1894
Coupons are born! Asa Candler, the druggist who bought the formula for Coca-Cola for $2,300, gives out handwritten tickets for a free glass of his new fountain drink. No copies of the original to be found, but you get the idea, great deal!! Free stuff!!
1895
Next stop, the local grocer! C.W. Post distributes the first grocery coupon worth one cent towards his new health cereal, Grape Nuts. Same deal, newer coupon. 
Early 20th Century saw investments marketed with coupons and the development of 'stamps' for everything from cents off to saving for big items, even for ice for the ice box.
1930's
Coupons are a staple in American households because of the Depression. Everyone needs to save money wherever possible, and clipping coupons clips weekly grocery bills. 
1940's
Supermarkets sprout across the country and continue the coupon tradition that had begun in neighborhood groceries.
The War Years of WWII brought a different type of 'coupon' as well, rationing from gasoline to cheese.
1957
The Nielsen Coupon Clearing House becomes the first clearing house devoted to coupon redemption. Coupons have created a new industry and are found everywhere.
1965
One-half of Americans are now coupon users, even for the Saturday Matinee or visiting the mall. 
1975
Coupon popularity continues to grow. Over 35 billion coupons are distributed and 65% of American households clip for everything from pizza to boozier fare! 
In the 1980s we still find the old coupons of dubious value in comic books along with the usual cents savings on most things commonly needed by all families.
In the 1980s we still find the old coupons of dubious value in comic books along with the usual cents savings on most things commonly needed by all families.
1998
America celebrates the first National Coupon Month. Children create art designs of their favorite coupons in the 1st Annual Coupon Month.
1999, American shoppers learn how to be savvy by saving with coupons during National Coupon Month, Sept. 1999.
2000, Parents learn how to involve children in saving with coupons for National Coupon Month.
2001, Teachers use coupons to teach the value of money in the Fourth National Coupon Month.
2002, Shoppers save $3 billion dollars by redeeming 3.8 billion coupons.
2003, 77% of consumers report using coupons, making it one of the most popular shopping activities in America.
2004, 79% of primary shoppers report that they have used coupons.There's even joke coupons. 
2005-Present finds coupons still in favor with folks from Homer Simpson 
to computer users.
BUT, remember to ALWAYS check the expiration date and read the fine print.
Now, excuse me, as I have to redeem a coupon I just found for my favorite 'sipping water'
before I get settled in to examine this other interesting 'offer' I just found. 
So until next time, happy clipping and take care.
15 comments:
If you have any extras for those single-malts, kindly forward them to me. ;)
How do you come up with this stuff?
I think they've cut down on the coupons, or maybe yet, I've cut down on them. I used to carry them everywhere and would forget to use them.
To save that extra we're all looking for, maybe I should start looking through that Sunday paper again.
Good historic post, Mike. It took me back.
I have to say I have used coupons once in my life and this was before children and maybe when Kora our oldest was a baby with formula when we had to buy a few cans ourselves.
Whoa...I'm impressed at how much effort was put into this one, Mike! And I recognize a lot of those 'golden oldie' coupons from my youth, ha! I used to clip out coupons all the time, 'til I figured out I could buy a lot of generics for even less. I can't seem to let go of Campbell's soups, tho. This was fascinating!
LOVE this post! I'm one of those people who cut coupons but never use them. I don't have a good system. I was mesmerized by a story on Inside Edition that profiled a woman who regularly feeds her family of 4 on less than $10 a week. You should have seen her coupon book. In some cases, she was MAKING money off coupons.
In other news, I'm such a Diet Coke fan, I'm pretty certain I'll name my kid Asa.
I sure miss those green stamps. It was so much fun to walk into the redemption center and pick out what I wanted for FREE!! It was hard to wait but the more I waited the better the gift so I REALLY tried to control myself and keep adding to my stash of filled books!
Will check out the whoppee pie post!
This is a fun post Mike...I will admit to being a member in good standing of the "Clip and Forget to use it club"...I also remember my Ma & Pa collecting green stamps and I have some of the old books that they never redeemed from the 60's I think...I guess that's where I get it....collecting but never using...Oh Well...
Good job and nice photos....
Wow you really did your homework! Very good! I really don't use them but only because I am mare bones anyway.
I would if I had one I could use. Some people shop for close to nothing because they use them diligently. By the time the majority gets to the point where they will have to use them to get by something will make them no longer available!
Fantastic!
You put it quite an effort compiling all these coupons. These are now priceless coupons to own instead of exchange.
I haven't thought of Green Stamps for years! My Mom still has stuff she got that way.
I don't use a lot of coupons anymore. I use generics instead.
Wow, great information on coupons! I learned everything I never knew about them. I never use them, but used to save green stamps way back when.
Very neat blog. I enjoyed my visit.
All the best,
Renie
This is a great post Mike. I used to have a big consumer goods company as my client and they were always trying to avoid using coupons as they "didn't want to train consumers to be promotionally responsive". After 114years of coupons I think they have their work cut out for them :-)
I need a coupon for a free massage after that move!
Oh my God, I HATE coupons! If I can get it for less, just frickin' charge me less! Don't make me get out my scissors, save the coupon somewhere and then remember to take it with me to the store and then remember to take it out of my purse at the register! Of course, putting up all those obstacles so that most of us won't use them is precisely WHY they do it. They get the credit for appearing to reduce their prices, but only the alert-minded are rewarded while us brain-foggy people must suffer and PAY!
(by the way, I put up that cute little goat pic that you sent me on my blog post yesterday)
Margaret
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