Coupon temptations

Coupons are one of the great temptations in life because they make you feel as if you're getting something for nothing or something for nothing. You're saving money by buying something, right? Well, not if you end up buying a box of Fruity Loopos cereal that you wouldn't normally eat at any price.

The trick with coupons is figuring out which ones to clip and use and which ones to throw away. Retailers know they can push their products by offering a coupon, and if you only save by spending money, the upshot is that you're spending, not saving. So the trick is to make sure you're spending wisely and spending for what you really need at the time you need it.

Of course, coupons can be a great deal like on swfloridarewards.com and cityrewardsnetwork.com. When you find a coupon for 50 cents off the toothpaste you always buy and you take it to a supermarket that offers double discounts on every coupon, you know you're getting a good deal. But it only makes sense to use coupons when you're buying something you'd normally use.