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Haven’t you heard? Coupons are cool
Economist offers simple tips on how to save
By Hallie Goodman
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
“I woke up one day and a pack of gum was $2. I just felt like every two seconds I was being extorted. I thought, what am I getting for my money?”
So said Sam Pocker, author of “Retail Anarchy, A Radical Shopper’s Adventures in Consumption,” scheduled to hit bookstores in March. Pocker, who tours the country as a “stand-up economist,” has channeled his anger over the price of — among other things — a box of garbage bags, and used it to master the world of coupons.
But unlike some experts, who make coupon-clipping seem like more trouble than it’s worth, Pocker manages to present the process as a fun, even adventurous endeavor.
“The book is about understanding marketing for a person who feels hopeless and who doesn’t want to hear all this crap about what to invest in. It’s about teaching yourself how you are being manipulated and how to get out of it, without being preachy,” said Pocker.
In an interview with the Register-Star, Pocker laid out a list of 10 novice-friendly tips to help consumers — like you — start saving money the very next time you shop.
1. Start small
Pocker suggests choosing a single item — preferably one that you hate paying for. “Maybe it’s razors, for a lot of people it’s batteries. Spend a few weeks looking for coupons for that kind of item. Look in newspapers, store circulars, the Web — as many places as you can for that type of item. Clip them even if it’s not the brand you want,” he said.
2. Search for sales
At the end of two weeks, start looking for sales on that same item, again, even if it’s not your brand. Look for sales even in stores where you don’t normally shop. Then, start cross-referencing the sale items with the coupons you’ve collected.
“Very quickly, you will figure out how to get the item for free, or at a very low price,” said Pocker. “Every week, pick a store and look at what’s on sale. Don’t look at anything else. Any store that has an item on sale and you have a coupon will be cheaper than Wallmart.”
3. Widen the net
As your starter month winds down, start looking for coupons everywhere — places you might not be aware of. “At the deli counter, the sticker on the meat has coupons on it. At Price Chopper, there’s a great machine that scans your card and shoots out coupons,” said Pocker.
“Gather coupons for anything and everything, even if you think you won’t use it,” he said. “This is especially great if you have children, you can turn it into a little family activity. But spend an hour a week max.”
4. Combine
“If you find a coupon in the paper for Jell-O, and you go into the store and get another one, you can use them together,” said Pocker. “You can always mix store and manufacturer coupons. I have yet to see a store that will not allow it.”
In addition, area Price Chopper and Shop Rite stores will double all manufacturers’ coupons up to 99 cents, and offer coupons in their circulars that double specific items up to three dollars.
5. Limits shlimits
Most markets have their own version of a coupon limit, and they vary from branch to branch. Scrutinize the fine print, which can often only be found in the customer service area of the store itself. One of the most common limitations — four of a kind, per customer, per visit — is easy to get around, according to Pocker.
“I get a cup of coffee, put a Stones record in my ipod and go. I’ll put four in the car — that’s a visit. Go back in, get four more — that’s a visit,” he said.
“The trouble with Price Chopper is that no two have the same policy,” said Pocker. “They all double coupons [in Columbia and Greene counties], but the one in Hudson has a whole ridiculous routine where more than 50 percent of your total order can’t be coupons.” But according to Pocker, there’s a way to sidestep even that.
“You pad your order with Price Chopper gift cards. If your order comes to $100, and $70 of it is coupons, buy a $40 Price Chopper gift card and use it on your next order — it’s called filler,” he said.
6. Use your power for good
If you have a combination that will get you an item for free, Pocker advocates purchasing as many as possible.
“If you don’t need it and it’s free, buy it anyway and take it to a soup kitchen or a food pantry. It’s not about being greedy, it’s about not getting taken. You’ve learned this thing, so go do something good with it,” he said.
7. Subliminal suggestions are more powerful than you think
“One of the greatest things I’ve discovered is wearing headphones,” said Pocker. “When you can’t hear their music or advertising you buy a lot less. All of a sudden, in the middle of a song, you hear over the intercom, ‘Hey do you need 20 pounds of shrimp?’ It sounds stupid, but it does effect us subliminally. Everything — even the sound of the registers, and you don’t even notice.”
8. No purchase necessary to win
“No matter what you do, never ever spend money on something to sort your coupons. Don’t buy the scissors with three holes,” said Pocker. “It’s not a fashion accessory. You’re doing this to save money.”
9. Don’t assume bargain stores that won’t accept coupons are actually bargains
“Be leery of any store that does not take coupons. Why won’t they take the coupons?” said Pocker. “I just say [forget] it, I’m not getting involved.”
10. Take care of your basic needs first
“Don’t go shopping exhausted, don’t go when you are starving, don’t go with a screaming baby. If you are stressed out, lock yourself in the closet with a Yankee Candle and a Yanni record. Do your ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ thing before you get in the car and go,” said Pocker.
“Retail Anarchy” is available for pre-order at www.Amazon.com. Pocker’s documentary on the subject, “Your Milleage May Vary,” is also available.
