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September is National Coupon Month

In the American society, coupons and coupon clipping plays an important role in the buying and selling of products, as these money-saving items are so popular that the entire month of September is devoted. Each year, billions of dollars are saved with the use of coupons, as some people have taken this action to an art form, as the average coupon is worth about $1, making it possible to bring home a ton of products for free throughout the year. When coupled with in-store specials, sales, and shopper card discounts, coupons can put a real dent in the annual figure spent on groceries and other services.

Brief History of National Coupon Month

Throughout the years in history, the establishment of a National Coupon Month was inevitable. The first reported coupon is considered the 1884 handwritten tickets for a free glass of a new fountain drink distributed by the druggist who bought the recipe for Coca Cola. In 1895, Post became the first company to create the original grocery store coupon, which gave consumers one cent off of their latest product – Grape Nuts. Over time, the coupon became quite important, as households in the United States were known to heavily rely on these savings during hard times, such as the Depression.

During the 1940s, the supermarket became a popular stop for shopping where neighborhoods scattered about the country also embraced the coupon. By 1965, a reported 50% of all Americans clipped coupons, which increased by 15% ten years later. It wasn’t until 1998 that the art of coupon clipping became a celebration with the first National Coupon Month. During the first annual observance, children made art displays of their favorite coupons. The third year of National Coupon Month involved parents teaching their children the importance of saving money with coupons.

During the fourth National Coupon Month in 2001, teachers used coupons to emphasize the value of money. In 2002, a survey revealed that shoppers saved $3 billion dollars by redeeming close to 4 billion coupons. The power of these money-savers has since spread, as 2006 saw that at least 70% of young adults (aged between 18 and 24) use coupons.

The Benefits of Using Coupons

As you clip coupons and watch the weekly ads, you stand the chance to bring home some of your favorite items for no little to no cost at all. The overall savings of clipping coupons helps many save a great deal off of their weekly grocery bills, which can total between 25% and 50%. Coupons also allow consumers to try new products without paying an arm and a leg, as well as stock up on the products that a household uses the most.

Coupons have also provided benefits to people undergoing significant transitions in their life. Typically, more than half of primary grocery shoppers use coupons when purchasing things during their years at college. A significant amount of shoppers use coupons when they first move out of their parent’s home or obtain their first residence on their own. A large number of people start using coupons when they get married or move in with their significant other. As they begin to build a family, about 90% of all primary grocery shoppers have used at least one coupon.

In this day and age, coupons are no longer confined to the Sunday newspaper, as postal marketing may bring an interesting coupon your way, or the packaging of an item presents a chance to try another product within the same line.

Today, more people are also tapping into the world of online coupon clipping, where virtual coupon managers include savings on anything such as laundry detergent, potato chips, bath and beauty items, and the local pizza diners. Restaurants email coupons for special occasions (birthdays) and throughout the year consisting of $5 discounts or free desserts. Other dining establishments print newspaper inserts that offers $5 off your total bill when you spend over $15. Overall, there is no end to the type of coupons a consumer may encounter and take advantage of.

And with the introduction of CouponCuisine in 2007,  restaurants can attract customers with a whole new method of coupon marketing.