Coupons...worth your time?

Ever wonder if clipping coupons is worth your time? Consumers save nearly $3 billion annually by clipping and using manufacturers’ coupons. The Promotion Marketing Association’s Coupon Council released new statistics from its research on how consumers use coupons.

• 89% of the overall population report that they use coupons when shopping (for grocery, household, and healthcare items at supermarkets).
• 97% of primary shoppers report that they use coupons at supermarkets.
• Coupon users report an average of 7% savings on their grocery bill with coupons.
• Approximately $2.6 billion is saved annually by shoppers using manufacturer’s coupons when shopping for packaged products.
• More than $350 billion of packaged goods coupons are offered annually.
• Today, the average value is approximately $1.25 per coupon.
• Nearly 90% of all coupons are issued in the Sunday newspaper Free Standing Inserts (FSI), but coupons are also available directly in many retailers’ ads or in the store, and in magazines, in and on the package, on the Internet, and through regular mail.
• Typical Savings Studies have shown that shoppers who spend 20 minutes per week clipping and organizing their coupons can save up to $1,000 per year. (With an average annual family grocery bill of $5,000, that means 20 minutes could result in a 20% savings from coupons).

What are your thoughts? Do you view coupons as money and use them to casually or do you see them as gold and use them daily?  We would love to hear your thoughts!