Review: The Lazy Couponer

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The Lazy Couponer: How to Save over $25,000 per Year in Just 45 Minutes Each Week by Jamie Chase.

First, the important part: I was not contacted to do this review and was in no way compensated for it!

Like most "Extreme Couponers" Chase has a theory that she backs up with examples from her own spending. Her book, set up like a course with a little quiz at the end of each chapter, IS very helpful if you are wanting to begin learning the couponing game. If you are a seasoned couponer and drug store shopper, there is little new here.

Good:

1. Chase limits herself to 45 minutes per week for all her coupon hunting and clipping.
2. She does not stockpile products.
3. Her examples attempt to show how she uses strategies to pay for fresh veggies, fruit and meat.
4. She does not buy much convenience food.
5. She only prints coupons as she needs them avoiding wasting printing supplies.
6. She clearly points out unethical and illegal couponing practices.
7. She demonstrates what I call her "apply on the fly" philosophy of how to grab an emergency item at a drug store and come out ahead! This was very helpful.
8. She covers couponing at U.S. Military commissaries, post exchanges and other types of military shopping facilities.

Bad:

1. Did we really need the "personal lubricant" example? Just ick.
2. I'm cautious about buying the kinds of meats that generally have coupons--frozen meatballs and sausage generally have tons of salt and preservatives, but some do not. She seems to try to buy a lot of this type meat.
3. She buys more snack foods in one profiled trip than I bought for a family of 3 in all of 2011! Even if they ARE "good" or "organic."
4. Why do people who don't need them buy a glucose monitor just to get store "bucks"??

Did I learn anything? Yes! Most of what's presented here I've learned elsewhere, but I did get a few tips:

1. Companies give products out to people who will host promotional parties. (I didn't know this, but wondered if some of the bloggers I read host "virtual" parties when they has brand-specific give-a-ways.)
2. There are databases that help you locate a coupon--IF you save your coupon inserts, or that direct you to sites where you can print coupons.
3. I liked the "apply on the fly" plan I mentioned above for getting a great deal when you have to make an emergency or forgotten purchase at a drug store.
4. Some stores take expired coupons for a certain period of time.
5. I did not know about the reusable bag gizmo (Green Bag Tags or GBTs) at CVS
6. You can donate coupons to oversees military personnel/families to help them with the higher cost of living on those posts.
7. She validated, with examples, the things I was already doing right--and that's a good thing!
   

If you want to start couponing I'd recommend blogs like Money Saving Mom and others who introduce you to the same stuff for free and have a lot of the week's "deals" at various stores already worked out for you often with the coupon insert named for the coupons. Many bloggers (Money Saving Mom included) have e-books you can buy, but wait till they are on sale or free and save even more money! But if you're in a hurry, this is a good deal at the library!