Put those scissors down, babe!

Clipping coupons will not put money in your gas tank. But that's what I heard on a TV feature last night. Even in tough economic times, it's hard to convince Americans that food companies, health and beauty industries and super markets, to say nothing of the airlines, are not in business to SAVE you money, but to get you to SPEND money. Coupons, loyalty cards, sweepstakes, green stamps and wooden nickles are just flip sides of the same pancake--marketing. What is the purpose of marketing? Right. To get you to spend money to support a business and its stockholders or investors. It's not evil at all. In fact, in the long run, marketing is a good thing. But right now, until someone comes up with a decent energy plan that allows new refineries or drilling for oil (we've got plenty) or cutting regulatory red tape, you may have to let go of some favorite shibboleths. Here are the basics.

1. Before leaving the house to shop, check your refrigerator or pantry. Make a list if you're a list maker (I'm not), but have an idea what you NEED. A NEED is not a WANT. Repeat that several times as you enter the store.

2. Go to one store where you know the layout, the quality and the staff.

3. Pick up the weekly flyer on the way in, look at the loss leaders, but buy them only if you've done #1.

4. Do not buy in quantity (for more than 2 or 3 weeks) unless you live 50 miles from the store and need to save on gasoline. Most people who regularly buy in quantity also have a weight problem. Your extra pounds will add to the gas bill and health costs. There are psychological reasons people buy in quantity that have nothing to do with saving money, but it's a good excuse.

5. Shop the walls, although this is harder to do than it used to be (creative design and moving merchandise to make you wander around is one method used to separate you and your money). Buy fresh if you can; if you're cooking for one or two, sometimes frozen is more nutritious because fresh will lose its nutrients sitting around waiting for you to get an inspiration.

6. Don't use a coupon unless it is attached to the item, or you ALWAYS buy that product. For instance, I just love Era laundry detergent and I buy it whether or not it is on sale. But I would use a $.50 off coupon, realizing that it means the price is going up and this is to ease the pain.

7. Stay out of the snack food section. There's not a single item in there you or your family need. Snacks are all empty calories, high sodium, high fat, delicious and guaranteed to make you want more and spend more. Just don't go there. Don't even accept a sample! In some stores this will cause several detours (but exercise is good). I've been shopping at Marc's recently, and you can't get to the real food without going past the snack aisles which are huge, or detouring through cheapy remaindered stuff, which is as addictive as snacks, at least for this shopper.

8. Make your own low fat items by adding water to the jar and shaking. That doesn't work with cookies or pudding, but you get my drift. Low fat almost always means the first ingredient is water.

9. At home use 6 or 8 oz. glasses instead of 12 or 16. You'll never notice the difference or miss the calories. It's not so much the size of the container you buy as it is the portions you put on the table that save you money.

10. Shop on Monday if you can. Lots of markdowns for meat that haven't passed the due date for freshness and safety.

11. Shop early in the day.

12. Don't go to the store hungry. A fist of coupons and no breakfast is a recipe for disaster.

13. Keep in mind that coupons and loyalty cards are supporting a huge industry--and those workers might suffer as you cut back--it involves investors, executives, middle management, designers, office staff, ink suppliers, paper goods, newspaper and magazine companies, the people in 3rd world economies who make their living counting them, and even the stores who may have to hire an extra part timer to account for the slow down of the other staff who have to pause and examine your coupon or card. But be firm--right now it's your family or theirs. Stand tall and put down those scissors.