Tuesday, March 1, 2011

The Social Coupon Debate

Due to my new "get 'er done" attitude regarding Loose Ends Month, and taking stock of my to-do list, I've realized that a lot of my loose ends involve scheduling things I purchased from Groupon and Living Social.

I must admit that I'm slightly obsessed with these social coupon sites, and that I've acquired quite a few of them. But The Hubs is somewhat unenthused. He views these like any other coupon, luring me to buy things I don't need and wouldn't otherwise spend money on. And he's partly right. But to me, these deals offer life experiences, not things. Yes, I probably wouldn't get around to doing half of these things--at least not now--if I didn't get a message in my inbox telling me that I can try 15 karate classes for only $20, for example. (Pretty sweet, huh?)

So far these are the things I get to enjoy, thanks to social coupons:
  • A Painting Class -- while drinking wine :)
  • House Cleaning -- not an experience in itself, but this certainly frees me up to experience something else while they're busy cleaning my house!
  • Laser Hair Removal -- the gift that keeps on giving
  • A Massage -- always a good time
  • A Bicycle Tune Up -- so I can hit the trails again
  • Boxing Lessons -- watch out, world!
  • Tickets to A Midsummer Night's Dream -- what's better than supporting the arts with a little cultural stimulation?
Many scientific studies have shown that spending money on experiences makes people a lot more happy than spending money on material things. And while I can't speak for everyone, this is absolutely true for me. Sure, I like new clothes and jewelry. And I buy decorative things for the house, and probably too many books (although one could argue that books actually fall into the experiential category). But if you really want to make me happy, just take me to try something new. The Hubs is a very generous person, with material gifts and increasingly more and more experiential gifts as he continues to figure out what makes me tick. For example, for Valentines Day, he got us a trip to a whitewater rafting and rock climbing place in Charlotte. Now that's what I'm talking about!

So, I'll add another mantra to go along with Just Say Yes: Don't buy new things. Try new things.

Where do you stand in the social coupon debate? Are they worth it, or a waste? If you're into them, what are some of the cool things you've gotten to do because of their deals?
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2 comments:

  1. SkylerMarch 1, 2011 at 2:49 PM

    I get Groupon, but just can't bring myself to buy anything. However, today I got one that was $20 for $45 in spa services. I am so tempted for a 30 min massage. And a cheap one at that!

    And I too don't feel I have the time to try new things as much as I would like.

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  2. SarahMarch 1, 2011 at 5:51 PM

    The discounts are so good! I should also point out that all seven of these things together cost less than $250...the laser hair removal alone would usually cost twice that amount. They usually give you a long time to use them, too, though not always. The ballet tickets have to be used for a specific show, of course, and I only have a month to get my bike tuned up. So you just have to watch the expiration dates. Although, if it's something you'd just forget about, you probably shouldn't have bought it in the first place!

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