Poor consumers don't use coupons, rich ones do: study

People are poor mainly because they don't realize or care about the value of a single dollar. Its not the government or the economy generally its thier own atitudes.

I agree with the first poster. Besides not making much money, many poor and poorly educated people are poor money managers and don't know where their money goes. They can blow it all on cigarettes and lottery tickets. There will be exceptions, of course. But those exceptions will find a way to be wiser with their money (including using coupons), and with luck and determination, they will eventually climb out of the ranks of the poor.

Someone I knew at work told me about his working-class mother, who won a goodly sum in a lottery. I can't remember the exact amount, but probably at least 50k. She knowingly spent it all towards casinos, cigarettes, more lottery tickets, etc. and after a few years, that jackpot was gone. She didn't even try to save it or put the money towards something worthwhile, such as deposit on a house.

See my point?

It's because most coupons are for brand name products...and poorer people tend to buy no name products which are already cheaper than the brand name ones....even with the coupon!!

@Melinda That's a blanket statement that isn't always true although you do have to watch out for paying more for the brand names even after coupons.

Yes, poor people can be poor money mangers but the truth is that when you credit score, the average credit is almost the same regardless of income with the exception of the very lowest and highest income earners. Your income has nothing to do with how well you manger your money. The answer to why poor people don't use coupon: You don't coupon for no name/ store brand items. You do receive coupon for higher priced items brand name peanut butter and useless items like air fresheners.

most families on a limited budget buy no-name or value priced items and /or sale items and coupons are always for the more pricy brand name items which even with the coupon are still more expensive than the lower priced same type item.
It is obviousbly Lake you have never had to live on a very limited amount of money or you would know that most poor people are just as smart or possibly (considering your comment) smarter than you.
Phil if you had to constantly try and feed, clothe children/family with a limited amount of money you would know the value of a dollar much more than those whose income is 50,000++. It does take more than a few brain cells to work out how to stretch $25 a week to purchase, milk, bread, meat, vegetables, diapers, cleaning supplies, toiletries, (toilet paper, toothpaste, hair shampoo etc), school supplies etc.
JUst because one low income person was a spendthrift don't stereotype them all.
There are lots of mid to high income people who gamble, drink, and try to 'keep up with the Jones' and end up loosing their money, homes, jobs and families -- oh yes-- I forgot --they are the ones with an ' illness' and can't help it.

Gosh there is some pretty wicked stereotyping going on here about the demographics of those who are financially challenged! Maybe its because coupons come in newspapers and magazines, and the poor dont buy those cuz they cant afford those luxuries. Or they dont have access to computers to download them from internet sites. Or even the few cents off that manufacturers offer isnt enough incentive, as the price of the product is out of their reach anyway. For example, I recently saw a coupon for toilet paper (I think it was Cashmere) that offered a rebate of $5 if you bought a certain amount of their product. In reality, to get the coupon, you would have to spend at least $20 on their paper products, then mail the UPC away with the grocery receipt. You cant eat toilet paper - if I am struggling for cash, spending $20 to get $5 isnt worth my while.

I am poor, I make 30k a year, but yet I own a brand new car, 3 pc's and a laptop computer, I have a 3yr old and a 4yr old as well as a wife and I live in a 20 000 square foot home. All this stereotyping is making me sick. Poor Rich it don't matter. It is how you Budget your money and spend it. I shop No name sometimes yes because it is just economically viable but most times I buy what I eat no matter of the price or product. The old adage is right the poor get poorer because we are the first ones to help out anyone but the rich get richer because they turn their backs on everyone that needs help. Suck on that one all you sickening stereotypers. If your rich go and turn your back on the poor. If your poor thank you for helping out all the needy.

A log of coupons are for cleaning and other household products, when vinegar, bleach and baking soda are much cheaper and work just as well.

I know people from both wealthy and lower income households. Though it is true that many times you have to purchase large quantities of certain products in order to use the coupon, I find the biggest reason that lower income homes do not use coupons is that the people are embarrassed when they use them. People tend to think that when you use a coupon it means you need to use a coupon because you are poor. I find that many lower income people spend their money in a way to make them appear to have more. The wealthy people like to hold onto their money and don't have to impress anyone. Just for example, the same goes for buying items from children who are fund raising for their school or sport, etc. When my kids were younger and selling chocolate bars or what have you for school fund raising, I would take them to less affluent neighborhoods because the people in those neighborhoods were far more likely to buy from a child than in the better neighborhoods. We found out after a few times out that we could walk for blocks trying to sell bars, whereas in the lower income neighborhoods they sold several bars on each block.

Correction Not 20 000 square feet I meant 2000 lol.

