Coupon therapy - it's a stretch

I was fascinated by this, Yenta.  Thanks, as always, for taking the time to write such thoughtful, educational, and entertaining pieces.  They're turning into quite a nice collection!  

When I conceptualized Lumigrate, I wanted to try something that would be what worked for ME ....  Not to price things at $19.99 but at even increments like $5, 10, 20.  I wanted people to have the opportunity to pay with their credit cards for quality information that didn't have any threat of being controlled or influenced by an advertiser.  I acually didn't want Google ads even, but we had to put them on in order to see if people used ads or not.  Same with Amazon with the Products area -- initially you have to put something there so that you know if people order products or not.  The Products area actually came from the amount of information covered in the videos that we didn't want people to have to go back and re-watch if they just wanted to remember in the future what website it was the presenter referred to or what products they refrerred to in their presentation.  And then, as I've been saying lately, it's like Lumigrate is a little campfire that burns round the clock that people can come to and share and get new information from.  We include talk about food and recipes because people come together about food and always have, always will.  (And it's a key role in 'integrative medicine' and wellness or recovering from chronic illness.)  But think about that on that campfire there's been a pasta sauce simmering for the last year and then there are also noodles that were cooked and thrown on the wall a ways back and we're going to see what sticks.  And then use THOSE noodles and the sauce and sit down around the campfire together for many more days and years to come and learn more and more together. 

Well, what we've learned is that people do like the simplicity of Lumigrate, but the economy times that occurred in the year we launched left people not as able as before to pay for $20 videos.  We've found ourselves among MANY wonderful providers and with developing associations with ethical businesses that we can now approach to sponsor areas of the website.  We hope to keep it non 'Advertisy' and clean AND CLEAR, because I think people deserve to know where the financial backing for their medical information is coming from.  And so you've brought a good reminder to me, Yenta, that not everyone is like me and says 'one more people of paper in my life like a coupon?  NO THANKS'  I don't like that I forget to use them, I don't like that my wallet is bulging with cards for coffee places, grocery store programs, or fast health Mexican Foods, and THAT one I got at a store where I used to live so many offers aren't good where I live now. 

For me, I'd rather live more simply -- I remember how happy people were when Albertsons quit their having a 'valued shopper' card and the coupons and feeling like they're getting lots of data from analyzing how you shop.  (They by the way have a monthly senior citizens shopping day here with discounts!)  I go to the Vitamin Cottage, Natural Grocer and buy things in bulk that are quality and econonmical, but they don't take coupons. I look for the very big sales at the larger chains that I try to go to each week (one or the other, I rotate).  I really truly admire you 'hunters' who do so much to save money on groceries, it's amazing.   I like this little Natural Grocers because I'm not overwhelmed by 'SALE' signs in their store, and they no longer use disposable bags of any kind: bring your own or take a box. You see all the people who think similarly to me about health there too, which is nice -- it's like being in your own little community within a larger one.    I don't want to recycle another box so their use of boxes motivates me to learn the new habit of taking IN my bags with my list.  But that's just ME, and in reality the people who I am wanting to engage with Lumigrate and it's information is who I need to be gearing things toward.  I'm finding my old habits are getting harder to break the older I am getting.  I wonder if you found that about yourself too, Yenta?

So I'm curious to read what others might write here. 

But I definitely concur with the concept of buying at your farmer's market!  It reduces our carbon footprint AND it serves like what I was saying above about Lumigrate is doing on the Internet -- brings people together.  That's what people are needing now more than ever perhaps. 

Thanks to Yenta, many of us come together to read once again from our Bubbie.

One of your kindeleh and biggest FANS - Mardy 

Yenta, that was a good post and you made a lot of good points. 

We love vegetables and fruit so we go to the local "curb market" for those.  My husband goes so often that he is on first name basis with all the people who work there.  They look forward to his visits because he always makes them laugh. 

