by Stefania Revelli
Coupon clipping: a new American pastime for a new America? With deal-hunting a newfound hobby for many consumers, bragging about bargains has not only become cool, it’s practically a new consumer sport.
Deal seekers, coupon clippers, bargain hunters: By any name, consumers are busily BeehivingSM in the name of helping one another find savings. In the Philadelphia area, one Gen Xer told me that finding the best deal is her new “leisure sport.” Another shopper said she regularly checks the Savvy Shopaholic blog for updates on the latest bargains, friends-and-family promos and any “deals worth spreading.” Triggered by a grocery bill upward of $300, one Gen X mom initiated the “coupon bank,” enabling her local network of moms to deposit and withdraw coupon clippings at their monthly meetings. (Flashbacks to the poker scene in Mr. Mom, anyone?) After all, one woman’s trash is a buck off another’s diaper bill.
Born in a fragile market and cultivated by a communal spirit, extreme clipping is more proof that thrift is trendy, saving is savvy, and snipping (whether online or old-school) is leisure time well spent.
