Thursday thoughts: Couponers saved $4.6 BILLION in 2011!

The numbers are out and according to NCH Marketing, shoppers saved $4.6 billion last year using coupons! That's an increase of 12.2% from 2010.

One of the statistics I found interesting is that overall, the average coupon value offered (but not necessarily redeemed) was $1.54. For just grocery items, the average coupon value offered was $1.17 and for health and beauty items, the average value offered was $2.09. I don't know about you, but the average coupon I actually redeemed for grocery items was far less than $1.17 face value. Many of the coupons for food items we use in our home have gone down in value to 50 cents or less. If it wasn't for stores that double coupons, my savings would be significantly less. Thankfully, we do have stores in the Triangle who double coupons every day of the week making my real savings per grocery coupon closer to the $1.17 indicated in the findings.

Another fascinating statistic is that of all the grocery coupons released, there were 3 product types that issued more than any others: candy & gum, butter & margarine and died fruit. I have to agree that we have seen many more food coupons for those products than coupons for products we really need to make healthy meals like rice, pasta, yogurt, frozen vegetables, tuna, tofu, etc. We all know that coupons for meat and fresh produce are few and far between, but coupons for other food staples do exist. Many of the best coupons I am finding are coming from printable coupons and directly from manufacturer's.  I hope that in the figures for next year, it shows that there were more coupons issued in 2012 for products that keep our families healthy and not just full of chocolate and butter covered raisins. A girl can hope, can't she?

What are your thoughts on the recently released numbers?

Has your coupon use increased by 58% (or at least significantly) in the last 5 years?

If you have increased your use of coupons, what specifically prompted you to turn to coupons to cut costs?