Extreme couponing on TLC

[GingerJay]

Mid-Atlantic region here! I know what you mean. The day they stop doubles will definitely be a BAD day. It will also be the last day I ever step foot in Krogers as it is the most expensive store in town

I quoted you just because I like your signature Pillow fighting smilies are adorable

Back on topic-I know this show is a bit extreme but to me it's something of an inspiration. I'm not much of a couponer but I'm definitely going to start having to clip them- I never knew you could save so much money on groceries- Even the more realistic examples on this thread are a great deal!

 

[momof2intx]

Back on topic-I know this show is a bit extreme but to me it's something of an inspiration. I'm not much of a couponer but I'm definitely going to start having to clip them- I never knew you could save so much money on groceries- Even the more realistic examples on this thread are a great deal!

Yes, the show is definitely showing the extreme side of couponing...at least the first one did. Showcasing those who were just getting stuff to be getting stuff. Maybe they are reselling it, I don't know.

But if you are using coupons to save your family money or to save for a trip to Disney...............then think of them as MONEY. $.40 here and $.55 there might not seem like a lot but it adds up and combined with store sales and store cards can save you ALOT and help add to your Disney fund or whatever else is more important for you to be spending your hard earned cash on.

 

[DawnM]

The thread on food prices soaring got me thinking.....I haven't noticed nearly as many good deals as there used to be. If our local stores stop double couponing or stop their triples weeks, the deals just won't be worth going to that store anymore.

I got crazy with couponing for a while. I gained weight. I also spent way too much time doing it. The show verified for me why I haven't done it in a while.

I have decided to put my big toe back in the water....two papers per week only and figure out a more time effective method for organizing and use just once a week unless there are triples.

I will see if it really does save me any $$. Right now I mostly go to Costco.

Dawn

 

[Tink-n-MrIncredible]

This show is going to ruin coupon use for all coupon users.

 

[Nayan]

The ones that irk me are those who will send their kids down an aisle to peel coupons off items (better known as 'peelies'). I have heard stories about people like this and they had better hope I don't catch them.

 

[akenneson]

Great guy? If he was donating why on earth didn't he go straigth to the pantry and unload? Nope! He took it home and unloaded! A little research will tell you that he re-sells this stuff and that's how he got out of debt. Now, I'm not saying that it is wrong of him to use his talent for shopping to better himself financially because seriously you do what you have to do.

I didn't mean that he was a great guy, I don't know him, but he was at least making an effort to help others rather than hoarding it all. But yes, he should have taken it to the food pantry instead of unloading and making somebody come pick it up. I don't have time to research what people have done and to judge whether it is right or wrong

 

[Sarah&Ryan]

The ones that irk me are those who will send their kids down an aisle to peel coupons off items (better known as 'peelies'). I have heard stories about people like this and they had better hope I don't catch them.

My kids would be MORTIFIED if I asked them to do that!

 

[PatsMom]

I only saw one episode of the show, but I will probably watch when it is on again. Or at least record it. I like to see how they do the extreme couponing even though I would probably never go to those lengths. I do have a lot of stuff in my pantry sometimes, especially things like toothpaste or deodorant. when I think I am starting to have way more than I need, I clean house and donate to a food pantry. They are always very happy to get any items that can't be purchased with food stamps.

My family regularly "shops" in my closet too. Lately I've been bribing two of my nieces are are shuttling my daughter between her college and her car with stuff from the closet.

I don't buy multiple papers but sometimes I have several of the same coupon - my mother, my sister in law, and my aunt all give me their coupons. And my mother gets two Sunday papers because she wants the crossword puzzle. I also know there are web sites where you can buy coupons - I've never done it but I know someone who does.

It makes me feel good to save money and if I end up donating stuff, then I feel good that I am able to help out someone less fortunate than me.

 

[Jacoby 46]

The ones that irk me are those who will send their kids down an aisle to peel coupons off items (better known as 'peelies'). I have heard stories about people like this and they had better hope I don't catch them.

I have never had my daughter take a "peelie" but she is more than happy to grab me a couple "blinkies" when we go by one!!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I watched the show when it came on -- most of the supermarkets where I'm at would never even have that much stuff on the shelves. I believe the stores are well aware of what coupons are out there and use inventory control to keep people from doing extreme couponing. Shoot, I feel lucky if I can take advantage of some of the loss-leaders in the weekly ads!

 

[EMHDad]

How do they get so many coupons!!??

