Extreme couponing - I'm beginning to see the attraction...

[bunchamunchycrunchycarrots]

I'm el-skinto, like most of us, and have been trying to get organised for the forthcoming summer hols and an 8 yr old to entertain. So far, I have vouchers for Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Blair Drummond Safari Park, Sea Life Centre, Legoland Windsor, Drayton Manor, a kidz card for free swimming when I've nowt else planned, sweet sunday cinema vouchers, and now a tastecard that gives really good deals on restaurants etc. I think I might be getting hooked on all this couponing malarky.

[Bestseller]

Hmm, I know what you mean and I rarely go anywhere/buy anything without first seeing if I can find a voucher BUT I do think that unless you're very strong willed you can actually end up spending more. e.g if you go out for dinner because you have a tastecard when you would otherwise have cooked at home, or if you go to a theme park when you might have gone to the beach.

Great if you were planning to go anyway, but the big companies aren't daft, they're not giving away these coupons/offers out of the kindness of their hearts.

[TheCrackFox]

Er, how did you get your hands on those lovely vouchers? Spill!

[bunchamunchycrunchycarrots]

That's true, I'll only be using the tastecard when in London and was planning on going somewhere nice after the theatre so it will save me money. I don't go out often so I'll probably pass it on to someone else, maybe my friend I'm staying with. The rest of it, it's all stuff I was hoping to do, and as it stands, I can do more because I've saved quite a bit of money. But, yes, worth remembering not to go mad!

[bunchamunchycrunchycarrots]

I'm on my phone just now do can't link but if you google taste card you'll find a link to a month's free trial. The castles were vouchers I won on MN Blair Drummond I wangled from a friend at work who had some spare free kids entry tickets, Drayton manor - exchanged my tesco club cards and the rest I got from the Kellogg's cereal boxes. I've been checking out the 2for1 tickets on the children's shows at the Edinburgh fringe this year as I always seem to be too late for them so I've got 2 shows planned on the 2for1 days at the end of the holidays.

Sorry some were just luck but the others are still out there.

[MinimalistMommi]

We got Legoland vouchers for all four us from The Sun Newspaper for the grand total of about ten newspapers and two stamps for August!

[HouseinScotland]

Do you ever have problems with bad service, rudeness etc at restaurants when you use vouchers? Do you have to say in advance you have one or just when you pay? I want to use them but the last time I went out and ordered the low priced special option I got the impression they weren't happy and had possibly done something disgusting to my glass of wine Since then vouchers etc make me nervous.

[CatherineofMumbles]

HouseinScotland I agree, we have stopped getting Groupon now for that reason - we were treated at restaurants as second class citizens, and they were ultimately poor value.

[bunchamunchycrunchycarrots]

HouseinScotland, the tastecard I've found that I'm going to use in London seems to attract that sort of reaction - the T&Cs on websites of restaurants want you to mention in advance when booking that you have the card, and they can limit/refuse it if it suits them so no doubt I'll get that when I use it in London. I'm not too fussed if they do get arsey about it, as I'm determined to save money so sod 'em of they don't like it. I've booked a meal and told them I've got it so I fully intend to use it.