The ‘Battle of the Brands’

May 15, 2013
Last week, readers frustrated with the increasing number of low-value coupons shared their views. One said that if a coupon doesn’t make a large enough dent in the price of a national name-brand item, she doesn’t use it. She buys the retailer’s store brand instead. Will this emerging “boycott the 25-cent coupon” approach encourage marketers to offer better coupon values?  (More)

Are coupon values falling?

May 8, 2013
Last week, I featured an email from a reader who felt there weren’t enough coupons for fresh meat and produce. He also had a comment on coupons’ values:  (More)

Couponer: Where’s the beef?

May 1, 2013
Dear Jill, I’m tired of finding mostly coupons and discounts in the papers for women’s beauty products, toys for kids and junk food. What gives? In this economy we need food coupons! Where are the meat and produce coupons? Just to buy some vegetables and fruit, let alone any fresh meat or chicken, can break my bank account. How does the consumer get the attention of the producers/distributors and sellers to offer more coupons on ‘real’ food? – Fred T.  (More)

‘Extreme’ ruined everything

April 24, 2013
Dear Jill, I don’t know if there’s anything you can do but I have to vent. I have been a couponer for many years. It’s something my family needs to do to make ends meet. But ever since the TLC “Extreme Couponing” TV show came around, it seems a lot of things have changed. Companies’ coupon offers don’t seem to be as good any more and a lot of stores seem to be against coupons. I blame that ridiculous show. But it’s not like all of us are doing things to extremes. How do we tell companies to stop pulling back their coupon offers? Innocent people are suffering without the better coupon offers we used to see. – Chandra S.  (More)

Taxing coupon conundrum

April 17, 2013
Last week, I featured an assortment of emails from readers who shared some of their coupon frustrations. There’s more where that came from! Claudia has a question on coupons and sales tax.  (More)

Readers share coupon complaints

April 10, 2013
My readers continue to share many coupon tips, stories and complaints via email. Here’s a sampling of what has landed in my inbox lately! First, Rick offers a strategy for dealing with coupons that a cashier incorrectly refuses to honor at the register:  (More)

Is that ‘free sample’ really free?

April 3, 2013
Dear Jill,  (More)

More on the E-coupon debate

March 27, 2013
Recently, I shared an email from a reader who believes there is a conspiracy going on with electronic coupons. My reader feels that companies offering coupons online and via phone apps are deliberately excluding discounts from the people who need them the most. I offered some budget-friendly tips for ways to access coupons online, including visiting a public library and using a free computer terminal to load e-coupons to a store’s loyalty card or print coupons.  (More)

More coupon restrictions

March 20, 2013
As couponing has grown in popularity, some shoppers have sought to push the limits and maximize their savings by using coupons in improper ways.  (More)