Coupon Challenge

Right now, you are probably wondering what coupons could possibly do with having a fun family night. Well surprisingly I have found ways to make cutting coupons fun and a learning experience for my kids. I have learned that being frugal is important and that is a lesson I would like my kids to learn. I usually spend a little advanced time collecting old magazines, newspapers, and those coupon mailers that come in the mail. This way there is plenty for us to work with on coupon night. The greatest part about this activity is that you can teach your family to be frugal while enjoying games at the same time.

Items to Have on Hand for Coupon Challenge

Magazines

Newspapers

Mailers

Scissors

Score pad

You can create your own versions of ways to incorporate coupon clipping into a game but, I will share some of the ways I have done it in the past.

Matching Game

Before beginning the game make a list of items you want to find coupons for. Don’t be too specific or it will take the fun away. For example, don’t be brand specific; if you are looking for pasta sauces just write pasta sauce on the list. Maybe you are needing to buy cereals; simply write cereals on the list don’t ask for certain brands or types. I generally used a dry erase board so that it would be easy for everyone to see and could be used for future games of coupon matching.

Next split the magazines, newspapers, and mailers evenly between all family members that will be playing the game (hopefully the whole family). No one should begin looking through the items until the actual game begins. This is a good time to make sure everyone has their own pair of scissors as well.

As a group make a decision on what the prize will be for the winner of the game. In our house we generally used the reward of getting to skip a chore of choice. If time permitted in the past, I have handmade my own coupons for things like getting to choose dinner, a candy bar, or choosing the movie for family movie night. You know your family the best so you can create coupons that will match their personalities. During this time also make a decision on how long the round will last. As a general rule I usually set the timer for fifteen minutes.

Once the time is set each person will look through their items and clip as many coupons as they can that match the items on the list.
When the timer sounds everyone stops clipping and counts the number of coupons they collected from the provided list. The person that acquires the highest number of coupons is awarded the prize.

Who Saves the Most?

This coupon game is played just like you probably assumed from the name. You will need the same supplies; the difference is that you and your family will not be looking for specific items. In this version coupon clippers can clip any coupon they find. (I usually made it a rule that it had to be a coupon valid at a grocery store; not one of those coupons like save $25.00 for getting your carpets steam cleaned.)

Once again you and the family need to decide what the prize for the game will be and what the duration of the game will be. Once the timer begins everyone clips any coupon they find until the buzzer sounds. At the end of the round each player’s coupons are totaled up and the person with the highest amount wins the game.

These two games are a great way of teaching your family the idea of saving and it can also be a great math lesson that doesn’t feel like school. Make sure that if you are playing with smaller children that they are equipped with child safe scissors to avoid unnecessary injuries. In these games the whole family also gets the feel that they are aiding in the decision of groceries that will be brought into the home. Who knows; your six-year-old may find a coupon for your next favorite food.