Rant: Grandma's coupon binder is dead and gone

I was flipping through my mom's old recipe box last weekend and found a worn out envelope stuffed with grocery coupons from 1993. Most were for 25 cents off margarine or 50 cents off a specific brand of frozen veggies. It got me thinking about how different deal hunting is now versus back then. My grandma had a whole binder system with plastic baseball card sheets for her coupons and she would plan her weekly trips to three different stores. Now I just pull up the store app on my phone or check a random deal forum while I'm waiting for my dental patients to rinse. The hunt is way less tactile you know? I miss the physical feel of clipping and sorting even if digital coupons are technically easier. Has anyone else noticed how the ritual of saving money has totally changed over the last 20 years?

3 comments

3 Comments

clairer7911d ago

Totally get what you're saying. My grandma did the same thing with her coupon binder, it was like a second job for her on Sundays. I remember the sound of her scissors snipping those little squares while she watched the news. Now everything is on an app and it just feels hollow somehow, like you're not really earning the savings. It's almost too easy and it takes the fun out of the hunt for a good deal. You're right, the ritual of saving money has lost all its personality and character.

jamienguyen11d ago

Yeah, that's such a good point. It really did make it feel more rewarding, didn't it?

amy9758d ago

The real loss is the social aspect nobody's mentioned. Grandmas used to trade coupons at church or swap binders with neighbors. Now discount hunting is just you and your screen in silence.