Clipping Coupons, Not worth the trouble

My mom was an avid coupon clipper. She had a knack for saving coupons until the store ran a special on a particular item, so she would save that much more. She still managed to spend $100 a week feeding three people, and this was twenty years ago. I remember having a closet full of soaps, shampoos, and toothpaste. She would still buy more if she could get it for the right price. Since she often bought more food than was needed, she would give much of it to my older brother who had already moved out of the house. She also would send care packages to friends and family across the country.

I have found clipping coupons only ends up raising your grocery bill instead of lowering it. I currently feed a family of seven and haven't used a coupon in years. At one point however, I was very interested in the savings from coupons. I even started a coupon exchange, where I would give my unwanted coupons away and receive another person's to pick and choose from.

I found that coupons had a tendency to make me want to buy something I didn't need and would never use just because I had a coupon for it. It pressed my impulse buttons, making me think I wanted it when I really didn't. It also tended to make me purchase things sooner than I normally would have due to the expiration date. I may have a cupboard full of shampoo, but I'd buy another bottle because the coupon was going to expire in a few days.
I also found the coupon made me purchase more than I wanted to. Sure you can store non perishable items, so purchasing more than enough isn't going to hurt in the long run. However, if you're shopping on a budget and buying more than you need at that time, you're not helping yourself any, and you're not saving money.
Personally I have found it cheaper not to use coupons at all. Instead I purchase store brand items as often as possible. Usually store brand is cheaper than the name brand even with a coupon. I also make a list and stick to it, this avoids spending money on unnecessary items. It also helps to shop at the right stores. I have always done the majority of my grocery shopping at Walmart Super Center, as I have found they have the lowest prices. I once tested my theory by shopping at another grocery store on occasion and found I spent almost double on the same items.
I am also saving myself $1.75 a week by not purchasing the Sunday Paper. The only thing we ever used it for was the coupons.