Coupons Are Cool: A Practical Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bill

How many of you remember paper coupons, or the 2011 TV show Extreme Couponing? I used to spend my Sundays clipping coupons to feed my ever-growing family. My mother-in-law used to keep all her coupons that were in the Sunday paper (yes, that was a thing) and mail them to me. With coupons in hand, I would make my shopping list based on grocery circular sales and try to make my dollar stretch as far as it could.

Enter today (or close to it): coupons have made the big screen, as seen in the 2021 movie Queenpins starring Kristen Bell and Vince Vaughn. I told you. Coupons are cool.

Embracing today's technology makes couponing easier than ever.

Overall, coupons will not solve inflation, but if used properly and consistently, they can help you win a battle or two.

How inflation affects your grocery bill

"Inflation" as well as "affordability" have been trigger words lately in politics, the news, and in everyday life. Everything has been costing more: gas, groceries, travel. Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises over time, eroding purchasing power and affecting the cost of living and investment returns. It is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which tracks the prices of goods and services over a specific time period.

As an example, if you look at the CPI for white bread as of March 2026, you can see that in 2006 white bread was ~$1.04, and now it is at $1.81. There are more dramatic changes, like with ground chuck. In 2006, ground chuck was ~$2.57 and as of March 2026, it is $6.68. If your pay and/or investments did not keep pace with that change in price, you lost purchasing power — basically, your money cannot buy the same amount of goods that it once could.

Why coupons exist

Coca-Cola was the first company to use coupons, distributing handwritten tickets for a free glass of soda in 1887. Coca-Cola used it to make their name a household brand, so it seems that gamble paid off for them. Coupons are about marketing opportunities. Companies want to get you as a customer and they hope coupons may entice you over to their product. Sometimes the company wins and gets you as a loyal customer for years, or sometimes they lose and the consumer stays with store brands or whichever is offering the lowest price. Price is objective. Lowest price may win most of the time, but quality, scents, taste — you like what you like. Coupons give you the option of trying before buying full retail.

Coupons really took hold during the Great Depression to help stretch family budgets, and America hasn't looked back since.

It is all in the details

Every coupon comes with terms and conditions the customer must follow (buying the correct size and brand, for example) to successfully redeem it. Paper coupons were notorious for not having clarity, and often you would get to the checkout counter and the coupon wouldn't work. This happened to me far too often, but of course, I would politely challenge it and most of the time they would honor it.

In today's digital age, apps and coupon codes have taken over from the paper realm. The apps have reduced confusion and made it very easy to find the right product, actually allowing you to scan the UPC code in real time while you are shopping to confirm that it is the exact item associated with the coupon. These tools help reduce the "known unknowns" of couponing, the uncertainty of whether you'll actually get that $2.00 off laundry detergent.

Requires commitment, planning, and patience

My wife will NOT coupon. She tells me she doesn't have the patience to do so. To truly help make your money stretch further, you have to plan. Couponing is 99% proactive and 1% reactive. Most apps will require you to put the item(s) into their internal "shopping list," but they have been getting a little better in leeway and often will send you an email after the fact telling you that you missed an item or allow you to challenge. However, do not let that be your battle strategy. Be proactive. To successfully coupon:

• Take time to learn how to use your apps properly — this is step one and the foundation of everything else

• Make those "shopping lists" (pre-load offers with the app)

• Check in real time that those UPCs are valid

• Double-check your receipt to confirm all your offers applied; if they didn't, find out how to challenge

If you follow the proactive approach to couponing, you will never have to pay full retail on laundry detergent again (as well as many other products)! Also, if an item doesn't have a coupon today, that doesn't mean there won't be one tomorrow. Patience is required, especially with big-ticket items (rule #1: take time to learn your particular app).

How it works

Paper coupons take money directly off your bill, so you pay less at checkout. The apps of today work a few different ways, so it helps to be aware of how they pay out. Most of them today will credit your account (internal to the app) with the money saved and, based on your preference, either send you a check (physical check via mail), send via PayPal or to your bank account via electronic funds transfer (EFT), or allow you to purchase gift cards with your proceeds.

Where a Fruition Mentor fits in

Inflation hits everyone's bottom line. Combating it also requires good budgeting and fiscal discipline.

This is where a Fruition Mentor can be an invaluable resource. A Mentor can help you work through the budgeting process and think through how far your income can take you.

Are you ready to see how managing and saving money today can benefit you during your financial journey? Connect with a Mentor today to start the conversation.

This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Please consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.