Why I’m Done Apologizing for Being a 'Deal Hunter' (And You Should Be Too)

Okay, real talk: I am so tired of people looking at me like I have three heads when I pull out my phone to stack coupons at the checkout line. Can we just stop with the "extreme couponing" stigma already? It is 2026, and if you aren't "cheating the system" (spoiler: it’s not cheating), you are literally just handing your hard-earned money back to billion-dollar corporations for fun. And I don’t know about you, but I have better things to do with my money—like, I don’t know, paying for my kid’s swim lessons or actually having an emergency fund that doesn't make me sweat.

The Myth of the "Cheap" Mom

There is this weird, lingering myth that if you use coupons, you’re "cheap" or "struggling." Let me set the record straight: Saving money isn't about being broke; it’s about being smart. I know people making six figures who wouldn't dream of paying full price for laundry detergent, and I know people living paycheck to paycheck who feel "too proud" to use a digital coupon.

Honestly? That pride is expensive. I used to be there. When I was pregnant with my first, I felt like I had to prove I "had it all together." I thought using coupons meant admitting I couldn't afford my life. But then I realized that the people who "have it all together" are usually the ones who aren't overpaying for toilet paper. Once I started treating deal hunting like a sport—the same way I used to treat my 500m freestyle—everything changed. It’s not about lack; it’s about optimization.

Why "Extreme Couponing" TV Shows Ruined It for Everyone

We’ve all seen those shows from ten years ago where someone buys 400 bottles of mustard for $0.04 and stores them in their garage for the next decade. You guys, that is NOT what we’re doing here. That’s not saving money; that’s managing a warehouse.

The "extreme" version of saving money gave everyone the idea that you have to spend 40 hours a week clipping paper to see a difference. It made it look like a full-time job for people with too much time on their hands. Myth debunked: Modern deal hunting takes me about 15 minutes a day. It’s all digital. It’s apps, it’s stackable codes, and it’s knowing which day Target drops their markdowns (Thursday mornings, you're welcome).

The "I Don't Have Time" Excuse

This is the one I hear the most from my mom friends. "Jessica, I just don't have time to hunt for deals."

Real talk? You have time to scroll Instagram for 20 minutes while you're hiding in the bathroom from your kids. (Don't lie, I do it too.) In that same 20 minutes, you could have swiped through the Target Circle app, checked your Ibotta rebates, and saved $30 on your grocery haul. That’s $90 an hour, tax-free. Show me another side hustle that pays that well for sitting on your phone in the bathroom. I’ll wait.

The Underrated Win: Store Brand Snobbery

If you want to save money, you have to kill your brand loyalty. I’m serious. Brands spend millions of dollars to make you feel like their flour is "better" than the store brand. It’s flour, you guys. Unless we're talking about specific things like car seats or mattresses where safety/quality is a huge delta, generic is almost always the same stuff in a different box.

I did a blind taste test with my 10-year-old on generic vs. name-brand cereal. He couldn't tell the difference. But my wallet sure could. Switching to 70% store-brand items slashed my monthly bill by nearly $150. That is a car payment for some people. That’s a whole weekend getaway for others. Why would you give that to a cereal company just because their box is prettier?

My "Golden Rule" of Deal Hunting

I don't post every deal I find. Why? Because a "deal" isn't a deal if you don't need the item. This is the biggest trap! "But Jessica, it’s 90% off!" Okay, but do you use it? Is it taking up space in your pantry for a year? If it doesn't serve your family, it’s a waste of money—no matter how cheap it was.

My North Star is always: Would I buy this at full price if I had to? If the answer is yes, then finding it at 50% off is a massive win. If the answer is "I'm only buying this because it’s cheap," I put it back. Discipline, you guys. It’s all about discipline.

Let’s Change the Narrative

Next time you see a mom at the checkout scanning her phone and watching those numbers drop, don't roll your eyes. Give her a nod. She’s winning. She’s the one who’s going to have the extra cash for the "fun" stuff because she refused to pay full price for the "boring" stuff.

Being a "Woman Freebie" isn't about being cheap. It’s about being powerful. It’s about taking control of your family’s future, one coupon stack at a time.

What’s one thing you REFUSE to pay full price for? For me, it’s diapers. I haven't paid full price for a box of Huggies since 2019. Tell me yours in the comments!