Couponing show on TLC right now!!

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I didn't catch this part at first but I guess the first shopper, Amanda maybe, spent $70 buying coupons?

http://www.examiner.com/budget-groc...he-tlc-show-extreme-couponing-didn-t-tell-you

You could look at it as an investment. She spent $70 and turned it into hundreds of dollars of food. That's a good thing I suppose. But for those folks just scraping by, realistically do they have $70 to spend on coupons and hope they arrive before the sale is over and before the shelves have been cleared?

I've been reading over at the coupon site mentioned on the show and it doesn't sound like the first shopper, Amanda, is none too pleased with the way she was represented on the show. I found a post where she said things she said were taken out of context. She also says she said stuff forgetting that they were filming and asked those things not to be aired but they were.

I mean I don't know. TLC has quite a few show where they feature hoarders and weird addictions. Seems to me going in you had to have had an idea it was going to be slanted. Then again if you actually talked before thinking (referencing above paragraph) that is how you felt.

It's probably a combo of both - saying something and wish you could take it back (who hasn't) and then TLC's editing for good ratings.

If you go to youtube.com and search "Frugal TV" you can catch some of the video clips from the shoppers answering questions.

Another odd tidbit....

Not sure where clipping services get their coupons....

But--I get the Sunday sales ads delivered to my doorstep on Fridays. Sunday ads run Sunday to Saturday---so there is enough time to order coupons from a service and have them before the sale period ends. I've never done it though.

ETA: And money typically used by couponers to add to their coupon stash, comes out of their grocery budget. So amber's true cost of that transaction was the amount she paid at the store PLUS $70.

 

[vicki_c]

Another odd tidbit....

Not sure where clipping services get their coupons....

But--I get the Sunday sales ads delivered to my doorstep on Fridays. Sunday ads run Sunday to Saturday---so there is enough time to order coupons from a service and have them before the sale period ends. I've never done it though.

They just get them out really fast so it works. Whether they get them from the printers early or not, I don't know but it does work. I also have not done it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have a question regarding the couponing they did that maybe someone here can answer.

First of all, my stores here do not double coupons so I'd never be able to get the same deals they did. Unfortunately.

Secondly, they were using identical coupons over and over in one transaction for the same items.
But just today I printed out a store coupon (Target) for $2 off Scott bath tissue, and a manufacturers coupon (Scott) for $1 off. I can combine the two for a total of $3 off a pack which is normally around $3.59 to bring my cost down to 59 cents. Not bad.

BUT it says very clearly on both coupons that there is a "limit of one coupon or offer per transaction". I know it's common for a lot of coupons to say that. So how were they using identical coupon after coupon for the same things in one transaction? Does that make sense? Anyone know how they were able to do that?

It is 1 store + 1 manufacturer...they can be combined and one of each is permitted.

the 1 per item per transaction indicates you cannot stack the same coupon on one item...so you cannot use 2 mfr coupons at the same time.

The proctor and gamble ad insert now has printed on their coupons no more than 4 identical coupons per transaction. So you couldn't do 5 in one transaction.

Hot coupon world has some tutorials that explain all that.

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

I went to the link posted above (weusecoupons) and according to Nathan's post (and what he said on tv), the toothbrushes and deoderant were donated to local charities that help the homeless.

It may not have been the troops, but he apparently shares bigtime what he gets.

There is a post with a complete list of what he picked up that day and what was donated. (All the Total cereal was donated).

The website is a bit backlogged from all the people checking it out.

ETA: Here is the link to his shopping trip, he donated the large majority of what he bought that day. http://www.weusecoupons.com/upload/kroger/102703-mrcouponss-tlc-shopping-trip.html

That's good to know...glad he's not hoarding it all for himself and his wife.

 

[vicki_c]

ack - deleted - misread Lisa's post!

