Are coupons worth it?

I just came across this article from the Wall Street Journal about the rise in coupon redemption. It's a great article!

Farmers Markets

I'm sure it seems like prices continue to rise on the fruits and vegetables you regularly buy. You'll be able to stretch your dollar farther by buying directly from the farmer at a market. You'll get fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown right in your area, rather than picked early and shipped across the country (or the globe!). You'll also get to by more for the same value than you can at your local grocery store. If you're finding that you aren't able to go through all that you've bought you can try splitting the cost with another person (friend, family, etc.). Not only will you be saving money, you'll be helping the other person save as well.

Comparison Shop Online

This morning I finally got back to looking at grocery store circulars to help me prepare my shopping list. I used to do this every week before I canceled my subscription to the Sunday paper. I realized I was already reading my news online, and the only reason I was keeping the paper was for coupons. But I was spending more for the paper than I was saving in coupons, so last year I made the decision to cancel my subscription. Since then I really haven't taken the time to compare grocery store prices too much. I had signed up to receive the weekly circular from the store I shop at most, but I never knew if I was missing out on deals from other stores. So this morning I loaded up the online circulars from all the area grocery stores, and found some great deals I may have missed had I simply gone to my main store of choice.