Real men coupon? The other day, I posted a question about whether you are embarrassed to be seen with your binder in the store. One of the comments was left by Michael and I think it is really interesting:

I am a husband and I do nearly all the shopping for my family groceries. I spent 3 years working for Kroger in high school and I kind of have the grocery game figured out a little. I am no expert but I know more than my wife. She will not even look at a price half the time. She could care less because milk is milk, eggs are eggs, etc. There is a large stigma for men couponing. I am constantly ribbed by my friends about it and I always respond that they can continue to pay full price but I will not. Recently I attended a coupon class taught by Paul  and I was the only male there with about 25 women. It is just not considered manly I guess. I even coupon for makeup for my wife and daughter, especially when CVS runs a clearance and I know their colors etc. It can feel awkward but I keep telling myself I am saving money and I always carry my binder with me everywhere. But I made sure to get a masculine black and silver binder instead of hot pink or purple 🙂

This is my question; Do you think it is NOT manly for Men to coupon? 

I am not really sure where the stigma from using coupons has come from for either men or women. Why the very act of saving money was ever looked down on, is completely beyond me. I remember when I had my first baby and was discreetly nursing him in public. My Grandma was so embarrassed for me, not because of the physical part of nursing him, but for the fact that someone might think I was too poor to buy formula. She was raised that only poor people nurse because they could not afford to feed their babies better. Couponing I am sure got a negative reputation when someone at some point looked down on the fact that you HAD to do it to buy food for your family. Which would explain why it would be “worse” for a man to coupon, he should be able to take care of his family without having to use coupons. Plus, it probably seemed like woman’s work because of the transition from the men picking up the pre-ordered groceries, to woman going to the store themselves and shopping once in the store because the men were at work.

Remember the scene in Mr Mom, where Michael Keaton and all the neighborhood women are playing poker with coupons? All his friends look down on him for staying home and using coupons. That is one of the best movie scenes however!

Personally I think it is pretty dang HOT when a man will use coupons. Honestly, because it means that they had the forethought to even think about what we might need ahead of time, and that is pretty cool. It is cool, because they have to have enough self confidence to not care what people think and that is attractive in a man.

I love it when my husband comes home with something from the store and says, ” I saw this and thought you might like it.” WHAT? you were thinking about me in the store?? Wow! I really love you! Plus you used a coupon on it and paid $1 for lip gloss you thought would look good on me!! Let’s go make out! Wait? I am thinking that men who coupon are not only just WAAAYYYYY smarter financially, but are MUCH smarter at figuring out what what will make their wives happy!

It is the responsibility of both the husband and wife, or if you are single, your personal responsibility whether you are a man or woman to make the most of what you have IMO. Coupons are such a HUGE part of this, it just seems absolutely stupid and ignorant to not use them when possible. To look down on someone or think they are not “manly” for couponing is also stupid and ignorant and really needs to change, this is 2012, not 1912.

BRAVO to Michael and all the men out there that coupon and take care of their families, and have the self confidence to coupon no matter what people might say or the looks they might get!

What do you think?