Have you ever tried to take your family out for a meal but you are put off by how crazy the price of food has become these days?
A family of 4, out shopping for essentials and hoping to grab a quick bite to fill the hole developing in their bodies. And to close the holes in their kids’ faces that haven’t stopped talking and moaning about how they’re fading away to nothing.
But a simple pizza or wrap can set you back a chunk. Sometimes we grin and bear it, but I refuse to pay over the top for something I can make for a quarter of the price. Yes, we are paying for the convenience, but don’t take the mickey.
Where did coupons come from?
We all know the name but we would never think that this company, being the multi-billion-dollar enterprise that it is, would use a tactic of coupons. Who am I talking about? Coco-cola. And the idea is genius.
A representative of Coca-Cola at the time went to Pharmacy’s and asked if they would mind having a machine in their store. He would sell the store owner the syrup at a good rate in exchange for the names and addresses of the locals who use the pharmacy.
Then sending them vouchers direct to their homes stating they were entitled to try a free glass of Coke at the pharmacy, and of course, they enjoyed it, and would from then on proceed to ‘buy’ more glasses.
Thus, meaning the store owner would order more syrup from Coca- Cola and it was a win-win all around. Brilliant. You can read here about the timeline and history of many more coupons coming into play, a very interesting read.
What are the Benefits of Using coupons?
Well firstly, what is a coupon? It is a ticket voucher that states that you, as the bearer, are entitled to money off the retail price of a product or item. It can have the value, the specific item it’s relating to and when the discount will end printed on it.
Some companies offer personalized vouchers, but those are more for gifts and special occasions, not your day to day necessities.
So, why are coupons becoming so popular? Besides the fact that we can buy our friend lunch without having to stretch the coins to make it, we can take care of our families with less stress.
Inflation puts everything up, and food is no exception. As kids grow older, they need more sustenance, you seem to be getting less for our money due to sneaky packaging and it can add a lot of pressure to households.
So, if you can get help in the form of coupons that allow you to buy your monthly groceries, and perhaps get that extra little treat for the kids, is seeing their faces light up with joy not worth every penny.
Any savings you make that month could be put away, or used to treat yourself once in a while to an item you’ve had your eye on but couldn’t afford. It might be that the item is last season even, but each to their own I always say. Style has no time limit.
Where to get coupons?
If you don’t already read the Sunday paper where there are coupons inside, and you don’t want to have to buy it just to get some, you could try asking the person with the paper if you could have it once they’re done. Or ask friends and family if they have any unwanted extra coupons lying around.
Another good way is to subscribe to coupon websites or companies that regularly have offers on. If you don’t mind doing some browsing try looking on Coupon Dad for some great specials and get on the coupon-using train.
There are fun ways too, you could trade with friends or school moms for items you need in exchange for products they are looking for. Local libraries if you live in a little village usually have a few options available from local businesses.
The possibilities are endless and there is no need to spend more than you should, we all need to make a living, so let’s live.
Author’s Bio
Candace Hunham is a copywriter and content writer who specializes in blogging, product / service reviews and marketing campaigns. Candace spends most of her time geeking out on new online tools and maintaining her personal blog. You can catch her fiddling with new stuff online and helping out local business with her reviews.