Some people like me buy about 6-7 papers every Sunday. However, this will only give you a handful of coupons for any particular item, enough for 1-2 months usually. The people presented on the show who have dozens and dozens of coupons, outside of recycling bin diving, usually buy them online. Its illegal to sell coupons, but there are websites that will give away coupons, but charge a $.10 clipping fee per coupon. Thats how they get it.


As far as couponing goes, if you want to watch the show for entertainment, go ahead, im checking it out. However, if you want to learn to coupon shop the best way, I recommend going to www.couponmom.com. She has been around, appearing on Oprah a couple of times, and the today show and stuff. She presents a good understanding of how to coupon the right way, in a healthy way, and then her site has the store info each week. If your store isnt on it (like my Kroger), there is prob. a site that will have the weekly info.

 

[shaylyn]

I've only watched half of one show, where a lady sent her CHILDREN dumpster-diving for coupons...for a minute I thought I was watching Teen Mom! Another lady had stockpiles of things all over her house. She almost had a breakdown at the register when the computer/cash register would not automatically give her the discount on the last 100 boxes of pasta. The store manager stepped in and manually gave the discount...making the pasta free, and making the lady look like a fool. I figure we'll see her again...on hoarders. But at least no children were harmed in making her segment. I was hoping it would be more informative, but the two people I watched seemed more disturbed than anything. I hope I saw only the two worst cases.

lol, my sister, a 37 year old professional, did that! She would have her kids get in the newspaper recycling dumpster (only papers in there) and grab all of the coupons they could find. She'd never get a huge quanity though. Maybe 10 of one coupon max.

She even bought coupons off of Ebay a few times.

How do the people get 100+ of one coupon?

When I lived in AZ, we had stores that would double coupons, but no stores do it on a regular basis here in Oregon. Sometimes they will print a special store coupon that's valid to double a coupon up to $0.50 max and a max of 4 doubling coupons can be used.

 

[teacup princess]

I found it irritating that they didn't figure in the cost of the coupons for the people that bought 100's of coupons online. I think they said she spent like $70 or so buying the coupons online but yet they made it seem like she got hundreds of dollars of groceries for free, um no, you got them for $70 if you figure in the cost of the "clipping fee" for coupons. I also didn't like the way they showcased the carts full of nonsense items like hundreds of candy bars. Who needs that?

Now, the older lady who couponed for REAL FOOD and stuff that she ACTUALLY USED. She was genious, and I'd watch a show based on couponers like her.

 

[Purseval]

Last time we were in Orlando we went into the Walmart on Turkey Lake Road early one Sunday morning and I saw 3 women looking through the stacks of newspapers, ones that hadn't been sold yet, and taking out the coupon sections. I thought this was some sort of bizarre isolated incident but then I saw the same thing happening at our local Walmart. If I was an employee and saw them doing that I'd have them arrested for shoplifting. You have to be pretty desperate to save 50 cents to stoop that low.

 

[Kycha]

What I didn't understand while watching the show was how were all 100 boxes free. Unless she had $1 off coupons and the pasta was on sale for $1....I just didn't get it.

My Kroger only doubles/triples up to 4 coupons of the same item.

Yes, that is exactly what she did. Pasta was $1 and the coupons were for $1 off making them free. And my Kroger doubles up to .50, unlimited.

The only thing this show does is make couponers look like a bunch of lunatics. And shut down Kroger Double/Triple coupons in Texas....which will most likely spread like wildfire across the country. So Thanks TLC and Extreme Coupons.

I disagree. I don't think the Extreme Couponing show has anything to do with Houston area Krogers discontinuing D/T coupons. And each region, and oftentimes each store manager decides the store/region coupon policy. So, what happens in the Southwest Kroger region, will not likely affect me here in the Louisville Kroger region.

I found it irritating that they didn't figure in the cost of the coupons for the people that bought 100's of coupons online. I think they said she spent like $70 or so buying the coupons online but yet they made it seem like she got hundreds of dollars of groceries for free, um no, you got them for $70 if you figure in the cost of the "clipping fee" for coupons.

I agree. Whether they are using a coupon clipping service or actually buying dozens of papers to get the coupons, that should be figured into the final totals of their shopping sprees. But, it's possible the people featured in the EC show got their coupons by dumpster diving or some other "free" method. I know they showed the one woman dumpster diving. But they didn't really explain where the other featured couponers got their coupons.

 

[java]

I quoted you just because I like your signature Pillow fighting smilies are adorable

Back on topic-I know this show is a bit extreme but to me it's something of an inspiration. I'm not much of a couponer but I'm definitely going to start having to clip them- I never knew you could save so much money on groceries- Even the more realistic examples on this thread are a great deal!

