Couponing... Then & Now.

Couponing.  I don't really know what made me think of this several days ago, but I will tell you, that it actually woke me out of a sound sleep.  So much so, that I had to get up and jot down several notes.  I was thinking about my Mother-in-Law, and the stories she tells me when I stop over to pick up the coupons that she saves for me.  Where she used to do her "matchups" on Thursdays.  She would get her boys off to school, then sit on the floor with her box of coupons, and new coupons to clip.  This got me thinking about how far the couponing world has come.  The good changes, the bad changes, and everything in between.  Now I will admit, that I don't remember a lot of the "thens", but I love listening to the stories.  Listening to the stories is what got me thinking and dreaming about all the differences. 

Then:
~Coupons would be in your local newspapers, on the back of packages, and at your local grocery store.  There was no Internet.
Now:
~Coupons are literally everywhere, newspapers, magazines, doctor's offices, grocery stores, packages, and the Internet.

Then:
~Coupons generally were for 5¢ and 10¢ and went upto a whopping 35¢.  I'm sure there was the occassional 50¢'er.
Now:
~$1.00 coupons are a norm.  Free Items are more than occassional, as are BOGO coupons. 

*However, you could also buy a gallon of milk for less then $1.00!

Then:
~You had to rely on friends and family to get extra coupons, which was tough because EVERYONE clipped coupons.
Now:
~You can sign on to the Internet and buy as many coupons as you want.  You can get neighbors, friends and family to give you their inserts, and most times, they are still intact.  Why?  A common answer is, "oh I can't be bothered, only to save a few bucks here and there."

Then:
~Cashiers welcomed coupons with smiling faces, and chatted with you, about where you got a certain coupon.  You got to know the cashier pretty well at your favorite grocery store.
Now:
~Couponers have to scout out the registers, looking for someone who looks like they may be coupon friendly, all in hopes that their coupons will all be accepted, without being scrutenized, and many of us, have their toes crossed that we wont hear that dreaded beep.

Then:
~Expiration dates?  Most coupons then, never had an expiration date, or for that matter a barcode!
Now:
~ Many coupons have an expiration date of 30 days out.  Printable coupons, 2 weeks.  A coupon with an expiration date that's out to the following year, is considered gold.  One that says "no expiration date"... well that's like an urban legend now-a-days.  And most coupons have 3 barcodes!

Then:
~You only had a handful of local stores where you would be able to shop.  There really wasn't a Target, or Walmart.  And you wouldn't find a CVS on every corner. 
Now:
~You have literally dozens of stores where you can take your business, all fighting to have the lowest prices and the claim of having the best sales.  

I'm sure there are many other differences, but these are the ones that came to my mind.  I truly do think that we, as couponers have much greater tools at our fingertips to help us save money in today's world.  I can't imagine how much more money my Mother-in-Law could have saved if she had had the Internet back then. 
Do you remember some other "Then's" or maybe I missed some "Now's". 


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