Do coupons save money on vegetables?
I was surprised by the number of fruit and vegetable coupons that were in the newspaper (see To Coupon or Not To Coupon), so I took another look. Here’s the list and my analyses:
- Green Giant frozen boxed vegetables (they have cheese sauce on them) – coupon was for $.50 off when you buy two
- Green Giant frozen bagged vegetables (19-24 ounce bags, some have butter sauce on them) – coupon was for $.50 off on one
Buying the brand name frozen vegetables with the cheese or butter sauce and using the coupon is still going to cost more (sometimes double) than buying bags or boxes of frozen vegetables and adding a little tub margarine, or letting some shredded cheese melt on top at the end of cooking. Plus, I get to control the calories and fat. The boxes of Green Giant were running $1.79/10-ounce box and you have to buy two to use the coupon. The Green Giant bags of peas I saw were $3.39 for 24 ounces. With the coupon, the cost per ounce is $.12 ($2.89/24 ounces = $.12), while the store brand was on special at $.88 for 16 ounces, or $.06 per ounce ($.88/16 ounces = $.06).
- Betty Crocker boxed mashed potatoes – coupon was for $.25 off when you buy one
Boxed mashed potatoes can be a low-cost convenience food if you get the larger size box and add your own seasonings. The coupon was for an 8-serving size box and with the coupon cost per serving was $.18—without the milk and margarine needed. There were two different brands of the large 17-serving boxes. One cost $2.49 ($.15/serving) and one cost $1.69 ($.10/serving)—again without the milk or margarine. Fresh potatoes were on sale for $1.49/5 pounds. The cost of the potatoes to make homemade mashed would be about $.12/serving.
- Nature Sweet Cherry tomatoes (fresh) coupon was for $1 off when you buy two bags
This one is a no-brainer. The cost of two bags of the cherry tomatoes minus the coupon was $5. I guess I’ll wait until later in the summer when my tomatoes start producing.
- Ragu pasta sauce – coupon was for $.30 off when you buy one jar
- Bertolli pasta sauce – coupon was for $.75 off when you buy one jar
The $.30 off coupon for the Ragu is a good price especially if it happens to be on sale. The only spaghetti sauce cheaper would be Hunts in the can. I would use the canned sauce if I was using it in a casserole; but, if I was serving spaghetti and sauce, my family would prefer the Ragu.
- Welch’s dried fruit (6-ounce bag, 5.5-ounce bag, or 9-count variety pack) – coupon was for $1 off when you buy one bag
I couldn’t check this one because my store didn’t carry the product. Not surprising, since coupons are often used to introduce new products.
Bottom line—I would have used one of the seven fruit and vegetable coupons.
-pointers by Peggy
The coupon clipping bit drives me crazy too…especially since I loose them, don’t use them in time before they expire or I can’t find coupons for food I’m willing to eat. Another thing that I find difficult, which would be nice to see addressed here, is how to find the best food bargains in town.
I could waste a lot of gas running from store to store to see who has the best prices. Inevitably one store will have higher on apples and lower on product X, but another store will have the opposite effect. I know some people who spend all day planning out their trips to stores all over town to get the best bargains and they have a good memory for which prices are good. I don’t have this kind of time or memory. What can I do?
Locate a store that generally has lower prices and also matches the advertised specials from area stores. Then stick with that store. Time is worth money, too, not to mention the gas used to run around town. The store I shop regularly meets these two qualifications, and it gives me peace of mind to know that I generally am getting the best possible value for the amount of time and effort extended.
@JS
I would recommend making a list of the top 20 items that you buy every week – this is your list. Then to get your best ever price all you need to do is take this list with you when you go to the grocery store – and record the items price every week (maybe you should shop around a couple of weeks and note the name of the store at the top of each week) Then you will notice a pattern – locally at my favorite store – I know that every 12 weeks cereal is put on sale for BOGO and I save my coupons to use then and I stock up – every 12 weeks. By knowing when the item is usually at the lowest price you can stockpile items that have long shelf lives and cut your budget even more by getting the most from your coupons
There’s absolutely no reason not to use coupons. I’ve become very fond of them, especially lately with prices in the grocery skyrocketing. Why wouldn’t you use coupons, its like free money!
I totally agree, i find coupons really great deal. Why we shouldnt use them ?
I do very little coupon-clipping now. I still check my paper for coupons, but I find most of them online. I love coupons, they save you so much money in even one trip. After a month of grocery shopping, then a year, it really adds up! And coupons can eliminate the need to drive from grocery store to grocery store to save a few cents on a product – in the end, it balances out nicely.
I like this idea, I completely with you agree.
There’s absolutely no reason not to use coupons. I’ve become very fond of them, especially lately with prices in the grocery skyrocketing. Why wouldn’t you use coupons, its like free money!
I would say yes they do in my honest view, I love using them as does my wife.
Jamie
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