 

[chabs]

I used to "extreme coupon" when I was a SAHM but now I just use coupons like regular people. What I found extremely interesting was the fact that the store employees were standing around clapping and acting so happy to see these people. The store employees HATE these types of people. They have to count all of those coupons at the end of the night and it ties up their line. Plus, half the time the coupons don't scan right or they have to go back and fix an error or whatever. I just thought the whole thing seemed really staged to me-most places won't let you do this anymore-at least in my area.

Also-it really is a waste because you get to the point to where you either have to donate your stockpile or sell it in a garage sale. Like everyone said-how much deoderant can you possibly need or how much pasta can you use before it goes bad? Plus you have to pay tax on a lot of the items so it it worth it to pay the tax on 100 bottles of deoderant that you're never going to use?

In the good old days-people used to TRADE coupons-not buy from coupon clipping sites that charge you a fortune. The computers in stores would allow overages (so if you had a $1 coupon and the item was .90 cents-you would get .10 cents back. Now the stores have caught on to these types of people (including my former self) and put a stop to this by limiting the number of coupons that the register can process or limiting the number of items that you can use a coupon for. We don't even have any stores left around here that double coupons anymore. It was a fun hobby and a rush to see what you can get for free but it really does consume most of your free time.

 

[Piecey]

I agree that the people on that show have stockpiles that are just unrealistic.


I "stockpile", I guess, but everything I have (other than the diapers/wipes) fits in my kitchen. I don't have the crazy overflow like they do. I still have empty cabinets.


The boxes of salad dressing Nathan had just made me shake my head. I know they were free and a money maker at some stores this summer but WHY would you buy that much and keep it? That stuff is only good a few months, isn't it? The salad dressing was what really caught my eye though the deoderant was insane too. How dirty does he get clipping his coupons??


A PP mentioned there not being coupons for fresh items- there are, they are just very rare! Kroger mails me $/$ coupons for their produce section, coupons for free product items. Driscolls has an IP for their fresh berries. Tyson has put coupons in the paper before for their chicken (the ones I've seen were .50c/ Tyson packaged Fresh Chicken) which was nice whenever Kroger put it on sale for $1.99/lb.


chabs, both local grocery chains here still double. There are a few cashiers at Kroger who are always excited when I come in and tell me they want me to teach them how I do it. Not all cashiers hate coupons.

 

[Belle0101]

I've been reading around on a lot of different sites today and found 2 sites that mentioned Nathan also has "garage sales" from his stockpile. I don't know him so I don't personally know if it's true or not but that could help explain the 1000 salad dressings and the 150 deo (as examples).

Quite possibly he keeps some items for personal use, donates some and sells some.

 

[mamalle]

Im all for saving money but that 1st lady was a hourder and it was disturbing to watch her husband enable her. Noone needs that much seriously. Stuff like that makes the normal coupon person suffer when one person buys 125 candy bars for free.

 

[cm8]

We'll see her on hoarders next week.

 

[DawnM]

I don't know how they found all that they wanted on the shelves....it makes me wonder if the TV producers contacted the stores ahead of time to make sure there would be the items available.

There certainly wasn't anything left when they went through the stores with their NINE carts full!

It makes me glad our local store limits coupon use....20 coupons to double per day and only 3 of a kind. You can use more than 20, but they will be at face value only....no doubling past 20.

Dawn

 

[Belle0101]

It's on again tonight, just started.

I just caught that they carry extra insurance, $35K, to cover the stockpile (Amanda's).

 

[momrek06]

It's on again tonight, just started.

I just caught that they carry extra insurance, $35K, to cover the stockpile (Amanda's).

It looks to me like it's a repeat of last weeks show? .

 

[Belle0101]

It looks to me like it's a repeat of last weeks show? .

It is. I just thought if someone were like me, I missed the first 20 minutes when it first aired, they could catch it.

