1930s, Coupons During the Great Depression

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For many families, the Great Depression boosted coupon clipping from an infrequent, voluntary activity to a frequent, often mandatory activity. Customers had to stretch their severely limited financial resources to purchase basic necessities. They no longer only looked for the best deals; they looked for coupons that offered them a penny or two off a quart of milk so they could then afford to purchase flour or eggs.

Coupon Clipping Soared

Before the Depression, retailers created the demand for coupons. They used them to advertise, to draw customers to their stores. But then things changed. Customers created the demand. They wanted to use coupons for all purchases wherever they shopped. In response, retailers and manufacturers began to produce many more coupons.

Lifelong Coupon Clippers

This trend led thousands and thousands of people to become lifelong coupon clippers. Donald Sabo of Brownstown Borough, Pennsylvania, started using coupons after he graduated from high school in 1933. When asked by a reporter from the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat where he shopped for groceries, he said, "Thoroughfare, A&P. They were big markets." He went on to say, "And I'll never forget, I was a coupon cutter, and all the fellows would give me their coupons. I went out to the Thoroughfare one day, and I said to the girl, 'I have a couple extra coupons.' She said, 'I'll take all you got.' I got three boxes of soup, about 60 cans. I still cut coupons."

References

• CouponInfoNow.com. (accessed 12-9-09).

• The Tribune-Democrat. "The 1930's." (accessed 12-9-09).