Extreme Couponing show...... I don't get it!!

[edk35]

I watched it for the first time tonight. I watched an hour of it. I think it is amazing how they get all that stuff for FREE or near FREE but........ THE STUFF THEY GET is just insane. I mean really what will one person do with 100 bottles of HOT SAUCE?? I understand that some of them donate to charities, which is wonderful, but the work that goes into that... kind of negates the savings to a point. I like saving a few bucks here and there with coupons, but that show really SHOCKED ME. The one lady bought a zillion boxes of couscous. Do any of you think these people are obsessed with this???

 

[AshleyDillo]

It is very addictive. I was never at the same level as those people on the show, but I'll admit to buying way more than I could reasonably consume before expiration dates because of great prices after coupons. It's hard not to stock up on something that is usually $3-$4 at a price of 25cents after coupons! The issue is when you don't really need or will be able to use the item before the expiration date.

Now I only get items that I won't use when they are completely free or the store pays me to take the item--which does happen.

No one really considers the time, gas and expense of buying the extra coupons when filming those shows--they just want to show the extremes.

 

[momofrrr]

My daughter and I were just in the grocery store yesterday and watched as a lady, with her coupon binder in hand, go through the Sunday newspapers that were just inside the front door of the store, and take the ads out of the papers. It made me so mad. I have also, on three occasions in the last couple of months, tried to buy a jar a mayonaise only to find the shelves at three of my local groceries completely empty. I just makes me nuts!

 

[satorifound]

I just read an article about how those people 'cheat' for the show. The stores allow to double more coupons than normal and they accept coupons for wrong items quite often. It is part of the sell of the show. It wouldn't be as fun to watch if they only saved 50%

 

[KrazyKollector]

If you go to any flea market, you will see these "extreme" couponers selling their cr@p for little less than you would pay at the store. Of course, when they grab that many of each thing, no one else gets a chance to get a bargain either.

It was found that one of the first ladies who was on that show was committing fraud by not buying the required sizes and in a You Tube vid she had of herself buying out Target, it was shown she copied fake coupons off the internet and used coupons fraudulently. (For example, she was using $10 off Crest Whitestrips coupons for Bounty paper towels and tp.)

To me, who really dislikes the show, it just shows how greedy some can be and how lacking in morals. I do not believe most of the "charity" claims either.

 

[TLuvsD]

I think some of these people need help. What is anyone going to do with thousands of tubes of toothpaste? Clearly not donate it--it has it's own storage area.

I'm all for coupons for things we use/need--but no one can use that much toothpaste. I'm not surprized that there is cheating going on, no store around here doubles coupons much anymore, and if they do there is a limit--both the number of coupons and the amount doubled.

 

[Swimalie]

I watched it for the first time yesterday as well. In the episode I saw the woman bought 100 containers of yogurt. How could anyone go through that many before they expire? I love saving as well but to them it seems like an obsession.

 

[Princesca]

I think the time-tested adage of "All things in moderation" most certainly applies here.

But does not apply to trips to Disney of course.

 

[maggiew]

I just read an article about how those people 'cheat' for the show. The stores allow to double more coupons than normal and they accept coupons for wrong items quite often. It is part of the sell of the show. It wouldn't be as fun to watch if they only saved 50%

Only one of the ladies was accused of fraud. The others were doing things legitimately.

Maggie

 

[Alexander]

I watched it for the first time yesterday as well. In the episode I saw the woman bought 100 containers of yogurt. How could anyone go through that many before they expire? I love saving as well but to them it seems like an obsession.

Well, if they were the single serving ones (not the big tubs) my family probably could! We eat a lot of yogurt and some of the exp. dates are a month out. But I completely understand what you are saying!

 

[JandT'smom]

It seems like organized hoarding.

