Extreme Couponing --- AGAIN!

[NYCDiane]

Okay, so they've been showing marathons of this show lately and I'm embarassed to say that, like a train wreck, I can't help but look!

Of course, I was getting more annoyed as I was watching. I'm an avid couponer and have never, ever saved anywhere remotely close to what these people save!!!

I know that many of them purchase those (very bad for you) noodle soups, vitamin water/sports drinks, red hot sauce, etc. However, many of the couponers on today's shows were purchasing things like large packages of toilet paper, shampoos, meats, produce, cereals, etc. One of the people even had a $2 coupon for cous cous. I buy that same brand regularly and it only costs about $2.50/box and I've never seen a $2 coupon for it! According to the couponer, it was on sale and because of the coupon, she was getting it free.

I'm very detailed when it comes to my couponing. I have my binder, everything is very organized. I check the weekly circular to what I need to what I have coupons for. I make a detailed list, putting an asterik next to any item I have coupons for. I take my time in the store, making sure everything is perfect. When I get to the checkout, I watch the prices as they ring and I watch my coupons as they are scanned.

Why is it that I'm not saving anywhere close to any of these people??? How are they getting toilet paper and other items free????? The only time I've gotten TP free was when Marcal came out with the Small Steps line and I got about 20 rolls free because of the promotional coupons they were putting out.

My store doubles up to and including 99 cents. They don't allow overages. You can only double up to 4 like coupons. They do not allow you to do multiple transactions at the same register.

What am I doing wrong????? How much does everyone else save with their coupons??? Does anyone have any tips/tricks for me??????

Thanks!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Remember that the shows you're watching are probably a few years old.

Things have changed now, some because of that show.

It's *extreme*, so the situations will be extreme, not normal.

From what I've read, the most extreme shows were staged, with the store closed and things were done specially for the "shopper".

 

[NYCDiane]

I know that the stores scrutinize coupons a lot more closely now since the EC show. As a matter of fact, I called one store I used to shop at that would double up to and including $1. I stopped shopping there but wanted to go get a few things using $1 coupons. I asked about their current policy: Where it used to be unlimited, it is now only 5 $1 coupons will be doubled and only 2 "like" coupons will be doubled. You can use as many coupons as you want but they're now strict about doubling.

Also, the coupons that are in the weekly papers aren't what they used to be and the expiration dates are shorter (to prevent coupon hoarding??)


I know the stores they use in the show were given $$$ to be on the show and they "relaxed" their rules but still.

I wonder what the "average" couponer saves per week?? I know that when I do a "big" shopping, I can save $40-$60 bucks if everything falls into place (doesn't happen all that often anymore). It still doesn't seem to be enough, though. I would love to have a "huge" savings day!

 

[LJSquishy]

None of the stores double coupons in my area so you have a huge leg up on me.

 

[ShariVT]

I used to do pretty well until that show came on and all my stores stopped doubling $1 coupons. I am happy now if I save between 35 and 40% but it takes way more time and planning than it use to.

 

[dpswift]

Around here couponing was big 22 years ago when DH and I married. The coupons were great! The stores would double dollar off coupons and we would get lots of high value coupons from the paper. THEN when a new store came into town and internet coupons started everything changed. The stores got together and asked the manufacturers to change the coupons. The stores no longer would double dollar off coupons, at least one store(now closed) would not accept internet coupons, and the coupons that we got(and still do) required the purchase of multiple items.

After many years of only using an occasional coupon the show encouraged me to start again. However I went into it with a different attitude than many viewers. I do not want or need 75 bottles of hot sauce or mustard it would take years for us to use it. I have been trying to match sales with coupons and have done ok if you look at the overall savings.

We need to remember that the stores bent the rules for the show. I do not know of any store where they would allow 20 transactions to get around their coupon rules. Also stores are becoming more careful as people are BREAKING the rules. DD is a front end assistant at a store that accepts coupons. People have been using coupons for wrong items and expired coupons. I know where she works you could never hand over a gallon sized bag full of coupons the way the one woman did. There is no way of being sure that she bought all that stuff.


Now that my rant is over I still love watching the show. However I only buy items that I know that I will use. I do stock up on favorite items that we use alot of but to me stocking up is 4 or 5 packages of an item.

 

[Marionnette]

None of the stores double coupons in my area so you have a huge leg up on me.

Chances are good that your circular coupons are different than mine. I live where just about every grocery store doubles up to 99 cents. Some will only double to $1, others will fully double a $0.99 coupon to $1.98. Here's the difference between my coupons and yours:

You might get a $0.50/1 coupon but my circulars will have $1/2. So, neither one of us gets the benefit of doubling. Not only that, but you would only need to purchase one item in order to use the coupon but I need to buy 2.

I follow several couponing websites. They post the best deals at the stores that I frequent. That's how I manage to get things for free. Sometimes it means having to buy large quantities to get them all for free. And not everything works out to be free. Last week's free item was 30 boxes of Kleenex. I had to buy that many to get the CVS Extracare bucks for spending $30 on certain items. Other times, the item is on sale and a doubled coupon makes it free.