The stereotyping is rather ridiculous. I know many intelligent people with large salaries / own their own businesses who are horrible with money. A friend of ours make well into the 6 figures yet leases an Infiniti, can barely afford food for his children, lives in apartment after a divorce and has completely depleted his 401K and savings to pay for his divorce. So, take all your stereotypes and re-think all the spending of all your friends who make over 100K. The economically challenged generally live within their means, whereas the wealthier spend money like it's water and have lost sight of the value of a dollar. The reason they are clipping coupons is because their bank accounts are depleted and they are the ones living cheque to cheque. Ironic isn't it?

One good coupon site to check out is www.MyParentRewards.com. You can get discounts for local businesses (restaurants, retailers, services, attractions, golf courses, etc)) all across Canada and the US. Much better than buying a coupon book that only works for one city!

This trend holds true simply because the rich can afford the outlets most manufacturers choose to showcase their coupons (ie: newspapers, TV media, glossy magazines, etc..) Most of these outlets have been trimmed from poorer families budgets, thus they do not benefit from knowing there will be a sale at this grocery store or major savings on this particular product.

Diffrent stereotypes? Well, there's RCA, Sony, Sanyo, Phillips,etc.

I nearly spit my coffee out when I read the first line of this article. Okay, so I'm not middle-aged (I'm 25) but I am a "housewife", aka SAHM of two...and I am indeed sitting at the breakfast table, with my hair up in a towl, clipping coupons! My husband 's base wage is $75,000/year plus overtime, but I still use coupons religously. I sometimes amaze him with how much I actually save. Combining coupons and sales has allowed me to get items my family needs at very little, and even no cost. And yes, that is with brand name items. If I need something that isn't on sale I will buy store brand.

My kids wear hand-me-downs and thrift store clothes. I shop at Walmart and Reitmans for most of mine, buying most things on clearance. I try very hard to never pay full price for anything. My husband hunts to put meat in our freezer, and I breastfed both of my boys to avoid buying formula. Its all about being a smart shopper!

Check out:
www.smartcanucks.ca
www.onecoupon.ca
www.save.ca
www.brandsaver.ca

In response to KB, there are many other ways to find out about sales and deals than through newspapers and magazines, ie the internet...and while I realize most low-income households can not afford a computer/internet...public libraries have them. And most manufacturerers coupons can be found either in-stores, by phoning/e-mailing the manufacturer directly, or by trading with other couponers.

the ones making $70k a year are the smart ones, hence their salaries. No suprise here, stupid people will always stay stupid and stay at the bottom of the barrel..sorry for the reality check

oh my goodness the article and all you stereotypers are driving me mad!!!!! Guess what? I don't have a job because I currently am unable to work due to physical stuff and so I have no income and I use coupons ALL the time and I live on less than $200 a month! Why can I do this? Because I know how to spend wisely and using coupons is a major contributer to keeping the cost down! I get brand name products for practically free because I have coupons and know how to use them! I just want to ask people to stop picking on poor people and how poor people are poor because they don't know how to spend money and what ever else. I am not this way by choice and I will be able to work again at some point and guess what? I will be able to save money and live nicely without the size of income some other people need to live that way because I know how to manage money and I know how to find the deals and I know that coupons save money and you can eat very well on less money. It makes me angry that people assume that poor people can't manage their money and that they haven't worked as hard as the people who are rich and if they worked a little harder they would have it better and on and on and on. Yes some people this may be the case but not everyone. I have worked very hard in my life and so I am in a bad spot right now-so what?! It doesn't mean I am a bad person.

Hi.. Maybe I am lucky in a way I guess. but I know the value of money. I average 73.000 a year. I am still single no dependent's..Well..None that I know of anyway. Actually I have little faith in the grocery store coupon's. They are mainly for higher priced item's. I watch the weekly flyer's in the newspapers. I shop the special's. For restaurant's a good coupon book is..adsave.ca It is a free monthly book. Example..2 can eat for 10.00. Watch out for the catch at some places. It don't include pop or coffee etc. They charge about 2.00 for a glass of pop or coffee. haha..Drink water and get yer own coffee later at timmys. Another way I save money on meat is...meat still good but will expire in a few days..half price usually. buy, take home eat right away or put in freezer. If you feel real bold that day...peel the half price sticker off..put on late dated meat and steak. Throw both in yer shopping cart..do the trick in an isle when no ones around. Another good one is..salmon for example. ok..buy a small frozen one about 7.00 After home soak the labe off..when you go back for more. Use that label..tear the about 10.00 one off and throw away before going to the cashier.

At any rate..Just play stupid if any store dares question you. Give then heck for pricing things wrong. Or not watching other customers from pulling such pranks. Tell them..I will never shop in your shoddy store again.