During the summer we visit a U-pick farm just over the state line in Mississippi.  They grow a large variety of things and we pick a lot, not only for ourselves, but also for our neigbors, friends, and family.

We usually have a small organic garden in the back yard and share the bounty there as well.  During the summer I make jams, jellies, preserves, salsa, chutneys, pickles, pepper sauce, chow-chow and other things.  I also freeze vegetables for use later in the year.

I like to have herbs growing, and I dry them in the microwave or the oven  to store in jars.  

We buy so many things fresh that I have been not been thinking of the use of coupons.  I have looked in the Sunday paper and usually do not find coupons for what I will be buying.  I did print one out the other day for my stevia because it is expensive. 

You have now inspired me to try harder with the coupons. 

My husband does most of the grocery shopping and just will not use coupons, but I will have to go with him to handle this little financial matter.

My daughter-in-love takes the coupons seriously.  She has a big, thick notebook of well organized coupons.  She matches up the manufacturer's coupons with the items on sale at Publix for double savings and away she goes.  She also buys two Sunday papers for extra coupons. She says the cashiers hate to see her coming with that thick notebook of coupons because they know they will have so many to process.  These cashiers must not be like your friend Ellen.

We don't have a Publix where I live, but Walmart will match any competitors sales prices, so I sometimes go with ads in hand to get the best prices. In today's economy we have to save when we can.

I have to admit that I have only called companies for coupons a couple of times.  I have looked them up online, but not recently, except for that one for the stevia.  Thanks for telling us about that.  I will do better.

Thanks Yenta, for making us aware that we can do more with coupons.

Alice dawlink!

If it weren't for Ellen and her mother, I wouldn't know as much as I do and I've been around for a while!  I don't know how to post websites on here but I'll give you a few by typing them in.  Also, your supermarkets might put their coupons online, like Publix does now.

As for your daughter-in-love (what a lovely way to say it!) please tell her I'm proud of her and she should stay the course!  If she has a upromise card with Publix, CVS, Staples and a number of other stores, she can use something called e-coupons by going to their website, signing in, selecting the coupons she wants, hit "activate" and there are no coupons to print, it goes right to the card. This was typed by Ellen, by the way.

Here are a few websites for you kindeleh:

www.coupons.com [9]

www.rightathome.com [10]

www.couponbug.com [11]

www.proctorandgamble.com [12]

www.shopathome.com [13] (this one loads a tool bar to your computer)

I'm sure there are other sites, bubbelehs so you can go to google (even I know this) and look for other sites on coupons. Let me know what you find. 

Alice, I'm very proud of you and your husband and I'm glad you two do so much with your local farmers.  So?  Tell me?  How is your husband feeling?  How are you feeling dawlink? 

Go.  Look at the websites.  I'm proud that you did print out the coupon you did;  it's a voyl (good) start!  Now, try more.  It couldn't hurt!

Your

Yenta

I was holding my breath that Yenta was going to say something about my not being into coupons.  Isn't she lovely the way she cares about Alice and her husband.  She's the best Bubba we could all have.  As always, LOVE YENTA and thanks so very much for your time, you are a true gift.  ~~ Mardy

Mardy my dawlink, I wouldn't criticize the way you waist your money.  Your Yenta doesn't pass judgement, that's not my job; that honor belongs to G-d.

I will, however, correct one thing.  Bubba is usually a big man that people might fear, or associated with that movie Forrest Gump.  I'm Bubbie (Grandma).  Some differences being I'm not exactly a man but can be much more frightening at times.  Only playing Bubbeleh, I don't know how to be mean.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to my cooking and baking.  Tzizzan Pasach (Happy Passover) my dawlinks!  I will be writing tomorrow after I do my clean up from tonight's feast and an evenings rest.

Your

Yenta

Oh, my Yenta ... calling you a Bubba instead of a Bubbie!  I was just telling people how much extra repetition I need to learn new things!  How funny.  Thanks for correcting me.  I wish you a blessed holy day and look forward to what you write about next!  ~~ Mardy