Extreme Couponing

[BoardWalkBelle]

ok i am watching extreme couponing for the first time...why do these people need to buy 1000.00 worth of groceries, even if with couponing it comes to 50.00?? Thats alot of groceries..these poepl have huge stockpiles of stuff in their homes that they will never use..and the woman who bought 130 boxes of coucous, which she has never even tried before...that will last her forever..i dont get it..i like the woman who was making a food pantry of her stockpile and giving it away to her family and people in need that is a great idea..but keeping a stockpile of this much stuff in your home..i dont get it..

 

[RadioMom]

I don't get it either. I mean, I understand the thrill of it all, getting so much for so little. But if you watch, they're not buying a lot of healthy stuff. It's cases of Vitamin water and boxes of candy and sugary cereals and toothpaste. Why does anyone need 62 bottles of hot sauce? Some things would be nice I guess to stockpile, but you don't see produce in their cart or rarely fresh meat.
Here in Ontario (Canada) we can't double/triple coupons. And it's one coupon per item. Even with the most careful planning, it would be difficult to score like that.
I think if you can help others, it would be worthwhile. I'm always amazed at the amount of time they take to coordinate everything. I'd have to quit my job!

 

[NC State]

I too watched it for the first time last night. I don't get it either. I do like the guy that gave a lot of the free stuff to shelters and needy groups. But who would want to live in a stock pile of toilet paper?

 

[Candlz]

LOL

I am a big couponer, not extreme, but big. Yesterday I spent $184 and saved $187.

Those shows are set up - those people don't shop like that ALL the time (they cant!).

I keep a 3 month supply of the things we need. The way the sales cycles work is the same things go on sale every 3 months. If you buy what you NEED when it is on sale and when you have a coupon - then you are buying it at the best price you can. I do have an over abundance of cereal at the moment, but that is because they were giving away $5 in free gas for every 3 boxes of cereal you bought. Everything about this sale fell into line for me - it was my hubby's favorite, it was on sale BOGO and I had coupons $1 off 2 boxes. So, we have a 6 month supply of cereal for close to a dollar a box and we didn't need to PAY for gas on a recent road trip of over 1000 miles.

We never NEED anything (with the exception of milk from time to time) so we never are STUCK paying full price for stuff...

 

[NiftyJ88]

I think the show has really ruined things for small time couponers. I would often be able to buy $25 worth of items at Rite Aid for under $1. I had a "healthy" stockpile. Health and beauty items stock piled in about a 12 month supply. I would have enough to give my elderly neighbors also. I currently have about 30 boxes of cereal - which is way too much for the 3 of us, so I have been giving some to family and neighbors. But, they paid me to take it so I bought it - it's all in date and it will all be used.
Many stores are changing their policies as a result of the show and while I can still get deals, they are not as prevalent as they used to be.

 

[NYCDiane]

I love couponing but these "extreme coupon" shows are just ridiculous. The narrator was saying this family has a 3 year supply of food or a 150 year supply of deodorant or enough detergent for 500 loads of laundry. Crazy.

I live in a small apartment so I can't "stockpile" all that much. If I lived in a house, I would probable have a stockpile of papertowels, toilet paper, laundry detergent, dish detergent, body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, and things of that nature.

I don't understand people who have 100 boxes of cereal on-hand. First, it expires after a while. Second, won't bugs get in it????? I have a pantry and I'll keep pasta and other dry-goods on-hand, but not 100! I'll also stock up on canned goods when my grocery store has a stock-up sale (I keep them in the cases and put them under the table.

I just can't imagine that one woman whose stockpile is under her kids' beds or in her closet, etc. That's a bit "out there" IMHO

 

[sstanaford]

You have to remember that this show is just like Big Brother, Survivor, The Bachelor, etc...it is made to be dramatic and is no real. These people do not shop like this every week. These people do not eat just over processed, sugar infused foods but if they showed them going to the store and spending $75 on $200 worth of food who would watch it?

I coupon and on average save 70% on my bill. So if the total is $100 I spend about $30. I do keep a stockpile but it does not resemble my local mini mart.

Some places here double (they do at my grocery stores) but some areas in the US do not. You can only use 1 coupon per items unless it is a store like Target or Meijer that lets you combine a manufacter's coupon with an instore coupon.

 

[dhardawa]

I watched for about five minutes yesterday and kept thinking what a waste it all was because there is no way two people could go through 200-300 containers of salad dressing before it expired. Heck, I'm lucky to go through a single container of Tylenol before it expires and these people are buying hundreds at a time. I know the one guy said he donated all the extra to the food bank at his church so that made me feel good, but when you already have enough deodorant for 150 years, why are you buying 100 more sticks?

I also noticed he got most of his coupons from coupon exchanges/sales. So, these "free" items really aren't free when you figure he is buying the coupons and paying postage on them. They may be cheap, but not free. I think it is the thrill of the sale that keeps these people doing it. I'll admit, I was giddy the other day when I bought a pack of Huggies for $2.49. It is like a gambling addiction where there is a thrill as they leave the store with the free things.

 

[luvmy3]

I never watched the show until I tuned in the other night and the woman was getting 1000 Butterfingers. I have to say I'm jealous of her stash of laundry detergent and papertowels, because those are things I use on a daily basis and go through like crazy. However I don't get the things like Butterfingers

 

[JamesMom]

I got sucked into watching 2 hours of this yesterday while nursing an upset tummy. While I admired the savings, the time, energy and space to stock a grocery store at home seemed to border on hoarding. I did enjoy watching the young family who used coupons to gather over $20,000 worth of donations that cost them nothing but time --THAT is admirably use of time and resources.
I use coupons and scour the grocery adds to save roughly 20% off my grocery bill with minimal fuss and my kids can store their toys under their bed instead of excess paper products

 

[ceecee]

I never watched the show until I tuned in the other night and the woman was getting 1000 Butterfingers. I have to say I'm jealous of her stash of laundry detergent and papertowels, because those are things I use on a daily basis and go through like crazy. However I don't get the things like Butterfingers

I saw that too, I would say she eats a lot of Butterfingers by the looks of it. I just can't see how you could drink that much soda before the expiration date and it does get flat.

