Coupons began circulating in 1887, with the first coupons in U.S. history distributed by Asa Candler, a druggist who bought the Coca-Cola formula. In order to advertise Coca-Cola products, he used paper tickets to give away free glasses of Coke.
In the mid-1990s, printable coupons became available on the Internet. Coupon codes were on the rise and allowed consumers to have discounts on orders, also called “promotional codes.” Today, coupons are no longer being clipped as much as they are being downloaded. According to Coupons.com network, online coupons in 2010 exceeded the growth of coupons distributed in newspapers by ten times.
Now, online coupons are bigger than ever, with dozens of coupon websites including Groupon, Living Social, Dealfind, Google and Yelp.
According to a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive® and commissioned by Coupons.com, education plays a role with coupon users. Adults with college degrees are more likely to use coupons than those without high school degrees, 78 to 51 percent. Those with college degrees also plan saving strategies more often.
As a college student, I look for the best deals – as long as I can find them fast. I search through different coupon books that I receive in the mail, and online I look for deals offered by Yelp, and also clothing websites with different perks such as designer discounts on Hautelook.com, and websites that boast free shipping deals.
With rising tuition fees, expensive textbooks and soaring gas prices, coupons are sure to continue in popularity. It’s safe to say that almost every college student aims to save during their scholastic career. Some choose to live off Top Ramen or other cheap foods, but others seek to download coupons online that are reliable at grocery stores and different restaurants so they can leave with a delicious meal without breaking the bank.
Some restaurants list discounts on Business.Intuit.com/boorah-restaurants, including The Auld Dubliner and Tantalum — a $25 gift certificate that costs $10 — and Johnny Rebs’ Southern Roadhouse with a 2-for-1 lunch or dinner. And those are just a few of the deals available.
A new television show entitled “Extreme Couponing” illustrates how the extreme coupon trend is growing. This reality show follows the lives of “couponers” and shows individuals using coupons in big ways.
The “extreme” part of “Extreme Couponing” comes from individuals like Nathan who has a “wall of toothpaste,” consisting of 1,000 tubes of toothpaste that collectively weigh 400 pounds. He only paid sales tax for the toothpaste; his coupons saved him the rest of the cost. He takes pride in donating excess items that he gets from couponing to different causes.
Jessica, another individual on “Extreme Couponing,” uses coupons to stick with a strict budget for a family of six; she has just $160 for groceries each month. Jessica was presently surprised to find out news ways of saving that includes using store and manufacturer coupons on the same item, and coupon text message alerts that the store can easily scan from your phone.
“Extreme couponing” is entertaining. It shows the tactics couponers use to get the best deals by pairing coupons, checking grocery policies and picking specific items to buy to build an endless stock room. The show depicts the participants having adrenaline as they walk into the grocery store, as if shopping is a sport and they are aiming to bring home the gold. The grocery store clerks are on board while checking the abundance of items and coupons; it’s a process that ends with high fives when the check-out is complete.
The participants on this show have common stories of how they started looking for coupons to save money, often due to the lack of work and the strained economy — pretty smart. And if you’re a resourceful individual who has the time to search for coupons and find the best deals, then more power to you.
Kendra Kirk is a senior communications major and contributing writer for the Daily 49er.
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