 

[CajunDixie]

I read an article about the show today and what made me want to watch it was that they said one of the people featured was on a diet to lose weight and was successfully doing it while couponing, but if they mentioned that part in the show I missed it. I was interested in hearing how that was affecting their couponing, if they still bought junk to get catalinas, things like that.

The only thing closely related to dieting was when the one lady who was on her own since 12 and a mom at 15 who was providing couponing advice to everyone she ran into in the store....

She said that everyone assumes that it is only junk food but that she eats healthy.

Noone else mentioned anything related to health/losing weight.

She was wearing one of those armbands while she walked her route to pick up the coupon inserts so maybe thats it.

I agree! They also didn't show the cost of the coupons from the 'service' he bought, and all those papers arent cheap. He did save a ton, though, for sure! I just don't have time to do all that. And I know if I got started, I'd get all obsessed and neglect other important things, like my family and church and health.

But I like that they donate items to those in need. I'd do the couponing for that, if I had the time-maybe someday. For now I just do $ or a couple bags at a time.

I picked up on that too, and I know I for one do not have $70 to fork over ahead of time like that. That's a lot of money.

He was definitely not happy when he was putting things away. He even said something like this is ridiculous. It's sad because I wonder how long their marriage will last if she keeps on this way.

But you don't have to spend $70 at a time when you buy from a clipping service. You can spend $5 and still get things for free. Remember it was an "Extreme" show. So of course they told these people ahead of time to let them know when they would have a great trip planned, preordered stock from the store and forewarned the store they would be filming.

I stockpile when things are on sale like Toliet paper, toothpaste, pasta, soaps, etc.
But these people have things that will last them YEARS and yes toothpaste, pasta, cereals all have expiration dates. So it just doesn't seem logical to get THAT much when it may take you 5 years to use all that pasta, yet pasta's shelf life is only 2 years, KWIM.

But what they don't show you is how to rotate your stuff. The one mentioned buying 3 months worth of pasta and sauce. So you simply line up what you bought behind what you had on hand. She also mentioned her husband knows what cereal he needs to eat next based on expirations. And I know I've waited until toothepaste got to the 1 month mark then donated to the food pantry....they are so busy around here now they will have no trouble giving it away to multiple families within a week.

Another odd tidbit....

Not sure where clipping services get their coupons....

But--I get the Sunday sales ads delivered to my doorstep on Fridays. Sunday ads run Sunday to Saturday---so there is enough time to order coupons from a service and have them before the sale period ends. I've never done it though.

ETA: And money typically used by couponers to add to their coupon stash, comes out of their grocery budget. So amber's true cost of that transaction was the amount she paid at the store PLUS $70.

Did she buy whole inserts or specific coupons? (I missed part of the show) If she bought whole inserts then that $70 would stretch to other shopping trips in other stores or other times. I know when the Indy papers have razor coupons I can buy multiple copies of the paper and that one coupon alone will more than pay for that paper. Razors go on sale at CVS and Walgreens for $8.99-9.99, coupon may be $4-5, the store may give $5 back in ECBs or RR....so it ends up free or costing me .99. The Indy paper costs me $1.75 so actual total $2.74. The rest of the coupons used from that paper is pure profit.

 

[dislvr74]

But you don't have to spend $70 at a time when you buy from a clipping service. You can spend $5 and still get things for free. Remember it was an "Extreme" show. So of course they told these people ahead of time to let them know when they would have a great trip planned, preordered stock from the store and forewarned the store they would be filming.

This is a good point. I spend about $6.00 a week ordering inserts because my local paper doesn't usually include all the inserts or the inserts don't include many coupons. I easily save more than that amount each week. Some weeks I buy hardly anything and some weeks the sales are good and I stock-up. This week I paid about $100 for food and saved over $160. I got chicken, frozen veggies, juice, canned tomatoes, pasta sauce, bananas, salad, beans, cereal, granola bars, eggs, and more. Now I won't need to buy chicken for at least a month or veggies for about 6 weeks. I know that these items will likely go on sale again around the same time that I run out. That is the key - you only stockpile what you need until the next sale cycle starts.