I am going to watch I think. I am a couponer, but not extreme (I don't think so anyway) I do get my coupons from my dad, who subscribes to 3papers a week. He gives me all his inserts. For free.
Maybe they belong to a coupon train when I was on one here I got so many coupons I couldn't keep up!

 

[mrodgers]

But, it's possible the people featured in the EC show got their coupons by dumpster diving or some other "free" method. I know they showed the one woman dumpster diving. But they didn't really explain where the other featured couponers got their coupons.

They did state that the first girl purchased her coupons for $70.

 

[LuvMickey36]

Its possible. Last week I was paid $1.04 for 52 boxes of pasta. The combination of sales and cantinas and coupons made it happen. I was able to take about 10 bosex each to inlaws and brother in law. Now we have about 30 boxes that should last my family about 4-5 months. My boys love pasta, so its really nice.

I got into it a few months ago when the show aired. I like how couponmom.com sets it up. I just buy about 6-8 Sunday papers. Then I dont cut any coupons, just date the inserts and file them. Then I have a few websites that will, each week, show my the deals I can get that combine the sales and coupons. The sites will even tell me what week and insert to look. They will also have the links to any online coupons. (Those are limited. I can print 2 of any online coupon.) I spend about 30 minutes a week planning the shopping.

In the end I save about a consistent 40-50% of my groceries. I know that this is not the 90% they show on tv. However, I have a staple of needed foods like fruits and vegtables and items the family loves that I buy. The Couponing of many items combined with buying the items we want gives me the 40-50% average.

I also try to operate with a few rules. I try to stick with a few rules. I really only need a 4-5 month supply at the most. I don't need beyond that. If I can get a lot for free, like toothpaste (I have been able to get about 40 tubes free in the last few months), I just pass them around to family and my food pantry. Second, I dont get things just for the sake of getting deals. I have my family's shopping list on excel that spells out the items needed for the month and stick with that. So, if there is a great sale on cherrios, Ill buy 6 bosex. Kids love it, and its better then most cereal. If ready made meals are on sale for a quarter, I skip it, because we dont eat that stuff, even if its 90% off and a fanastic deal.

I remember that show, and the final 3 people seemed to coupon out of lifestyle. However the first woman (whose register broke on her shopping trip) just seem to show multiple signs of addiction in her shopping. She was spending 40-50 hours a week on it, driving everywhere, looking for any deal just to feel that 'high' and feeling anxiety when not extreme couponing. Also, our extreme couponing did appear to be leading to hoarding tendencies.

I was examinging how she got like $1000 in grocerys for like $50. The reason was not that she got a well balanced assortment of needed items, but got a huge bulk of a few items for free. Who needs 400 butterfinger bars?

All in all, extreme couponing should be used as a wonderful tool to really save a family money, but not at the cost of overtaking one's life, one's home, or a well balanced diet.

Well said!!! I don't understand how the guy says he has a lifetime supply of soap and deodorant then buys/coupons another 50+. The peeps they showcased previously, didn't seem to do a lot of donating/giving away (or at least didn't say they did) The guy did donate the cereal, but said nothing about the 50+ deodorants he just got to go with his "lifetime" supply. I know that a bottle of salad dressing has a shelf life of what? 2 years, but when you have 25 ahead of it, are you really going to use it? We don't go thru that much a year.

I would love to coupon much more than I do. Paper products/cleaners/detergents any other non food items I coupon. Ds is allergic to mulitple foods- peanuts/eggs/soy being a main ones- I have to buy mostly all natural/organic items. There are some coupons out there for these things, but Earthfare is already overpriced and doesn't double. Trader Joes has very few items that are not house brand so it's a bust their also.

In the end, it seemed like these peeps were being wasteful. Sure, they got it at a super discount or free, but you only really need so much. When you start getting it just to get it and you have more than you will "need in a lifetime" per say it's wasteful. As with anything moderation is the key.

 

[jacksmomma]

I tried couponing yesterday for the first time in a couple of years. I saved $20 in coupons and got $10 is store gift cards back. This was all for things that I will use, not 50 boxes of pasta or toothbrushes to last my entire life!

 

[momof2intx]

Noticed yesterday that I had 13 tubes of toothpaste that I got for free with coupons (that my husband doesn't even like he said) so I bagged them up and sent them to school with my daughter. They are creating care packages for our troops and toothpaste is one thing that they need.

I wish the extreme couponers like the ones we saw on the show would do something like that. I'm sure that they would love to have deoderants too!