A fascinating history of this marketing tactic, and why some shoppers take it to extremes-from a longtime expert couponer. Coupon Crazy examines the phenomenon of avid coupon use and the socio-cultural and socioeconomic factors that construct it. By delving into the history of couponing, refunding, the science of shopping, and the dark underbelly of a coupon world the average American doesn't even know about, Mary Potter Kenyon manages to both fascinate and educate. Readers will meet today's "e;Coupon Queens"e; (and Kings) and learn about an era when trash really was cash. Not just an observer of this ethnographic research, Mary lived it for over thirty years."e;My favorite aspect of the entire book was the candid tone Kenyon takes in sharing her story and others. As someone that both uses coupons and teaches couponing practices, I found the book triggering self-reflection at many points: Do I purchase products just because they are on sale? Do I devalue products I've gotten for free? Do I allow coupons to inform my purchases or the other way around? If you are a couponer, it's quite possible you'll find yourself reflecting on your own shopping habits as you read this book, too."e; -Angela Russell, The Coupon Project

A fascinating history of this marketing tactic, and why some shoppers take it to extremes-from a longtime expert couponer. Coupon Crazy examines the phenomenon of avid coupon use and the socio-cultural and socioeconomic factors that construct it. By delving into the history of couponing, refunding, the science of shopping, and the dark underbelly of a coupon world the average American doesn't even know about, Mary Potter Kenyon manages to both fascinate and educate. Readers will meet today's "e;Coupon Queens"e; (and Kings) and learn about an era when trash really was cash. Not just an observer of this ethnographic research, Mary lived it for over thirty years."e;My favorite aspect of the entire book was the candid tone Kenyon takes in sharing her story and others. As someone that both uses coupons and teaches couponing practices, I found the book triggering self-reflection at many points: Do I purchase products just because they are on sale? Do I devalue products I've gotten for free? Do I allow coupons to inform my purchases or the other way around? If you are a couponer, it's quite possible you'll find yourself reflecting on your own shopping habits as you read this book, too."e; -Angela Russell, The Coupon Project