I actually do one day a week where I "shop for practically free". That way I can focus only on the deals without the distraction of "Do I need milk?" or "Am I running low on paper towels?" I do an 8-mile loop of stores and I pick up the bargain items on my list. I can get away with spending less than $20 on $200 worth of things ranging from groceries to pet products to beauty and healthcare items. Whenever the cashiers marvel at how good my coupon skills are, I always point out that you couldn't fix a meal with whatever I just bought. However, you can fix plenty of meals from what I have in my stockpile. Whenever my purchases generate a $X OYNO catalina, I use it for milk, produce and meat.

The only advice that I can offer is to make sure that you have multiple copies of the circulars and any printables for items you use regularly. Stalk the couponing forums and make sure that you keep track of the deals. Don't get caught up in trying to walk out the door paying next to nothing on every trip. And resist the urge to pick up every free item you can get just because it's free.

 

[momof3ds]

Also, a lot of the people on the shows were using fake coupons. The store would override the computer many many times. If you google it, you will see stories about what happened after the show.

On one episode, a teen couponer had coupons for free dtergent and toilet paper. All his coupons were fakes. The store took them anyway. You can see the register beeping and the cashier overriding it.

After the show, the store lost like $600 and the couponer's mother apparently paid the store back but this was never discussed on the show.

The stores filmed also agreed to ignore their own coupon policies most of the time.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Couponing like that isn't realistic around here. However, if you really want to get stuff free or close to free then you need to do the drugstore round ups every week. CVS and Walgreens almost always have free items or moneymakers with coupons. I seldom do it anymore because there is only so much toothpaste and shampoo a person needs to store but that's the only place I really see the opportunity to get a few free items.

 

[Lucky4me]

The show is heavily scripted, right down to production adding in more stockpile to make it look more impressive. They never tell what was spent on obtaining the coupons. A lot printed them. Ink and paper are not inexpensive.
I would take it as nothing more than entertainment.

I think the most realistic one I saw this weekend was the woman who bragged so much about her couponing, preached it in church and took a church member with her to the store to show her how great she was. She bought $700 worth of groceries for $340. She was so upset. She thought it would be $100 or less.
I think I could clip 50% off worth of coupons on a lot of garbage groceries too, but why would I?

 

[DawnM]

I think every single episode I have watched states "This is so and so's biggest haul yet."

Staged, staged, staged.

I used to coupon heavily. I got 5 circulars each Sunday. I would hit the stores diligently.

I ended up with a "stockpile" of junk I would never use. Heavy couponers will tell you that you can't be brand specific if you coupon, but what they fail to tell you is that your family may rebel and refuse to eat said other brand! Heck, you yourself might find the other brand revolting.

I have stopped couponing for the most part and use other methods instead. I still save a boatload of $$.

http://www.amazon.com/Feed-Family-M...628&sr=8-1&keywords=feed+family+on+$200+month

I don't do everything she advocates, but I use a lot of her suggestions.

Dawn

 

[Marionnette]

Also, a lot of the people on the shows were using fake coupons. The store would override the computer many many times. If you google it, you will see stories about what happened after the show.

On one episode, a teen couponer had coupons for free dtergent and toilet paper. All his coupons were fakes. The store took them anyway. You can see the register beeping and the cashier overriding it.

After the show, the store lost like $600 and the couponer's mother apparently paid the store back but this was never discussed on the show.

The stores filmed also agreed to ignore their own coupon policies most of the time.

I know that many of the stores in the show were disregarding their corporate coupon policies. And I remember a couponer by the name of J'aime who was abusing coupons by applying high-value coupons to low-priced items that didn't match the coupon. She had cracked the coupon code for certain manufacturers and was hauling away tons of free stuff by committing fraud. I had not read about the high school kid that was printing his own coupons! So much effort for free laundry detergent and paper towels! It makes me happy to see those kinds of couponers exposed because they give the rest of us a bad reputation.

The show is heavily scripted, right down to production adding in more stockpile to make it look more impressive. They never tell what was spent on obtaining the coupons. A lot printed them. Ink and paper are not inexpensive.
I would take it as nothing more than entertainment.

I think the most realistic one I saw this weekend was the woman who bragged so much about her couponing, preached it in church and took a church member with her to the store to show her how great she was. She bought $700 worth of groceries for $340. She was so upset. She thought it would be $100 or less.
I think I could clip 50% off worth of coupons on a lot of garbage groceries too, but why would I?

All of the shelf-clearing and check-out drama gets a little old. My 30 boxes of Kleenex actually took me 8 trips because I bought them 3 at a time. It wasn't until the last day of the sale that I did more than 1 transaction in a visit.

In truth, there is very little "reality" to most reality TV shows.

 

[DawnM]

Which episode was this? Do you remember? how did you find out?

Never mind, found it: http://www.jillcataldo.com/extremecouponingcounterfeitcoupons

Dawn

Also, a lot of the people on the shows were using fake coupons. The store would override the computer many many times. If you google it, you will see stories about what happened after the show.

