Are Coupon Books Worth It?
Posted on Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
You are probably familiar with coupon books. They usually take the form of entertainment books, local coupon books, or school sponsored coupon books. I was recently approached by several neighborhood kids selling local coupon books as a fundraiser. The coupon book cost $20, but boasted to have hundreds of dollars of savings inside. So, I got to wondering, are coupon books worth it? Here are my conclusions.
It’s Worth It If…
- It includes coupons for places you shop regularly.
- It includes coupons for items you are going to buy anyway.
- The savings associated with the coupons you will use exceed the initial cost of the coupon book.
- The book contains high-value coupons. Sometimes the book will pay for itself with the use of just a few coupons.
- The proceeds support a good cause in your community. Even if you don’t need the coupons, someone you know might.
- You can split the cost of the coupon book and share the coupons with a friend.
It’s Not Worth It If…
- It encourages you to spend money you weren’t originally going to spend. See how coupons can cost you more.
- It doesn’t include coupons for places you shop regularly.
- The book contains low-value coupons. The more coupons you have to use to pay for initial cost, the more likely they are to expire or be forgotten.
- If you can get better deals at stores not associated with the coupons in the book.
- You can get better deals using your own coupon strategies and free coupons.
- You forget to use the coupons in the book.
Before spending money on a coupon book, make sure you take a look at what coupons are inside. Stick with the rule, “don’t spend something to save something.” The truth is, buying something simply because you have a coupon for it doesn’t save any money. So, take a minute to evaluate your shopping habits and decide if a coupon book is right for you.