 

[GatorMama]

IN an effort to make sure I don't TRY to be like those crazies, I've drawn the line at 6 tubes of unopened toothpaste in the house at once. 3 men's deoderants and 3 women's deoderants. 3 bottles of bodywash. 6 boxes of cereal. 4 bottles of any one specific condiments. 3 bags of coffee. I do get more canned veggies, but ONLY green beans, tomatoes and corn. We don't use enough of anything else for me to benefit much from keeping it on hand.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

I will buy multiple items of things I get overage on... the grocery store I shop at gives overage so it helps pay for my other groceries. If an item has 80 cents overage and I buy 10 of them, that is 8 dollars going towards meat and healthy stuff for my family. Anything I won't use I donate.

 

[ellone]

I watched it for the first time yesterday as well. In the episode I saw the woman bought 100 containers of yogurt. How could anyone go through that many before they expire? I love saving as well but to them it seems like an obsession.

While cleaning out a fridge at work a guy I used to work with tried all the expired yogurts (not kidding, it wasn't on a dare, he just wanted to do it). He said the 2 month expired ones were fine, but the 6 month one tasted a little funky. And he didn't get sick - he was in the next day.

 

[SpecialK]

I watched it for the first time yesterday and the hot sauce jumped out at me too. I've noticed more and more lately that store shelves have been cleared out of sale items and it seems to coincide with this show being broadcast.

I passed a woman with a binder a couple of weeks ago who had 30 packages of chicken in her cart.

 

[DizneyDogs]

My daughter and I were just in the grocery store yesterday and watched as a lady, with her coupon binder in hand, go through the Sunday newspapers that were just inside the front door of the store, and take the ads out of the papers. It made me so mad. I have also, on three occasions in the last couple of months, tried to buy a jar a mayonaise only to find the shelves at three of my local groceries completely empty. I just makes me nuts!

There was a lady that was going around stealing coupons from people's newspapers at their houses and taking the coupons out of all the papers in the machines anyway she got arrested and I think the article said she could face up to 7 years in jail.

 

[JamesMom]

My daughter and I were just in the grocery store yesterday and watched as a lady, with her coupon binder in hand, go through the Sunday newspapers that were just inside the front door of the store, and take the ads out of the papers. It made me so mad. I have also, on three occasions in the last couple of months, tried to buy a jar a mayonaise only to find the shelves at three of my local groceries completely empty. I just makes me nuts!

There was a woman who was arrested for doing this in my area about a month ago:
http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-coupon-kleptos-extreme-couponing-arrests-story,0,4929640.story

I confess I watched an hour yesterday of this show amazed. These people had stockpiles in their home and must spend hours upon hours organizing their coupons and stuff. I guess the thrill and 'high' of getting so much for a great price is what keeps them going. I wouldn't that much stuff in my house!

Because of our personal finances I am entering the couponing world, but plan only to buy what my family can reasonable use in, let's say a month and won't be dumpster diving for coupons to do it!

 

[lttlmc3]

A lot of this extreme couponing is a bit of hoarding, I think too. I'd like to be able to stock up on a few bottles of body wash and toothpaste, but getting something like 20 bottles is just nuts! I wish I could find out how to stock up on just a few and not 70 or so! LOL

 

[satorifound]

Toothpaste is actually one of the few things you can legitimately get for free. Another big one for freebies after coupons is BBQ sauce. This week I got chex mix for free and did stock up on it. I bought 17 bags of it, and it still won't last that long in our house. 2 teenagers a pre teen and a 10 year old. Often times you can get snack foods down to like .50. I stock up then also. We get lots of kids coming and going at our house and it saves us a bundle to already have this stuff and know we didn't pay much. You can find candy every once and awhile that ends up being free.

That said, I have about 5 tubes of toothpaste and don't need anymore for awhile. If I get anymore it is going to work to be given to co-workers. Spread the joy.

The way they make coupons seems to be changing. They are making you buy two items more often with $1.00 off two items instead of .50 off 1. With a .50 off 1 item it gets doubled to a dollar. Works out really well when things have been brought down already for super sales. Now you only get the initial .50 off each item with the way the new coupon is worded. Most stores don't double past a dollar so that coupon stays exactly what it was intended to be.

 

[finz2left]

Around here we call extreme couponing "Hording with shelving."