On one episode, a teen couponer had coupons for free dtergent and toilet paper. All his coupons were fakes. The store took them anyway. You can see the register beeping and the cashier overriding it.

After the show, the store lost like $600 and the couponer's mother apparently paid the store back but this was never discussed on the show.

The stores filmed also agreed to ignore their own coupon policies most of the time.

 

[Disneefun]

When they did one at our local store, the store took a lot of flack because they didn't enforce their own coupon policies. They doubled more than they usually do, they took more multiples of coupons than they usually do, and they took Internet printed coupons, which they never do.

They admitted that they did it "for the show" and then said, "The producers made us. We didn't fully understand what we were getting into when we signed up to be filmed and a lot happened on filming day that we were forced into."

Right. They weren't even close to the first episode filmed -- i think they were in the second season so they knew, they just did it anyway to get publicity.

ETA: They also allowed overage in that show, something the never do IRL.

 

[pocomom]

Your first problem is you are not eating toothpaste and potato chip casserole for dinner with gatorade for dessert.
My family was invited to be on the show a couple of years ago. My daughter was couponing to send items to soldiers, and this is when they often didn't put the size limits often so she was able to get a ton of trial size stuff for free or close too. So I did my research, and I can say the show is very much planned and scripted. First of all , notice how they always say this was the "biggest haul yet"...there is a reason. As others have said, the producers stage a lot, the stores will relax their policies for the publicity- a couple have even come out and appologized to their customers. Plus they do legitmate things to save that they don't show, like using rewards earned in previous weeks, like when you get $10 off your next order because you bought 5 laundry soaps. Also a couple of times the shoppers have said the store was having a special triple coupon day and they didn't put value limits, not a policy many stores actually have. They got a lot of flack for having no vegetables and no milk in their carts, so that is why the shows now will have a little. But the milk is purchased with free milk if you bought 4-5 boxes of cereal the week before coupons. You really need to count that in the total. If you ask what these shoppers spend on average for their weekly groceries it is about well, average. I actually spend less now, then when I put a lot of effort into couponing, by planning cheaper, less processed meals. I still coupon for some personal care items, and I clean with mostly things like vinegar. Easier, better, and cheaper!
Bottom line if you want a shopping day deal like you see on the show, apply to be on the show..reality tv isn't real!

 

[M2B]

I live in Canada. Where I am you would never get away with trips like that. Nowhere near. I know it's all scripted, it pretty much has to be. However, we've never been able to use more than a few coupons that were the same. There have been limits per family purchase for a long time, etc.

The show is so over the top it's ridiculous. Anyone who thinks they are saving money buying things they don't need, in quantities they will never use needs a reality check. If you have a room full of paper items and canned/dried food for a normal family you aren't saving money.

 

[FergieTCat]

I watched an episode over the weekend and I thought they had cleaned it up a bit.

Instead of people clearing the shelves, they showed a lady who was trying to budget for her daughter's party. She seemed sane.

I remember the one with that woman (Jaime Kirlew, as I remember) who got investigated for fraud. She was so over the top and irritating!!

I still don't understand what people are going to do with a few hundred bottles of laundry detergent. If they can ALWAYS get them for free, why not wait until they use up some of the stash. Or donate some to a shelter or charity?

 

[edk35]

Couponing like that isn't realistic around here. However, if you really want to get stuff free or close to free then you need to do the drugstore round ups every week. CVS and Walgreens almost always have free items or moneymakers with coupons. I seldom do it anymore because there is only so much toothpaste and shampoo a person needs to store but that's the only place I really see the opportunity to get a few free items.

I haven't followed the threads too much that people post about CVS but can you explain how DEALS are found there. I feel like these drug store prices are far more than say....Walmart or Target. I do have a reward card there and do get the occasional coupon on the receipt, but how are people getting all these awesome deals on toiletries? Thanks!!

 

[MrsPete]

What am I doing wrong????? How much does everyone else save with their coupons??? Does anyone have any tips/tricks for me??????

You want to save like they do? I bet you're capable: Save all your best coupons for months. Steal newspapers so you can get more coupons. Save up store credit vouchers, whatever you can get. Once you have all that, work all week to engineer one "perfect storm" of a shopping trip. Choose a store that price matches. Spend six hours in the store. Come home with a basketful of processed food items that won't make any real meals.

Oh, and when you come home, announce that you have "saved" $500 or so. Of course, the reality is that you'll have $20-50 less in your checking account, so the "saved" money is rather hypothetical. To buy into those "savings" you must figure up the retail cost of the items you hoarded, I mean purchased. Since most of us don't need 99 bottles of mustard, the actual useful value of those "savings" is questionable.

Of course, you know the truth: In the real world, you cannot do this over and over every week. It's not possible. But, for one shining shopping trip, you can LOOK LIKE you're saving 90+% off your bill.

 

[germ539]

I could see having a small stockpile if you had a big family, but why not donate all this "free" stuff especially if you don't need it. I guess I just don't understand why.