Coupon-clipper

Posted by Bob on March 30, 2007

In Reply to: Coupon-clipper posted by R. Berg on March 30, 2007

: : : I read in a book:
: : : She suffered agonies from coupon-clipper's thumb.
: : : Can anyone help me about its meaning?

: : Advertising coupons must be cut out of the advertisement before they can be redeemed at the store. A coupon-clipper would be someone who cuts out a lot of coupons with scissors. Excessive use of any tool can lead to soreness, a blister, or even a repetitive stress disorder. She has hurt herself by constant over-use of her scissors.

: "Coupon clipper" also refers to an investor who buys bonds. ~rb

Fewer and fewer of us use that sense of coupon clipper, though, since bonds no longer have coupons to be redeemed. The practice of redeeming coupons was abandoned a couple of decades back, but the description remains. It conjures up a vision of an elderly, wealthy person, living off his/her bond interest.