Interview with the Owner of We Use Coupon, Nathan Engels

I was recently given the opportunity to ask five question to one of the creator of the fabulous site We Use Coupons, Nathan Engals (aka Mr Coupon). I immediately new what I was going to ask. So off I went to write up my five question that I was going to ask. Before we get to those great question first here is a little bit of back round on We Use Coupons. From their site they say,

WeUseCoupons is a forum/bulletin board based website, dedicated to helping people save money with coupons. WeUseCoupons, also commonly referred to as WUC was founded in June of 2008 by Nathan and Lacy Engels, both 26 years old. Nathan is a cartographer (mapmaker) and Lacy was a financial professional turned stay at home mom.

Lacy & Nathan also go by the online screen names of MrCoupon and MrsCoupon and are very avid couponers! Their love of getting items for free and their new found ability to reduce their grocery bill in half really drove the creation of WeUseCoupons. However, if asked, they will tell you that they started WUC for one reason: to help their friends and neighbors save money on groceries!

Nathan and Lacy scraped together the money to purchase the software to start WeUseCoupons and away they went. Originally WUC did not have any advertising. In late 2008, because of rapid growth, they upgraded their server. This was not cheap, and as a result, advertising was introduced to offset the cost of hosting. In 2009, Lacy and Nathan founded Paratus Media. Paratus is a latin word which means ‘ready.’ When asked why ‘paratus’, Nathan responded this way: “We didn’t know what God had planned for us, but we were ready and willing to take a leap of faith! We love a verse from Luke that reads, ‘Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.’" To Nathan & Lacy that meant that they should be ready and watchful. The Engels want to help people in dark and difficult times; that is what WeUseCoupons is all about. WUC give you the tools and knowledge to make a difference. Today Paratus Media LLC is wholly-owned by the Engels family.

Also in 2009, Nathan began teaching free coupon classes and seminars throughout the Cincinnati area. Because both Lacy and Nathan work from home, teaching classes out in the community was a great way to spend time with people!

In 2010, Nathan was featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. He was interviewed for ABC’s Nightline and filmed an hour long special which aired on TLC. His mission continues to be one of education. “The more people we expose to couponing and frugal living the more people we can liberate from the chains of debt.”

So now on to my questions.

How did you first get started couponing?
Nathans Answer - I first started couponing after my wife and I got married in 2007.

Why did you decide to start WeUseCoupons.com?
Nathans Answer - I was teaching coupon classes and needed a way to connect back with my students! WUC was a great way to do that and still is!!

How do you feel about the bad response to some of TLC Extreme Couponing?
Nathans Answer - I think that there is some justified negative responses to some of the aspects of the show. People have a right to disagree and I think it's healthy.

How do you feel about people who take advantage of coupons in a wrong way?
Nathans Answer - They destroy couponing for everyone. It's hard to express how much I dislike people who purposefully and knowingly misuse coupons.

If you were to become a millionaire tomorrow would you stop couponing?
Nathans Answer - I would surely tone it down!! I coupon because I am trying to live a debt free life. I enjoy couponing but it's a means to an end. If I suddenly won the lottery, I'd probably still use them, but not as 'extremely' LOL.

A personal Thank You goes out to Nathan for allowing me this great opportunity to ask question to a very busy man.