Hints On Ways Coupons Can Cost You Money

Today many families are trying to save money. One of the ways they have found is to use some of the many coupons appearing daily throughout the media. While some people have cashed in on these coupons and have made tremendous savings in their purchases, it is important to remember, without carefully checking these coupons can cost you money.

There are many examples of ways in which coupons can actually cost more money than they save, but if one looks at the purpose of a coupon it makes perfect sense. Companies need consumers to buy their products in order to stay in business, whether they need them or not. If a family normally purchases generic cereal for a nominal amount, but gets a coupon for money off the same product that is a name brand, they generally opt to buy the brand name. However, if comparing the price of the generic brand with that of the brand name after the coupon discount, they often find they have paid more for the same amount and kind of cereal as they would if they had purchased the generic brand in the first place.

Due to the way economics works, each season brings trends which include changing out products to make room for merchandise that will be needed during the next season. The general public often sees this as clearance sales which offer huge discounts in order to draw customers in and it usually works, but in today’s trying economic times it is taking more than the word “sale” in the window to get people to buy.

Business lures are now coming in the form of coupons which offer additional savings. Often, however, when people arrive what they discover is a disclaimer saying that they have to buy a certain amount in order to qualify for the discount. Another form of what is known as bait-and-switch is for customers to arrive only to find out the store is out-of-stock on the discounted item and are then directed to a higher priced similar item. Even with the coupons, customers often find themselves paying more for the item than the original price of the item they actually wanted.

Certain tactics are used in coupons so consumers must beware when considering their use. Many contain requirements which must be met in order to qualify for their use. For instance, if you have to buy a case of dog food in order to use the coupon, but you haven’t got a dog, how much have you really saved? On the other hand, if you are required to buy 10 pairs of pantyhose, but you work every day and wear a dress, this may be a good coupon for you. The things to consider are how much you actually need the item you are buying and whether or not you can purchase it for less at another retailer.

Whether the purchase is for groceries, clothing, household goods, or other items there is no savings with a coupon if it does not fit in with one’s lifestyle and meet basic needs. Checking the Internet for coupons is a good way to find the ones which fit a person’s particular needs and assist in stretching the budget dollar farther.

Coupons are a sales ploy designed to make a consumer think they are saving money whether they are or not. They are colorful and key words are enlarged in order to draw the eye. Some are even designed to look like real money or checks. It is up to savvy consumers to be mindful of the intent of coupons, compare the price of like products, compare like products offered by different retailers, and be aware of how it fits into their lifestyle because you need to watch out, coupons can cost you money.

I can really use some help here using these Orbitz promo code. Why let the companies make all the money?

Frugal Retirement…Living Aboard a Sailboat

When you mention frugal living some immediately think of sacrificing and denial…frugal living does not have to be like that at all. Think of life living on a sailboat…that’s fun not sacrifice.

Retirement plans have been shaken recently by the current poor economy. Some are saying, my IRA’s and 401K’s just won’t fund retirement. We open our statements with trembling hands. You are not alone. Just do not totally give up on retirement yet.

Take a look at some retirement lifestyles that are not about sacrifice, they are just cheap ways to retire. We lived on a sailboat for eight years…in the Caribbean…it was fun… it was frugal. In our 35 year of married life it was the most rewarding experience we ever had.

The lifestyle we led on the boat cost about $1,000 a month. We traveled from The Virgin Islands down to Venezuela and Trinidad. We lived very well and wanted for nothing. How much can you spend in a pleasant anchorage?…anchoring is free. Most of our money was spent buying cheap fresh local food which we cooked on the boat.

You will have fun living on a sailboat…no surprise there. We enjoyed each island we came to…usually in the company of fellow boaters. We hiked and explored all of the island. We met locals that were very happy to share their island. We avoided the tourist places and experienced the real Caribbean, all without spending a lot of money.

How much did we know about sailing?…Not much. Please don’t believe you have to be an old salt to live this lifestyle. Once you get to the islands (Windward’s and Leeward’s) your longest journey between islands is 90 miles or 16 to 18 hours. The islands are , save Anguilla and Anegada, very mountainous so you can see where you are going. Your GPS takes care of the tough stuff. What a great invention.

Frugal retirement living…have you considered living on a sailboat. We did for eight years and had the time of our lives. Enjoy.

For more information on living on a sailboat. Gary P Pierce is the editor of frugal retirement living , he has experience in sailing and other enjoyable, frugal ways to retire. Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.