I haven't paid for milk since September. My kids drink a lot of milk and this has saved me a ton of money. I'm the first to admit that my shopping lists are somewhat strange (like the week that I only picked up milk, refried beans, and cleaning products), but I always have enough stuff on hand to make good meals for my family.

The stores in my area do not double coupons. I work full time and have two kids. My husband works nights. I probably spend 1 hour a week reading blogs and checking ads. Maybe another hour organizing/printing/clipping coupons. I usually only shop at one grocery store and one drug store each week, which isn't too time consuming. Even if I spend 4 hours a week on this, I'm basically making $25/hr when you figure out how much I save each week.

Extreme couponers make good tv I guess. It wouldn't be as exciting to watch me shop, but doing some couponing can make a huge difference in your life.

 

[LuvSulley]

According to TV.com, TLC decided to make this into a show after seeing the ratings. No start date yet but TLC ordered 12 episodes!

http://www.tv.com/finally-a-tlc-sho...ear-on/story/24863.html?tag=hotspot;gumball;1

I found the show fascinating. I coupon but not on that level. Its funny, I never seen anyone coupon on that level before this show and like 2 days after I watch this, I saw a guy buy 4 full carts of cereal at Rite Aid. I really wanted to stay and watch the final total like the people on the show .

FYI, I looked up 2 of the people on that show and both donated some of the stuff they got which is awesome of them. The last guy donated more than the cereal and the dumpster diving lady donated a bunch of stuff too.

 

[gilby]

These people are obcessed with couponing, why on earth do you need 120 boxes of noodles, they will expire before you can eat them, unless you eat noodles everyday for 120 days. 100 bottles of sports drinks,150 candy bars, why? I am a coupons user, but you also have to use your head when it comes to this. They should be donating it, rather than let it go to waste.

 

[vicki_c]

These people are obcessed with couponing, why on earth do you need 120 boxes of noodles, they will expire before you can eat them, unless you eat noodles everyday for 120 days. 100 bottles of sports drinks,150 candy bars, why? I am a coupons user, but you also have to use your head when it comes to this. They should be donating it, rather than let it go to waste.

If you actually read the thread, you will see that that is what many/most of them do.

 

[mrsw94]

This is a good point. I spend about $6.00 a week ordering inserts because my local paper doesn't usually include all the inserts or the inserts don't include many coupons. I easily save more than that amount each week. Some weeks I buy hardly anything and some weeks the sales are good and I stock-up. This week I paid about $100 for food and saved over $160. I got chicken, frozen veggies, juice, canned tomatoes, pasta sauce, bananas, salad, beans, cereal, granola bars, eggs, and more. Now I won't need to buy chicken for at least a month or veggies for about 6 weeks. I know that these items will likely go on sale again around the same time that I run out. That is the key - you only stockpile what you need until the next sale cycle starts.

I haven't paid for milk since September. My kids drink a lot of milk and this has saved me a ton of money. I'm the first to admit that my shopping lists are somewhat strange (like the week that I only picked up milk, refried beans, and cleaning products), but I always have enough stuff on hand to make good meals for my family.

The stores in my area do not double coupons. I work full time and have two kids. My husband works nights. I probably spend 1 hour a week reading blogs and checking ads. Maybe another hour organizing/printing/clipping coupons. I usually only shop at one grocery store and one drug store each week, which isn't too time consuming. Even if I spend 4 hours a week on this, I'm basically making $25/hr when you figure out how much I save each week.

Extreme couponers make good tv I guess. It wouldn't be as exciting to watch me shop, but doing some couponing can make a huge difference in your life.

Where do you order your inserts from? I just subscribed to the paper this week, so I'm waiting to see what I get each week. Also, how are you getting your milk for free? We go through about 4 gal a week, so I'd love some advice!