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Coupon Craze

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Submitted By krissam18
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Coupon Craze: Is it worth it?

Abstract
In today’s world people are always on the go and always wanting to have things so fast. It is surprising to find that not everyone wants the cheapest price however. Couponing has grown to become a popular craze due to the recent airing of the reality show Extreme Couponing. Only 2% of all printed coupons are actually used in today’s economy. This is especially surprising when you can find coupons in so many places today. There is the Sunday paper, internet coupons, and mobile coupons. There are also many stores that offer store coupons that can be combined with manufacturer coupons to save even more money. Even if you do not have a ton of time to dedicate to saving money there are services that will send the coupons you want to your home already clipped and internet sites telling you exactly what store to go to and with what coupons. With everything laid out and explained couponing today seems to be a logical thing to do. So then why are only 2% of the coupons being used?

Introduction

Have you ever stood behind someone in line at the grocery store with a handful of coupons and think to yourself what a waste of time? In today’s fast paced lifestyle, couponing is actually a great way to save money. Today, there are about “310 billion coupons printed and only 2% of them are actually redeemed.”(Slater, 2001, p.3)

“Coupons have been criticized on the grounds that they only discriminate against low-income consumers, consumers who face time restraints, or those who command high wage rates.” (Avery,1991, p1.) Coupons can be found everywhere these days. They are in the Sunday newspaper, online, or on your smartphone. There are also websites online that will teach you how to coupon or when a special runs and your coupon can be used to the greatest advantage.

The number one excuse for why people don’t coupon is the time

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