6 Reasons You Should Never Use Coupons....Not!

Coupons are so old fashioned. Maybe your mother and your grandmother were into clipping their time away, but not you. You're too cool. You're from the iPad generation and don't even read newspapers...filthy ink-staining things! Nobody who's anybody uses coupons anymore.

If that's so, then tell me why manufacturers and merchants crank out 367 billion printable coupons in 2009? Why was there a 27-percent increase in coupon redemption? And why do 41 percent of coupon enthusiasts come from households earning over $700,000?

Because coupons work, that's why. Don't believe me? Then read on for six reasons you should skip the coupons and go directly to the cash register to pay full price.

1. You Might Get Addicted
Coupons are like crack. Once you learn how much money you can save, it'll be hard to go back to paying full price. After just a few weeks of saving $1.50 on a $4 box of cereal, you won't want to go back to paying full price.

2. You'll Spend More Time Online
Print newspaper are so passé. With all the online, mobile and downloadable grocery coupons out there, you needn't ever get your hands dirty clipping the only useful part left of your local rag. You can also download coupons to your club card or loyalty card via the Internet. No messing with paper. Just scan the card at the register and voila! Instant savings.

3. You See the Same Coupons Over and Over Again
Which means you'll get used to cooking with the same products. Horrors! That just might make meal planning more simple and planning your shopping trips easier. No more hunting down a strange items, going from store to store looking for a certain brand.

4. You Might Have to Upgrade Your Smartphone
As mobile coupons become more popular and easy to use, you may just want to invest in a better smartphone. Plus, there are all those free and cheap apps that make it so much easier to shop, allowing you to create interactive shopping lists that match up coupons to your list and to your recipe file.

5. Shopping Takes Longer...
...until you get used to shopping with coupons. You'll have to figure out which stores carry the products advertised and how they'll fit into your lifestyle. Once you figure out the basic ground rules, however, you'll be surprised how quickly you can whip through a shopping trip.

6. You Never See Coupons For Anything You Want
Maybe your newspaper only carries coupons for 15 percent off at your local hardware store, but online you'll find savings on everything from name-brand products to major restaurants. Savings are only a Google away.

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