A coupon-clipping catastrophe

A coupon-clipping catastrophe


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SALT LAKE CITY -- Every now and then I’ll try to save a couple bucks by coupon clipping. But in my experience using coupons very rarely does everything go according to plan. I’ll show up to use the coupon and it will be before the date of use or expired. Or when I finally pick up the item and am at checkout I’ll dig through my bag where I swore I put the coupon 30 minutes earlier and it is nowhere to be found.

In the few times my coupon clipping efforts have actually panned out I triumphantly look at my receipt to find a total savings of a whole $2.23 off of my $100 grocery bill. After a few experiences resulting in these types of mind-blowing savings, I have to admit my coupon clipping efforts have begun to wane.

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But this is not to say that coupon clipping doesn’t work for some people. I’ve seen articles and blogs of people who save insane amounts of money with coupons. Maybe I’m just not organized enough or patient enough to put the time and effort into it. Perhaps it's both.

However, a few months ago I came across a coupon with a great deal. Almost too great to pass up. And that’s how saving a couple bucks got me into my biggest coupon clipping catastrophe yet.

My husband and I were looking through the Sunday paper and from across the table my husband pushed a coupon in my direction while snickering. It was a coupon for the K-Y Jelly Yours + Mine. If you don’t know what this is you must live under some rock. The commercials are all over the place. You know the ones I’m talking about: fireworks, singing choirs. It's quite hilarious. If you haven’t had the awkward experience of being stuck viewing the commercial while watching TV with your in-laws, consider yourself lucky.

Back to that Sunday. My husband pushed the coupon in my direction and jokingly said that I should use it. I laughed along with him, until I saw the savings: $5 off.

My husband and I had always joked about the stuff when the commercials came on and one day I had walked past the item at the store and balked when I saw its $15 price tag. But with $5 off, it wasn’t too bad. This could make for a funny little something to add to my husband’s gift for our upcoming anniversary. The award for the best wife of the year was coming my way!

I didn’t let him see my interest in the coupon and stuck it in my bag for a future shopping outing.


"I came up with a brilliant plan. I would go to a store with a self check-out. This way I could simply scan the item myself, insert the coupon and be done with it."

As I started thinking about the logistics, using that particular coupon presented some concerning complications. I hate having to buy that kind of “personal” stuff at the store and face the cashier in the first place, but having to draw attention to the item with a coupon, especially this one with its infamous commercials, would make the embarrassment ten times worse!

Almost two weeks went by and I still hadn’t gotten up the guts to use the coupon, but then I came up with a brilliant plan. I would go to a store with a self check-out. This way I could simply scan the item myself, insert the coupon and be done with it.

With resolve, I set out to the store to fulfill the task at hand with my two toddlers in tow. Picking up a few items, including the K-Y Jelly, I headed to the self check-out. I retrieved my coupon, which was rather tattered from being in my bag for almost two weeks, scanned the item and inserted the coupon in the machine. The coupon jammed halfway into the machine. The annoying computer voice stated the obvious, “coupon jammed.” The red light on the checkout stand pole overhead began blinking and the computer voice continued with "assistance needed.”

Yikes! I was panicking. Frantically trying to avoid drawing attention to myself and, heaven forbid, the coupon, I made a drastic move and grabbed hold of the end of it and pulled. The coupon came out! I quickly shoved it back into my bag just before a store worker approached me from behind.

“Can I help you out here?” she asked.

“Oh, no. I’m fine.” I answered. “I had a coupon that jammed but it got it out. I think it was too worn out to use. It’s no big deal.”

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She took a closer look at the checkout screen and said, “It actually looks like the computer accepted whatever coupon you were using. I can manually accept it for you. I’ll just need the coupon.

“It’s OK,” I said again trying to act nonchalant. “It’s really torn up. I just won’t worry about it.”

“No really, that doesn’t matter,” she responded, “It’s already been rung up. We are just required to take the coupon when accepting it.”

I was stuck. Facing even more embarrassment than what I was initially trying to avoid all along, I sucked it up and slowly removed the coupon from my bag. Bowing my head to avoid looking her in the eye, I handed it over without looking up. I then turned my attention towards my children for the few excruciating moments it took her to accept the coupon. It was just too awkward to converse about. I knew the moment she saw it we both knew why I had pretended not to care. I was done trying to be sneaky as my brilliant plan had blown up in my face.

She was very polite and when finished told me to have a nice day and left. I looked up as she walked away, and even from an angle I could see the smirk on her face.

Mark my words, I am done with coupon clipping. Done until I see another great coupon I can’t pass up and have an experience like this all over again.

Due to the sensitive nature of this article the author has requested to remain anonymous to save herself and her husband any more embarrassment associated with this little mishap.

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