 

[Massillon Dad]

Its up to manufacturers & stores to regulate the sensibility of NUMBER OF COUPONS PER PERSON IT IS WILLING TO ACCEPT. Also, note that stores have requirements "per transaction"; but then negate that rule by allowing individuals to do several "transactions". Like most of the country, we appreciate being able to use a few coupons, but hate to get in line behind one of these "extremers" in the store. It would be great if these "extremers" would contribute to the GNP and strength of this country.

 

[NYCDiane]

Another thing about the "extreme couponers" show.... I'm sure the stores that are featured are thowing their coupon policy out the window when they film there.

First, the store is getting paid to let TLC use the store (you notice you'll NEVER see any other shoppers -- except those looking at the couponer at the register (production people being used as extras).

Second, I know of NO store that will allow you to double 100 coupons on the same brand item or even buy 100 of an item that is on sale at the sale price. For example, the store I go to limits you to 4 of any sale item. Any more than that will ring up at the regular price. Also, they will limit you to 4 double coupons on any one item. For example, if I have 10 jars of Ragu and 10 - 50 cents coupons, they're only going to double 4 of those 50 cents coupons. You can double as many you want of different brands but it's a limit of 4 per brand item.

I think if these "extreme couponers" had to go by the coupon policy/rules, they wouldn't be so "extreme".

 

[delmar411]

I never watched the show until I tuned in the other night and the woman was getting 1000 Butterfingers. I have to say I'm jealous of her stash of laundry detergent and papertowels, because those are things I use on a daily basis and go through like crazy. However I don't get the things like Butterfingers

I know people who get things like candy bars in absurd amount to hand out on Halloween. They normally start stocking them up in Sept. I'm sure their houses are very popular! LOL

I don't watch the show so I have no idea what that person planned on doing with it but maybe that was the plan.

 

[MedicGoofy]

The US is sooo much different when it comes to couponing. It just does not happen like that in Canada. I recently bought a box of Pampers for my SIL. I had a $5 off coupon. I sat there for over a minute while the cashier read the entire contents of the coupon. Making sure it was valid and that I was indeed, entitled to use it. For Canadians, most times, if something is on sale already, we can not use a coupon. And we definitely do not get double off something. The way the show works, is so not how it works here Ironically, if I drive 30 min over the boarder, I can coupon. Sadly, I can't get the coupons to do so...LOL. Kudos to those who can do it

 

[ceecee]

I'd like to know where they get coupons that give that much off!!! The only coupons I get for Charmin is .25 WOW! The candy ones that were in last Sunday's paper clearly stated off 12 ounce only!

 

[21yankees]

I'd like to know where they get coupons that give that much off!!! The only coupons I get for Charmin is .25 WOW! The candy ones that were in last Sunday's paper clearly stated off 12 ounce only!

A month or so ago Mars had a coupon for $1.25/3 single candy bars/m&ms. Around the same time the store I shop at had them on sale for .40 a piece and they allow for overage. So for every 3 I purchased with the coupon I received an additional 5 cents off my grocery total.

I'm by no means an extreme couponer but I do follow my local stores cycles of pricing. By doing this I'm able to purchase a large amount of those items on sale and have enough on hand to last until they are on sale once again.

 

[jennilynn510]

LOL

I am a big couponer, not extreme, but big. Yesterday I spent $184 and saved $187.

Those shows are set up - those people don't shop like that ALL the time (they cant!).

I keep a 3 month supply of the things we need. The way the sales cycles work is the same things go on sale every 3 months. If you buy what you NEED when it is on sale and when you have a coupon - then you are buying it at the best price you can. I do have an over abundance of cereal at the moment, but that is because they were giving away $5 in free gas for every 3 boxes of cereal you bought. Everything about this sale fell into line for me - it was my hubby's favorite, it was on sale BOGO and I had coupons $1 off 2 boxes. So, we have a 6 month supply of cereal for close to a dollar a box and we didn't need to PAY for gas on a recent road trip of over 1000 miles.

We never NEED anything (with the exception of milk from time to time) so we never are STUCK paying full price for stuff...

i'm a big couponer as well...i usually have about 15-20 boxes of cereal on hand at any given time (i also have 3 kids). i coupon with 2 friends & we split everything down the middle. with the hba stuff being so cheap or free with coupons i will usually share w/ family & friends & donate it to the troops or local foodbanks & shelters. it makes my kids feel really good when they see us giving back. my general rule is i hate to pay more than $1 for anything. crazy i know. i do have a stock pile of papertowels & laundry detergent but also go thru that stuff like crazy as well. trust me you will never find me clearing a shelf or buying 60 bottles of mustard. but if its a good deal, i'm buying. it offsets all the other money you spend on clothing shoes etc.

 

[BoardWalkBelle]

I think the most "extreme" couponing i have done is a few weeks ago i somehow managed to use 10.00 in coupons at Publix!!

 

[clintswifeymomof4]

I've gone from 217 lbs to 128 lbs in the last year... I also stopped couponing. You very very rarely will find a coupon for a fresh produce or lean meat item... it usually requires the purchase of a processed item, or is for a type of "meat" drenched in sodium laden sauces and preservatives.

It would be a perfect world if I found a coupon "save 25 cents on bananas PERIOD" or "save $1 on fresh chicken breasts PERIOD"

A girl can dream!