Cofffee

I couldn't be bothered clipping coupons; I go shopping so infrequently, the coupon has usually expired by the time I have an opportunity to use it.

The only exception for me is pizza coupons (And possibly computer hardware coupons... which are rare). The 2 for 1 pizza specials are a pretty good deal, so I take advantage of those whenever I don't feel like cooking anything (which is often).

Loren Pechtel

My experience is that the coupons are generally for things that cost more. Thus they rarely are of benefit.

Don't judge the savings, look at the final price. Of course the stores try to make you look at things the other way.

Marduk

I use Pizza Hut coupons a lot. Other than that just stuff for my dog, milk bones and such, the other ones are too complicated & time consuming and never really correspond to what I'm shopping for at the time. I live on sandwiches and potato chips anyway.

Never

<waves hands in air>
I'm a couponer. I consider it a hobby that pays off.
I clip all the coupons but only file the ones I think I'll use. The ones I don't want go into another box to trade at our monthly coupon club meeting. Clippling and cleaning outdates and such is a nice mindless activity to do when in a waiting room or while someone else is driving.
Last week Big Bear had "Super Doubles" where they double coupons up to $1.00. My total was $185.00 before coupons (that was after sale prices too) and I paid $60.00. I do buy things I will not use if it's toothpaste, deoderant, shampoo, etc. and is free or only a few cents and then I donate it.
The computer I'm using now was $320 (including monitor and printer) by stacking online rebates.
Anyone need some free Colgate?

mongrel

Considering I live on fuck-all money, I have to go for whatever's cheapest.

Loren Pechtel's hit the nail on the head- it's the final price which is most important, not how much you'll supposedly "save".

I use supermarket fuel coupons, which give 4 cents/litre off the regular price(which is on par with the normal price elsewhere) at certain servos.

I gotta eat, and I gotta drive.

abe smith

I use very few coupons at-all; and only for groceries (which is just about all that I buy, except an occasional 2nd-hand book, in my one-guy household. For gifts, I mostly give checks.)
I did subscribe for 12 weeks of the Boston Globe recently, with their 50%-off insert. (And it turns-out that that offer was not supposed to be applicable in my distant area; they gave it to me tho; apparently because I sent the check w/ my response.)
I use coupons,at all & only for groceries, 1.when it's for something I buy & use * anyway* and 2. the end-price, WITH the coupon, is not-more than I'd have spent on the item anyway.and
3. only when the store is TRIPLING the coupon(s) that week. I do use an occasional coupon to buy as a gift for near-&-dear some nice little goodie (e.g. a jar of Nutella) that I'd never buy otherwise.
Instead of using coupons, one of my favorite ways of saving money (again, on groceries, which is really about all i do buy ("at my age")) is to buy stuff "secondhand"; that is, "remaindered", in the marked-down bin = post-holiday easter & Chrx candy; slightly-bashed packages of pasta; wonderful dayold in-store -baked dark-grained bread, at $1.50, marked down from original price of $2.99.
And of course the few things, clothes I need, I buy very 2nd hand as Katherine Hepburn did/does, at the local excellent! 2ndhand-department-store. (Called "SAVERS" >> look for them in your area. ) After all a brandnewfirst-price garment becomes "2ndhand" the moment after you buy it & put it on. The smart Brits(in contemporary mystery stories) always shop at the Oxfam shop.
And of course for bus transportation = 36 cents a DAY, limitless rides, I use my "elder" pass for $13 a month; and save two dollars by getting the monthly pass at my supermarket w/ my storecard, for $11, instead of $13. Etc etc

Shake

Well, I'd like to thank everyone for the opinions voiced so far. Miss djax, I'm going to check out those sites in greater detail later, thanks!

No, I'm not so naive to think that even with a coupon, a particular item may still be more expensive than another brand. It all really depends on what it is. My wife is more brand loyal than I am. I also know that I could save a lot of money by buying the cheapest of everything on my shopping list, but you get what you pay for. My f-i-l got us some trash bags from one of those "Dollar stores" and they were crap! You couldn't put very much in them for fear of them busting open. That's one lesson I've learned from my wife, is that for many things, it's better to pay more and get better quality/longer life than to save a few cents, but have to use more product.

Also, check out places like www.myfree.com
They have a newsletter which you can have emailed to you. I've had several different 'freebie' newsletters before, but this one is pretty good. I'll occasionally get free samples of products. Just in the last month, I got a sample pack of napkins (only 8, but that's 8 fewer that I didn't have to pay for), and a shampoo sample. The shampoo is a brand I used to use and is probably on 4-6oz, but if you've seen my pic here, you know that'll last me a month or two!

When I go through the paper, I only cut coupons for brands that I use, unless it's something like napkins or paper plates which I'm not that picky about which brand it is. Then I'll still compare prices once I get to the store. I have been known to not use a coupon when I noticed that another brand of some product was still cheaper than the one I had a coupon for.

wildernesse, here's more info on the Entertainment books!