Watch a clip of Pockers film, “Your Mileage May Vary.”
By Hallie Goodman
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
“I woke up one day and a pack of gum was $2. I just felt like every two seconds I was being extorted. I thought, what am I getting for my money?”
So said Sam Pocker, author of “Retail Anarchy, A Radical Shopper’s Adventures in Consumption,” scheduled to hit bookstores in March. Pocker, who tours the country as a “stand-up economist,” has channeled his anger over the price of — among other things — a box of garbage bags, and used it to master the world of coupons.
But unlike some experts, who make coupon-clipping seem like more trouble than it’s worth, Pocker manages to present the process as a fun, even adventurous endeavor.
“The book is about understanding marketing for a person who feels hopeless and who doesn’t want to hear all this crap about what to invest in. It’s about teaching yourself how you are being manipulated and how to get out of it, without being preachy,” said Pocker.
In an interview with the Register-Star, Pocker laid out a list of 10 novice-friendly tips to help consumers — like you — start saving money the very next time you shop.
1. Start small
Pocker suggests choosing a single item — preferably one that you hate paying for. “Maybe it’s razors, for a lot of people it’s batteries. Spend a few weeks looking for coupons for that kind of item. Look in newspapers, store circulars, the Web — as many places as you can for that type of item. Clip them even if it’s not the brand you want,” he said.
2. Search for sales
At the end of two weeks, start looking for sales on that same item, again, even if it’s not your brand. Look for sales even in stores where you don’t normally shop. Then, start cross-referencing the sale items with the coupons you’ve collected.
“Very quickly, you will figure out how to get the item for free, or at a very low price,” said Pocker. “Every week, pick a store and look at what’s on sale. Don’t look at anything else. Any store that has an item on sale and you have a coupon will be cheaper than Wallmart.”
3. Widen the net
As your starter month winds down, start looking for coupons everywhere — places you might not be aware of. “At the deli counter, the sticker on the meat has coupons on it. At Price Chopper, there’s a great machine that scans your card and shoots out coupons,” said Pocker.
“Gather coupons for anything and everything, even if you think you won’t use it,” he said. “This is especially great if you have children, you can turn it into a little family activity. But spend an hour a week max.”
4. Combine
“If you find a coupon in the paper for Jell-O, and you go into the store and get another one, you can use them together,” said Pocker. “You can always mix store and manufacturer coupons. I have yet to see a store that will not allow it.”
In addition, area Price Chopper and Shop Rite stores will double all manufacturers’ coupons up to 99 cents, and offer coupons in their circulars that double specific items up to three dollars.
5. Limits shlimits
Most markets have their own version of a coupon limit, and they vary from branch to branch. Scrutinize the fine print, which can often only be found in the customer service area of the store itself. One of the most common limitations — four of a kind, per customer, per visit — is easy to get around, according to Pocker.
“I get a cup of coffee, put a Stones record in my ipod and go. I’ll put four in the car — that’s a visit. Go back in, get four more — that’s a visit,” he said.
“The trouble with Price Chopper is that no two have the same policy,” said Pocker. “They all double coupons [in Columbia and Greene counties], but the one in Hudson has a whole ridiculous routine where more than 50 percent of your total order can’t be coupons.” But according to Pocker, there’s a way to sidestep even that.
“You pad your order with Price Chopper gift cards. If your order comes to $100, and $70 of it is coupons, buy a $40 Price Chopper gift card and use it on your next order — it’s called filler,” he said.
6. Use your power for good
If you have a combination that will get you an item for free, Pocker advocates purchasing as many as possible.
“If you don’t need it and it’s free, buy it anyway and take it to a soup kitchen or a food pantry. It’s not about being greedy, it’s about not getting taken. You’ve learned this thing, so go do something good with it,” he said.
7. Subliminal suggestions are more powerful than you think
“One of the greatest things I’ve discovered is wearing headphones,” said Pocker. “When you can’t hear their music or advertising you buy a lot less. All of a sudden, in the middle of a song, you hear over the intercom, ‘Hey do you need 20 pounds of shrimp?’ It sounds stupid, but it does effect us subliminally. Everything — even the sound of the registers, and you don’t even notice.”
8. No purchase necessary to win
“No matter what you do, never ever spend money on something to sort your coupons. Don’t buy the scissors with three holes,” said Pocker. “It’s not a fashion accessory. You’re doing this to save money.”
9. Don’t assume bargain stores that won’t accept coupons are actually bargains
“Be leery of any store that does not take coupons. Why won’t they take the coupons?” said Pocker. “I just say [forget] it, I’m not getting involved.”
10. Take care of your basic needs first
“Don’t go shopping exhausted, don’t go when you are starving, don’t go with a screaming baby. If you are stressed out, lock yourself in the closet with a Yankee Candle and a Yanni record. Do your ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ thing before you get in the car and go,” said Pocker.
“Retail Anarchy” is available for pre-order at www.Amazon.com. Pocker’s documentary on the subject, “Your Milleage May Vary,” is also available.
Watch a clip of Pockers film, “Your Mileage May Vary.”
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