozen when picked, and Gorton’s, Dole, Green Giant, and Bird’s Eye all are common coupons.

If you really want, just stick with saving on pet supplies, household goods, cleaning and pharmacy products.

They are inconvenient to carry around.

You can easily create a binder to organize and hold all your coupons. Just grab your binder when you head to the store

They expire too quickly

A coupon just clipped is probably good for at least a couple of months, and usually longer. I have coupons in my binder that won’t expire until the end of the year.

It’s too much trouble to figure out which ones go where.

If it says manufacturer’s coupon, it will be accepted at any store that accepts coupons. That’s a lot of trouble?

They tempt you to buy too much of what you don’t want or need.

Coupons are advertising. They’re meant to tempt you. But I know you have the willpower. If you use a coupon to buy something you don’t need, even a dime, it’s a dime you’ve wasted.

People who see my stockpile ask me why I need 15 boxes of spaghetti or 20 cans of soup. “I don’t need that many, I’ll never eat it all. “  Most dry and canned goods are good for 2 years or more. I love pasta, and it won’t take 3 months, let alone a couple of years to eat those boxes.

If you decide to try a new item and you don’t like it, give the items to a shelter or food pantry. Same if you see something you don’t need but will be free or a money maker after coupons. Get it and give it.

The store loses money/It’s stealing

You’re so sweet to worry about a multi-million corporation. But you give the coupons to the cashier so that the store can send them to the manufacturer and get reimbursed. The manufacturer has put the coupons in their advertising budget. No one loses. If the store wants to double that’s their choice, if they lose money, they’ll stop doing it.

And the biggest one of all………..

People will stare

Not as much as you think they will. And most of them will be complimentary. I have been praised on my organizational skills in the aisle and men have stopped me to ask if I can teach their wives. One elderly man once stopped and looked at me and said “You are a woman who knows how to get things done” Plus more people are using coupons than you think. I was behind a woman who started to apologize to me when handing the cashier her envelope before she saw my binder and laughed.

You can minimize problems by keeping some rules of etiquette, which I’ll go over later. If you are really worried, try shopping in off hours if possible. During the weekday if you can, or late at night.

And you know what…. they may stare, but they’re not the ones paying your bills.